Let's talk about FPL bills. Did yours go up drastically the past few months? (big house, live in)

[mango23]

Originally Posted by dirtymartini

Well, I am not looking to become Amish or read by candlelight or hang my laundry on a clothesline. My point was, my bill and USEAGE jumped dramatically in one month...and I did not do anything differently *that I know of* between May and June...so that is why I was pondering. Again, I kno my USEAGE went up. Dramatically. I understand that.

You low FPL bill does not really impress me, I have a feeling I would not want to live the way you do.

Then you need to get a energy survey from FP&L. If you say you have done nothing different and your bill is more then you could have a hot water leak or something that is doing it. I feel you are just in denial though like people who gaine 20 pounds and swear they never eat anything.

[dirtymartini]

I think the comment about my old meter not working properly is more like it. I believe the digital meter may be more accurate. I posted because I was wondering if anyone else who recently received the new meter noticed a jump in their bill. If you are proud of yourself for living like a neanderthal, more power to ya.

Honestly, though...I *have* gained a few pounds recently. And I eat like a bird...swear! What's up with that?

LOL, have a great day, everyone!

[mango23]

Originally Posted by dirtymartini

I think the comment about my old meter not working properly is more like it. I believe the digital meter may be more accurate. I posted because I was wondering if anyone else who recently received the new meter noticed a jump in their bill. If you are proud of yourself for living like a neanderthal, more power to ya.

Honestly, though...I *have* gained a few pounds recently. And I eat like a bird...swear! What's up with that?

LOL, have a great day, everyone!

Years ago it was common to hit the meter with a rubber mallet every so often to make it run slow. It is amazing how old some of the meter they are replacing are. When they did mine they had to come back with tools to cut the rings off, I have three meters and they were so corroded the guy broke his tool trying to force the lock. They may not have been off for 25 years or more. I bet most of the meters that were old ran slow. I don't live like a neanderthal. I have a very energy efferent house. All the lights are the curly kind, my water heater is set low.

Actually I don't usually use any hot water when I take a shower, I hate the feel of hot water on your skin, I always have. The water comes out at about 78 degrees and feels great to me. I have never used air condition except for a few pets that needed it. I have a 4 foot whole house fan in the attic and open a few windows and I like it. Right now I would say except for this computer and maybe the refrigerator if it has kicked on, my usage at the moment is almost zero and will be pretty much the rest of the night. There is not much I really I use much electric for most of the time.

There is nothing wrong with using electric as long as you don't waste it. Use what you need but I visit people and they have like 5 TV's on in all the rooms that no one is watching, lights on in every room. 1000's of watts worth of flood lights in the yard. In fact no where will you find any thing that represents any kind of reasonable use, all waste. You start adding up all those KWH and they are flushing money down the toilet. Worse then that, giving it to the power company.

The great thing about your electric bill is, it is not like say taxes, what you pay is completely within your control. For the most part it is a discretionary expense.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by mango23

How much was the rate hike and what was your usage? Rate hikes are fractional and don't really effect any one given bill much maybe a few dollars on the average bill. Your bill is $450.00 because you used $450.00 worth of electric, no mystery. If you are in Fort Lauderdale just guessing you used about 3500 KWH. I use an average of 440 to 500, most people use around 900 to 1200. You are an excessive user to say the least.

2005 rate hike (http://www.justnews.com/news/5289717/detail.html - broken link)

yet another in 2008

here they are asking for another link

And logically speaking if ones home is bigger than another's (hint: i used the term vaulted ceilings in my original post) this will help you understand a lot and will help you to understand it has absolutely nothing to do with excessive use. If your place is 800 square feet for example and mine is 2400 sq ft for example, well guess what? Im going to pay more to run my place.

[mango23]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

2005 rate hike (http://www.justnews.com/news/5289717/detail.html - broken link)

yet another in 2008

here they are asking for another link

And logically speaking if ones home is bigger than another's (hint: i used the term vaulted ceilings in my original post) this will help you understand a lot and will help you to understand it has absolutely nothing to do with excessive use. If your place is 800 square feet for example and mine is 2400 sq ft for example, well guess what? Im going to pay more to run my place.

Our life styles don't really compare. I live in a compound with my total living space just over 4800 sq ft. That does not mean I need lights on in every room of the place. I only occupy a small section of my residence. By the way, did you read the links you posted. In one the average bill would go up $8.00 a month another was $1 to $2 a month. People saying their bills have gone up hundreds of dollars has nothing to do with rate increases. Using 3500 KWH a month is excessive, about three times the average homes use. Hay, you are the one who pays the bill not me, what are you complaining about, you are the one running up those bills. No one is holding a gun to your head, stop complaining.

