by Claire
We budget $300 per month for the summer electric/gas bill. Only the water heater is gas. This bill also includes our city services. Our house has a lot of windows and we did spend $50 on the adhesive window tint for the master bedroom and are seeing a difference. We want to do that for the upstairs loft too since that gets a lot of afternoon sun. We haven’t hit $300 yet bit did decide to pay $300 last month to make this month a little easier.
We saw about a $30 savings for the week we were gone. We were hoping for more saved since we have also saw the benefit of a rainy July and temps that didn’t hit triple digits (unlike our Midwest friends) but 30 bucks is 30 bucks. In addition to the insane heat last year we also weren’t doing much to cut the costs so I think we are seeing benefits of both the temps and our efforts.
Here’s how the breakdown has gone:
Bill ending June 1: $217.47
Bill ending June 28: $258.00
Bill ending July 30: $231.54
Since we had a credit from overpaying the June 29 bill our current amount due is $189.54. I don’t know what you will think about the overpaying with the budgeted amount of $300, but I am really liking being ahead in these hot summer months. It is MUCH better than the shock of opening a bill that is crazy high. We haven’t discussed yet what we will do this month but it looks like our Texas summers are back with the temp hitting 104 today.
There’s the utility update…up next will be the debt update!
Born and raised in Texas. I’ve at least driven through every state in the US courtesy of a roadtrip loving Dad.
I’m single with two children and a good parenting relationship with their father.
I am a “life is just half full of funny” kinda gal. Humor is my saving grace and I am thankful for it every single day. I have a strong Catholic faith and am thankful for that foundation.
I read a lot for a living but still enjoy a good book. I love biographies but in recent years have found the need for fun fictional books–sadly, for a long time I just didn’t enjoy fiction!
I love live theatre of any kind–from local productions to Broadway.
I love to scrapbook and pride myself in my kids’ albums.
I love being a mom but also love my career. I’m blessed to have found a balance allowing me to be at everything my kids need and want me to be at–while also having a career.
Favorite Quotes: Well behaved women rarely make history.
Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out. -James Bryant Conant
I live in Austin (born and raised!) so know all-to-well about the Texas heat! Does your utility company have a budget billing program that averages out your payments throughout the year? City of Austin does this and it’s so nice to know exactly what our bill is every month, rather than guessing how high it will be in the Summer. Ours averages about $100/month. It’s worth asking about!
Hi Miranda–yes, I inquired about this option with City Public Service. This utility account is a month shy of meeting the minimum number of months to be eligible for the budget average option so I have my calendar marked to call back!
I just opened my electric bill too and was schocked to find it only $53.00!!! I expected $100-150. During that heat wave we had all our window units (3) going at once and for practically the whole day. I guess between our new energy efficent windows the LL installed and our new energy efficent AC window units (always set at 75 and on enegry save mode) we didn’t use as much electric as I feared we did. Now that we are in 70s at night I can put on the ceiling fan and it’s comfortable.
That’s AWESOME J! Way to go! I love our winter bills that can be around that $50 mark! It feels like we are “sticking it to the man!” 🙂
Jan $641.09
Feb $1108.39
Mar $815.62
Apr $671.92
May $535.07
Jun $355.82
Jul $201.97
2012 so far: $4329.88
2012 total expected: $6500
We only have one utility bill, electicity (well pumping, heating, hot water and general electricity) but still, it’s painful. Heating in a Canadian winter is always nasty, but we get a little break in the summer. We have lowE argon filled triple pane windows, R50 insulation in the attic, keep it at 68F in the winter and rely on just fans in the summer (even when it was over 100). Imagine if we actually wanted to be cozy in the winter and cool in the summer! The actual cost of the electricity is just part of the problem, it’s all the taxes, delivery charges and debt reduction charge they hit you with that really add up. Yup, we’re all forced to chip in on the debt run up from infrastructure improvements etc (and interest on the debt). Kind of like when a condominium corporation decides to rebuild the parking garage and assesses everyone a portion on top of the regular condo fees.
When I set up our spending plan for the year I include an estimated amount each month based on the actuals from the past 5 years. If the bill comes in lower I pay the amount due and add the unused part of the estimate to the next month. That way the money is still included in the overall annual spending plan but I haven’t paid any more than I have to. At some point there will be a month that comes in over the estimate and that carried forward amount will get used.
JMK–WOW!!! Even by Texas standards….WOW! Perspective, no? Thanks for giving us some perspective!
I don’t think it is stupid at all to pay a nominal amount ahead on utilities. I do it all the time. Keeps the checkbook happy (love round numbers) and if you are a good estimator, you know about what your next bill is going to be anyway.
I just moved to SC from WI and I’m trying to keep the air to a minimum, but it’s stinkin’ hot here. If I could shut it off during the day I would but I have two cats that I don’t want to find dead when I come home someday – old apartment means no efficient windows, but I draw the blinds, keep the lights off, etc. I’m actually sitting here (no furniture, had to leave it behind as this is only a temporary transfer) on the floor, working by the light of the sliding glass door! My last bill in WI was over $200 and with the move, I am tapped out, so the bill may get paid a little late. Luckily I had paid ahead a little so any late fee won’t be as bad as it could have been.
This move was a carefully planned out (LOL) desperation move because the COL in Madison was killing me – a $1,000/mo apartment in a very bad area and that was cheap. I’m already feeling the benefits of a lower cost of living down here and it’s only going to get better. Gas is much cheaper – food is more reasonable, and I’m now in the land of farmer’s markets and double coupons, so my debt reduction is getting kicked up a notch! And, I won’t be competing with 40,000 UW students when I go look for a second job to help with the debt reduction. If I can make just $500 a month at a part time job, that will cover my rent (half what it was in Madison! woo hoo, happy dance!) and most of my salary can then go toward the debt.
Yup. Nothing wrong with paying ahead on a bill you know is coming anyway.
Mary! Welcome to the South! And the heat! I have a friend that says it is the price we pay for the cost savings you talk about here. I am completely impressed by your bravery and plan to tackle the debt situation. It is 11 pm here and my husband just commented that it was so hot here today that the room temp being 78 feels “brisk!” 🙂 Stay cool. Fall is coming! Just behind the triple digits!