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I think mine is usually around $120 a month. My gas is about $100 a month. I've got them on budget pay so that's an annual average. I think I'm running a bit over that, so they'll each go up a few dollars next year.
I do run an electric space heater a bit in the garage. I'd cut about $15 a month in the winter if I eliminated that, probably.
How big is your family? I always wonder if we're high or low for two people... but we have a big house? So I never know if I should count size of house or people using it.
I just posted my wedding photos if anyone wants to see.... (though I'm sure nobody does, hahahaha, some strange aussie ranga wedding)
Well, I'd imagine it's difficult to compare given the different money systems, styles of building houses, etc. too.
We have 2 people in the house. However, I have lights / heat lights up for various creatures. So, there are lights on in the basement all of the time & often heat lights. The garage gets a space heater when needed to keep it above freezing because my washer is out there, as well as a bathroom. I also have a pond heater going 24/7 in the winter to keep the pool drain from freezing. (The pool is not operational as I don't have filter / pump right now. However, I don't want it to freeze solid.)
The house is about 1500 square feet upstairs, plus the garage & back room, plus a basement that is about 1200 square feet. The house is pretty "tight" in that there aren't a lot of air leaks. It's a 55 year old house, but has new windows, except in the basement & sunroom. The basement windows have well covers over them, so that provides extra insulating power. The sunroom windows...ugh. HUGE single pane picture windows. This room is NOT air tight.
One bedroom is not used for sleeping, so I turn off the air vents in there. I also close off a few other air vents to redirect heat to the most important places. I keep an oil filled radiator in my bedroom (electric) and heat it up a bit more in that room before bed since I get cold easily. This lets the house temp stay lower. I set it in the 65-67 range.
I do have a fireplace, but we don't rely on it for heat. It's more ambience though on especially cold days I do turn it on.
My son is bad about not turning off lights, etc. However, all of our lights are Flourescents. (The basement has 8 foot long shop lights, though, so they aren't super cheap to run...)
In the summer, I don't put big towels or jeans in the dryer. I throw them over the pool fence and let them dry there. If I'm feeling energetic, I hang other laundry in the summer, too. I have an umbrella style clothesline I can use under the patio.
Don't panic. I found Colton! I got a call from the school on my cell while I was on another line and the voice mail was asking me about Colton's absence from school today.
Gee, I would like to know about it too! So, I call him and ask where he is. He tells me he is at school. Really? Then why are they calling me? Apparently he had to go to Vo-Tech this morning and take a test. He said he handed in a paper telling the HS that and Vo-Tech was also supposed to call them about it. So, I call the school back. Oh yes, they think they do have that paper laying around somewhere. "Don't worry Michelle, we will take care of it."
Thank you High School for giving me a heart attack and for having your heads misplaced yet again this year! Only 3 more months!!
Shudder! glad you found him & all is well. I'd be pretty irritated about that kind of error on the school's part. Way to make a mother panic - esp. after what you've already been through this school year!
Just about time to torment some students (er give a test...)
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It isn't the first time they have misplaced him this year, but it is the first call that I didn't even know where he was. He failed to mention it to me somewhere down the line. I think the problem is they have too many people taking care of things in there and one doesn't know what the others are doing. It is Colton's fault that I didn't know either and it is because, well, he's a teenage boy!
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I can just imagine where you thought he was........
Poor thing..
Poor thing meaning you not Colton!
At least when I did call him I could hear all the noise in the background and could tell he was at Vo-Tech. I thought it strange he would skip and not ask me first. I have let him get by with a few days he should have been in anyway, so today shouldn't have been different. I think he had to be down there because they don't have school the next 2 days and probably had to get it done since they have missed so much this year. He also qualified for state contest, so he has to work on that. It's not like he is missing anything here except his kindergarten class, FFA, consumer math and some other ridiculously easy class I can't think of right now!
I woulda freaked too Michelle, glad he's located and were he's supposed to be. Tell him congrats from us for qualifying for the state contest.
Oh yeah, my plans changed
The dentist office is having a problem with Ethan's insurance so I don't have to take him in, good thing too cause lil one woke up with a slight fever and has been really drowsy today.
I know you say don't panic in your mind, but your heart is about to jump out of your chest. Glad all is okay.
How is everyone's day going????
Mine is going okay. busy at work. stressing about the weekend. I am packing and cleaning out the attic. Was planning to do it this past weekend, but life got in my way. My sister and a friend are coming to help. Once i get past that then we hope to go into the rest of the house and start cleaning up some stuff.
It's All Good though -- I feel it in my bones.....