Entergy Bill/Electric Bill

[Judique]

That can happen if you purchase your system outright. I had that option for $36,000 before 30% tax credits. Decided free was better. Only issue now is we have to use the system for 20 years total to fulfill our obligation (we are 3 years in), and if we sell the house, we either have to buy the system at it's then value, or have the new owners take over the PPA. Our kids know of this obligation if we don't make it another 17 years. Been in the house 35 years, the solar was part of the remodel we did 4 years ago to make this our retirement home. We have no intention of selling, but we both home to live another 17 years.

No, he didn't buy outright. The company name is on the electric panel on the side of his house facing mine. Maybe I'll go read it later and google them. I still have a roof to put on so don't want to mess with solar til after that chore.

Hopefully you will continue to stay healthy and live a long and happy life! Just keep moving and eating the right things.

 

[Judique]

That depends on where you live. The temp here at 5am was 87 degrees.

I also agree with barkley that trying to adjust the temp throughout the day will take more energy than just leaving it at one temp. Your mileage is going to vary with the type of house you have, where it faces and your environment. It’s regularly 110 here. Heat seeps into everything and stays. My upstairs is south facing. If I try to bump the temp up when it’s mostly unoccupied up there and then turn it back down during the hottest part of the day when people are home it runs almost non stop trying to cool things down. If I bump the temp up a couple degrees, sure my AC(s) kick on less but then they run twice as long.

I read these threads every year and have tried all suggestions. When it’s 110 and your power bill is $300-$500 that 5-10% is pretty negligible. I run my fans, keep all the shades drawn and pretty much resign myself to my power bill being ridiculous in the summer time. Years ago I just started saving for it. For me, there’s not much more I can do.

Yikes! We get to 100 occasionally around here but usually its closer to 90 in July and August. It's just so darn humid!!! I run an extra dehumidifier all the time in my basement.

My power isn't bad at all - last bill $159. But, with a faulty ac unit I had $450 bills. Last summer my highest bill was under $250. But then some people think its hot in my house, lol! I'm comfortable and sometimes feel cold.

 

[LYSE]

That depends on where you live. The temp here at 5am was 87 degrees.

I also agree with barkley that trying to adjust the temp throughout the day will take more energy than just leaving it at one temp. Your mileage is going to vary with the type of house you have, where it faces and your environment. It’s regularly 110 here. Heat seeps into everything and stays. My upstairs is south facing. If I try to bump the temp up when it’s mostly unoccupied up there and then turn it back down during the hottest part of the day when people are home it runs almost non stop trying to cool things down. If I bump the temp up a couple degrees, sure my AC(s) kick on less but then they run twice as long.

I read these threads every year and have tried all suggestions. When it’s 110 and your power bill is $300-$500 that 5-10% is pretty negligible. I run my fans, keep all the shades drawn and pretty much resign myself to my power bill being ridiculous in the summer time. Years ago I just started saving for it. For me, there’s not much more I can do.

Are you another Arizonian? If so consider Solar...even after the solar unfriendly changes made by SRP (switch to demand pricing for solar) we went with a small system + demand manager...now we can use power like crazy on both AC and pool heating/cooling and pretty much max out at about $250ish for example last month we used 4,567 kWh, our solar generated 948 kWh (so we drew 3619 from the grid) and only paid $224.45

 

[tvguy]

No, he didn't buy outright. The company name is on the electric panel on the side of his house facing mine. Maybe I'll go read it later and google them. I still have a roof to put on so don't want to mess with solar til after that chore.

Hopefully you will continue to stay healthy and live a long and happy life! Just keep moving and eating the right things.

I swam 62 laps in the gym pool yesterday, will do another 62 tomorrow, and just back from a 1 mile walk on my lunch break. (When your work day starts at 3 am, your lunch break is at 8 am!)

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I do an equal payment plan with my energy (gas and electric combined) company. I pay $222 a month year round. It really helps us out to know how much our bill will be. In the peak summer and winter months our bill can be $400-500. At the end of the year they do an adjustment. I'm usually within $5 either way.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

An audit would be good. Here's some information- https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/heat-and-cool/home-energy-audits and https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-saver-101-infographic-home-energy-audits

Look to see if there are appliances, electronics, etc that are plugged in and sucking more energy.

I'd say look into your A/C unit itself. Is it older? Can you get a more energy efficient one? While an upfront cost now that can help in the long run.

We do have our temp for summer set at 77 during the day and will bump it to 76 at night. We use our ceiling fan and a standing fan (more for white noise) for bedtime. Our unit is also set for airflow so it will kick on every now and then just to keep the air circulating. When guests come over we do bump it to 76/75.

Look into your house. Do you feel any blantant drafts, are weather seals on your doors in good condition?

Does your house face direct sun? Do you have blinds on those windows facing direct sun? What about blackout curtains?

