Meya
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posted on January 10, 2001 10:44:18 AM new
The bill just came for the 32 days from December 4-January 5.
$231.26
Yikes...24.9 cubit feet, the largest bill we've ever had.
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VeryModern
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posted on January 10, 2001 10:47:12 AM new
Ow! Ow! Ow!
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njrazd
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posted on January 10, 2001 12:45:43 PM new
Meya...we got our gas & electric bill on Monday and WITH a credit of $114 it was still just over $200! It is 3 times normal and that is after a 11% usage reduction from same time last year. I seriously don't know what some of these fixed income people will do.
We've got a solar company coming out on Friday for an estimate on a system. It's expensive, but they are offering up to a 50% rebate on installation. It would be a big help for earthquake preparation as well.
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rosiebud
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posted on January 10, 2001 01:35:03 PM new
I'm in central Arkansas and just got mine: $321 dollars for the period between 11/29 and 1/2. What's even better? During that time period I lost power for 1 week in the ice storms and couldn't use my heat *air blower even though it's a gas unit* (and nope, we didn't stay in the house while we had no power so there was no usage for the gas stove trying to stay warm or anything like that). Imagine what it would have been if I had used it for 4 weeks instead of 3. YIKES!
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bearmom
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posted on January 10, 2001 03:35:22 PM new
Our gas company told us to expect it to double again next month..time to move further south!
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kitsch1
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posted on January 10, 2001 03:39:28 PM new
250.00 and it hurts.
This house isnt even warm!!!!!!!
[ edited by kitsch1 on Jan 10, 2001 03:42 PM ]
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shar9
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posted on January 10, 2001 04:17:44 PM new
That is terrible! Mother has all electric heat but I am going to call her. Thank goodness she sold her house and is living in a small apt. but you are right about not only older people but people like kitsch and my daughter raising her children on her own.
Actually, our electric was about the same as usual.
Meya,
How much a gallon is that?
I'm glad I am going to CA. although they are talking rain and landslides. Just my luck.
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gravid
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posted on January 10, 2001 09:49:12 PM new
In Michigan they have the gas rates frozen until spring but then when it does go up you know they are not only going to increase it they will want to recover for this period.
I see there are some new light bulb available that give the light of a conventional 60 watt bulb and only pull 3 watts. They have white LEDs in them. They are $200 each but last for about ten years before getting dim.
Last year we put 1/3 of our investments over into a fund that is exclusively natural gas production and distribution. That is one way to offset the increases rather directly.
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rosiebud
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posted on January 11, 2001 06:27:42 AM new
Gas usage is measured CCF =cubic feet ~ not gallons
In central AR:
gas supply rate = .796/CCF
distribution rate = .181/CCF
Since the gas companies expect this to last for the next two months, it would be wise, if you haven't done it...... to call your service provider and inquire if they have averaged billing. If they do, it will not do any good for this bill, but it will help out for the next two bills. As an example, if you're average bill during the summer months is $25 and then they slowly creap up during the winter and then you get hit with these bills of <250 .. your average billing during the course of the entire year will be +-$80/month. That's a lot easier to swallow and budget for.
Because of the higher gas prices for heating, you'll see an increase in carbon monoxide poisoning, house fires, burns, due to people using alternative heating sources. This increase is typical in the winter, but they'll be higher still. Do not use alternative heating sources, unless you know how to properly vent them and keep them free from accidents.. (ie: pets, children, obsticles, etc).
[ edited by rosiebud on Jan 11, 2001 06:42 AM ]
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Meya
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posted on January 11, 2001 06:59:59 AM new
We've never bothered going on the Budget plan for the gas bill because our bill normally only goes over that amount perhaps 3 months of the year. Sometimes I start paying ahead a bit in September or October, but I didn't build up a big credit this winter.
We used 24.9 cubic feet, charged at $9.0586 per foot.
We are big energy users, with 6 people living here. Our water bill is huge as well, about $75 per month. Electric budget is $88.
Don't even ask about the food bill.
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stockticker
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posted on January 11, 2001 05:47:25 PM new
I just got my gas bill today for the month of December. We had some very cold temperatures during the month (-20 degrees F and lower).
The total (in U.S.$) was $130. This covered heating (by two gas furnaces and a gas fireplace) of a 2-storey 3 bedroom house plus finished basement. I, like everyone else in the province, also received a $100 rebate check in November to "help out" with the high cost of energy. We get another rebate check for $100 in the spring.
I don't much care for the city I live in (moved here 4 years ago), but there are certainly some advantages in living in the middle of the oil patch. I think our province has the lowest income tax rate in Canada and we are the only province with no retail sales tax.
Irene
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gravid
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posted on January 11, 2001 08:05:29 PM new
I believe if you check CCF will be HUNDREDS of cubic feet. C being the symbol for 100 in Roman numerals. As in "C" note = $100.00
One cubic foot would not heat your tea kettle up. We don't pay a gas bill right now but whem we did it was in increments of thousands of cubic feet.
Being a gas under fairly low pressure and not in liquid form like propane natural gas is a large volume. Being mostly methane it takes way too much pressure and/or too low a temperature to handle it in it's liquid form except in huge volumes like an ocean going ship. And it is a real hazard to transport that way.
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kiki2
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posted on January 12, 2001 03:51:25 AM new
My aunt called her gas company and asked to go on the budget. They told her that her budget payment would be $170 a month!!
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gravid
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posted on January 12, 2001 05:31:15 AM new
It has always been something of a joke if you wanted to use alternative energy sources like solar. It was the geeks and activists who would take the time to pay for solar panels and windmills knowing the payback could take years. I don't think their neighbors will be making as much fun of them anymore. Also we will see an increase in the number of lawsuits because your neighbor is constructing something that will block the flow of wind or sunlight onto your property.
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