Can't take it anymore

Last month when I got my electric bill it was for usage Sept. 25 thru Oct.
23. I expected it to be lower than the previous bill, because the big heat
wave had ended in mid-September and I had quit using so many fans. But no,
it was 70kwh higher than the bill for the prior month. I asked about it when
I went to pay it. I was also expecting to see a difference due to having
switched all the light bulbs in the house to compact flourescents.

So the latest bill arrived yesterday. Not only does it show an additional
30kwh more using than the last one but ALSO it says it is for usage from
OCT. 23 thru NOV. 8 - which is only a little more than two weeks!!!!!! No,
the rate per kwh has not been increased.

There has got to be something wrong here, no way can I afford to pay HIGHER
electric bills for SHORTER periods of time!!! I made the investment in
efficient light bulbs specifically because I cannot afford electric bills
over $30/month (as they were in the summer) all year round.

I've spent most of this day deeply depressed. Slept for several hours this
afternoon and crying all evening so far. Reading about Potjie got me
started. I want so much to be free of the constant struggle, but no way can
I leave these cats behind. I just feel like I am already dead!!!!

"Pat" wrote in message
et...
Last month when I got my electric bill it was for usage Sept. 25 thru Oct.
23. I expected it to be lower than the previous bill, because the big heat
wave had ended in mid-September and I had quit using so many fans. But no,
it was 70kwh higher than the bill for the prior month. I asked about it
when I went to pay it. I was also expecting to see a difference due to
having switched all the light bulbs in the house to compact flourescents.

So the latest bill arrived yesterday. Not only does it show an additional
30kwh more using than the last one but ALSO it says it is for usage from
OCT. 23 thru NOV. 8 - which is only a little more than two weeks!!!!!! No,
the rate per kwh has not been increased.

There has got to be something wrong here, no way can I afford to pay
HIGHER electric bills for SHORTER periods of time!!! I made the investment
in efficient light bulbs specifically because I cannot afford electric
bills over $30/month (as they were in the summer) all year round.

I've spent most of this day deeply depressed. Slept for several hours this
afternoon and crying all evening so far. Reading about Potjie got me
started. I want so much to be free of the constant struggle, but no way
can I leave these cats behind. I just feel like I am already dead!!!!



Check with your power company. It's possible the Nov. 8 cutoff is an error.
In fact, that seems likely, especially considering that it has been about 6
weeks since that date.

MaryL

"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote

Check with your power company. It's possible the Nov. 8 cutoff is an
error. In fact, that seems likely, especially considering that it has been
about 6 weeks since that date.

They always bill for about two months before the current date. In December I
got the bill for October. In November I got the bill for September. Etc.

"Pat" wrote in message
et...

"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote

Check with your power company. It's possible the Nov. 8 cutoff is an
error. In fact, that seems likely, especially considering that it has
been about 6 weeks since that date.

They always bill for about two months before the current date. In December
I got the bill for October. In November I got the bill for September. Etc.



That's very different from mine. I get my bill about 2 weeks after the
billing date. I still think it would be worth checking since the bill only
included about 2 weeks, but I know how frustrating it can be to deal with
utilitiy companies.

MaryL

I am sorry, can you see if they can do an assessment to tell you where you
are using the juice, that doesn't seem at all right, Lee, who will pray for
you
Pat wrote in message
et...
Last month when I got my electric bill it was for usage Sept. 25 thru Oct.
23. I expected it to be lower than the previous bill, because the big heat
wave had ended in mid-September and I had quit using so many fans. But no,
it was 70kwh higher than the bill for the prior month. I asked about it
when
I went to pay it. I was also expecting to see a difference due to having
switched all the light bulbs in the house to compact flourescents.

So the latest bill arrived yesterday. Not only does it show an additional
30kwh more using than the last one but ALSO it says it is for usage from
OCT. 23 thru NOV. 8 - which is only a little more than two weeks!!!!!! No,
the rate per kwh has not been increased.

There has got to be something wrong here, no way can I afford to pay
HIGHER
electric bills for SHORTER periods of time!!! I made the investment in
efficient light bulbs specifically because I cannot afford electric bills
over $30/month (as they were in the summer) all year round.

I've spent most of this day deeply depressed. Slept for several hours this
afternoon and crying all evening so far. Reading about Potjie got me
started. I want so much to be free of the constant struggle, but no way
can
I leave these cats behind. I just feel like I am already dead!!!!

"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote

That's very different from mine. I get my bill about 2 weeks after the
billing date. I still think it would be worth checking since the bill
only included about 2 weeks, but I know how frustrating it can be to deal
with utilitiy companies.

I know there has to be something wrong and I hope they are not just trying
to rip me off. If they want to rip people off, why don't they choose people
who are not scraping for pennies? It is simply not possible that I used more
electricity after the heat wave was over. I quit using the fans in mid
September. And it was August when I changed the last of the light bulbs to
compact fluorescent. I am not doing anything different now except using less
electricity. I've also been really diligent about turning things off when
not in use - lights, computer, tv, etc. My water heater is electric but I
still only take a shower once a week for about five minutes.

