Money Problems? Have A Plan. (debts, pay off, company, tax)

[CouponJack]

Originally Posted by nnyl

How do you manage that? Our average bill is around $48/month.

I

Originally Posted by nnyl

can't *manage that*. The two mos. prior it had been $449 each month and that was enough to blow me over. I took to turning up the thermostat here in the house (we live in FL, that is not easy - in the summer), turning off lights. Both, items we never really paid a whole lot of attention to.

We just always knew, summer=high electric bills, a fact of life. But for the bill to go from $449, and after all our efforts, to $499!!!!!!

Now we have turned off the pool pump and only use it every-other-day, as opposed to 24/7.

We have begun hanging up clothes to dry.

Unplugged the camper. The camper we can't afford to use anymore. We kept it plugged in only because periodically we'd go out and kick on the a/c in the thing, just to keep it from getting that dank smell in it. Only because we've been told by RV folks, that it's best to keep the thing juiced, for it's refrigerator. The gas that they run on, (they will run on electricity also), the gas, leaving the thing unplugged and not running, is not good for the fridge. So, we had a cold fridge in a camper that we never use (can't afford to anymore). So that had to be adding to the bill also.

We also have an 82 gallon water heater in this household. That .......... once we can get a few hundred dollars ahead, will be downsized to a 40 gallon.

So you ask, how do I manage that bill. I can't. It's eating us alive.

Don't know where else to cut around here. We've cut out all recreation, going out to eat, travel/vacation, etc.

I only buy sale items at the store, and cook at home. Brown bag the lunches.

Am fixing to cut the home phone, and use only our cell phone.

I guess we could cut the cable tv, if we need to. That has already been cut frome xpanded to basic.

Nice job....

One other thing which is a biggie that many people overlook...

Have you switched to flourescent bulbs in your house?

The old style incadescent are energy eaters. I switched about 25 bulbs (including downlights) around the house and its cut a chunk out of my energy bill....

You can get a 4 pack of the 60w equivalents at Walmart for like 9 or 10 bucks...and they use about a 1/4th of the energy as the incadescents

[Humanoid]

So you ask, how do I manage that bill. I can't. It's eating us alive.

Actually, when I said that what I meant was how do you manage to have such a large electric bill. $500/month for electric seems amazingly high to me. Me and my wife only pay on average $50/month (Usually $40, but more like $65 in the summer, $50 winter). It doesn't get much hotter in FL than where I am either, although it is more humid so that does require more AC. Anyhow, $500/month just seems really really high to me.

Also, if you truly can't afford it then the solution seems pretty simple. Turn off the AC and get some fans. Also, in addition to switching to compact flourescent bulbs you can also put all your electrical device on power strips and during off the power strips when they are not in use. All the devices people have and leave plugged can actually pull a lot of power.

I guess we could cut the cable tv, if we need to. That has already been cut frome xpanded to basic.

Just to note, I think most (if not all) states require cable companies to over broadcast cable. Its usually $15/month and still includes a number of channels. They usually end up screwing up the filtering too, so may end up getting many of the same channels. After a few months you won't miss the extra channels.

[nnyl]

Originally Posted by Humanoid

Actually, when I said that what I meant was how do you manage to have such a large electric bill. $500/month for electric seems amazingly high to me. Me and my wife only pay on average $50/month (Usually $40, but more like $65 in the summer, $50 winter). It doesn't get much hotter in FL than where I am either, although it is more humid so that does require more AC. Anyhow, $500/month just seems really really high to me.

Also, if you truly can't afford it then the solution seems pretty simple. Turn off the AC and get some fans. Also, in addition to switching to compact flourescent bulbs you can also put all your electrical device on power strips and during off the power strips when they are not in use. All the devices people have and leave plugged can actually pull a lot of power.


Just to note, I think most (if not all) states require cable companies to over broadcast cable. Its usually $15/month and still includes a number of channels. They usually end up screwing up the filtering too, so may end up getting many of the same channels. After a few months you won't miss the extra channels.

Our local utility company has just put a "fuel surcharge" of some sort on our bills, as well as increased rates. Something or other to do with the soaring cost of fuel. Sort of like trying to interpret the phone bill. About as complicated.

There was just an article that the local utility company is nearing record rates of shut-offs. As the bills, this time of year soar, and people are crimped with job losses, rising costs for everything else, the local utility is reporting they are nearing record numbers for shut offs.

So yes, my bill is definitely higher than other folks in my same circumstance, or similar. But others are complaining also that their bills are soaring from a norm this time of year of about $220/$280, upwards of $320/$400. So I'm not the only one hurting here with trying to pay the local utilities. And btw, everything electric in this household, no gas powered anything.

As to how the bill is that high, I suppose (I'm hoping, since I've tried doing differently now), it's because the thermostat on the a/c was set too low, that's been corrected (uncomfortably so). The pool pump, the dryer, the camper that was plugged in, lights that were left burning, no one in the room, etc., etc.

Good suggestion Coupon Jack. I only have one lamp with a flourescent bulb here in the household. I had a coupon for a flourescent, so I figured I'd try it out. I need to do the same with all bulbs in the household.

[CouponJack]

How old is your a/c unit? If its old and hasn't been serviced for awhile, you might want to look into getting it serviced so it could run more efficiently....the cost could be made up over time...

Just a thought

[Maia160]

If you are serious about saving electricity, check out this site:

Saving Electricity: How to Save Electricity

[Humanoid]

s to how the bill is that high, I suppose (I'm hoping, since I've tried doing differently now), it's because the thermostat on the a/c was set too low

Try looking at the meter when the AC is not on.

Anyhow, $500/month for electric still seems amazingly high to me.

[Arf Arf]

I'm trying to figure out how anyone, save for a Mormon family, could spend $1200/month on groceries.

[Humanoid]

I'm trying to figure out how anyone, save for a Mormon family, could spend $1200/month on groceries.

If you buy a lot of brand names and a lot of prepackaged food its not that hard to get up to $1,200.

[Zig'sbird]

Originally Posted by Humanoid

If you buy a lot of brand names and a lot of prepackaged food its not that hard to get up to $1,200.

Also remember one fact I came across about a year ago: An active teenage boy can consume 4k calories a day just to meet his body's need.

The reason why this stuck in my mind is that I have two small heathens myself - aged now 9 and 6. It has finally reached a point that if we order pizza, I have to order 2. One for the wife and I, and one for my two boys.

Both the wife and I fear the day they become teens.

[FarNorthDallas]

Electric bills are huge in Texas. Ours runs $420 in the summer. Deregulation was supposed to make the bills go lower, but alas, they keep getting higher and higher. Plus it's over 100 degrees many many days here. This is often a surprise to people who move here for lower housing costs and no state income tax.

Anyway, regarding grocery bills, my depression-era grandmother told me, You can't keep running to the store every time you need one item or two or to buy ingrediants to make one specific meal. You make do with what you have. If that means making tacos without onion, then you make tacos without onion. If you go to the store for taco-fixins you spend too much money buying every possible taco ingredient.