Congratulations Slave and Catrin!!!

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by dtb

They have read it twice, and told me it's fine. But it just can't be.

Unless everyone pays that much for electricity -- how much do you think an average home would pay a month for electricity (electric heat only in one room, gas stove, new refrigerator, washer/dryer used 5/7 days)?

Above or below $500/month? Between $500 and $1000? Over $1000?

do you recharge your vibrator batteries from a wall plug, or throw away?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally Posted by dtb

They have read it twice, and told me it's fine. But it just can't be.

Unless everyone pays that much for electricity -- how much do you think an average home would pay a month for electricity (electric heat only in one room, gas stove, new refrigerator, washer/dryer used 5/7 days)?

Above or below $500/month? Between $500 and $1000? Over $1000?

In winter it should be lower because of no A/C. Maybe $200, perhaps only $100, although Al Gore's bill is higher.

Maybe they did a catch-up billing, and had been estimating charges during the summer?

But rates are all over the place. My mom constantly complains about her electric bills--turns out her rates are twice what mine our.

Maybe your son has some hydroponic grow lights in the basement?*



*I am told that's how the narcs identify illegal growers.

[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally Posted by dtb

They have read it twice, and told me it's fine. But it just can't be.

Unless everyone pays that much for electricity -- how much do you think an average home would pay a month for electricity (electric heat only in one room, gas stove, new refrigerator, washer/dryer used 5/7 days)?

Above or below $500/month? Between $500 and $1000? Over $1000?

Have you checked to see if anything is malfunctioning? Why don't you unplug everything you're not using and see what happens.

TM

[Icky Thump]

Originally Posted by dtb

They have read it twice, and told me it's fine. But it just can't be.

Unless everyone pays that much for electricity -- how much do you think an average home would pay a month for electricity (electric heat only in one room, gas stove, new refrigerator, washer/dryer used 5/7 days)?

Above or below $500/month? Between $500 and $1000? Over $1000?

I have a split level in Westchester about 1700 SF where 4 computers are on all the time and where only dad knows that the switch that turns on the lights also turns them off, and where 80% of the bulbs have been replaced by energy saver flourescents.

Washer and dryer used 2-3x per week. dishwasher used 5 times perweek. Fridge is a dinosaur.

I pay $250 per month generally and around $500 to centrally a/c during the summer.

Changing out the incandescent bulbs makes a difference.

[dtb]

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall

Have you checked to see if anything is malfunctioning? Why don't you unplug everything you're not using and see what happens.

TM

You mean unplug the toaster, coffee maker, etc. when I'm not using it? I suppose that's easy enough. Will that make a difference?

I don't have any cell phone chargers plugged in. I do have 2 refrigerators, but they're pretty new - so they have all the energy saving doodads. I have electric heat only on one floor, and it's turned off on all but the very coldest days. The only other large electric usage would be for the hot water, but that's only four showers a day and one running of the dishwasher a day. Maybe one of every 10 or 12 loads of laundry is done with hot or warm water - the rest is cold.

My stove is gas, and heat is oil.

What the hell?!? They HAVE to be ripping me off.

If I turn the switch on those power strips off, does that count as unplugging, or do I have to unplug the whole power strip?

But how much difference can that make?! My utility bill used to be in the $300 range (in this house) and now it's $800. It's recockulous, I tell you.

[soup sandwich]

Originally Posted by greedy,greedy,greedy

we pay about $300 or so, but have gas for the heat, stove and dryer.

2

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally Posted by dtb

But how much difference can that make?! My utility bill used to be in the $300 range (in this house) and now it's $800. It's recockulous, I tell you.

Those are small draws. Does the coffee maker have a clock? The toaster isn't drawing. Power strips aren't drawing if they're off or nothing is running, other than extremely little for a red light or something.

Do you get the little bar chart on the bill that shows your usage? What does it look like?

[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally Posted by dtb

You mean unplug the toaster, coffee maker, etc. when I'm not using it? I suppose that's easy enough. Will that make a difference?

Yes. Unplug them all. Maybe you have a short in one of them.

Originally Posted by dtb

I don't have any cell phone chargers plugged in. I do have 2 refrigerators, but they're pretty new - so they have all the energy saving doodads. I have electric heat only on one floor, and it's turned off on all but the very coldest days. The only other large electric usage would be for the hot water, but that's only four showers a day and one running of the dishwasher a day. Maybe one of every 10 or 12 loads of laundry is done with hot or warm water - the rest is cold.

You couldn't possibly use enough dishes to run the dishwasher once a day. Run it when it's full.

Originally Posted by dtb

If I turn the switch on those power strips off, does that count as unplugging, or do I have to unplug the whole power strip?

Unplug.

Originally Posted by dtb

But how much difference can that make?! My utility bill used to be in the $300 range (in this house) and now it's $800. It's recockulous, I tell you.

Well, if the $800 is the legitimate price, you will see a significant difference (even if there is no short). If it's not, THEY'VE BEEN RIPPING YOU OFF, because $800 is insane. Did you opt for the green alternative or something without knowing it?

TM

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)

Maybe your son has some hydroponic grow lights in the basement?*



*I am told that's how the narcs identify illegal growers.

That's how the illegal growers in my neighborhood were caught a few years back. They tapped directly into the line bypassing the meter, and had something like 1000 plants growing in a 1400 square foot house. It was a "very sophisticated" operation, according to the press, though the guys were stupid not to realize that someone was going to pick up on that spike in electricity. They'd boarded up the house, and tried to hide what they were doing in there. I used to walk by with my dogs almost every night, and occassionaly, I'd try to peek through the boards to see what was going on there (my neighborhood has very, very few boarded up houses). When I found out later that it had been under surveillance for a few weeks before the bust, I got a little nervous that someone would think I was involved, because of assumptions about women whose dogs have dreadlocks down to the ground. So far, no narc cops have busted through my door, though.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan

I got a little nervous that someone would think I was involved, because of assumptions about women whose dogs have dreadlocks down to the ground. So far, no narc cops have busted through my door, though.

Why you? The dog, sure. I mean, he might as well just have a spliff between his teeth.

[dtb]

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)

Why you? The dog, sure. I mean, he might as well just have a spliff between his teeth.

This man who has a kid in my sons' tae kwon do class stays every week to watch his kid in the class, and then about half way through the class, leaves for a little bit, and comes back just REEKING of weed.

Do you think maybe he just doesn't realize how obvious it is, or he just doesn't care?

Why can't he just wait another 15 minutes to get baked at home?

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally Posted by dtb

This man who has a kid in my sons' tae kwon do class stays every week to watch his kid in the class, and then about half way through the class, leaves for a little bit, and comes back just REEKING of weed.

Do you think maybe he just doesn't realize how obvious it is, or he just doesn't care?

Why can't he just wait another 15 minutes to get baked at home?

I hope you were wearing a sweater around your neck when you typed this.

[dtb]

Originally Posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?

I hope you were wearing a sweater around your neck when you typed this.

Are you kidding me? Every sweater I own is on my body -- arms through the sleeves. I can't afford heat, as I've had to take out a mortgage just to pay the electricity bill.

But seriously, I would say the same thing if he came in reeking of liquor.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally Posted by dtb

Why can't he just wait another 15 minutes to get baked at home?

Maybe his wife would be all over him for getting baked at home, in front of the kids.

[dtb]

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)

Maybe his wife would be all over him for getting baked at home, in front of the kids.

That did occur to me, but one would think she'd also be all over him for driving the kid home while baked. But who knows?

The kid thinks his dad smokes cigarettes. Which he doesn't. So dad is not a stranger to lighting up in front of junior.