I refuse to turn on the heat yet!

swhite2012

It's been so cold and rainy here lately I am so tempted to turn on the heat. But I keep telling myself I can't yet. Our heating bill is outrageous for a one bedroom apartment in the winter (and that's keeping the thermostat at 60 degrees. Our insulation sucks) so I am trying to wait as long as possible to turn it on. Plus now that we've been in the apartment a full year we can go on the budget plan, so the more low bills we have, the lower our monthly average will be.

Just curious, what do your heating/electric bills come out to in the winter? Our highest bill was around $180 for heat and electric for a 650 sq ft apartment. That just blows my mind.

polkadot111

They JUST turned our heat on here. It's been freezing lately in here! I was beyond happy when they finally turned it on. haha

I don't have a heating 'bill' since it's all in one price.

orangehills

wow! that is crazy. Our bigger bills are with AC since we are an upstairs apartment- but it never got more than $80 a month with ac and electric-ETA [including washer/dryer and its 900 sq ft.] Haven't been there during winter, but I imagine it will be similar, slightly less, for heat, since heat rises and our apartment can get warm. Just bundle up= wear layered sweats around the house and blankets! lol

swhite2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_refuse-turn-heat-yet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:8c43eccf-d4ac-47b3-9cf6-f2638d13f545Post:d504f6e9-36a1-4d75-91b4-26503174296e">Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet!</a>:
[QUOTE]wow! that is crazy. Our bigger bills are with AC since we are an upstairs apartment- but it never got more than $80 a month with ac and electric. Haven't been there during winter, but I imagine it will be similar, slightly less, for heat, since heat rises and our apartment can get warm. <strong>Just bundle up= wear layered sweats around the house and blankets! lol</strong>
Posted by orangehills[/QUOTE]

<div>Yup, that's what we do. lol. Luckily we save money in the summer because we rarely use the A/C since we are on the lower level/halfway underground.</div>

orangehills

yah that's what I did at my old place too. It was cool during summer, and freezing during winter. So I just bundled up, I also got an electric blanket and that thing saved me!!! So nice and cozy. I tried a space heater but that was actually a money sucker and fire hazard, boo

NurseyK

Lol. We're still using the AC.

gotta love the desert.

GoldenPenguin

I love my electric fireplace - and I'm a big snuggler with blankets, so I pretty much freeze before I eventually turn the heat on. I think my highest bill was $85 and that was actually this summer with AC. My parents were always really conservative with the heat, so I grew up bundling in sweats at home, haha.

AudgiePodge

Our gas bill goes up a bit in the winter, but not by much.  I can't wait until we don't need to use the AC anymore.  This summer I had 2 months of my power bill being over $600.  I couldn't believe it.

NurseyK

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_refuse-turn-heat-yet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:8c43eccf-d4ac-47b3-9cf6-f2638d13f545Post:600b52ac-c600-4e0a-aa8e-2b7ad6f267fa">Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet!</a>:
[QUOTE]Our gas bill goes up a bit in the winter, but not by much.  I can't wait until we don't need to use the AC anymore. <strong> This summer I had 2 months of my power bill being over $600.  I couldn't believe it.</strong>
Posted by AudgiePodge[/QUOTE]

Holy crap. For real?

QuiltingNurse

I gave in last night and turned out thermostat from 17 to 20 (62 to 68) and it made such a difference! We haven't been here long so I expect it will go up, but our bills have been less than 50$ a month for hydro, and our gas bill less than 40$. We had the option of doing an equal billing plan where they calculate the average used over the last year and you pay that amount each month, however it was a family of 4 living here who kept the heat much higher than we plan to so we decieded against it. The number they told us for equal billing was 109$ a month on gas so thats what we use as an amount we should expect to pay. I'm used to cold though, so I'm always in long pants and sweaters with about 2 blankets on when I'm in the house.

SKP82

We just turned the air off today and opened the windows since we got a "cold front" (meaning it's in the high 60s).

We don't use heat much in the "winter" here, but our electric bill in the summer (or every month from April - November) is about $150 a month. 

SKP82

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_refuse-turn-heat-yet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:8c43eccf-d4ac-47b3-9cf6-f2638d13f545Post:600b52ac-c600-4e0a-aa8e-2b7ad6f267fa">Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet!</a>:
[QUOTE]Our gas bill goes up a bit in the winter, but not by much.  I can't wait until we don't need to use the AC anymore.  <strong>This summer I had 2 months of my power bill being over $600.  I couldn't believe it.
</strong>Posted by AudgiePodge[/QUOTE]

That's insane!

peekaboo2011

God I am so ready to move south.  How's the weather down there in January SKP? 

