Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Utilities in Tallahassee are VERY high. My wife and I do a great job at conserving and we routinely spend over $200/month. That's compared to similar living conditions in the Daytona Beach area where we usually paid less than $100.
Utilities in Tallahassee are VERY high. My wife and I do a great job at conserving and we routinely spend over $200/month. That's compared to similar living conditions in the Daytona Beach area where we usually paid less than $100.
Be prepared for high utilities costs.
From reading some of the posts it seems that the bill includes water electric and gas on one bill. Is that why it is sounding do high? I am thinking just electric.
My electric bill is only about $50 to $60 a month but that is just for my wife and I. guess a $400.00 bill is very foreign to me and I would get that bill down no matter what. That electric bill is completely within one ability to cut. It starts with just maybe $7.00 for the connection fee and the rest is up to you. People have to learn how to read their meters and how to calculate what different things use. Then they can use their heads and knock that bill way down. Most anyone should be able to save $600 to a $1000 a year easily. In some cases a lot more without feeling they are being deprived. "JUST STOP WASTING". I have very little sympathy for people with sky high electric bills. That $400.00 bill has nothing to do with the electric rates, it has to do with waste.
There is waste going on. 74 is too low and not typical of what most people keep it set at. Here is what is probably happening. 4 people doing laundry also probably have the dryer running like crazy several times a day with very little in it. Dryers are worse then A/C by comparison. I would guess they also have 3 or 4 TV's on all the time with no one watching along with every light in the house on. Dishwashers using hot water with almost no dishes in them running several times a day. Showers running like crazy with no attempt to conserve a bit. That kind of collage dorm "Who cares waste", is not typical of a normal family living situation. You also said that "Tallahassee utilities is notoriously high"
As compared to what? What the KWA cost in Tallahassee? I do believe they are higher then average because of clean burning but how high?
As compared with everywhere... in Chicago my electric bill was about 55 a month in a 700 sq foot 1 bedroom with 2 people. It was about 90-100 a month in California with 3 people. I'm telling you its over 300 here.
I don't need the lecture... the electric here is high, period, higher than the rest of the state as well.
You also have to figure in water, and hot water (electric heater) not much gas around here...
It is city owned electric, and the highest in the state of Florida as far as I know.
Just looked it up, it is $0.13453 per kWh ... before tax. I'm not sure whether that is high/low or what... don't pay that much attention to it.
Water is Residential UsageRate Per 100 gallons (cgal) First 70 cgals $0.129 per cgal 70 to 200 cgals $0.175 per cgal Above 200 cgals $0.220 per cgal
also a minimum monthly charge of
Minimum Monthly Charge and Readiness to Serve*Nominal Meter SizeUnits of 100 gallons (cgal) included in minimum chargeMonthly Charge** 5/8" 25 $8.64 1" 110 $21.54 1.5" 226 $43.08
there is also a sewer charge
Customer Charge $14.23 for 5/8" meter (most common residential meter), $35.56 for 1" meter, $71.09 for 1.5" meter
there is also a stormwater charge
Rate $7.61 per month
there is also a solid waste charge
Regular Homes $15.91 per month Apartment* $15.91 per month Residential Premium Service $36.71 per month Additional Refuse Container $10.40 per month
now since you seem to know your stuff, does this seem high? normal? ridiculous?
As compared with everywhere... in Chicago my electric bill was about 55 a month in a 700 sq foot 1 bedroom with 2 people.
I don't need the lecture... the electric here is high, period, higher than the rest of the state as well.
You also have to figure in water, and hot water (electric heater) not much gas around here...
It is city owned electric, and the highest in the state of Florida as far as I know.
From checking it looks like in Tallahassee it is around $.13 per KWH The national average is about $.11 per KWH In Broward county it is $.10 for the first 1000 KWH then it goes to $.12.4 almost the same as Tallahassee. Even if it is higher then the rest of the state, and it may not be, it is only by a small percentage. That does not account for an electric bill being three times as much as it should be. It isn't the rate it's the consumer being wasteful, period.
You are trying to convince some poor schmu$k who lives up north if they come to Tallahassee they will have $400.00 a month electric bills using a bunch of wasteful college kids as an example. They would have to be using 3000 KWH a month for a bill like that. You know the average household use is 936 KWH a month. Do you think they may be wasting just a bit?
From checking it looks like in Tallahassee it is around $.13 per KWH The national average is about $.11 per KWH In Broward county it is $.10 for the first 1000 KWH then it goes to $.12.4 almost the same as Tallahassee. Even if it is higher then the rest of the state, and it may not be, it is only by a small percentage. That does not account for an electric bill being three times as much as it should be. It isn't the rate it's the consumer being wasteful, period.
You are trying to convince some poor schmu$k who lives up north if they come to Tallahassee they will have $400.00 a month electric bills using a bunch of wasteful college kids as an example. They would have to be using 3000 KWH a month for a bill like that. You know the average household use is 936 KWH a month. Do you think they may be wasting just a bit?
Well you are sure being presumptous as what is wasteful and what is not, and trying to classify life styles...when 2 other posters have posted the exact same thing... Yes... I think their electric bill depending on the # of people in the house could be in the 300-400 range in the summer. Definitely.
did you see the minimum expenses for all the other services? It is higher than your entire electric bill...just for having electricity and service to your house. 60 dollars on top of it.
The guy above just posted and says his wife and him try to conserve as much as possible and they are running over 200...2 other people have said the same...
I agree with them, yes for 2 people, you are probably going to shoot over 200-300...add more, 2 more people taking showers, cooking, laundry, watering the lawn...it goes up.
Highest electric bill was 360 that I had...
