Ask:
We're in scortching hot arizona. We've been on a budget plan that has now climbed to $227 a month and have not even hit our summer months yet. Our house is less than 2,000 sq. feet and my brother lives in basically a mansion that is 8,000 sq. feet and pays $300 a month not on a budget plan. I don't get this and so I called them and they told me there is nothing I can do. They lowered it a whole whopping $6 and said it can't be adjusted till next Dec!! Does that sound right? I mean, what if someone can't pay there bills? They've got to have a payment plan for them you would think. Do you ladies have any advice on what I can do about this? Should I call them back and see if I can talk to someone else or should I just give it up? This high of a bill is killing us.
Answer:
I personally do not like the budget billing things! They always seem high to me. I would rather pay what I use. If you are on the budget, you will not see the results of your energy conserving efforts for more than 6 months!
Answer:
One thing I would do is request your power company to come out to check your meter to make sure it is working correctly and that no one is tapping into your meter. I would also check to see where you can cut back. Can you possibly change your light bulbs to compact flourescents. I would also call my a/c company and have your a/c unit checked out to make sure it is running as efficiently as possible. Also if your unit is very old, generally speaking, it will pull more electricity than the newer ones.
Each electric company makes their own payment rules. I'm on budget and like it better than paying monthly. It helps me to handle to hot weather spikes to my bill. Here though, if you are late one time on your budget billing, they pull you off the budget and put you on month to month meter billing. Maybe they do that by you. It's one way of getting off the budget if they won't do anything else for you until your next re-evaluation date.....Just a thought.
Answer:
We are in a house that is less than 2 years old so our ac unit is brand new. I will have them come out to check the meter. I'm too scared to imagine what our bill would be if I got off the budget during these summer months!
They have the deal from 9pm to 9am is off peak which really doesn't help a stay at home mom out at all! Who wants to start laundry at 9pm at night, but wknds. are off peak so I'm going to adjust to doing it then. I've always done the dishwasher at night, kept the thermostat to 78-79 and run my celing fans.
I am going to make another call and see if I happen to get another answere.
Answer:
Good Luck with the power company. I usually do one load a night after 9 pm. I get it into the dryer and then fold it in the morning. Usually it is a load that I don't care about wrinkles like towels or the kids underclothes. Also, I use cold water Tide to cut down on my hot water. My hot water tank runs on electricity. The dryer pulls the most electricity so I at least make sure the dryer is started after 9. Also, on the dishwasher, it is the drying cycle that pulls the most electricity, so I open mine up after it is done washing and let it air dry.
Answer:
Thanks for the tips!
Anyone else who knows big energy waisters I'd love to hear them!
Answer:
Originally Posted by frugalmom1
Good Luck with the power company. I usually do one load a night after 9 pm. I get it into the dryer and then fold it in the morning. Usually it is a load that I don't care about wrinkles like towels or the kids underclothes. Also, I use cold water Tide to cut down on my hot water. My hot water tank runs on electricity. The dryer pulls the most electricity so I at least make sure the dryer is started after 9. Also, on the dishwasher, it is the drying cycle that pulls the most electricity, so I open mine up after it is done washing and let it air dry.
I do this also- I will put my towels in the dryer at night and then fluff them in the am. Also the dish washer- I always run it after 8pm- then when it is done- I crack it open and let the dishes air dry over night- it has worked well! I only run my ceiling fans if we are in the room- I read some where that they don't have any lasting cooling effect- so not to run them unless some one is in the room. I am not a fan of the budget plans either. Another tip is to unplug your appliances- like we have our tv plugged into an outlet that we control with a switch- so at night I flip the switch otherwise it would still suck a little energy to keep the light on the vcr. I also use a switch on our computer- so it isn't in sleep mode- I totally power it down. I have been more obsessive at unplugging things when they aren't in use.