My gas and electric bill is $325!

[latebloomer]

Last month it was $135. I have NEVER had a summertime bill over $160. This is like a winter heating bill.

Yes, we added 2 air conditioners this year, but STILL! I didn't realize that the rates have skyrocketed.

I'm very upset, as my husband is on unemployment and I'm only able to work pt-time due to recovery from a major illness. Plus we have to pay for our own health insurance. This country sucks.

[Lyric]

1. I feel your pain.

We just got our electic bill. It's over $300--that's JUST electric. And for last month--when we DIDN'T have an air conditioner.

I don't know what we're going to do. :(

[latebloomer]

2. I called a family meeting

and told everyone they need to be conscious of this. No lights, TV, radio or computer on unless you are in the room and using it.

My husband and I are the only ones without an air conditioner in our room. It cools off at night, we stick a fan in the window and it's almost TOO cool sometimes.

Part of the problem is that my MIL moved in with us- another aggravating story- with her air conditioner, her 16-hour a day TV habit, and then my son had to give her his room and move up to the 3rd floor, which is beastly hot. So- another air conditioner!

But $300 a month without AC is absurd!! Are you sure they're not calculating it wrong?

[Lyric]

3. Argh.

Yeah, we've become very careful about not leaving the computers on and turning lights off. There's a fan in our bedroom that runs constantly, but that's out of necessity; we have a new litter of kittens back there, and it gets WAY too hot in our bedroom without the fan to suck in the cooled air from the living room.

We've also replaced about half of our light bulbs with the energy-efficient fluorescent kind. Still, a power bill like that is scary. We live in West Virginia, the land of coal, coal, coal. If OUR electricity is this expensive, I can't imagine how bad it must be in other places. :hug:

[latebloomer]

4. Do you have an electric stove?

Because that bill is ridiculous. Doesn't sound right.

[Lyric]

5. No, it's a gas range.

All I can guess is that the old air conditioner is the culprit. It didn't work, but we used to run it on the "fan only" setting because we only have one fan, and it was being used elsewhere. It must have been eating a ton of electricity even on *that* setting.

We have a new AC now, and it's a MUCH newer "energy efficient" model, so hopefully that will help.

[NV Whino]

6. Check with your energy supplier

PG&E in CA has a CARE program with discounts for low income and for disabilities. With the disabilities (that require extra cool or extra warm temps) you must have a note from your doctor.

You should be able to find some info online at the company's site.

[bigwillq]

7. We have all electric

The electric company has raised the rate twice in the last year, including one that was a 50 percent increase.

We consistently pay over $500/month.

[Wcross]

8. I would have a stroke if my bill was that high!

It really isn't the AMOUNT of the bill, look at how many KWH per day or month you are using. I use on average 20kwh per day more in the winter time. My home is all electric, no other utilities.