Utilities cost

[KooLaid]

What do you pay on average for electricity in colorado springs? And what are your living arrangements? (single, married, big house, apartment) Do you generally your electronics, computers, washer, dryer often?

I'm looking at ways at shaving some more free dollars every month. Currently I live in a one bedroom apartment with all utilities included, nice place. I pay $618. Everything here is electric powered and the heater is a common boiler type thing so heat is free. I run my computers nearly 24/7, tv is on 8+ hours a day. Washer & elec dryer runs about once a day, 3-4 days a week.

I'm considering going into a cheaper apartment at about $550 per month. I'm wondering if I'd use more than that $68/month in electricity. Yeah I'm nickel and diming to save like $10 but I've saved well over $100/month that way so far. Plus I'd get a much bigger, nicer, and quieter apartment in this complex that way. OK... this is pathetic, I don't even know why I'm posting it..... Feel free to laugh and point.

[Lee]

My wife and I pay close to $200 per month during the worst months of the winter. It used to be less before rates went up. We usually average ~$100 per month during summer weather.

Those costs include all of our consumption of gas, electricity, water, and sewage in a condo of ~2400 square feet. We have neighbors on either side of us (insulation) and most windows facing south which reduces our heating bill during the winter months. We do not have air conditioning during the summer months; we only use low speed ceiling fans which draw about 100 watts on high, as I recall.

Some things to consider to keep your expenses down:
> All electric dwellings are very expensive to live in. A combination of gas and electric would be less expensive.
> Heating water or air is expensive, especially with electricity. Turn your water heater down to the lowest acceptable temperature for hot water.
> Rotating motors draw a lot of current. (washer, dryer, fans). Do your laundry only once per week. Only turn on your dish washer when it is full.
> Anything that runs on 220 volts a/c draws a lot of current ($$).

Your efforts to shave costs will pay off, I promise you. My wife and I got serious about this a few years ago: $10 here, $20 there. Now, for the first time in my adult life, I am about to be debt free, simply because we cut costs everywhere we reasonably could. It freed up money for other things: motorcycles, paying off debts, vacations, and more.

As someone once said, if you're stingy with the nickels and dimes, the dollars take care of themselves.

Lee

P.S. We have 2 computers that are frequently on. Most PC's draw 150-250 watts of electricity, like a 150-250 watt light bulb. Electricity has a rate (for instance: 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour) so it is easy to determine how much it is costing you to leave your PC on all the time.

P.P.S. Big TV's draw a lot of current.

[R1chie]

What do you pay on average for electricity in colorado springs? And what are your living arrangements? (single, married, big house, apartment) Do you generally your electronics, computers, washer, dryer often?

I'm looking at ways at shaving some more free dollars every month. Currently I live in a one bedroom apartment with all utilities included, nice place. I pay $618. Everything here is electric powered and the heater is a common boiler type thing so heat is free. I run my computers nearly 24/7, tv is on 8+ hours a day. Washer & elec dryer runs about once a day, 3-4 days a week.

I'm considering going into a cheaper apartment at about $550 per month. I'm wondering if I'd use more than that $68/month in electricity. Yeah I'm nickel and diming to save like $10 but I've saved well over $100/month that way so far. Plus I'd get a much bigger, nicer, and quieter apartment in this complex that way. OK... this is pathetic, I don't even know why I'm posting it..... Feel free to laugh and point.

The price of utils has gone up. Here is my bill as of Feb $217 (which is high for Feb) with a year lookback. I have 600 watts of fish tank heaters that run 24x7, I have 300 watts of fish lights that run 10 hours a day. The spikes are when I had relatives over, more showers, oven (I do not use it otherwise) TV all day computer . (The kids is what drives mine skyrocketing, they leave lights on, computers, tv's, xboxes on all day even if they don't use it.)
http://www.motox.org/utils

[KooLaid]

So I guess my deal with my place currently isn't TOO bad...... for now.. I think I've just grown older adn grown to be a bigger cheap ass

[NZ Darren]

We are a little over $200 with a lot of stuff on a lot of the time - I never turn off my PC, do a lot of laundry, wife takes lots of baths etc......

[R1chie]

So I guess my deal with my place currently isn't TOO bad...... for now.. I think I've just grown older adn grown to be a bigger cheap ass

I would say you have a great deal. My lowest bills have been in the summer of $50 but that was before prices went up. If price is your concern I think you should stay put.

[Desmo]

David, you have seen my house… About 2500sq ft… and I keep the house cool (68 +/- 3degrees). I am good at turning off unused lights and conserving energy. I do cook almost everyday… and watch maybe 4 hours of TV a week. Do laundry 1 time a week… don’t use the dishwasher… regular showers and the PC is on all the time…. My utility bill is about $150. Personally for the use I feel that is high… but that is the average…. In the summer I’m sure it will go down a lot more unless I crank up the central air.

Frank

[Ms-iam4u2nv]

We live in a 1150 sq. ft. mobile home (trailer for the rednecks) and our highest utility bill this winter was $158. There is 3 of us-2 adults and 1 Spud. We keep the auto. thermostat at 68 during the day and it goes down to 63 at night. Auto. thermostats are a great way to save some $$. In summer our bills were about $90 with the AC unit on about 70% of the time. We have a gas furnace and everything else is electric. I do laundry about 2-3 times a week, we take long showers (water is paid for) and run the dishwasher 2 times a week on average. The TV is on at least 8 hrs a day and turn off any unused lights. So I'd say you're getting a pretty good deal right now. So basically, it depends on the type of dwelling and size and if any amenities are paid in the rent.