$300 for 15 days of electricity!!!

United States
April 18, 2007 8:01am CST
I opened my electric bill and about fell over when I seen the amount that was due!!! We just moved in and our first bill was for FIFTEEN days and it was $300!!!! I called the company and flipped out and made them send someone out to check the meter, but of course, they say it's not the meter. They say it's when we run the heat and air. I think it's OBSURD! I haven't turned the air or heat on since and I WON'T! If I were to run the air/heat all month (set at a more than reasonable tempature) my bill would be $600-$700 a month! Who in the hell can afford that? Especially in this town! I just don't understand how anyone can afford to live here. The electric bill is almost as high as our rent! I'm so mad! I hate this place! I'm ready to move....AGAIN :-(
13 people like this
33 responses
• Singapore
18 Apr 07
I think this is ridiculous. Since you said this is your first bill, might not part of the $300 be some form of deposit which will be returned when you cancel your utility account?
4 people like this
@sherrir101 (3670)
• Malinta, Ohio
18 Apr 07
I would check with your neighbors. We have had to do that since moving to our new home. Our water bill it outrageous. Not as bad as your electricity bill, but it is still bad.
4 people like this
@nilzerous1 (2434)
• India
18 Apr 07
I guess there must be something going wrong with the kind of bills you have received from Electric Company. You should scrutinize the bills to check if there are some deposits being adjusted in your bill or if there are some pending amounts being adjusted in your bills. If there is no such dues or arrear, you should switch over to another company, if there is any alternative option. Otherwise, you can always take up the matter with the higher authority of the electricity company, clearly stating your points - I guess the may allow you some discounts, this happens in the city I live in.
3 people like this
• Singapore
18 Apr 07
Holy baby... I have no idea things are so expensive there!
3 people like this
@bad1981 (799)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Wow! Something really doesnt seem right with that at all. $300 for 15 days....are you sure their system isnt off somehow because that doesnt seem right at all. How can one afford that at all, no matter how much you make. How crazy is that.
3 people like this
@axelady (145)
• Portugal
18 Apr 07
Wow ! I heard that USA is a "country of all possibilities", but this is too scandalous ! How much do you earn ? Can you afford to pay it ? Because in my country 300 $ represents a good salary per month, not an electric bill. Hmm ...and i was dreaming that sometime i will go in USA to live there ...maybe i will reconsider ...
3 people like this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Holy macaroni Stephanie5, Was that bill for just electric? Or was it natural gas and electric? For example, the nearest city to us incorporates their power and natural gas bills into one. If it was for just electric consumption ... Talk with your new neighbors about their monthly bills, and power consumption rates. If your 15 days usage was radically higher than their 1/2 months usage/amount due then ... Determine what your therm rate is. Somewhere on the bill the individual therm rate should be visible. If it isn't, call the company and ask for the therm rate. My guess is that if that bill is just for electric, then you're being charged for some of the prior occupant's power consumption. Specifically, the amount they used between their last meter reading, last bill paid, and when service was terminated. As far as I understand, the Pacific Northwest of the USA has the highest therm rates in the nation. The last time I heard their rates were right around .14 per therm, but that was a few years ago. I would definitely do a bit of homework. I would check to make sure that I had a private meter, that nothing is running non-stop (like a plumbing leak causing continuous pressure tank pumping-- if you have a well), or that you're meter is not being charged for shared outdoor lighting, etc... Something definitely sounds fishy! Our therm rate is a hair over .13 and our bill averages around $100.00/month for electricity.
2 people like this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
18 Apr 07
That is outrageously expensive. I can belive that u fell over and called them right up. I am sorry that they didn´t do a mistake. Over here we have houndreds of electiccompanies to choose from, if u have that over there maybe you can look for another that is cheaper, even if it´s just alittle...
2 people like this
@SpitFire179 (2536)
• Canada
18 Apr 07
Hun if i were you I'd have them go through every wire in and outside of your house, my mom had something similar to that happen, one month it went from the 95 dollar norm to a sky high of almost 500 bucks, and they found out there were several shorts in the lines going from the meter to the house, causing the output to be so high that the bill skyrocketed. I would really have them check that, because it really does sound like that's the case, though i mean you don't know what the norm for that house is by the sounds of it, but still, that's ridiculous. Extremely ridiculous.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
18 Apr 07
We have had astronomical bills the last two months too. The electric company denies that there is any problem, but how does one's electrical usage double when nothing changes. No more laundry than usual, no change in setting on thermostat, nothing! Interestingly, we just had mandatory meter changes. They are digital now. I swear that the new meters read wrong, but they won't hear of it. Everyone in town is complaining. One lady was out of town for most of the month, had no laundry of course, had her hot water heater turned off etc...and her bill went UP! I feel for you ...I honestly do.
