IL rate relief ck- woohoo

[HeatherB]

Checked the mail today to find a check for $99 from AmerenIP. I'm so excited because I didn't think I would get one (service on for only 4 months). I can only imagine what a person's check would be for the full year.

It's about time, too. I know my father's electric bill tripled after they raised rates. I also have heard people talk about their business going under because they couldn't keep up with their payments.

So now I'm interested....

Where do you live and what is your electric bill? Do you set your thermostat for a certain degree all year round?

Here in southern Illinois, my bill is usually around $200. (give or take $50 - a little higher in summer and winter, a little lower in spring and fall) FTR, my house has 1600 sq ft - but we only use the main floor - around 1000 sq ft.

[BKTango]

We live in south Texas right along the coast so it remains hot and humid for a good while here. Our electric bill floats between $180 most of the year to $250 in the summer. Our home is around 1000 sq ft. We consider ourselves lucky, we live in the country and are on the electrical co-op, those that live in town and use the electric company have bills that reach $500 during the summer.

[JollyGG]

I live in South Dakota. We have 950sq ft. home and our electric bill runs around $80 per month, our gas bill runs on average $100 per month. Our Furnace is gas. We also get our electricity from an electric co-op. We are looking into replacing our furnace with a heat pump and smaller furnace since our electric co-op hooks the heat pump up to a seperate meter and charges at a reduced rate for that electicity use. We also plan to buy a programable thermostate to try and lower our heating bills still more.

[whatamess]

In NJ with fairly cold winters and very hot humid summers we run about $ 100-$140 summer and about $130-$150 in the winter. I am a militant conserver, so that helps. In the winter we use a wood burning stove to help conserve the oil. (Oil heat)We dont have central air. We only run the window units in bedrooms when it gets unbearable. I keep our thermostat at 65 in the winter and turn it all the way down in the summer since we dont need heat and it doesnt control any air conditioners.
WAM

[Misha707]

I live in Kansas, also cold winters and hot humid summers. I live in an approx. 800 sq ft apartment, and have central heat and air. I keep the thermostat on 78 in the summer, and 58 in the winter. Both summer and winter worst bills are about $100, spring and fall are normally about $50-60.

Everything is electric, so I don't have a gas bill, thank God. I do have 2 teenagers, though, so I think we're doing well, considering. I also live on the ground floor, so it's a little insulated by the loud, annoying (just *had* to add that) upstairs neighbors.

[DisneyGirl]

I live in Southern California. Our electric bill is around $250/month in the summer (June - Sept) but then drops to around $40 the rest of the year. We live in a single story, 1400 sq ft home and keep the thermostat set around 78 - 80 during the summer to keep the bill down. Our first year here we weren't used to the heat and our summer electric bills were up around $400/month!

[guzzie]

hi.....western pa.....$150 p month summer and 95.00 month winter.....used to be 75 in winter but penn power raised their blanking rates......oh well...got to have it.....guzzie

[Minnymouth]

Talk about cutting electrical cost - I'M THE QUEEN OF CUTTING ELECTRIC BILLS...............

2100 sq feet home - total electric...... avg bill summer or winter $90.00 and some months its as low as $58.00.......

HOW??????????? When I moved there my first bill was $170.00 and that was in Nov.... a mild month.....I ABOUT PASSED OUT....

SOOOOO....... 1st month I started turning off furnace/ac unit when I left for work, turned it back on when I came home and then turned it down at nite..... bill dropped $50.00 1st month.....
now have furnace/a/c unit on time to work automatically.

THEN next month I put water heater on timer. Timer comes on an hour before I get up for a hot shower- then turns back off until an hour before I get home from work. It then turns off again around bedtime and doesn't come back on again until the next morning an hour before I get up..... SAVINGS - $50.00 a month.....

Electric bill runs around $70.00 a month - total electric home and I'm still comfortable and have plenty of hot water......

Any electric company will TELL YOU that its cheaper to set it and leave it on..........WELL - I DISAGREE.......... their in the business to sell electricity to you.....

My neighbors STILL pay huge electric bills, I refuse too and do my "thing" and save my money for other things in life....

Try it for 3 months - just turning furnace/a/c off while your at work..... do a test.....

I was totally surprised that the temperature in my home only changed 8 degrees during the whole time it was shut off.... and that was in 90 degree weather also... same with the winter heat, it only changed about 8 degrees in 10 hours....

When I turned it back on the house warmed or cooled within 10 min to the comfort zone......