[fauve]

Originally Posted by mango23

Our life styles don't really compare. I live in a compound with my total living space just over 4800 sq ft. That does not mean I need lights on in every room of the place. I only occupy a small section of my residence. By the way, did you read the links you posted. In one the average bill would go up $8.00 a month another was $1 to $2 a month. People saying their bills have gone up hundreds of dollars has nothing to do with rate increases. Using 3500 KWH a month is excessive, about three times the average homes use. Hay, you are the one who pays the bill not me, what are you complaining about, you are the one running up those bills. No one is holding a gun to your head, stop complaining.

Wow, a $50 bill in a 4800 sf place in the summer...that has to be some kind of Guiness World Record for South Florida! We just got our bill and it was by far the highest yet for this year. I could never live without a/c here and every year that goes by, I seem to need it a bit colder.

[mango23]

Originally Posted by fauve

Wow, a $50 bill in a 4800 sf place in the summer...that has to be some kind of Guiness World Record for South Florida! We just got our bill and it was by far the highest yet for this year. I could never live without a/c here and every year that goes by, I seem to need it a bit colder.

I just use a small portion of the house only three rooms most of the time. My point was the size of the house doesn't matter. It is what you use. You know when you turn off your TV it is not really off. It is like that with a bunch of things people own. They are referred to as "Electrical Vampires". You are using power 24 hours a day often when you don't even realize it. It is funny though the people who seem to have the most disdain for FP&L want to just willing give them their money. I should add it is just my wife and myself, there is not a house full of kids.

I also should add I have three meters on my house and when you add them up it is about $10.00 more because they bill you even if there is no usage. My actual usage is around $50.00 but I pay out a few more dollars total just for administration cost. I have to be honest, I can't see how some people can run up such high bills. It is almost as if you have to try to run up bills that high. Like I said, electric is a discretionary expense, no one make you waste it or use it at all for that matter. Use what you need. I have better things to do with money then spend it on electric I get nothing for like I referred to earlier.

It is like the price of gas. It is easy to drive 10 or 30% less with no problem if someone tries. Many trips are just a waste of time when you really think about it. People drive around because they have nothing better to do. A five mile trip to buy a can of soda and see what is on sale. Then they come home having bought nothing or something they drive back to return. I rarely make a trip for no reason or don't run at least a few errands at the same time. It has nothing to do with what I can or can't afford, it has to do with the feeling of being more self sufficient, in control of my life. I find it like a game in fact. I got interested in Hypermiling when gas was going up and it's fun. I changed my air filter went to a different oil plus a few other things and also began practicing a different way of driving. I don't even want to tell you what happened you would find it hard to believe. about 30% better mileage and add that to more conservative driving and my gas bill went more then in half. I fill up about twice a month sometimes less.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_ec...zing_behaviors

[mango23]

Originally Posted by fauve

Wow, a $50 bill in a 4800 sf place in the summer...that has to be some kind of Guiness World Record for South Florida! We just got our bill and it was by far the highest yet for this year. I could never live without a/c here and every year that goes by, I seem to need it a bit colder.

Depending on whether you want to cut back, many people don't really care and can afford the bills. Like many people up north do in the winter with their heat, you may want to restrict what parts of the house you air condition. If your house is a large open floor plan some room dividers could help so you don't have to air condition such large areas. I am not saying you should do this you probably don't really care but it is a way to have you cake and eat it too. Less carpet, tile floors, fewer drapes that suck up the air condition while returning nothing. You would be shocked what a hassock fan on a tile floor does. Your houses foundation, (If concrete) can be a thermal mass that will actually cool your house if it isn't trapped under carpet. Lots of things you can do.

[pclp2131]

hello all 1500 sf house palm beach a/c runs all day at 79 install timer on water set for 2 hours a day work in hvac filed make sure your system is charge properly change filter every month my bill is 110 every month also sign up for fpl on call it will take 10 off your monthly bills.

[mango23]

Originally Posted by pclp2131

hello all 1500 sf house palm beach a/c runs all day at 79 install timer on water set for 2 hours a day work in hvac filed make sure your system is charge properly change filter every month my bill is 110 every month also sign up for fpl on call it will take 10 off your monthly bills.

I just read the
"On call" program and I don't know about that. I think I prefer to do my own conservation. How has it worke out for you positive and neg?