I'm not usually the person who sits down with a calculator and a grudge, but this bill got me. I took the total, divided it by the kWh used, and came out around 18 cents per kWh. Same month last year it was about 13. That's roughly a 39% jump, and I did not suddenly start running my house like a data center. Usage was pretty close to the same.
I know the rate case is still sitting at the PSC. I didn't make the public comment hearing downtown on July 29 because of work, and I've been kicking myself since. Summer bills were bad for everybody I talked to, and now we're heading into the cold months with a gas furnace that has a blower motor running half the day. Fun times.
So here's what I'm asking. What has actually moved your bill, not just what the internet says should? Here's what I've done so far:
- Dropped the thermostat a couple degrees at night and when we're at work
- Swapped the worst of the old bulbs (I know, I know, should've done it years ago)
- Finally put weatherstripping on the back door, which had a gap you could slide a paperback through
- Turned the water heater down
That's maybe a few dollars' worth, honestly. It feels like bailing out a boat with a coffee cup. Speaking of, my coffee shop budget and my Entergy budget are now fighting each other, and I'm not sure the coffee loses.
Did anyone get an energy audit that was worth it? Is there anything useful on the utility side, or is that all just a flyer in the envelope? And if you've got an older house in town, what did you fix first? Mine's drafty enough that I'm convinced the attic insulation was installed as a suggestion.
Also curious if anyone else ran their numbers and got something close to mine, or if I'm just uniquely unlucky.