About how much do you spend in Utilities a month on your house?
Question:I am interested in buying a house, and i am trying to figure out a budget. I was just wondering what the average cost is for someones utilities.
Answers:
Generally I spend way to to much live in older rent home not energy efficient at all, you would need to look at each home differently square footage, type of windows and doors, how much insulation, type of heating and cooling.type of appliances, shade trees. number of occupants in home. Most electric companies keeps records of a Homes energy usage throughout the year it shows on my bill each month, I would call them and ask what the average usage of the home has been, this will give you a more accurate estimate as there are so many factors involved with energy usage. If you find the home has high energy usage, there are some things you can do to reduce your bills, weatherstrip and caulk and windows and doors, newer more energy efficient appliances, double insulated windows, extra insulation, clean and seal air ducts for heating and cooling, BBQ outdoors during summer months, old fashioned clothes line,.florescent lighting. In general a newer home will be more energy efficient than older homes unless they have been upgraded.
About $300. Gas, Elec., Phone, Cable, Internet
It depends on where you'll be living and how much you can afford to use and what kind of appliances you'll be using.
I, myself, am very cheap. So as an average I wouldn't do but as an example thats a different story.
Last year (winter) my home utilities bill was $50-$80 a month. Last year (summer) my home utilities bill was $15-$20 a month.
The average is a good deal higher.
Depends on your use. Do you turn on the heat below 60 degrees? air over 80? Most have about $300-$400 in utility bills. Mine is about $350... I live in the country.
Other than living off grid, all of us must contend with the ever-rising cost of utilities.
Cutting costs where you can is the best way to reduce a necessary cost. Some tips may be useful:
1. Phones
a. Be sure you have the right cell phone plan for you. If you cannot seem ot control the useage of minutes, the unlimited pan may be a better choice.
b. Skip the extras on your home phone. For example, if you have caller ID, you could let your machine pick up, and you would know who was calling anyway. If your cell phone plan comes with such features, why have them on 2 phones.
c. Shop around for phone service; there are a variety of companies that may have a better plan to suit your phone useage.
d. Do you need 2 phones?
2. Internet
a. Be sure you have the right ISP for you. Do you need high-speed? If you are mainly an e-mailer and shopper, maybe you could go with one of the $10 dial-ups.
b. Can you combine your phone and internet for a lower price?
3. TV
a. Be sure you have the right service for you. Do you need cable or satellite? Do you need to pay the extra for HD? Some satellite plans cost less than cable, and have more channels. Some satellite companies cost less than others. Watch for the "introductory" pricing tactic. Be sure you know what it will cost once the introductory period is over.
b. BUNDLE (TV, ISP, Phone) if you can save.
4. Electricity
a. Be sure you have the right company for you. Some places do not have much choice while others have energy co-operatives that offer better rates wit less service.
b. SHUT IT OFF! Shut off all unused lights, radios, coomputers, appliances, etc. Doing this can add up.
c. UNPLUG! Some items have a passive drain on electricity. Electronics with a light that is always on, or something in standby mode. Use a power strip and flip the switch when you are done for the day. Some power strips have and "always on" plug for those items that would have to be re-programmed if they were completely shut down.
d. ENERGY STAR. Get the most energy efficient appliances you need. Are there some appliances you could do without? We save 30-50 dollars a month by hanging out the family laundry, and not usuing the dryer.
e. ANYTHING heat or cold generating such as irons, bathroom heaters, water heaters, air conditioners and redrigerators take up the most electricity. Do what you can to minimize this: shorter showers, hang shirts so they do not need ironing, skip the warm towel-off after the shower, decide before opening the fridge rather leaving it open to decide, put timers on AC plugs so you do not have to leave them running all day to walk into a cool house. Lower blinds and do other things so the house won't heat up and the AC won't have to work so hard. Do not make it too cool.
5. Heat
a. Be sure you have the right heating system for you. We switched from oil to pellet stove heat and saved a bundle. Many choices abound, but the thermostat must be lowered to save.
b. Insulation of walls, water heaters and windows will save you $$.
Our bills as listed above run $210 when we do not run the pellet stove. I can tell you from when we first moved here those bills would easily be $350 without the heat on, if we didn't conserve.
Last year an oil bill would have run about $1500, but our pellets cost about $550.
If you get started and realize you are not meeting your budget, try some of these tips to save both your budget and your peace of mind. Once you get into the habit, it is easy.
Hope this helps.
Robin M.
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