I couldn't tell from your OP but is this the first time you've seen a large jump? Personal opinion but my first thought would not be personal habits if that were the case but would be more a/c unit and/or draft due to wear and tear on seals such as weather stripping, caulk, etc.

Do your bill provide historic usage for you?

Our provider switched to digitial meters meaning they transmit the information every 15 mins to them so they don't have to come out to our house to do the reading; this also helps them identify power outages quicker. Now every week they send an e-mail with our usage.

 

[wenrob]

Are you another Arizonian? If so consider Solar...even after the solar unfriendly changes made by SRP (switch to demand pricing for solar) we went with a small system + demand manager...now we can use power like crazy on both AC and pool heating/cooling and pretty much max out at about $250ish for example last month we used 4,567 kWh, our solar generated 948 kWh (so we drew 3619 from the grid) and only paid $224.45

Nevada, Las Vegas to be specific. So down in a valley and surrounded by concrete. I can’t do solar for three reasons: 1) My DH literally makes power for a living. That would be like us going Vegan and selling cattle for a living. He also has a list as long as my arm about why not though honestly my eyes glazed over about 1/3 of the way through. 2) HOA, the choice on which way to go and who to go with would have to go by them. 3) They’re leased not owned here. I’d be paying more a month for it than what my yearly average is. Plus, if I ever decided to sell my home (I don’t plan to but I didn’t plan on selling the others either) I’d then have to find a buyer willing to take over the payments.

I do an equal payment plan with my energy (gas and electric combined) company. I pay $222 a month year round. It really helps us out to know how much our bill will be. In the peak summer and winter months our bill can be $400-500. At the end of the year they do an adjustment. I'm usually within $5 either way.

I tried that once and ended up hating it in the winter when my gas bill goes up. They are separate entities here. I know lots of people it works out great for though, especially those that have electric only.

 

[LYSE]

Nevada, Las Vegas to be specific. So down in a valley and surrounded by concrete. I can’t do solar for three reasons: 1) My DH literally makes power for a living. That would be like us going Vegan and selling cattle for a living. He also has a list as long as my arm about why not though honestly my eyes glazed over about 1/3 of the way through. 2) HOA, the choice on which way to go and who to go with would have to go by them. 3) They’re leased not owned here. I’d be paying more a month for it than what my yearly average is. Plus, if I ever decided to sell my home (I don’t plan to but I didn’t plan on selling the others either) I’d then have to find a buyer willing to take over the payments.

LOL In that case just sit back knowing your paying part of your own income! Should have known it was Vegas and not the Valley.. 110 sounded a little low

I'm sure leasing is common but I've never heard if it being the only option..but in any case sounds like it's a no go.

 

[wenrob]

LOL In that case just sit back knowing your paying part of your own income! Should have known it was Vegas and not the Valley.. 110 sounded a little low

I'm sure leasing is common but I've never heard if it being the only option..but in any case sounds like it's a no go.

I do live in the “cooler” part of the valley. We’re just about right up against a mountain so 4-7 degrees cooler usually. I had 87 at 5am and DH 94 as he was leaving work at 5am.

Yeah, it just won’t work for us. We’ve talked about it a couple of times over the years. I just have to suck it up when it comes to the bill. It’s fine now but back in the day as a young couple it was a struggle. I just kind of treat it like I do Christmas or a vacation and plan for it.

 

[bababear_50]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to save on my Entergy-Electric Bill.

Last month my electric bill was $292.01 and I just checked this morning now its $392.15

I know kids are home for the summer but I just cant imagine that it would go up this much.

We make sure all lights are off if you are not in the room. No tv, radio etc. are on while sleeping. I just don't know what we can do.

We live in Southeast Texas

Hi Ashley
I feel your pain,,,
One thing I recently found out about is that 90% of the energy the washing machine uses is to heat the water,,,I now only wash in cold water.
Our rates are lower at night so I do all Laundry at night and the dishwasher get put on at night also.
Hugs Mel
Look here for ideas:
https://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Down-Your-Electricity-Bill

 

[barkley]

I tried that once and ended up hating it in the winter when my gas bill goes up. They are separate entities here. I know lots of people it works out great for though, especially those that have electric only

i hated it when we had pg&e b/c they would adjust the amount (back then) quarterly so it messed with my bi-annual budgeting. here the utiltiy won't let you go on the plan unless you've had service for a full calendar year, they take into consideration if the prior year had significantly higher/lower temps AND they figure in the anticipated increase in cost for energy for the next calendar year. i think they also kind of estimate high b/c we ended up with a LARGE credit at the end of our first year which put us at a much lower 2nd year monthly payment but with year 3 it's only off maybe $30 for the entire year either way.

i like just paying the same amount each month, i do the same for propane purposes (fireplace and a few odd appliances) by setting aside 1/12th of what i usually spend twice a year to get the tank topped off. easier for my budgeting purposes.

