First Month's Electric Bill

[Brookenstein]

I think they think if people can afford $400k for a 1200 sqft house in the middle of nowhere they can afford .18kWh for electricity.  Little do they know we all have interest only loans and maxed out credit cards.  

[cappykat]

You're right, Brooke.  I have a relative who lives in CA who recently bought a house...just what you said, in the 400K range and about 1200 sq ft. for interest only.  He's in the military and they will only be in the house for about 3 years...basically they are renting IMO, but I guess they'll be able to sell for a profit because in 3 years they can probably get $450-500K.  It's crazy!!

[drewstar]

Only  if it is DAIT equipped.

yea right.  Have you been followiung the latest installment of that train wreck?  Did you know that a unsealed (Doh!) diat tub still runs 20% more efficent that a Sundance?   It's true!! Doens't matter what the conditions are, or what specific tub/model you're talking about,  20%!   It's got to be true! I bet once he gets donw stuffing foam in the craks the tub will actually generate electricty!  I feel bad for the poor guy that has to rely on him. IT's a mess.

[dancerGurl69]

east tx spa whats with the gun? u look like a crazy man.  

[stuart]

Cappy,
That's not bad for power....I would guess my Epic to be about $15 per month but we are at .07 per KWH. One thing that most people don't take into account is the extra money they spend in the first few months on energy because they are now washing 3 times as many towels and opening the back door in the cold evenings 2 or 3 times more a night. All of this adds up.

Think about this though...What else can you do per session to get that much enjoyment for that cheap?

BTW don't feel bad, Terminator spent more than that on ammo and fried twinkies last week!

[East_TX_Spa]

east tx spa whats with the gun? u look like a crazy man.  

I'm the sanest person on this board, my dear.  That's what my guns tell me in the darkness of the night.  They tell me I'm pretty, too.  No one else tells me I'm pretty.

Terminator

[leaky]

Cappy,

Talk about crazy?  Down here in desirable HB, 1200 sq. ft houses are in the $700k range PLUS!  We just got our electric bill yesterday.  $151. Ouch!  We are in the tub every night, but there are, like all are saying, too many variables:  New large TV and surround system, additional computer in the son's room, substantial landscape lighting in the front yard, baking going on in the double convection oven, etc.  I'll have to look at it again, but, like Gombo said, we are allotted a certain amount, and then are charged overage fees.  I know I had fees for a certain percentage over (1-3%), then for around 10-30%, then 30-100%, then 100-300% !!!  They make me feel like I'm lighting up the world or something! :-/

[Brookenstein]

Leaky,

My bill was $220 and I didn't have my tub yet.    That was as high as my highest summer bill with the AC on.  Plus about $100 higher than same time last year.  Not sure what is going on, but I'm getting more diligent about not leaving the big screen on cartoons when we are playing outside or leaving the football game on when we go to Home Depot on Sundays, etc. etc.

[lawdawgva]

Ok, I'm just speaking in generalities here so I hope no one gets "bent out of whack" on this, but why is it most people are quite happy to go to dinner and think nothing of spending $50.00 bucks in one pop, but then freak out when their electric bill  for an entire month is say $150.00?

I think its a safe bet to say that if we can afford to buy a 7000.00 hot tub, we can afford to pay another 15 or even 25 a month on our electric bills for something a lot of people out there would view as quite a luxury.  Just a thought.

-Sarge

[cappykat]

Well...let me just tell you how much that bill was $251.93.  Now granted, that includes water, sewage, and garbage pickup.  Of that amount $112.12 was just electric.

And Sarge...I agree with your comparison about eating out.  It's odd how we will spend an amount on one thing and complain about it on another.  I guess it's just because utilities are one of those things we have little control over...well, actually maybe we do!

[LtDan]

I understand there are magnets you can get that significantly reduce energy consumption.

[cappykat]

Yea, I'm working on that....

Hey, in all seriousness.  I have used magnets on my aching back.  I use to wear one 24/7 and I swear they worked for me.  Like everything else...what works for one doesn't for the other.

[drewstar]

Ok, I'm just speaking in generalities here so I hope no one gets "bent out of whack" on this, but why is it most people are quite happy to go to dinner and think nothing of spending $50.00 bucks in one pop, but then freak out when their electric bill  for an entire month is say $150.00?

I think its a safe bet to say that if we can afford to buy a 7000.00 hot tub, we can afford to pay another 15 or even 25 a month on our electric bills for something a lot of people out there would view as quite a luxury.  Just a thought.

-Sarge

Keeping a focused eye on the books is a good discipline and knowing where your money is going  is common sense.  Watch the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themseves.  

If I choose to go out and have a filet mignon and a bottle of wine, thats my choice.  I don't choose to see my rates go up $50, when I expected them to be only $20.   If I can correct someting to bring it down, you'd be a fool no too.

Having a carefree attitude about  it...."hey, it's only a few bucks", is a habit that most of us shouldn't get into.

If you start saying "what's a few dollars here, or there, pretty soon, you want have a few extra bucks.

[cappykat]

Good comments, Drew!

[lawdawgva]

Keeping a focused eye on the books is a good discipline and knowing where your money is going  is common sense.  Watch the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themseves.  

If I choose to go out and have a filet mignon and a bottle of wine, thats my choice.  I don't choose to see my rates go up $50, when I expected them to be only $20.   If I can correct someting to bring it down, you'd be a fool no too.

Having a carefree attitude about  it...."hey, it's only a few bucks", is a habit that most of us shouldn't get into.

If you start saying "what's a few dollars here, or there, pretty soon, you want have a few extra bucks.
 

Drew, I certainly don't advocate throwing money away at anytime, but I have seen friends and relatives drive across town to save 50 cents on a grocery item, spending a buck in gas to do so.  I also had an aunt who refused to turn her heat above 65 because she didn't want to spend the extra money and when she died, her children found almost 100,000 cash in a safe in her basement she had saved over the years.

While its good to have common sense about "cents", its also good to enjoy life and don't sweat the small stuff.  Remember, you can't take it with you.....unless you're like the dying man who instructed his wife to put all his money in the casket with him.  On the day of his funeral, she wrote him a check.  

-Sarge