Electric bill and all this switching

[Pavel Bure]

Can anyone help me make sense of this crap. The almost wife and I live in a probably 650-750 square foot apartment (seriously it's small) and the electric bill is $70-80 a month. It's not really making sense to me considering we don't use that much power. Heck in a place this size it's near impossible to use a ton of electricity. I'm looking at the bill and it's like $.04... cents per kilowatt from Duquense Light plus a provider charge from Dominion at another $.04... cents per kilowatt. Am I just being unrealistic at the price of electricity, should I look into this switching business, and if so how would I go about this?

[since1970]

I ran into the same situation, and I did change and it helped, but what else helped was realizing about everything I owned was creating a drain even when it wasn't in actual use, so I unplugged....

[JeffDFD]

How old is your place (may not be energy efficient)? What all do you have plugged in (many things drain power even when off)? What appliances, etc do you have that use electricity (you can have a gas stove and save money on electricity, so its good to really realize what is using electricity)?

If you have washer, dryer, dishwasher, oven, stove, tv(s), computer(s), dvd player, music player, etc, etc, etc...well what I am trying to say is you may have a smaller place but still have all the appliances on electric you would in a bigger place.

You get a bigger place sure, energy bill can get higher, but its all about what you have plugged in. If you live in a 1 bedroom apartment but you and the wife each have your own personal electronics...living in a bigger place may not change your energy consumption as much if you still have the same number of things plugged in.

[Pavel Bure]

Even when we weren't yet moved in and all that was in the place was fridge, washer, dryer that months electric was the same price. I might request they come look at the meter.

[Easton]

I live in a ~620 square foot apartment and I don't think we have ever had a bill below $70. Usually about $70-$80, but this month is $95. I figured it was normal, but I also live in KY and have Kentucky Utilities, so I don't know.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

Unplugging things helps, but the most your are saving is counted in pennies. The big items are your TVs, refrigerator, washer, dryer, stove, and of course A/C and heater. Insulation and air leaks around windows and doors are also big factors.

[JS©]

Mine is closer to 90-100, but I've been running AC nonstop, my stove is electric, and I'm terrible with leaving my computers on.

I also don't have a gas bill, so it's give and take.

[bhaw]

$70-$80 is high in the summer? You probably don't want to know what my bill is out here in AZ during the summer...

[mac5155]

My bills are around 80 and I live in a huge house. I not sure sq footage.. No central air though, and Web have gas dryer and hot water and stove. Run 2 Window air conditioners almost non stop. Our gas bills are like $30 a month

[columbia]

I just paid $125 for gas and electric; it was $166 last month.

[mac5155]

Did u do the switch providers thing? A friend did and they were getting ripped off bad.. Like $400 a month bad.

[bhaw]

I just paid $125

I think our July bill was triple that. August was well over double.

[columbia]

Nah, just finally got to stop running the AC in early September.
The OP's bill seems about right.

[columbia]

I just paid $125

I think our July bill was triple that. August was well over double.

I switch the AC to 80 during the workday in the summer. so that helps.

[bhaw]

I just paid $125

I think our July bill was triple that. August was well over double.

I switch the AC to 80 during the workday in the summer. so that helps.

Wife stays home, so don't have that option unfortunately

[columbia]

My dog doesn't complain about it....he gets a fresh bowl of ice when I leave (and undoubtedly sleeps on the couch the whole day).
The alternative is him spending the day in 95 degrees and that wouldn't be good.

[bhaw]

My dog doesn't complain about it....he gets a fresh bowl of ice when I leave (and undoubtedly sleeps on the couch the whole day).
The alternative is him spending the day in 95 degrees and that wouldn't be good.

For Mad Libs fun, replace dog with wife, he with she, him with her.

I doubt she would appreciate that.

[columbia]

[PghSkins]

I switched from Duquesne Light default to First Energy. I was surprised to find that my budget payment didn't go down because my monthly bill should be about $20 less. Probably will pick it up on the back end but that doesn't put more $ in my pocket now. I am at $114/mo for a 1250 sq ft house.

FE deal is 2 years, but the other companies keep calling. I bet I have told EQT (I think it is) 5 times that I am locked in for another 20 months at least. Doesn't stop them though.

[LeopardLetang]

i locked in a rate about a year ago since supposedly rates were going to go sky high. but they didn't. and i've been paying about $100 more per month than i could be.

[Shyster]

The PUC has a web site where you can compare your current rate with the rates offered by other suppliers. Go to http://www.papowerswitch.com/ and select “Shop for Electricity” at the top. Just like shopping for, say, cell phone service, some suppliers may offer a lower rate but require a locked-in contract or charge cancellation fees. If you see a lower supplier that appeals to you, you can contact them to have them take over as your electric supplier. You’ll get a confirmation letter in the mail, but you shouldn’t have to do anything else. You will still get bills from Duquense Light and Duquense Light will be still be responsible for all line maintenance.

There’s no guarantee that switching suppliers will save money, but it might. It is a pretty easy process. It can also be used to pursue an environmental agenda, if you wish. For example, one supplier might generate some of its electricity from renewable sources. You may prefer that over a supplier that operates nothing but coal-burning power plants. Part of my decision to switch to First Energy, for example, was the fact that they operate several nuclear power plants, and I like that.