First Apartment Cost Estimates? Carrollton/Addison (Dallas: appliances, buying, utilities)

[jedipwnces]

I am moving into my first apartment at Thanksgiving-- and I'm so excited!! I'll be in the Carrollton area, just near Addison. I was wondering, though, because I have no experience with paying bills beyond my phone and car stuff, if someone had an estimated monthly utility break down for the area. I know it varies, but I don't have *anything* to go off of, so anything you have to offer would be wonderful!

It will be a smaller two-bedroom, and it will just be me (but I have a lot of visiting siblings/boyfriend, so I would probably count it as 1.5 people... ). There are all the normal kitchen appliances (fridge, stove/oven, microwave), one bathroom, and I will be buying a washer/dryer, but I won't be doing more than two loads a week.

Thank you for your help! Also, if you have preferences for phone/energy companies, please let me know! I am considering Verizon for the FIOS, because... super fast internet is sexy. Energy, though, I have no idea.

I appreciate, it Dallasites!

[OwlStorm]

Hmm... utilities are a tough one- it depends on how well your apt is insulated, how many appliances (computer, big screen TV, etc.) you have and where you keep your thermostat set. I would say budget $225-275/ month for electricity for a 2 bedroom. If it ends up being higher, you can try to cut your usage. if it's less, yay- you have more $$ in your budget! It's better to budget too much than not enough. I have had electricity bills from $150- $385/ month for a 1 bedroom depending on what time of year it was (my apt complex has no insulation, apparently). You can imagine how shocked I was to get that $385 bill from Excel Energy for August!! I would recommend Green Mountain as an energy provider, but you can shop around for the best deal. Just make sure you have a fixed-rate plan and not a variable rate plan. For internet and cable- if you shop around you should be able to get a good cable or satellite TV package and high-speed internet for $100-125/ month. You should probably stick with Verizon or Roadrunner for internet- the satellite internet you get through Direct TV or Dish Network is not as fast. Hope that helps!

[maybemovinsouth]

Ugh...energy prices. Used to live in Addison and really liked it. But--I lived in an older apartment that was very safe, pretty, clean, quiet BUT had no insulation so was very hot in the summer. Does anyone remember the brutal summer of 2006? And very cold in the winter...I once paid almost $200 to heat it -- and it was under 900 sq. feet. I guess you just have to weigh your options--older and clean, safe or newer and noisier and better insulated.

[JoycMarr]

what is the deal with the fixed vs variable rate plan? I went with Green Mountain, but they said the recommended the variable rate plan...the way he explained it made sense, but I don't know much about the difference. First bill was very reasonable I thought, but I don't run my heat much (I actually turn it off when I'm at work because I'm gone for 13 hours at a time)