"Pat" wrote in message
et...

"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote

That's very different from mine. I get my bill about 2 weeks after the
billing date. I still think it would be worth checking since the bill
only included about 2 weeks, but I know how frustrating it can be to deal
with utilitiy companies.

I know there has to be something wrong and I hope they are not just trying
to rip me off. If they want to rip people off, why don't they choose
people who are not scraping for pennies? It is simply not possible that I
used more electricity after the heat wave was over. I quit using the fans
in mid September. And it was August when I changed the last of the light
bulbs to compact fluorescent. I am not doing anything different now except
using less electricity. I've also been really diligent about turning
things off when not in use - lights, computer, tv, etc. My water heater is
electric but I still only take a shower once a week for about five
minutes.



Have you asked them to check your meter to see if it is accurate? You might
also try turning *everything* off my switching off your circuit breaker,
then check to see if the meter is still running. If it is, that would
clearly indicate a problem of some sort.

MaryL

"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote

Have you asked them to check your meter to see if it is accurate?

They give the option of sending your meter off to be checked. You have to
pay $35 in advance for this, and if it comes back with a diagnosis of no
problem, you are out $35. I can't afford to take that risk.

try turning *everything* off my switching off your circuit breaker, then
check to see if the meter is still running. If it is, that would clearly
indicate a problem of some sort.

I'll do that tomorrow. If I can drag myself out there. I am so depressed
today that I haven't been able to eat. I am sitting here with a growling
stomach. Has been like that for more than six hours. I just want someone to
talk to, and there is no one I can call.

"Pat" wrote in
et:

There has got to be something wrong here, no way can I afford to pay
HIGHER electric bills for SHORTER periods of time!!! I made the
investment in efficient light bulbs specifically because I cannot
afford electric bills over $30/month (as they were in the summer) all
year round.


That used to happen to me. Every August I'd get a bill which was either
way too high or way too low (once it showed no usage at all). Every year
I'd complain to the company who said that the meter reader was definitely
reading the meter each and every month. So I found out where and how to
read the meter and whaddaya know? It was off, every month.

So now I have a new meter reader and he hates me like poison, but he
comes every month. Every single month. No more August surprises.

Chak

--
If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner.
--Tallulah Bankhead

"Pat" wrote in message
et...
Last month when I got my electric bill it was for usage Sept. 25 thru Oct.
23. I expected it to be lower than the previous bill, because the big heat
wave had ended in mid-September and I had quit using so many fans. But no,
it was 70kwh higher than the bill for the prior month. I asked about it
when I went to pay it. I was also expecting to see a difference due to
having switched all the light bulbs in the house to compact flourescents.

So the latest bill arrived yesterday. Not only does it show an additional
30kwh more using than the last one but ALSO it says it is for usage from
OCT. 23 thru NOV. 8 - which is only a little more than two weeks!!!!!! No,
the rate per kwh has not been increased.

There has got to be something wrong here, no way can I afford to pay
HIGHER electric bills for SHORTER periods of time!!! I made the investment
in efficient light bulbs specifically because I cannot afford electric
bills over $30/month (as they were in the summer) all year round.

I've spent most of this day deeply depressed. Slept for several hours this
afternoon and crying all evening so far. Reading about Potjie got me
started. I want so much to be free of the constant struggle, but no way
can I leave these cats behind. I just feel like I am already dead!!!!

This will take some work, but may answer the mystery.

Turn *everything* off, and shut off (or take out) the fuses. Make sure the
meter stops moving (if it doesn't, you already have your answer).

Now, tuen on/plug in all the fuses but don't turn on anything in the house.

This will show you if there is some sort of 'leak' in the house wiring.

Now turn on each appliance one at a time and note how much power it is
drawing per minute, then multiply by 60 to get 'kilowatts per hour'. Check
that rating against what you expect it to use. An appliance may be faulty,
drawing out far too much current. Not only is is costing you alot in terms
of electricity, if its sucking far more power than it should, its probably
unsafe to use.

If, after all that, there are no 'leaks' and no unexpectedly 'hungry'
appliances, you need to start reading the meter very regularly. If you have
the same routine every day, may I suggest reading the meter once a day for a
week, keeping a diary of what appliances you used for approximatley how
long.

If its a weekly routine, read the meter one a week, keeping a diary of the
electricty you use for a month.

If the meter is out, have a big stink at them.

Also, if you only shower once a week, you don't need to keep the hot water
heater on all week. It would be cheaper to heat a whole tank of water once
per week and enjoy a long hot luxurious shower that empties the whole tank
of hot water than to maintain the temperature of a full tank of hot water
for a whole week only to take 5 minutes worth out for your frugal shower.

Sorry, can't be of more help.

Yowie
($30 per month for electricty is about a third of what I pay)