You'd only have to do 1500kwH + city services of 60.00 + add 180 cgal on water to get over 300.
That being said we don't have cable or home phone, so we save in that dept. and have dsl internet for 39 a month.
Well you are sure being presumptous as what is wasteful and what is not, and trying to classify life styles...when 2 other posters have posted the exact same thing... Yes... I think their electric bill depending on the # of people in the house could be in the 300-400 range in the summer. Definitely.
did you see the minimum expenses for all the other services? It is higher than your entire electric bill...just for having electricity and service to your house. 60 dollars on top of it.
The guy above just posted and says his wife and him try to conserve as much as possible and they are running over 200...2 other people have said the same...
I agree with them, yes for 2 people, you are probably going to shoot over 200-300...add more, 2 more people taking showers, cooking, laundry, watering the lawn...it goes up.
Highest electric bill was 360 that I had...
You'd only have to do 1500kwH + city services of 60.00 + add 180 cgal on water to get over 300.
That being said we don't have cable or home phone, so we save in that dept. and have dsl internet for 39 a month.
What is the point of adding up all your living expenses have to do with the use of electric?
Thats a lot of water by the way. The average family used maybe 4000 gallons. I thought we were talking about electric though?
What is the point of adding up all your living expenses have to do with the use of electric?
Thats a lot of water by the way. The average family used maybe 4000 gallons. I thought we were talking about electric though?
city of tallahassee controls the water/electricity/gas for most people as far as I know. It is an all inclusive bill so definitely other taxes/extras factored in. Most people here also have electric heat (not that they need it)
The op requested living expenses for cable/internet/etc.
city of tallahassee controls the water/electricity/gas for most people as far as I know. It is an all inclusive bill so definitely other taxes/extras factored in. Most people here also have electric heat (not that they need it)
The op requested living expenses for cable/internet/etc.
Yeah tell me about the water, 3 girls...
That is the miscommunication. If I add up my utility expenses it goes up as well. Electric around $60.00, water, garbage, sewer $110.00 Cable $109.00. The real problem is the water/sewer/garbage. The water is cheap and is only maybe $15.00 of the bill. It is the garbage that gets me. I have to pay for three units even though it is just me because I have three buildings on the property. I don't rent them I use them as a personal compound but still have to pay. The worst part is I almost never have any garbage but pay about $90.00 for it. I don't make any garbage few small bags thats about it. The reason I mention the water is, it doesn't matter if I cue back, it amounts to such a small part of the bill anyway. It is the fixed stuff like garbage that bothers me. Electric you can cut back to almost nothing if you have to.
The point is, most of these bills are discretionary, they can be controlled. No one is putting a gun to anyones head to waste electric, they just won't do without.
That is the miscommunication. If I add up my utility expenses it goes up as well. Electric around $60.00, water, garbage, sewer $110.00 Cable $109.00. The real problem is the water/sewer/garbage. The water is cheap and is only maybe $15.00 of the bill. It is the garbage that gets me. I have to pay for three units even though it is just me because I have three buildings on the property. I don't rent them I use them as a personal compound but still have to pay. The worst part is I almost never have any garbage but pay about $90.00 for it. I don't make any garbage few small bags thats about it. The reason I mention the water is, it doesn't matter if I cue back, it amounts to such a small part of the bill anyway. It is the fixed stuff like garbage that bothers me. Electric you can cut back to almost nothing if you have to.
The point is, most of these bills are discretionary, they can be controlled. No one is putting a gun to anyones head to waste electric, they just won't do without.
Yeah I am seeing eye to eye with you, once it is just me and my gf again (very soon) they will be drastically lower. And yes the garbage and sewer are in there too! just one fat bill garbage/sewer/electric/water.
I know this is an older post, but I am extremely chatty today and have a 'word quota' to fulfill.
I agree in what you are telling him. I wish I had a $50-60 electric bill.
2 people here in Tampa - 3 bed/2-1/2 bath townhouse loft *without* the afternoon sun hitting through the windows where it would hurt. I am GRATEFUL when the electric bill goes below 300 and I keep my air conditioning steady at 75 with ceiling fans, filter is changed out once a month, run my washer/dryer/dishwasher 80% of the time during energy saver hours, late, after 11pm since I am typically a night owl, etc. I keep a good number of misc things like my treadmill, elliptical, cell phone charger and so forth blah-blah items unplugged except when I need/use them. No major earth shocking difference in the bill from when I didn't. . . except for the 2 special months in Winter you get to turn off the air conditioning, then it dips below $300. Woo-woo!
My Brighthouse Cable bill [internet, 3 HD boxes - one a DVR, landline phone] is 185/mo without the pay per view, which is on average of about $35-40/mo. After hearing something on the radio on a talk show a couple weeks ago how they will work with anyone on their packages to keep them from going to competitors, I decided to test it to see if they would. They did. They gave me a free upgrade to their newest turbo-speed internet, a year free of Showtime, The Movie Channel and all of the premium HD channels - and lowered the bill by $10, but actually saves more than $10 [more like $45-55/mo, since I'm recording the movies on the premiums and not grabbing them off Pay Per View now, I am being good].
I then decided to try it with State Farm for my auto. I printed out a competitors quote, brought it into their office and they matched it. It was quite a few dollars less.
(Hint Hint, nudge nudge to some people who may want to give it a swing)
Too bad it would not work the same with Tampa Electric. I thought we were paying out of the arse in Phoenix with SRP, which is completely outrageous, regularly increasing their rates, last one was increased by 7% 2 years ago, may have had another since I've left. . . however, Florida just rapes you when it comes to electric. Happy-Happy, joy-joy. I'm in the wrong biz, yay me.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
