Power Bill (credit, month to, new home)

[Usa450r]

moving into a new home next week in Tramonto, North Phx. It's 3400 sq ft, built in 2003, two story and has pool. Should I do the flat year rate at $225/month or just go with normal monthly plan that varies based on usage? Note - I work from home so it needs to around 78 all day. Maybe 75 at night when we sleep. We use fans too......

Thanks in advance,

USA

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Usa450r

moving into a new home next week in Tramonto, North Phx. It's 3400 sq ft, built in 2003, two story and has pool. Should I do the flat year rate at $225/month or just go with normal monthly plan that varies based on usage? Note - I work from home so it needs to around 78 all day. Maybe 75 at night when we sleep. We use fans too......

Thanks in advance,

USA

I'm assuming the 225 is an estimate you've been given for a monthly payment on a managed payment plan, based on the current owners' usage. Based on your actual usage (which may be higher if the people who lived there before had a lower level of usage (i.e., not home all day) that payment may get adjusted a bit higher, but maybe not until next summer. That said, I prefer the easier budgeting of the managed payment to the sticker shock of those summer bills.

[PhureeKeeper]

Will you be serviced by SRP or APS?

Per SRP:

• The ideal time to enroll is during the winter months, when bills are typically their lowest.
• This gives you time to build up a credit to offset your higher summer bills.

[bgray9]

I personally like getting the fluctuating monthly bills, as it is easier to be aware of how our use is going from month to month. Folks I now who use the averaging method generally just want a steady amount to pay but don't pay much attention to what their actual usage is from month to month. Really it just comes down the personal preference. You'll pay the same amount altogether in the end either way.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by bgray9

I personally like getting the fluctuating monthly bills, as it is easier to be aware of how our use is going from month to month. Folks I now who use the averaging method generally just want a steady amount to pay but don't pay much attention to what their actual usage is from month to month. Really it just comes down the personal preference. You'll pay the same amount altogether in the end either way.

True that you still pay for what you use, but it's just easier to budget. I do pay attention to power usage, though, in part because I'm also on a time of use plan.

[patrick85395]

I have a single story home a single story home slightly larger than yours and have two AC units,three pool pumps and separate fridge and freezer units. I have no children. Last year, my bill averaged 250/month. Summer bill was 650ish per month. Flat worked better for me.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Usa450r

moving into a new home next week in Tramonto, North Phx. It's 3400 sq ft, built in 2003, two story and has pool. Should I do the flat year rate at $225/month or just go with normal monthly plan that varies based on usage? Note - I work from home so it needs to around 78 all day. Maybe 75 at night when we sleep. We use fans too......

Thanks in advance,

USA

If you are sitting under a ceiling fan you may be able to set the temp higher than 78 during the day and still be quite comfortable.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

If you are sitting under a ceiling fan you may be able to set the temp higher than 78 during the day and still be quite comfortable.

Exactly. Ceiling fans and tile floors are the best in the summer.

[Ponderosa]

The fixed payment is not all that fixed. If the weather is hotter, or you get careless with time of day and your balance gets out of kilter, they will raise your rates to cover it. The payment changes fairly often. My experience is that they they go too high, then too low, then too high etc. etc.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

The fixed payment is not all that fixed. If the weather is hotter, or you get careless with time of day and your balance gets out of kilter, they will raise your rates to cover it. The payment changes fairly often. My experience is that they they go too high, then too low, then too high etc. etc.

That's not been my experience. SRP checks quarterly, I think, and it never changes by that much, if at all-- 20 or 25 dollars tops, and not even that much in recent years. With a programmable thermostat, the time of use control is pretty easy.