Argh more financial woes for us - it just gets worse!

Schnoogly wrote: We got our electric bill for july...$420. I can't believe it. I expected around $300 since that's what it was last summer. But I was only home half the time then, and we turned the a/c up to 82 when we were gone. Plus we had Iain's room blocked off since we didn't need it. And I leave it around 76 now all the time. That's as hot as I can stand. I'm a wimp.

It's ridiculous though. I hate california. They charge us a huge surplus if we use more than a certain amount because of the energy crisis.

At least Iain's daycare will pay for air conditioning him, and I'll be out of the house more starting in a few weeks. The cats can be hot. I turned the a/c up to 80 as soon as we got the bill though.

There goes our minivan for sure.

amynicole21 replied: Ugh, I hear ya!! FL is nightmarishly expensive for power, too. I'm sorry... when it rains, it pours I guess.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I am soo sorry for ya! It seems when one thing goes it sets off some sort of domino effect and usually happens in 3's. I hope this is it for you! I dread seeing my water bill from the pool fill up 3/4 drained and refilled I am talking 5500 gallons of water, so i am told! eek!

coasterqueen replied: Sorry that you are going thru this! WOW! $420 for electric! I would faint! In IL I am paying ~$150 to $200 in the summer. It is the winter that gets us here! We pay $100-$150 in the winter for electric and $200 to $350 a month for propane because we live out in the country.


Hope things look brighter for you soon.

MomToMany replied: Wow! We're paying about $100 for electricity in the summer here (MN), and we pay next-to-nothing in the winter because we have a wood boiler furnace hooked up to the garage & the house, and there's lots of wood around here for dirt cheap, or even free (depends on the people you know ).

I'm SO sorry you are going through that! Lots of 's for you!

MommyToAshley replied:

Did you know you can call the fire dept and they will come out and fill your pool up for free? At least that is what my parents did and they have an inground pool that is 8 ft deep, but that was a few years ago. I don't know if they still do that or not.

But, since you already filled it, I would call them and tell them that you used 5500 gallons on the pool. This way, you won't have to pay sewage on that portion of the water bill.

MommyToAshley replied: Schnoogly, I am sorry you are going through this. As Kaitlin said, things usually happen in 3's! Hopefully this is it for you and you have all of your bad luck out of the way for the remainder of the year!

supermom replied: Man, that sucks - so sorry that you are going thru this. I know what you mean about being able to turn up the AC temp when you are gone, we do that too so it's 85 during the day and then cools down before we come home (we bought a programmable thermostat which has paid for itself over and over!). Then since you are paying for full time daycare, that will help with your bill and one more reason to justify the cost of the daycare......HUGS to you, for sure!

Kaitlin'smom replied:
ya my dad had suggested the fire dept, but they dont do that anymore we called before we filled it, used to be the would hook up a hose the the hydrent and fill it for ya, but they dont have control ove them andy more and earthtech who does dont have the hose for it! But ya we were told to call when we git the bill and get the credit for sewage. I still dread it with him draining it and re-fillin git to get it more leval!

Cal&Camsmom replied: Where in California are you? I'm from southern Ca. Our bill was $100. I expected worse. But we only have a little townhouse so we don't have a house to cool off. It's about $30 different than it was last year. But, this year we have central air

Schnoogly replied: I live in the almost-low desert, east of San bernardino. It's really freaking hot!

MamaMartie replied: Wow I had no idea that the prices for electricity varried so much across the US. I also didn't know in some places the fire dept would fill your pool. Our neighbors just put a pool in and are dreading their water bill.

We're in PA and you can pick your supplier. We stayed with PPL though. Any way, our house has electric heat & A/C. We're on a budget plan where we pay the same amount year round: $150. It would be less but when my dh is home he wants the house at 69 during the day and 67 at night. I freeze, but when he is out I set it at 73. Warm enough for me not to be a total ice cube, but not so hot that I can't cool it down before he gets home.

Schnoogly replied: I guess you didn't hear on the news the past few years about the cal. energy crisis? The rolling blackouts? Luckily we don't have those anymore, but the semi-deregulation they did back in the 90's, coupled with increased demand and low supply, caused the california companies to buy from out of state providers. Of course they charge us through the nose, and the federal government won't put a cap on the energy rates. Edison (major power company) went bankrupt, and the state had to assume their debt. This is why california is in such dire straits--we owe everyone because some power companies (enron anyone??) got really greedy and decided to stick it to california. The semi-deregulation means that the power companies can pass on the increased cost to the consumer. Anyhoo, we're all screwed here. At least our water bill isn't that bad considering we live in the desert.

Kaitlin'smom replied:
I wish they still did that hear! I just filled a 18 foot by 38inch deep pool! Hopefully it will not be as bad as I am expecting! Also I can get a credit for the sewer part. my water bills are not usually that bad about $30 a month