 

[drnp]

I live in South Texas as well. The most cost effective thing is to shop for another plan. If you are not on a contract right now, you can be eligible for many new customer sign ups. Go to www.powertochoose.org and put in your zip code. Find the cheapest plan and call the provider and give them your last few months' worth of KWH usage and they will tell you what their price would have been before you commit to signing up. I've lived in TX for decades and I regularly change my provider to find a better deal. In fact, just changed again last month. Be sure to read the facts for all plans you are interested in because some are tiers and some are straight up fixed rate per usage.
Having said that, this summer has started off brutally for me too. My KWH usage went up almost 1000 in the first month of the summer this year, much more than last year.

 

[LabMouse]

If you have a utilities system that has low and peak demand times, try re-working household chores to take advantage of it. Especially large things like dishes and laundry. Can you take advantage of air-drying your clothes and NOT running the dryer?

Hi Ashley
I feel your pain,,,
One thing I recently found out about is that 90% of the energy the washing machine uses is to heat the water,,,I now only wash in cold water.
Our rates are lower at night so I do all Laundry at night and the dishwasher get put on at night also.
Hugs Mel
Look here for ideas:
https://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Down-Your-Electricity-Bill

I would second these suggestions. Our utility company not only has higher prices at peak, but extra year-long fees if you go above their usage target during peak on specific hot summer days (they do tell you which days, but still, good grief). So all our oven, washer/dryer, etc. usage is done outside those hours. Luckily we are okay with later dinners!

 

[2China2009]

Does your electric company have level payments plan. Our electric company offers this and I have been on it for 20 years. I live in the midwest and our summer temps are 90-100. I keep my thermostat on 74 during the day and 70 at night. I pay $104.00/mos year round. I feel like I am spoiled. Other things I do to keep the house cool is keep all the blinds closed, lights off, run washer/dryer at night when it is cooler. I swear by ceiling fans. We have them in every room of the house and run them all the time. My gas bill is $94.00/mos year round. There is no way financially I could pay a $300-400mos utility bill. I also have 2 kids, but they know we live by the sunshine, not the electricity.

 

[MillauFr]

We keep our bills down by not having A/C. That keeps our bill to $40 per month. Sure it was hot here the last few days when the temps were in the 90s but we survived.

 

[airsdaddy]

I live in South Texas as well. The most cost effective thing is to shop for another plan. If you are not on a contract right now, you can be eligible for many new customer sign ups. Go to www.powertochoose.org and put in your zip code. Find the cheapest plan and call the provider and give them your last few months' worth of KWH usage and they will tell you what their price would have been before you commit to signing up. I've lived in TX for decades and I regularly change my provider to find a better deal. In fact, just changed again last month. Be sure to read the facts for all plans you are interested in because some are tiers and some are straight up fixed rate per usage.
Having said that, this summer has started off brutally for me too. My KWH usage went up almost 1000 in the first month of the summer this year, much more than last year.

As someone who works for an energy supplier, I couldn't agree with this more! Those who live in deregulated states should be making this a part of their yearly financial evaluations. We have a ton of customers that shop around, then call and ask us if we can match. When people come off a contract, they go on variable rate, and the variable rates are usually not good. I don't know about other companies, but we simply couldn't afford the number of folks needed to call each person that comes off a contract individually, so it falls on the customer to stay on top of it.

Depending on usage, and what your current rate is, you could be giving away quite a lot of money. Have seen residential customers drop their bills by almost $100 a month in a few instances. Start there, and add in the other tips people have mentioned, and your bill will drop significantly.

 

[Sleepy425]

After you've made sure your AC unit is running well and you've started closing blinds on ther sunny side of the house, I agree with checking out solar. We went from $155 budget billing paid to the electric company down to $122 ($112 to solar company, $10 to electric company to stay on the grid). We pay for 20 years, then supposedly own it (I'm still not believing that part. It says "$0 or market value, whichever is greater." The rep swore market value would be $0 at that point. But since I doubt we will still be living here then, I wasn't too concerned. Whoever buys our house can take over the agreement or tell the solar company to come take the equipment).

 

[tarheel618]

Put your thermostat to a higher setting - if your air conditioner is running all the time to cool your house, it is expensive. We keep our house on 76 and we are in super hot metro Atlanta.

We do this during the day and just run a fan for the room we are in. We do turn it down at night to sleep. Also, unplug everything when not in use: lamps, washer, dryer, chargers.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Check your dryer vent to make sure it is clean. When you get a lint buildup in the vent, it takes longer to dry. Plus any older appliances are energy hogs. Ten year old or older appliances use a lot.

 

[tvguy]

Check your dryer vent to make sure it is clean. When you get a lint buildup in the vent, it takes longer to dry. Plus any older appliances are energy hogs. Ten year old or older appliances use a lot.

Our dryer has a sensor and a warning light to tell you when the vent is obstructed. Unfortunately, if you have too sharp a bend in your venting, it can misread the bend as an obstruction.