2 people like this
• United States
18 Apr 07
they're trying to do this with us right now.and the new digital meters can't be read by the homeowner-there's no display on it.we have to take their word for it.
2 people like this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Oh my lord. That is outragious. I run my heat and my air also each month because of this crazy weather we have been having. I have electric and natural gas to pay every month. We cool with electric and we heat with the natural gas. My bill with both of those together runs me about $228.00 a month plus all of my other bills and utilities. That is a rediculous bill though for only 15 days of use. I would have flipped out also. No one can afford to pay high utilities like that and if they could, they must be rich. We live in a very poor town and thereis nothing out here. We have the highest property taxes in the state of Indiana and I just do not understand it. My utilities every month, costs me way over my house payment. I have to pay my water, sewage, electric, natural gas, and phone every month and the charged are right down rediculous. We would have some money left over each month if we didn't have to put out alot of money for those things. I would be mad about the bill also and I would probably want to move out too. Maybe you can buy some oscillating fans for the coolness instead of running the air. You can also buy an electric heater that plugs into the wall for some heat. that could save you alot of money. It is just an idea from me because that is what we do to save on our energy bills.
@winky73 (1404)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Welcome to my world!!!!I know exactly what you are talking about.Our electric bill went over $400 one month last year.....I thought I was going to have a heartattacke when I first seen that. You would not happen to have TXU for your electric company? I since then switched to a different company and that has helped a bit.....but our electric bill is still high. The best peace of advice I can give you.....before you move into a place....always call the electic company and ask how much the average electri bill ran for a month in that place.At least that way you have somewhat of an idea of what you are getting into. Some houses have very poor insulation and can make the cost of heating and cooling go sky rocket. I'm really sorry you had to find out the hard way....but that is excatly the reason why we are looking to move as well.
• United States
18 Apr 07
Yes this amount is quiet big if you'er living with a small family and medium sized house. I pay this much for the entire month. Even less than that.
2 people like this
@prestocaro (1251)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Sing it, sister. Ours is ridiculous as well. I've installed weatherstripping, foil-taped the vents, etc. That has knocked off about $15 a month. Woo-hoo. Here in Austin there isn't any competing energy company. So they know they have you in a stranglehold and there isn't anything you can do about it. All you can do at home is try to insulate your place better, remember to turn everything off when you leave, etc. Stay sane! Those people will drive you crazy.
@missybal (4490)
• United States
18 Apr 07
That is exactly why I usually do not rent from anyplace that all utilities are not included in the rent. Or like what I did before I moved in here where I do have an electric bill is I asked for somekind of proof of how much the electric would cost me in the middle of winter. You just never know. All it takes is some faulty wireing or no insulation in the walls and you could have an outragous bill. The landlord should be notified of how high the bill is. No place should it cost that much. And please do move as soon as possible.
2 people like this
@jeanena (2198)
• Bucklin, Kansas
18 Apr 07
Wow hun you could be living in the town we just moved out of. The electric bills there are high winter and summer. That is also the reason we moved away from our farm house, the bills were running almost $800 a month . We have now moved to this tiny town and the electricity in my big old house ran $89 dollars this past month.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Wow, that is really high. Is that for the deposit also? I would have someone come in and check the box or see if someone is getting electric from you guys. That is unreal. If you have not used heat or air how can they tell you that. Is everyones so high?
2 people like this
• United States
18 Apr 07
COuld they have charged you for some leftover electricity from the past resident? I know they aren't supposed to, but could it be that? That's ridiculous! My sister just moved from a house becasue her electricity was $800 for a month and she NEVER turned on the heat. i went over there several times and it was SOOO cold in her house, but she wouldn't turn on the heat since her bill the month before was almost $700. She has a 1 yr old and a 5 yr old and it was cold in that house. The next bill she got was $800! She moved! The elec company told her, too, that nothing was wrong with the meter and told her she was just using too much electricity! WHO uses $800 of electricity? Ridiculous! I feel for you. I hope you can get it situated
2 people like this
• Canada
18 Apr 07
That's just shocking! If I were you, I would keep calling and demanding to know how the heck a bill of $300 can be possible for 15 days. It seems to me that they're charging you what the last tenants didn't pay as well as what you have actually used in the 15 days you've been there. My partner and I get our electricity bill every 2 months, and literally it comes to no more than $60. Something is wrong somewhere along the lines for them to be charging you $300 for 15 days. Keep calling and demanding action. I personally would have refused to pay the bill until the matter was settled.
• United States
18 Apr 07
don't let them replace the meter,whatever you do. the newer ones run even faster. my bill hovers around 600 in the summer-and that's without anything like air conditioning.the utilities are ridiculous anymore.