HOORAY! I DID IT! Power Bill DOWN!

[tfpets]

We are on a large propane tank and cant convince the truck to come up more often than once every 6-8 months....he was up in June last , we were completely empty! The bill was $765.39, pay when they fill! We hadnt seen them until the night before Christmas, during a snowstorm, again, we were completely OUT of propane and I had been calling them for two weeks. Nice bill to pay right? Happy holidays! I need to plan better and save up for it, it really is my problem though.
Our power bill, the elecrticity, was a little more under control until we got behind. Then it piled up to a balance due by November 15 of $712.99. I did overtime to try to make extra money to cover some of it...two 24 hour shifts, got my paycheck...what a shock!!
It put me into a new tax bracket and it COST me $85 to work that shift!! So I made $85 less for working more!!
Dont know what to do?? Oh well, it will work out, somewhere!! I made a big payment, it should keep things working! We need to conserve and cut some corners....we talked and are looking at getting back to simpler things! I'm gettin tired of trying to keep up.........
Tina/tfpets

 

[enjoy the ride]

tfpets- that is awful service. I'm lucky that there are competing comp-anies, one of whom is very helpful.

You hopefully will get that money back as soon as you file your tax return- although I can't see how they actually took money away from you- I wonder if your employer made a mistake and applied a new tax rate to your whole paycheck rather than only the amount that was at the new rate- a rate change should not apply to all your salary.

That is why I went to the balances payment thing- agreed that they are holding some money of mine before I actually use the product but it was worth it simply never having to worry about a sudden large bill. I think you can do the same with PG&E too but I haven't done it since my electric bill is low.

 

[tfpets]

tfpets- that is awful service. I'm lucky that there are competing comp-anies, one of whom is very helpful.

You hopefully will get that money back as soon as you file your tax return- although I can't see how they actually took money away from you- I wonder if your employer made a mistake and applied a new tax rate to your whole paycheck rather than only the amount that was at the new rate- a rate change should not apply to all your salary.

That is why I went to the balances payment thing- agreed that they are holding some money of mine before I actually use the product but it was worth it simply never having to worry about a sudden large bill. I think you can do the same with PG&E too but I haven't done it since my electric bill is low.

Oh, no mistake, it's just what happens. I'm not the only one either. What bites is its a mandatory overtime shift, they can MAKE me do it!! And I can lose my job of 17 years if I refuse to do it again! I have to have a medical excuse if I cant get someone to cover the shifts for me (which is what I've always done before?)
Tina

 

[FarmerChick]

we talked and are looking at getting back to simpler things! I'm gettin tired of trying to keep up.........
Tina/tfpets


***that is it Tina. Just time to drop out of the rat race for me. Working on it. Time to slow down cause honestly I can't keep up anymore. Younger I could, now I don't want too! LOL

I am cutting costs everywhere and it is SO HARD to do, thinking I can't live without this or that, and shockingly, I find it so much easier once I adapted. Key is change. People hate change but change can be a powerful thing!
I am finding that out..LOL

 

[malbri]

My brother and I are energy suckers, so when our bill started to go above $200 we had to pay for it, and if it was under he would split the difference and pay us. So far, in a family of 4 he is paying us about 20 dollars each sense then.

 

[reinbeau]

My brother and I are energy suckers, so when our bill started to go above $200 we had to pay for it, and if it was under he would split the difference and pay us. So far, in a family of 4 he is paying us about 20 dollars each sense then.

Smart dad!

 

[Farmfresh]

UPDATE ..... another CREDIT on the bill!

Remember a while back when I had a $300 estimated bill (which was based on last years consumption rate)? Well - I have now had a credit on the account AGAIN. This means I have used electricity for 3 ... count 'em 3 months and still spent less than 1 month last year.

Every cheap bone in my body is happy!

We have NEVER done the level pay thing for a reason. If you pay as you go and you waste a lot of energy one month you see it on the bill. That instant (almost) pain in the pocket makes you change your ways, before the next bill.

Also when you are good and shut of those lights ... turn off or down that gas furnace ... and bust those ghost loads ... you get the joy of being cheap on the next bill!

I would try for month #4, but the credit now stands at $16.00 and I can't imagine making that.

 

[FarmerChick]

Yea I get misty eyed on the word "credit" on my bills too...HA HA HA

you are doing great saving energy....so am I. I am tired of giving all money to someone else..HA HA

 

[enjoy the ride]

Farmfresh- that is awesome.

I'm naturally cheap and do try to save power and water, even though water is relatively cheap for me. I just hate waste- I don't know where I got that attitude. I save the water that runs out the faucet before it heats up to water plants.

My trouble is that I will pinch pennies and waste dollars.

I find that if I simply do not have it, I will not waste it so my comfort zone seems to be having little in savings that I can withdaw- makes me much more responsible as I hate debt. A little insecurity seems to be neccessary to be good.

 

[Beekissed]

UPDATE ..... another CREDIT on the bill!

Remember a while back when I had a $300 estimated bill (which was based on last years consumption rate)? Well - I have now had a credit on the account AGAIN. This means I have used electricity for 3 ... count 'em 3 months and still spent less than 1 month last year.

Every cheap bone in my body is happy!

We have NEVER done the level pay thing for a reason. If you pay as you go and you waste a lot of energy one month you see it on the bill. That instant (almost) pain in the pocket makes you change your ways, before the next bill.

Also when you are good and shut of those lights ... turn off or down that gas furnace ... and bust those ghost loads ... you get the joy of being cheap on the next bill!

I would try for month #4, but the credit now stands at $16.00 and I can't imagine making that.

I had several of those this past year....actually had 4-5 months of "0" balance just when I needed it most. I prefer to think of it as Divine intervention and prayers answered!