$300 for the gas bill???

[bicker]

Yipes, I guess it was very cold last month.

 

[OhMari]

I had a $460 heat bill, but we have been getting credits each month, because we were overcharged last year. Thankfully it was a $260 credit. But that doesn't explain why I am being charged the same this year again. Make any sense?

 

[Liberty Belle]

That's what ours used to be and our house was only 1300 square feet! Our electric bill and gas bill combined were usually well over $400. Now we've bought an all electric house that's double the size and our electric bill (this cold winter) has only been about $200 a month. I love it!

 

[bicker]

Well, I checked the heating degree days for my local neighborhood. It wasn't that big of a difference; 1003 for December 2008 versus 1086 for December 2009 -- only a 8% increase in need. Our consumption went from 165 therms to 175 therms -- a 6% in consumption. So we actually did better than we technically should have done, given how cold it has been. Some of that is because we went over the threshold of 165 therms... there is a much lower price for gas beyond that. Okay, well I just checked the checkbook...we're actually paying less this month than the same month last year! So we needed more gas, used more gas, and paid less. How'd that happen? Guess I shouldn't complain!

 

[mtemm]

I would be sooo happy! I try to keep ours under $400 in the winter, but am really afraid this past month was so cold that we are going to get slammed!

 

[taximomfor4]

We were scared to death, when we saw an ESTIMATED gas bill last month (OLD gas hot water tank, and NEW gas furnace...). Everyone around here (1100 sq ft starter ranch-style homes) was complaining about $250-300 gas bill. Ours was $100. This month's bill arrived yesterday, for even colder temps (and DH turned the thermostat UP this month, to 69 or 70, AND it was an ACTUAL reading. Well, it was only $139!!

Then I talked to SIL, who often has $300 gas bill. Turns out, her electric and gas are COMBINED. Didn't know that existed. Makes more sense now, though...our electric adds another $100-125 (so total,$200-$260/month in winter).

Don't know which way is more common, combined or not...but we are LOVING our new furnace (but will love it BETTER when it's paid off, lol).

 

[ohiomom28]

My electric bill was $506 for last month! We have a heat pump and was on Emergency heat most of the month. I thought with the thermostat set at 66 we would be ok, guess not. I'm hoping that most of the really cold weather is over for this year...

 

[jenseib]

I don't think $300 is all that bad for a house, but I sure don't like it! LOL!

 

[Pluto 2]

i see your in massachustes spelled wrong im sorry. alot of places in the northeast have oil heat. can you switch over to oil heat?

 

[bicker]

Yipes, no oil heat for me. My friend in Stonham just recently had a spill. It cost them $65,000 to deal with it, and the oil company is refusing to pay, claiming that it wasn't their fault.

 

[Stitchfans]

I hear you. I nearly fainted when I opened our bill too. For our tiny house?? We beat you by $1 and a few cents if that was your entire bill. I still can not believe it was that high.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We do budget billing for gas and electric.

160/month for gas = 1920/yr

135/month for electric = 1620/yr

 

[taximomfor4]

Yipes, no oil heat for me. My friend in Stonham just recently had a spill. It cost them $65,000 to deal with it, and the oil company is refusing to pay, claiming that it wasn't their fault.

Yikes! That is more $ than we bring in annually!!!!

 

[bicker]

I know... it's tragic, really, because my friend has been out of work for a year. That's "good" in that she's been able to be there to push forward the soil reclamation work and rebuilding, but of course, the cost is just shocking. And given her circumstances, I suspect she had to do a hardship loan from her 401(k) to afford it. I hope she eventually gets the money back from the oil company (and doesn't have to pay too much of what she wins to her lawyers).