..

[C.Ann]

...............

 

[hercamore]

Not really. I'm pretty much done shopping.

Our gas bill came last week and it defiinitely increased by about 33% for cost of fuel over last monht. Mn is predicted for another mild winter, so things shoulnd't be too bad.

herc.

 

[mudnuri]

I did a fuel pre-buy so it's not really changing what is spent on christmas. The money was budgetted- and if I didnt buy enough, by the time I need more, income taxes will be here

Brandy

 

[HaleyB]

I have been overpaying by about 20% since mid summer on all my bills to build up a credit. I hope it is enough to offset our winter bills this year. We can do cost averaging with our gas company but it is a pain to set up.

 

[C.Ann]

..........

 

[Chicago526]

No, we're adjusting it because we have a wedding to pay off and a new home to fix up! The high cost of heating is just icing on the cake!

 

[mickeyfan2]

No, our heat is already paid for and most of the Christmas shopping is done.

 

[Belle1962]

Not adjusting due to heating costs--but because my DS told me to "cutback" on my DGS for Christmas. (He said no child should spend more than 4 hours opening gifts) So, I bought some gifts already and will now add Disney tickets and Disney Dollars to his stocking since we are going to WDW in January. And all those little extra things I buy "for the trip" will probably find their way to underneath the tree too!!!!

 

[MKCP5]

How much do I love my sister? She knows I freeze in MA every winter and so she is paying for my heating bill for the month of February. Only if I leave it at 75 degrees. That is my christmas gift. What a wonderful generous and oh so warm gift!!!

 

[C.Ann]

How much do I love my sister? She knows I freeze in MA every winter and so she is paying for my heating bill for the month of February. Only if I leave it at 75 degrees. That is my christmas gift. What a wonderful generous and oh so warm gift!!!

----------------

Now that's a Christmas gift that ANYONE in the colder climates would appreciate this year!!! What a GREAT sister!!

You know - that might be a nice gift for Grandma's and Grandpa's on fixed incomes!

 

[Jsme]

I always budget high for electrity in the winter months. I could rather budget too much than not enough. I refuse to stay cold. We pay on a monthly payment set amount plan on our gas but I still budget high for the electric.

 

[graygables]

We pay for two houses (ours and in-laws are connected on one line...long story!). Also, my FIL refuses to do any extra insulating ("I'm not going to be around that long"), so we are just going to have to suck it up and hope DH has some work this winter (he was off 4 months last winter ) I've already bought DDs gifts (they are only getting Gameboys from Santa) b/c our trip to WDW is the big gift and it's already pretty much paid for/set aside. We are already on the monthly budget plan and I haven't seen a huge jump yet, but I'm bracing myself! We also stocked up on warm socks and sweats for DDs and I (we homeschool) so we can keep our house cooler, so Gma and Gpa can have theirs warmer. Keeping my fingers crossed and my prayers on the way that it won't be as bad as they say!

 

[LisaNJ25]

I am going to start doing the budget plan with the Natural Gas company starting with the bill due next week. My Budget amount is $130.00 a month. Last winter my bill was averaging $300-350 a month. Since I just had another baby I am not working and may not for awhile. I would rather pay the $130 a month than rack up $1000 worth of heating bills ( or even more I am sure) come February.

Does anyone know how the budget plans work? Our company goes from August till July and than they review the account. What happens if your actual bills over the course of the year comes out more than your budget amount? Would I than get that bill in july? And if they were less do you get a credit?

For christmas I am also cutting down because the kids have way to much stuff. My older 2 will get one big gift and a few small things. I am not going to go crazy with the babies. The kids also have all of their grandparents, aunts and uncles so they always make out.

 

[kydisneyfans]

It is a sad state of affairs when a post like this is even necessary.
Schools are telling parents to dress their kids warm as they don't have enough money to keep the building warm enough in Ohio.


It may be too late, but several states have programs where you can choose what company provides your natural gas. We did this in KY last year and locked in a rate of 9.35 cf for 2 years--it is now nearly 14.00 per cf. Our bills will be no more than last winter, unless it is much colder.

 

[carone0318]

Does anyone know how the budget plans work? Our company goes from August till July and than they review the account. What happens if your actual bills over the course of the year comes out more than your budget amount? Would I than get that bill in july? And if they were less do you get a credit?

Yes, this is how it works. Do you have PSE&G? In our old house I was on the budget plan and whatever month you start that is your make up month, you either pay the difference or get a credit. I made sure that I had mine set up so that my make up month fell on the month after tax return and my bonus.

I am worried because I know that the cost to heat is going up this year, but my problem is that we moved to a new house in June so I really have no idea what to expect. In my old house for Dec & Jan we ran at about $190 for the month which included gas & electric and it was high because of the Christmas lights and stuff. Coming into our new house my budget for gas & electric was $300 a month. We went from a 1500 sqft house to a 3000 sqft house. Our worst month so far was July which was incredibly hot and we ran the air everyday and that only came to $277, so I am hoping that it will all work out. The past couple of months we were under $300 so I am hoping to build a credit. I am sort of doing my own budget plan because like I said above I do not want to set up the budget plan with PSE&G until March so that is when my make up month will be. Keeping my fingers crossed... I do have my emergency fund that I might be using to offset any unusually high bills.

 

[sammielynn]

I am cutting down for Christmas. I say that now and hope I can stick with it. My home was built in 1890 and has a few drafts that I have been trying to plug up for many years, each year gets better. I am on our equal payment plan and pay $240 per month as it is for utilities. This encludes:gas, water, electricity, sewage, garbage pick-up and taxes. Last year in March I had to pay around $500 extra to make up the difference. This year we are wearing sweaters all the time, and keeping the furnace set at 65 or below. We are also running space heaters in the rooms we are in and watching TV as a family not in three different rooms. WE have had a cold snap rather early this year so the heat came on earlier than usual. When the DSs complained I ask them if they wanted to spend all the Disney money on heating the house to 70 degrees, they put on a sweater.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

not really we know what the oil will cost and have budgeted for it
i have already done some xmas shopping and we have been saving like the heat has come on 2 this year
we are keeping layered up so we dont really have to you use it
kids in jammies with socks and slippers the baby in feeted jammies

i am very concious about the heat