Re: utility costs was: Another Question/Elephant Ears

Oh Marge, that's terrible, I could never manage those costs.  Fortunately,
as one person I can set the thermostat for 60  and the cats can't get their
paws on it.

Kitty
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 12:23 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] utility costs was: Another Question/Elephant Ears


> Well, Kitty, I've got oil heat on a budget plan that has doubled in
> cost in the last 2 years and leaped up middle of last year AFTER I'd
> gotten my budget plan for the year - that invoice was a shocker -
> their prices went up so much they had to raise ours.  Our deal is a
> budget that gets sorted out in June/July and you either have a higher
> budget for the next year if you have used more than the budget
> covered or pay the difference then to keep the next year's budget
> number down.  That difference can be hard to come up with after a
> hard winter.  If you want to feel good about the cost of your
> utilities, try $465/month for heating oil alone.  Electric is
> separate and keeps going up as well.  Water and propane for the
> cooktop are also separate but billed quarterly.  Combined, they make
> me long for solar, geothermal, a well or any other means of producing
> light, heat and water that don't require forking out so much moola!
> If I had the wherewithal, I would get immediately get solar panels to
> create electricity as a first step and a geothermal system to help
> with heating, but that's a major pipe dream.
>
> My DH is at the point in life where he's always cold and jacking up
> the thermostat while I go around after him turning it down and
> telling him to add clothes...he sits wrapped up in blankets if it's
> 70F in here - summer/winter.  As he basically spends his time sitting
> in his chair, he feels colder than he would if he were moving around
> at all; does not help the heating oil bill at all.
>
> A friend gave me a woodstove and I have to get someone to install it
> in this fireplace I have off the kitchen that otherwise we never use
> because it doesn't draw right.  Need to get that done NOW - might be
> able to hold down the oil use come winter.  Have lots of wood that
> "just" needs chopping into stove size bits, so could feed it and get
> a lot of exercise at the same time:-)
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
> Editor:  Gardening in Shade, Suite101.com
> Shadyside Garden Designs
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> ----------
> > From: Chapel Ridge Wal Mart National Hearing Center
> >
> > I had a fairly high water bill too. Fortunately, my gas (heat,
> water heater,
> > dryer, stove) is on an 8 month budget from October to May, then I
> pay actual
> > in summer when it's only about $15.  The water bill, which is next
> to
> > nothing during the gas budget months, balances things out in
> summer.
> >
> > Kitty
>
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