Well, I just got our first heat bill here at Barefoot Manor.
$200!!!!!!!!!!!
Umm, yeah, Mr. Barefoot got his butt chewed over that one. As predicted, we were playing the game where he would turn the thermostat up every time I turned it down. We also hosted both Thanksgiving and a major cookie baking fest on this billing period, so I know that had something to do with it.
Still, $200 isn't exactly chump change in Barefoot Land. Needless to say I went out and got plastic for the windows and am checking out thermal curtains for all the windows. I have also been figuring out how much insulation we are going to need to put in the attic over the summer. I don't wanna be paying out the nose like this again...
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In other news, Big Sprout spent New Year's Eve with her paternal Grandparents and then last night with her Uncle Wolfy. The girl has been getting spoiled silly! She loves it, though, and I figure she deserves a little spoiling now and again to make up for my tyranical parenting style (not really, but it is fun to see her so happy).
Little Sprout has entered the most fun stage of childhood. She is now speaking quite well, and she says the FUNNIEST things. Sometimes it is a little embarrassing, but being able to figure out what it is she is asking for is worth all the humiliation in the world.
That is about all, folks....I am tired and in desperate need of a nap
6 comments:
Yikes indeed!
I just got my first near $200 electric bill. I knew it would be higher since we're cooking with electric now, and using more lights than ever, and heating the well and cook shed with portable electric heaters, and the cabin propane heater uses electricity. Oh yes, and a tank heater for the horses' water. I think I'll talk with The Hermit about eliminating the cook shed heater since it's only used to keep hoses from freezing...very inefficiently at that.
Ha! Now you know why I've been "Studly!" Our house is all electric and the Muffin likes it warm. I think he needs to have some hot flashes.
Anyway, I've installed the new programable thermostat (which I keep programming lower *snicker*,) wrapped the water pipes in insulation, and hung drapes where there weren't any before.
I also made a curtain from an old flannel baby blanket and a pretty sheet and threaded a spring-loaded rod to hang it in the little bathroom window. Much warmer for those middle-of-the-night pee breaks!
I was all set to sew some draft stoppers for the doors, then realized that my house is pretty tight and they weren't needed! Yeah for that!
I'm sorry that your bill is so high. You have such cold weather that I do not know how you keep warm. We are all electric and I am sure my bill will be almost that high. I live in south Texas and one day it is eighty degrees and the next it is twenty-seven degrees. I never know what to expect.
MY doctor said that some people have their own weather system. Summer all the time. lol
Yeah, those $200 bills suck. We had that for electric most of the past year. Our heating bill has been all over the place, and this year we're kicking ourselves for getting our fuel tank filled as early as we did, as the cost has dropped over a dollar since we were filled up. (We had what we were pretty certain was good info, and even the FIL advised us to fill up when we did. None of us expected fuel prices to drop again as far and fast as they did.)
Glad little sprout is at the talking stage, so hopefully both of you find less frustration with her inability to fully express her needs and desires.
Sorry Barefoot, I left this comment on the wrong day (IMA Doofus)
Yikes is right! I got my Minnesota Energy bill today also and sat down to open it (fearing the worst). I was surprised it was only $118 and we actually used less energy than last year. (Of course the thermostat is set a couple degrees lower than last year and we're using the fireplace pretty faithfully).
9:41 PM, January 02, 2009
We've never had all electric heat here. Until recently our main heat source was our oil-burning furnace with an electric "blower", which meant that to get heat, we were burning both oil and electricity. Our oil bill was, easily, $200 per month - back when oil was cheap - and our electric bill would be between $150 and $200 per month. It was a lot, especially that first winter, when it came as a complete surprise.
Over the years, we've done some heavy insulating and turned down the heat, and it has made a huge difference, but like you, my husband and I played the thermostat game. For us, though, I'm home all day, and he's at work. I go to bed later than he does most of the time, too. So, ha! I win!
But we use wood heat now, and the difference is really profound - both in our pocketbooks and in the comfort of the house :).
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