Anyone else going to go to average billing?
The lead story on the news is that TXU electric wants to raise rates 24% by January, and Atmos energy wants to raise gas rates 60% to 90%.
This winter we may all huddle around my New Braunfels Smoker.
Jim

I'm in college in Waco and paid $200 for electricity this month through TXU for a 3 ROOM APARTMENT! The AC is always above 80 degrees and I turn it off when I leave. I'm not sure if I'll make it through winter if they raise their rates.

Mine's been around $300.00 here in Fort Worth. We have a 4 year old, an 18 year old and a live in sister-in-law. The dang door never stays shut. I have become the lightbulb sheriff of the house! I turn off lights everywhere I go.
I have caulked my house to within an inch of it's life by now!
At least we have a cold front coming in tonight. About damn time! It was around 100* all through September and in the 90's through today.
They also say it is gonna rain. Yeah right! And monkeys might fly out my butt! The hurricane couldn't make it rain in Fort Worth. I think my yard is a fire hazard. If it does rain my dead grass will probably wash away.
I couldn't afford to water my lawn, again. Our little town has a privately owned water company (I'm just north of Fort Worth). My water bill the last 2 months was around $150.00, not including trash. I have no pool, don't water the lawn or wash my truck. That's $150.00 for washing dishes, clothes and taking showers. Their bill this month said I used 10,000 gallons. Bullshit I did! I work for another city and know how to check for leaks- nada! Their minimum fee is $72.00 for 2,000 gallons.
I think I know which end of the stick we are getting here.
I'm gonna move to the country and live in a mud hut!
Jim

No shit!, i am going to stock up on firewood ASAP.
Don't feel lonely Jim, i am the light sheriff at my place too,[Garland]
later, Wayne

60-90%?  dang, I think if that happens my house is just gonna be damn cold all the time, no way in hell am I gonna pay that much more for heat.  Time to go use the fireplace.  

I heard yesterday that Reliant [electric] asked the PSC for a 14% rate increase, and Centerpoint [gas] for 12%.

How much do you want to bet that the increases won't get rolled back once the offshore production facilities and refineries get back on line?

I am a big fan of programmable thermostats. They may cost a lot at first, but over time you will make your money back. I have mine set high enough during the day so it won't run but it turns on about 30 minutes before I get home so I still get to walk into a nice cool home.

Just a suggestion.....

I can't say how much exactly it has saved me, but my electric bill stays below $100 all summer in a decent sized two-bedroom apartment for me and my wife.

Now winter will be fun.......she gets cold when it gets to be about 70 degrees outside!!! I told her to gather up all the blankets.

Quoted: I am a big fan of programmable thermostats. They may cost a lot at first, but over time you will make your money back. I have mine set high enough during the day so it won't run but it turns on about 30 minutes before I get home so I still get to walk into a nice cool home. Just a suggestion..... I can't say how much exactly it has saved me, but my electric bill stays below $100 all summer in a decent sized two-bedroom apartment for me and my wife. Now winter will be fun.......she gets cold when it gets to be about 70 degrees outside!!! I told her to gather up all the blankets.

I keep pretty much the same thing, but I have an old house that doesn't have newer features like return air, so the central a/c still costs a bunch.  It took a bite out of my ammo fund this summer :(

Just a fireplace and you will be colder and more broke in the long run.  I fought for a while with my beautiful wife about getting a good wood stove to put in the front room.  Couldn't win that one till she broke the glass and then had to go on a two week trip.  When she came home ta da ebay woodstove installed on a new granite hearth.  She bo hood but every winter our heating bill is down now and the stove is still warm in the morning after burning full tilt till after the late night news.  I found one on the bay that had a nice glass door framed in gold leaf for a fraction of the cost of the unit when new.  I had to take my grinder to the fireplace in a couple of spots to make it fit since it is a big stove.  Hope you don't mind my ringing in on this.

The Army Owns the Night
God bless America and Please God really bless Texas
Very Respectfully,
David
South West Asia

Send me your zip code, might be able to help.  I broker power and you may be able to lock into a lower rate, or current rate for 12 months.  Each zip is different.  Right now we are anywhere from 1% - 17% less than the incumbent (Reliant, TXU, etc...).  Cool thing is you have the same provider and meter reader.

Robert

I'm in zip 76131.
Jim

Quoted: Mine's been around $300.00 here in Fort Worth. We have a 4 year old, an 18 year old and a live in sister-in-law. The dang door never stays shut. I have become the lightbulb sheriff of the house! I turn off lights everywhere I go. I have caulked my house to within an inch of it's life by now! At least we have a cold front coming in tonight. About damn time! It was around 100* all through September and in the 90's through today. They also say it is gonna rain. Yeah right! And monkeys might fly out my butt! The hurricane couldn't make it rain in Fort Worth. I think my yard is a fire hazard. If it does rain my dead grass will probably wash away. I couldn't afford to water my lawn, again. Our little town has a privately owned water company (I'm just north of Fort Worth). My water bill the last 2 months was around $150.00, not including trash. I have no pool, don't water the lawn or wash my truck. That's $150.00 for washing dishes, clothes and taking showers. Their bill this month said I used 10,000 gallons. Bullshit I did! I work for another city and know how to check for leaks- nada! Their minimum fee is $72.00 for 2,000 gallons. I think I know which end of the stick we are getting here. I'm gonna move to the country and live in a mud hut! Jim

Jimbo...

My electric last month was $111.12, this month is $150.81, all electric utilities on a 2250 sq/ft house,  my water is running about $30/mo, we hardly ever water because we seem to be in a weather pattern that keeps everything pretty green.  I'm 30 miles east of Austin.  We did have house guests for the Rita storm last month too.
This is a new construction home and it seems pretty tight (except I can't keep the scorpions out)
One other thing I did when we first moved in was replace about 1/2 the lamps with fluoresents blubs.

One thing I did do last year for a couple of duplexes I own in Austin was have more insulation blown into the attic and have all of the joints sealed on the HVAC and the systems balanced.  The city of Austin gave me a rebate of about 1/2 the cost.  I need to check with them to see what their utilities are running.

You might look into city rebates in your area for doing the same.