How to save money on your electric bill?

[luvmychicknkids]

While that does seem high, I don't know what the cost is in your area. Winter here, my bill was running as much as $400 a month for a small, brand new (it isn't quite 3 years old yet), well insulated, 3 bedroom house.

I changed out to the energy saver bulbs (every single light in the house even porch lights). It cut my bill almost in half. My husband switched from his destop computer to a laptop (so it isn't sitting there turned on day and night) and his dropped a lot but I don't know how much (he doesn't live here compliments of the US military.....). Anyway, I know it is sick, but there ARE people paying that much. Just have to find ways around it. I can't wiat for Summer. Mine goes WAY down then because I can't stand to be cold.

 

[mangled]

Quote:
When we had a $584 electric bill one month and had no idea why. Turns out we had a ruptured line in the well and the pump was constantly pumping to try to pressurize the tank. We figured out what was wrong when the well stopped giving us water.

Had to have the pump and lines pulled and replaced to a tune of $1500.

The next month the electric bill was down to our normal $150-$175.

Em

 

[hencackle]

It wouldn't hurt to learn how to read the electric meter and monitor your usage. It's not hard to do. If you have a copy of your bill, you can determine the cost per kilowatt hour.
I read my meter and I have a very good idea how much my upcoming bill will be which helps in setting up the budget.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Our electric company has a cool payment plan thing where we only pay $77 a month. Now propane is a completely different story. We currently owe them $500.

We keep our heating and cooling at 70 year round. Our hot water, stove and heat are propane...I wish they were electric due to the propane bill but at the same time I'm happy that we save energy with the propane. AND there's nothing like the heat from propane!

 

[vicki2x2]

Not sure how much electricity costs in NJ but that is outrageous!! We have 2 fridges (spare in the basement), computer or laptop running or plugged in 24/7, 3 heat lamps running in the house right now for brooders, 3 in the barn to keep the bunny waters from freezing, 2 heated bowls for cats & ducks, 2 heated buckets for goats, 1 stock tank heater, electric stove, hot water heater and ELECTRIC HEAT for our whole house! Our bill has never been that high. I think the highest is $350 in the coldest part of winter or highest temps in summer when our two window AC units are running.

I would definitely be checking into that bill!

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Thank you everyone for all these responces. We are getting a guy over this week to check to see if its faulty wiring. the meter is from the 70's so the wire is very old. I have a heat mat for the gecko and its 5 watts and 1 heat lamp that is 100 watts.

The water pump and heater are brand new. They are less than 6 months old.

 

[Morgaine]

When we were having really high bills, I was taking digital pictures of the meter every day at the same time to see how much we were using. The meter guys was estimating the bill instead of actually reading it and then when they suddenly started reading it after complaining, it went down(we only use the upstairs, downstairs is not heated or cooled.) That sounds like something is very wrong, unless you have like a 3,000sqft or larger house.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

definatly under 3,000SQ. Its a very old, small house built in the 1800's. We have a digi camera so I can take some pics and complain. The guy leaves fast xso he has to be estimating

 

[Royicus]

Do you know how much electricity you are using in kwh? It should say on your bill.

Either way, as several people have suggested, contact the power company and they can assist you in finding the issue(s). I'm pretty sure there is a low impedance source to ground, but the issue would be to find it. Motors can be a problem if they fault. But whatever is passing all that current must be getting hot...



edited to make more sense

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
If a meter reader actually comes out and walks to the meter, he's not estimating he's reading. He doesn't need to stay there and watch the wheels turn, he just writes down what they say at the moment he looks at 'em.


Pat