The Utility Bill That Jumps Leaps and Bounds
My oven is gas and I prepare dinner at least 4x per week, maybe 5.
My heat is gas and the thermostat is set to 65, never higher than 68.
Everything else is electric.
So how is my gas bill:
$27.31 in September 2007
$32.12 in October 2007
$29.26 in November 2007
$79.78 in December 2007 *warning*
…and $143.93 in January 2008?????????
*faint*
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Fabulous Financials v2.0 » G’bye January and Good Riddance (Pingback), 31 January 2008, 11:31
[...] Bills: I would say everything is kosher, but I have this gas bill with Attention Deficit Disorder. That darn thing keeps jumping all over the place. First a 175% [...]
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Fabulous Financials v2.0 » Feeling Generous Today…Just Because (Pingback), 8 February 2008, 8:33
[...] your utility bills going up? My gas bill was $143 last month, now it’s $152, so I’m just going to die a slow and sudden [...]
Could it be because December is a colder month and now you’re seeing the effects in January’s billing (billing in arrears)? I used to have the same keel over reaction when I would get my January heating bill. I don’t remember – is this your first winter in these digs? If it’s not, then do you have last year’s bill to compare it to?
Btw, I’ve just put up my new blog – check it out if you have a chance – you’re on my blog roll!
ctmom96.blogspot.com
Do you have a leak? That’s crazy!
Was the meter misread? (If the second reading on your bill is higher than your meter, there’s a mistake.)
Has the price of gas changed?
Do you feel breezes flowing through the windows?
Do you have a gas water heater which, uh, recently became so hot that steam is coming out of your pipes?
You could try asking your landlord about this, too.
Someone just told me their meter had been read horribly wrong. They were paying over $100 when it should have been around $30.
I hope energy costs aren’t rising that rapidly.
Has the cost /therm recently gone up? That is the third post I have seen out in the blogosphere about really high gas bills for the last month
I saw the same kind of jump. Perhaps your gas company increased their rates? (delivery, surcharges, etc.). My increase was just simple usage (as it has been colder this year than last) and rising prices.
I am on a payment plan that adjusts every December. I was appalled at the jump from 2007-2008…it was ridiculous.
@ CT – Very possible. The billing cycle is part of Dec. Yes, this is my 1st winter here.
@ Deena – Good question. I called maintenance to check for drafts around the door/windows and oven leaks.
@ Debbie – I don’t know if the hot water uses gas too. Hmm…I have to ask.
@ c2a – I was going to say, if it happens again next month, I’m going to request a re-read. But I change my mind, I’m requesting one THIS month. I wonder how much they would charge me for it.
@ seeking – I compared the two bills and the only thing changed is my usage. The rate is still the same.
@ nofear – Same prob, just increased usage. I can’t get on a payment plan until I have 12 months data for an avg. 4 more months to go. Since this is the highest it’s EVER been, I’m afraid it may skew my numbers.
well i live in a two level home with three small bedrooms upstairs, basement downstairs. the only gas we use is for the hot water heater and heat. we have a gas range but we don’t cook so it’s never on. our gas bill this month was $500. YUP. i said it. it’s typically $200 to $300 during the winter so i’m definitely investigating this ridiculous jump. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!!!
I think this is absolutely normal for gas heat. It’s very low in the warmer months and really high in the winter months. I’ve been paying for gas heat in the northeast for over 20 years now and that’s just the way it is.
@ nancy – For real? You think a 175% increase followed by another 80% increase is normal? Hmm…ok. My house had gas heat and it increased in the winter, but never by this much.
Well, your new house that you lived in one year probably had excellent insulation. Who knows how well insulated your new place is. Ask your neighbors if they get a similar jump.
Okay, I admit it. I have somehow managed to tap into your utilities from New Jersey. I know this is quite a distance but I have developed top secret technology allowing me to do this without detection :)
Well, at a guess, the shortest answer is because it’s colder outside. Your furnace has to work harder to maintain the same internal temperature because there’s more to offset.
I had a similar surprise this month– I had a same-town move this year, and had no idea how much of a difference was made by my old place’s double-paned windows, low exposure to the outside (not a corner unit, not on the top floor), and (I have to assume) excellent insulation. This place is a corner unit on a top floor with older windows and poor insulation. There was a big jump in the expense.
There may not be a lot you can do right now unless you’re okay with a colder home. Or if you can do things like put up window quilts or shut off certain areas.
For myself, I’m taking this as a reminder that when I someday start house-hunting, the windows, insulation, and heating are things I want to pay attention to. That stuff will influence what I can afford to buy– because if the house isn’t in good shape already, my choices will be to absorb the ongoing costs or have the work done.
Ours has gone up a lot since summer – September – $15, October – $30-something, November – $50-something, December – $78, and now in January $138. We live in the Chicagoland area though, so the cost of our gas varies by the season. The next 2 months should be high bills, but then they will start going down.