Chelco Bill: WOW!

[Beauty hunter]

We have alternatives to chelco/big oil lube jobs now- compressed air cars and solar heating/cooling.
It has been corporate locusts fed by hardworking ants- green versus greenback.
We work and pay, they save and play. Enough already.
We have alternatives that eliminate the carbon footprint and let us keep some of our money so that we can actually enjoy life.
We are paying them to screw us and screw the planet- something isn't right here.
I don't want my grandchildren growing up in an environmental bubble on the moon- imagine the fighting then
I want green and greenback.
You and I are the future and the future is now.
If you want to fight , fight for something that's worth fighting for.
The pursuit of happiness that not only you can enjoy, but everyone else can too.

 

[John R]

We have alternatives to chelco/big oil lube jobs now- compressed air cars and solar heating/cooling...

The pursuit of happiness that not only you can enjoy, but everyone else can too.

What solutions are you utilizing?

 

[Sarah Moss]

We have 2,000 square feet heated and our last bill (I think 11/25-12/25) was $165. This one (12/25-1/25) is over $400. We generally keep the thermostat on 66 and often times don't even use the heat.

 

[Beauty hunter]

What solutions are you utilizing?

Adding and subtracting- you figure the math.

 

[Lynnie]

Gulf powers electric is even more expensive then Chelco Lynnie. Its so expensive, they ask you to bend over when you get the bill. The lube is a mere courtesy to make the bending over part less painful.... ;-)

Umm, OK. Maybe I didn't need the explanation afterall. Here, I heat with gas and fireplace; there, I use a little heat and use the fireplace mostly.

It does seem strange that when we have such a precarious economy, services become more expensive!

 

[Andy A]

You'all scared me so I called CHELCO to check on my bill. It went out yesterday and was $212, a $3 increase over last month. My condo is 1600 sq. ft. Here is a suggestion. I am on CHELCO's cost averaging plan and it is much more convenient as you can note by the above figures. It is available if you have been a CHELCO customer for l2 months or more and are in good standing, according to the CHELCO representative to whom I spoke. I didn't realize why my bill was so low compared to some but now I know. It is also a good budget planning tool. BTW, we are all electric.

 

[scooterbug44]

Prices are higher because of demand - the price of oil is not going to go down when the country is racked with cold spells.

Insulate the hell out of your house and it really pays off - Canoehead added insulation this summer and is saving money each month because she does the average bill too.

 

[Alicia Leonard]

Around 1450 sf in an almost 100 yr old frame house with new windows and added insulation =$185. This is even lower than this time last year. The upgrades have really helped. My bill has been running anywhere from $50-15 lower every month since the remodel. I have Gulf Power and the only thing I have ever complained about was when they guesstamated my bill close to this time last year. Yeah, they just decided to bill me what my bill had ran the year prior and not read the meter. It will tell you on your bill if it is an "estimated" bill. The actual reading came in about $120 less than they billed me. So always look at your bill, closely.

DaGood, I was in the same boat as my first winter bill was the same amount when I moved in my house. Me and my pup, Sarge, lived under an electric blanket the rest of the winter, so I know the pain. I got a gas fireplace installed in my living room and that helped. There are also programs in the county that you might qualify for if you are a homeowner where weatherproofing is concerned. If you are not eligible for a grant, plastic sheeting and some foam stripping around windows will help a little as well as draft catchers around doors and shutting off any rooms you don't use all the time. You probably already know all this, I just wanted to share a few ideas that have worked for me in the past.

 

[srbchica]

My house is about 1800 sf and my bill is $237. The month before it was $153!

 

[Just Curious]

Our house is about 1900sf. This month was $190. Last month $135. We used 1500 KWH this month, 1000KWH last month, and 850 KWH this month last year. We definitely need to be more aware of what we are doing, but it has been really cold this winter. Oh well.