It's freezing in my house (68.9 in my room currently and I'm shivering), but since I live rent-free, I don't get a say.  

thejucheidea

The highest one I remember us having was about $215, and that's for our house. It would be less if we got the woodburning stove working...

SKP82

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_refuse-turn-heat-yet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:8c43eccf-d4ac-47b3-9cf6-f2638d13f545Post:a849ba1b-efa9-40cc-b0d3-82ca2f780689">Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet!</a>:
[QUOTE]God I am so ready to move south.  <strong>How's the weather down there in January SKP? </strong> It's freezing in my house (68.9 in my room currently and I'm shivering), but since I live rent-free, I don't get a say.  :(
Posted by peekaboo2011[/QUOTE]

Last year it was in the 40s, and apparently that was unusually cold.

peekaboo2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_refuse-turn-heat-yet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:8c43eccf-d4ac-47b3-9cf6-f2638d13f545Post:edfcaa0c-c76a-448a-aef5-980b56d992c3">Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet! : Last year it was in the 40s, and apparently that was unusually cold.
Posted by SKP82[/QUOTE]

<div>So I'm guessing I need a coat?  Damn.</div>

GoldenPenguin

Liv - the electric fireplace is AMAZING. When I looked at my apartment and saw that in the living room, it pretty much sealed the deal. Mine has two settings - you can just turn on the "fire" so it looks pretty (I like to do this with the dimmer lights down & a glass of wine. I enjoy romantic nights by myself with the cat, haha) or you can turn on the "fire" with a heat blower, so it actually gets warm. It's cheaper than turning on the actual heat - and it warms the place up pretty nicely (my apt is pretty small) for the short amount of time I use it, which is usually just in the evenings between getting home & bedtime.

Hazel_B

We just turned on the furnace last week. I'm on a budgeting plan for my gas bill and it is about $90 per month. Electricity ranges, it gets high with the AC on and when the furnace fan is running alot, so from about $50 to $150 per month.

This is for a house and we certainly don't keep it warm. I broke out the slippers yesterday.

Hazel_B

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_refuse-turn-heat-yet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:8c43eccf-d4ac-47b3-9cf6-f2638d13f545Post:600b52ac-c600-4e0a-aa8e-2b7ad6f267fa">Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet!</a>:
[QUOTE]Our gas bill goes up a bit in the winter, but not by much.  I can't wait until we don't need to use the AC anymore.  <strong>This summer I had 2 months of my power bill being over $600.  I couldn't believe it.
</strong>Posted by AudgiePodge[/QUOTE]

Is there anyway you can get solar panels? FI's parents just got some in California and I think their electtricity bill is down to $2 a month.

SKP82

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_refuse-turn-heat-yet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:8c43eccf-d4ac-47b3-9cf6-f2638d13f545Post:be4fee3a-91b9-4331-8408-d62f4ef92cec">Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: I refuse to turn on the heat yet! : So I'm guessing I need a coat?  Damn.
Posted by peekaboo2011[/QUOTE]

A light jacket would probably suffice.

jemmini6

It's still in the 90's this week, so yeah...no heater for a while.  It's nice in the winter, our electricity bill goes so low...summer bills kill us here.

PaigeMcC

We use oil heat so it's HELLA expensive.  BUT FBD and I  do some things to mitigate it.  Tips from a cheapy:

- Get that plastic covering for your windows.  I can't recall waht it's called but it's like sarran wrap for your windows.  All you need is the kit (about $15) and a hair dyer.  You can seal all (or some) of your windows and that helps the draft.

- Programmable thermostats.  Keep it cool through the day and heat it up just before you get home.

-Sweaters.  Lots of them.

- Leave curtains open during the daylight so the sun can heat the house, close at night and keep that heat in.

-Make sure your doors have proper seals on them.  SO much heat can escape from under/around doors!

DanieKA

I'm a little late to the party, but I'm the exact same way. I will wrap as many blankets around myself, sprint in and out of the shower, run in place in my living room, and more before I turn my heat on! REFUSING TO DO IT! But mine might be $120-ish when I do. But that's a huge jump. My last bill (AC's been off for weeks) was like $28 bucks. It hurts to pay so much more, but while I can fan myself semi-cool in the summer, there's really not enough sweaters or blankets to work in the dead of winter. 

leia1979

I know we can hit $200 a month in the middle of summer for running the AC. I'm not sure what our winter high is. I can't log into our PG&E account, because it's in H's name. Our bedroom is essentially on the third floor, so it gets warm. I use a heated mattress pad to avoid running the heat much in the middle of the night during winter.

I know summer is usually the most expensive time for us, but this year wasn't as hot as normal. I tried looking at my rent checks (which includes my half of utilities), but it actually seems pretty consistent over the last year. About $125 covers my half of electricity and gas plus cable and internet. So I think we average $150 for PG&E and $100 for Comcast.