And old friend and neighbor taught me this trick.... AND IT WORKS.....

TRY IT - YOU'LL LIKE THE RESULTS...........

[HeatherB]

bill dropped $50.00 1st month.....
now have furnace/a/c unit on time to work automatically.

THEN next month I put water heater on timer.

Okay, you grabbed my attention.

So, did you have to install the timers on each?? If so how hard was it? (esp on the water heater one) Also, do you remember the approximate cost of the timers?

[sydneynoel]

Minnymouth- I think you are on to something actually. That's exactly what my Mom does and what I used to do. Turn everything off when not at home during the day. Well my genius husband thinks that leaving it on even when were not here will maintain the house temp. and cut our bills overall........so I have been giving it a shot since last Dec. because we were constantly bickering about it. Guess what??? 200/month electric bills for a 1100 sq. ft apt. In the past it was only 125-150/month. I think I'm going to go back to my way. Btw- my Mom who does this for her 1200 sq. foot home only has bills ranging between 50-100/month. We live in Kansas/Missouri.

[Minnymouth]

At first all I did was turn them off - the wall unit for the furnace/ac unit and the master switch for the water heater.....

Later I put them all on a timers to I didn't have to fool with them anymore unless I wanted too..... especially water heater....

Timers are fairly inexpensive - one I think was $18.00 and the other was $30.00....... friend of mine hooked up the water heater one for me..... I did the furnace/a/c unit one.....

Sure does WORK for me...... and its something I don't even notice that its going on..... I always have hot water when I need it and the house temp stays comfortable....

Have been doing this for YEARS NOW......... did it when I lived in South Georgia for 10 years also..............worked there too..........

And now this is all based on Ky weather, which is very unpredictable at times......... today 90 degrees..... HEATWAVE..........

NOW if I can ONLY find a way to break my roommate from opening the patio doors, leaving them open, and the a/c unit running.........WANT to break his arms and legs...............

Another trick is when your grocery shopping - IF ITS NOT ON THE LIST - DON'T BUY IT........

I don't "poke" around the stores anymore either, I go get what I'm after and leave...........seldom "window shop" or "poke around" in a store........SAVES ME A BUNDLE.... I could be a "impulsive buyer" real easy if I let myself.........

[Minnymouth]

The only difference you will notice will be when you first come home, when you come in the house it may seem a little stuffy where the airconditioning has been off all day..... really only 8 degrees difference usually.

I can afford to be stuffy for 10 min till it cools back down to my regular temp..... if IT SAVES ME MONEY.....

Try it for 3 months and notice the savings...............instant Christmas shopping money.......or vacation money.... or WHATEVER MONEY.....

REALLY FOLKS..... what I save pays my house insurance for a year and part of my property taxes........

[Minnymouth]

Remember - Electric Companies Are A Business Trying To Make Money - They Don't Make Any If You Cut Back..................

[JollyGG]

I'm wondering if Minny's suggest would work with us just getting a programmable thrermostat, or do you think you need to actually turn it off?

Oddly enough our heater and A/C has an on/off switch that looks like a light switch right on the furnace. My kids accidentally turn it off all the time when they are messing around downstairs. I always check that all the light are off before I leave for working so it might not be that hard to just switch it off before leaving.

The water heater idea also sounds like a great idea. There really is no need to be keeping our water toasty warm the 9 hours a day we are at work and the 8 hours a night we sleep. Plus thouse things are so well insulated I'll bet the temperature doesn't drop that much while it is off. I'll have to go downstairs and look at how we might be able to work that.

Minny, you've given me something to think about.

[Minnymouth]

Programable thermostats are great, I finally installed those, but its not necessary, if you just remember to turn it off when you grab your keys of a morning going out the door...... same as when you come in - flip it back on.....
Basically you hot water heater be off approx 20 hours a day and you will still have hot water when you need it.
Even if you just turn if all off while your at work, your saving more money than you think.....

Your water heater & furnace/ac unit is 2/3rds of your electric bill.... frig is about $10.00 a month on elec bill, and then tv and computers, lights, make up the rest...

I've even turned that main electric box off where EVERYTHING is turned off while I'm at work.... of course this is hard on the main switch..... but I did it too when I was testing this all out...... that's when my bill was $58.00..... on a cold winter month.....
Nothing thawed out - frig or freezer - temp never changed. So that was a basic use of electricity for only 10-13 hours a day. And even lesson the water heater....

Let me know what you think and your results.....