My first electric bill for the year almost gave me a heart attack at $148.49 because the bill for the same time last year was $82.53. I know that last year I was using the space heater instead of the central heating because it did not make sense (and still does not) to heat unused rooms. I really went a bit wild last month with using the heat and need to seriously cut down on my electricity use because I have added to my debt with the dental bills.
I am going back to sleeping wearing more layers like I used to. This means that I will be wearing a robe to bed as well as my pajamas and socks AND using a blanket and comforter. This will allow me to set the heater even lower…and since Dinero sleeps in the bedroom with me the rest of the house only needs to be above freezing so that my pipes do not burst.
It was a bit of a hassle to unplug the heater when I decided to go into the living room to watch television….but I will start to do that again, then move the heater back into the bedroom which is where I spend most of my time (Computer is in the bedroom and I watch Hulu for most shows). I will also wear a sweater over my shirts and wear my fuzzy slippers over my socks as well to keep warm when I am at home on the weekends and when I get home from work.
I also need to set and forget the central heating unit because I know that one of the reasons for the high bill is that I kept messing with the settings. When I get home from work I would take off my jacket (warm) and then need to increase the heat because I was walking around the house in less clothes. I need to keep my jacket on until I get to the bedroom where the space heater is, change clothes, put on my indoor jacket and then walk back to hang up the outside jacket. Hey, the bonus of that is I will be taking more steps and that is more exercise for me.
I need to drink more tea to keep warm as well as that works better than juice. I hope to see a reduction in February’s bill and then a continuing downward trend as it gets warmer.
This reminds me why I hate winter.
This is a very good goal to set. I need to do the same thing for my household as well.
For the past year, regardless of the season, we have constantly kept under $90.00 a month for electricity. Last month, the bill skyrocketed to $130.00. Granted, my mother-in-law visited for about 2 weeks and stayed inside the house 90% of the time…
The only “issue” now is that I would like to keep my newborn comfortable, but I would also like to get back into the $90.00 and under range for electricity.
I know how you feel! During these winter months, electric bills are the worst because of all the heating…Not only that, but this weather has caused a leakage in my roof and now I’ll have to get that repaired, too! Really can’t wait for spring to come! It’s great that you could see how much you saved simply by using a portable heater as opposed to the central heating system.
Electrickery is so darn expensive, it just sucks. Here in South Africa we’ve been getting big price increases as the grid is overloaded and more power stations need constructing.
The best bet here is to make sure your home is as well insulated as possible, and to perhaps look at solar water heating and perhaps a coal stove or fireplace?
I am not a big fan of winter either, I hope you are able to cut down your electricity bill to the level that meets your financial needs! 😀
Till then,
Jean
In the winter season minimize the use of water heater and heating for save electricity bills. It’s good using a blanket in the winter and don’t more use heater.
OH, i am suddenly astonished because when i saw your article, that you hate winter.lastly i know your problem.oh it is quite funny.
Am I going overboard with electricity? I thought I was normal until I read this. My electric bill is $350-$450 a month. I’m amazed at how you people keep it down to no more than $100. Wow.
I guess it depends on the size of your house etc. For the space we live in it is fair to stay under one hundred.
I hope you have a very large home. I real trick is cutting the hot water heater off from the fuse box. It only takes minutes to heat up, unless you’re snowed in….I wouldn’t recommend it, but it makes at least a $30-$40 difference in my bill. Basically look at it like this, its enough hot water in the tank for washing hands and dishes, (as long as you aren’t using a dishwasher), you’re really not using hot water for anything else outside of bathing. Heat it right before bathing at night and leave it on through out the night so you have a nice hot shower. If you have a morning job, turn it off before leaving for work and once you return home, maybe 15-30 minutes before taking your shower, turn it back on. Follow this, and you should see a savings in your electric bill. Remember most hot water heaters run by electric.
I have been able to cut my electric bills bt switching provider.
I pay less and get better service.
I hate winter too; I’d rather be too hot than too cold, which makes summer (or even better, spring and fall) better than winter in my mind. Good ideas for cutting down your electric bills; it’s all about being conscientious about how you use electricity and taking steps to cut down.
I always pay a huge amount on electricity bills.This is a very good goal to set and reduce the bill.
With electricity prices constantly rising, everyone is searching for ways to reduce their energy use. One of the best ways to save money on electricity is to purchase appliances and electronics that have a high energy efficiency rating.
Do the little things first. Switch bulbs to LEDs, caulk every window, door, crack, or whole you see, and weatherstrip as well, get low flow shower heads. There is no reason to freeze. Use thermal undergarmets, scarfs, and use a hot water bottle in a sock trick. Heat water in microwave and then slip into sock. I keep my sleeping temperature @ 55. Stay active.