Ellsworth, Howland, Franklin, Pembroke, Eastport?? (Bangor, Calais: salaries, to live, to move)

[Abbymoulton]

Originally Posted by mrs1885

Where are you at down there Abby? We moved to TN (absolutely love it, but miss that salt air and the sound of the gulls) from Naples and are looking at the Eastport area for a summer home. Sounds like you're in the area I was in - or across the Alley.

I am in Naples. I will be so glad to get back to Maine. DH and I were both born and raised in Maine. We have been in Naples for 20 long, hot years and are counting the days to get back where we belong. We also have family in Maine and wish to enjoy the grandchildren before they are all grown up.

[mainer2]

Originally Posted by MaineMathTCHER

Try looking in the Calais area (about 30 minutes north of Eastport)-the St Croix river runs through it and there are several breathtaking sites all along the river-and Calais is a nice town with the basic services and stores that one needs.

I agree w/ mainmathtcher....check calais area....Eastport is nice....untill you get the first electric bill ......when considering a home there in Eastport you MUST call Bangor Hydro to find out how much the bill was last time it was occupied...other wise you'll be living like a pilgrim there. Ours was $525 per month....note.....we did not have electric heat...that's for stove, dryer, water heater and light bulbs..no one home during the day. LOL Some are higher than that. Now you know why everyones lights are out early there. Beautiful town though.

[mollysmiles]

Originally Posted by mainer2

I agree w/ mainmathtcher....check calais area....Eastport is nice....untill you get the first electric bill ......when considering a home there in Eastport you MUST call Bangor Hydro to find out how much the bill was last time it was occupied...other wise you'll be living like a pilgrim there. Ours was $525 per month....note.....we did not have electric heat...that's for stove, dryer, water heater and light bulbs..no one home during the day. LOL Some are higher than that. Now you know why everyones lights are out early there. Beautiful town though.

I can't imagine a light bill that high.....I own a house in Eastport, I grew up in Eastport, and my parents owned a business in Eastport. I don't know anyone with an electric bill that high. Ok, I'm sure Roger and Merrill pay that much at the IGA--probably double that. My bill is higher here in Calais than it was when I lived in Eastport--moved to Calais in '02. My highest bill with a family of 6 was about $120....in the winter with FHA and electric hot water heater, DW, electric dryer, computer--what I consider the "normal" stuff.

If your bill is that high I'd be on the phone to hydro and I'd be getting an electrician in there. That's not normal or average.

[Eastport4me]

Molly,

You are a plethora of information. Thanks for all the info that you provide regarding the basics of living in and around the Eastport area. The Maine forum is the only one that I read just to soak up all the knowledge from locals on the perspective about day to day living in Maine.

Happy New Year to Everyone.

[Elcarim]

That's nuts! Living in an all electric house in Texas where we've run A/C 11 out of 12 months this year our HIGH bills in August were only $350-450.

[mollysmiles]

thank you Janice

[maine4.us]

This is what I would be doing if I had an electric bill that high. The windmill would be full size, and connected to the grid!! We had the A/C on last night, and my bill is never over $190. Granted in the winter, we get a bye here in Florida! But we have 8 months of summer @ 90+ degrees.

[dramamama6685]

Originally Posted by mainer2

I agree w/ mainmathtcher....check calais area....Eastport is nice....untill you get the first electric bill ......when considering a home there in Eastport you MUST call Bangor Hydro to find out how much the bill was last time it was occupied...other wise you'll be living like a pilgrim there. Ours was $525 per month....note.....we did not have electric heat...that's for stove, dryer, water heater and light bulbs..no one home during the day. LOL Some are higher than that. Now you know why everyones lights are out early there. Beautiful town though.

Wow can anyone say lots and lots of candles? I had done a preliminary "when e retire budget" to get some idea of how much we needed to be able to retire there and didn't figure that there would be so much disparity between here and there on electirc.

We currently spend about $250 and the bill includes; water, sewer, electric, cable, phone, internet, and garbage. Even if we add in the $90 for cell phones and $25-$150, we still don't run $525.

Guess I'd better redo the figures.

[dramamama6685]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

I can't imagine a light bill that high.....I own a house in Eastport, I grew up in Eastport, and my parents owned a business in Eastport. I don't know anyone with an electric bill that high. Ok, I'm sure Roger and Merrill pay that much at the IGA--probably double that. My bill is higher here in Calais than it was when I lived in Eastport--moved to Calais in '02. My highest bill with a family of 6 was about $120....in the winter with FHA and electric hot water heater, DW, electric dryer, computer--what I consider the "normal" stuff.

If your bill is that high I'd be on the phone to hydro and I'd be getting an electrician in there. That's not normal or average.

Thank God.. guess I should have read your post before II replied. Thanks again, Molly!

[corgis]

When we are in Eastport running lights, washer/dryer, ceiling fans, electric range, dishwasher for me, mensaguy, my 88 year old father and my son - the largest electric bill we've had in the four years we've been there was this last August when it hit $56.00 for the month.

Course mensaguy has replaced most of the old knob and tube wiring with updated wiring and run new circuits all through the house. I can't imagine an electric bill anyplace close to that one.