Comments on: WTF? My Utility Bill http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/ Rants and Ramblings of a Bad Mommy and Wannabe Writer Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:09:02 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Know Your Neighbors http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-101 Know Your Neighbors Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:50:18 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-101 There are several states in the process of deregulation of electricity and natural gas, which means your bill WILL be lower. The process of deregultaiton is to open the market to competition. A by product of that is that prices will go down. Depending on which state you are in, electricity and natural gas may be deregulated already. If so, you SHOULD switch. In most cases, it is FREE TO SWITCH, and YOU WILL SAVE MONEY. If you are in Texas, Illinois, or New York there is a company called Ambit Energy Service - http://www.ambitenergyservice.net that offers electricity and natural gas at a reduced rate. Your provider (the company that maintains the lines) remains the same. The ONLY difference is who you write the check to, and that check will be significantly lower than what you are paying now - even with an error in "accounting". There are several states in the process of deregulation of electricity and natural gas, which means your bill WILL be lower. The process of deregultaiton is to open the market to competition. A by product of that is that prices will go down. Depending on which state you are in, electricity and natural gas may be deregulated already. If so, you SHOULD switch. In most cases, it is FREE TO SWITCH, and YOU WILL SAVE MONEY.

If you are in Texas, Illinois, or New York there is a company called Ambit Energy Service – http://www.ambitenergyservice.net that offers electricity and natural gas at a reduced rate. Your provider (the company that maintains the lines) remains the same. The ONLY difference is who you write the check to, and that check will be significantly lower than what you are paying now – even with an error in “accounting”.

]]> By: Andrea http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-94 Andrea Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:05:03 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-94 Good news! The bill was an error. We are being issued a corrected bill. Good news! The bill was an error. We are being issued a corrected bill.

]]> By: Andrea http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-59 Andrea Sun, 06 Jan 2008 21:33:15 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-59 They be coming to read the meter again and see if they are possibly in error. One can hope. They be coming to read the meter again and see if they are possibly in error. One can hope.

]]> By: thelittlefluffycat http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-40 thelittlefluffycat Sat, 05 Jan 2008 16:15:28 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-40 I wasn't thinking about the gas leak as much as I was about letting them know that you might need a workaround on the bill. Guess I shoulda been thinking about the gas leak... I wasn’t thinking about the gas leak as much as I was about letting them know that you might need a workaround on the bill.

Guess I shoulda been thinking about the gas leak…

]]> By: pandemonic http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-39 pandemonic Sat, 05 Jan 2008 15:54:32 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-39 It's winter. When you turn on your furnace, you are automatically screwed, even if you keep your heat on to just above the level of the pipes freezing. It’s winter. When you turn on your furnace, you are automatically screwed, even if you keep your heat on to just above the level of the pipes freezing.

]]> By: Andrea http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-38 Andrea Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:29:41 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-38 The Trane guy was at my house withing an hour of my phone call to their office. He checked the furnace. He checked for gas leaks and gas pressure. The problem is not with the new furnace. He did adjust the "droop setting" on our thermostat. He also reminded of us of how important it is to keep the intake filter clean which is no small feat in a house with seven animals. Still, it is unlikely that a dirty filter doubled my heating bill compared to this period last year when we still had a 30 year old furnace. I'm still waiting for the utility company to show up. I only have two other things that use gas: the water heater and the stove. If there is no leak and they did not screw up reading our meter I'll be shopping for a new water heater. The Trane guy was at my house withing an hour of my phone call to their office. He checked the furnace. He checked for gas leaks and gas pressure. The problem is not with the new furnace. He did adjust the “droop setting” on our thermostat.

He also reminded of us of how important it is to keep the intake filter clean which is no small feat in a house with seven animals. Still, it is unlikely that a dirty filter doubled my heating bill compared to this period last year when we still had a 30 year old furnace.

I’m still waiting for the utility company to show up. I only have two other things that use gas: the water heater and the stove. If there is no leak and they did not screw up reading our meter I’ll be shopping for a new water heater.

]]> By: Ina http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-36 Ina Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:46:36 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-36 Definitely write articles about every aspect of it. It helps to work everything out, from our feelings to solutions. Not to mention our skills get better and someone may want to pay us for this stuff some day. I'm going to go write an article about my bladder being full, right now. Definitely write articles about every aspect of it. It helps to work everything out, from our feelings to solutions. Not to mention our skills get better and someone may want to pay us for this stuff some day.

I’m going to go write an article about my bladder being full, right now.

]]> By: thelittlefluffycat http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-35 thelittlefluffycat Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:23:35 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-35 oop--forgot--{{{you}}} :) oop–forgot–{{{you}}} :)

]]> By: thelittlefluffycat http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-34 thelittlefluffycat Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:22:36 +0000 http://antimother.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/wtf-my-utility-bill/#comment-34 Call the utility company, don't wait. :P Call the utility company, don’t wait. :P

]]>