Texans - Fluctuations in utility bills??

[KristaTX]

I just realized that my Reliant electric bill, which is "balanced" or "averaged", increased $39 this month from $134 to $173. Just in September it went up from $104 to the $134. So within a year it has increased $69 per month, and we have not changed our usage. I do understand that the cost per unit of energy changes often, but I'm still confused. . .

What confuses me is that my Atmos Energy gas bill, which is also "averaged", has gone way down . It is now $39.00 a month, down from around $60 for the last few months. In December, it was "averaged" at $130 . But last summer it was averaged in the $40-$50 range (it varies each month for some reason), so it's now pretty much back down to "normal".

I thought it was the gas bills that everyone was worried about this year . Why has mine gone down to around what it was last year (or lower), but my electric bill has shot up? And has everyone else's done the same thing?

This has nothing to do with my confusion, but in case anyone wonders, our house is just a 2-3 bedroom, but it is old (circa 1932) with mostly old windows and not great insulation. We love it, but that is the major drawback to an old house. I'm not so concerned with the cost of our bills, but with the fluctuations and weird discrepencies between gas and electric costs.

 

[rhanditresmom]

Well, I have always wondered how this actually works! Sometimes I think they just pull random numbers out of a hat and send them in my bill! We are with TXU and our bills are usually around $250---we do not do the averaging. And I was hearing that we should look for ANOTHER increase this summer. Fabulous.

I thought the gas bills were supposed to be higher, too!

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I started balanced billing last year at $169. In January they raised it to $253!

 

[Planogirl]

The averaged bills seem to go up so I don't really see the point of them. Personally, I'd rather take a big hit during just certain months and then get a break when I need extra money like around Christmas and so on.

 

[va32h]

Sometimes I think they just pull random numbers out of a hat and send them in my bill!

I agree! My house is all electric, and the bill has never been less than $200, no matter what energy-conservation methods we try.

 

[KristaTX]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't quite understand what's going on with the energy utilities in Texas . I think DH and I are about to do away with "averaged" billing .

And. . . while I'm thinking about it and since this is a Texas-related thread, in case any of you are interested but haven't seen the posts about it, we are having a DFW DIS meet on April 29th:
DFW DIS meet 4/29/06

 

[texasthree]

We do not have balanced billing but our electicity costs have gone up 42% in one year. I am thinking about switching to txu since they claim to be lower cost than the one we have (whos name has left me for the moment). Texas is the only state we have ever lived in with more than one electric company. I dont know that it really does anything but cause confusion. Has anyone ever switched companies, can you get a better rate?

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We have Green Mountain, and our bills are probably a little higher (we don't have averaged billing). We have a 3rd floor apartment, 1100 sq. feet with a 12 ft. ceiling in the living room, but we also have doubled paned windows so the insulation is pretty good. There are also units on both sides of us so just the front and back are open to the outside.

Our bills over the past few months have been:
Nov. $111, Dec. $196 (ouch!), Jan. $179, Feb. $170, March $171.

 

[Horseshoes]

A good friend of mine moved to TX last September to the Dallas area.

She has TXU and she was telling me about some new electric company thats starting up.

She paid something like $350 to be part of it, then she has to get 3 people under her and she will start making money as people join--like a pyramid.

Anyone in TX heard of this.

 

[gradtchr]

We don't do average billing but each month is gamble on how much our bill is going to be. For example in december it was 350, then in January is was 245 then February it was 300, and then this month is was 250. Our usage does not really change. We are now budgeting 400 a month for it and are happy if it's not that much. Our house is all electric.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

My friend and I go to the Visions Womens Expo every August and I think we might have talked to a rep from that electric "pyramid" company last year. Unfortunately I don't remember anything else about it - it just sounds familiar.

 

[KristaTX]

A good friend of mine moved to TX last September to the Dallas area.

She has TXU and she was telling me about some new electric company thats starting up.

She paid something like $350 to be part of it, then she has to get 3 people under her and she will start making money as people join--like a pyramid.

Anyone in TX heard of this.

I haven't heard of it. No offense to your friend, but I'm definitely not interested in any pyramid schemes .

 

[Horseshoes]

I haven't heard of it. No offense to your friend, but I'm definitely not interested in any pyramid schemes .

No offense taken, I wouldnt do it either.

Arent pyramid schemes illegal?