Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Hydro Bill and laundry.......

Forgot to tell you about our hydro bill.  We now have different time periods where it is cheaper or dearer to use hydro.  Although we had, had that in Britain many years ago, this was new to us over here in Canada.  I wasn't sure how I would like it and I knew that we would see how it worked for us when we got our main bills in the middle of summer when the a/c was on.

July was a stinking hot month, so I was expecting a $200+ bill.  Our bill for June 28th to July 28th was $168.71.  We DO NOT skimp on our a/c as neither me nor dh like the heat, and I know that some days the a/c seemed to be on all day.  We keep the thermostat set at 24 oC (75 oF) and never alter it so it keeps the house at an even temperature, plus we supplement with a tall oscillating floor fan like this one in the family room and we have a ceiling fan in our bedroom.

It helps that our a/c unit is an energy efficient one.  It also helps I don't use my electric dryer very often and I don't use the dishwasher very often. 

I know I could do better on my hydro bill and need to work on it.  I know having the toaster/convection oven helps a great deal and if you don't have one, get one as it will pay for itself in no time.  It also helps we don't have teenagers in the house, as I know you are fighting a loosing battle with them, as I was forever going around after them turning off the lights and their tv's!!!

By the way did I show you the pitiful state of my "whirly gig?"

This was before the storms last week, after the storms it was a complete write off.  So dh put me up a new washing line, just outside the patio doors in the new basement, so it will be a breeze hanging out my laundry.

Dh also went and bought me an indoor clothes line that retracts and is four lines and you hang it on the wall, so that will  be handy to have along with my clothes horse.  It is similar to this but only cost $9.00 on sale.

Tracy from Still Smiling, I can't leave any comments on your blog can you change the setting so there is an anonymous button please?

13 comments:

Kaisievic said...

Hi Gill, in Australia we call those Hills hoists after the man who invented them the ones that can be raised or lowered. They are considered an icon of Australian suburbia. My aunt worked in Nebraska for a year and she was the only lady in the town of Gothenburg who had an outside washing line!

Your new washing line looks cool.

cheers, Kaye xoxox

Boyett-Brinkley said...

Mornin', Gill -- poor clothes line looks so sad but the new one is fantastic! I wish I could have one here but it isn't allowed. Thanks for the tips on the toaster oven, I will be on the lookout for a good sale as I really think it would be a good idea for just the two of us. I do use my oven a lot.

How is your foot? Hope it is well on the mend. Hope to see photos of your new laundry room.

Have a wonderful day.

Jane and Chris said...

The old rotary looks as though it's copying the white pine in the background!
Glad you got a 'proper' clothesline.
Jane x

Scrappy quilter said...

My bill was $47.17 and of that only $19.00 was electricity. All the rest were other add ons. I was pleased though because with a/c I thought it would be much higher. Purchasing energy efficient appliances when we moved here really helped. We can't have an outside clothesline here. Hugs

~Carla~ said...

Our bill was the highest yet in August... Ack! It's the central Air that killed us! I love my clothes line! We have clothes racks for indoor during the (many) winter months here as well!

MyBulletinBoard said...

You haven't' said anything about your foot, so I assume you are much better. I'm thankful. We have heard so many cases just recently that have not done so well. . . . . . . Looks like you have some real wind up your way, too! ~Liz

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

I bought a Hills rotary line when my son was born in 1968. The frame is still going strong although I have had to replace the line a few times. Don't think they make them like that any more! A x

Karine said...

Ah, the hydro bill...we can still use hydro at the same rate all day long here and I am very happy that I do not have to count on electricity for my heat as I would be a very unhappy camper if I did!!! The laundry is also a common laundry room for the building so the only things that go on my bill are the lights, TV, stereo, fish tant and fridge. My stove is gas and I only ever use the micro wave once a week when I have choir practice and as for ironing I never have much to do. Phew! I really do wish I could hang my laundry out to dry though, it always smells so nice and fresh when I bring it in after! I miss that.

Crazy Acres Rose said...

We haven't been switched over to the "smart meter" system here yet. The major complaint I always have with the hydro bill, is that I pay anywhere from $15 - $20 more for DELIVERY than I do for the actual hydro usage

DeniseinVA said...

Very interesting. I think I may have mentioned before that our Home Owner's Associaton will not allow anyone to hang clothing on a line!!!! One of the perks of living in the country. I used to love the smell of sun-dried washing on the line.

Piece by Piece said...

Your old clothesline looks quite sad, you really did need a new one.
We are not on the "Smart Meter" yet, but I must agree the additional charges are way more than the actual hydro I have used. The same with the water bill, I have to pay for the water coming into the house and also pay for it going out(sewer). But I can't understand why the sewer charge is more than the imcoming water charge. I must be charged for my waste as well as the water going out. LOL

Patricia

peppylady (Dora) said...

My water bill is $40 a month that us dollars and we're aloud I believe is 12,000 gallon a month. But last spring I receive a bill for $1200. We had a leak and got it down to right around $400.
Recent we just got our electrical bill for the month of August and it was under $60.
But if I was going to grip about something it would be the cost of my blood work. It was $248 and now I got it down to $172
It seems like we have a breeze blowing here and I dry most of the clothes on line.

Coffee is on.

Rose said...

I was wondering how that with the electricity worked out...so glad you updated us.

How is your foot?

Oh, to make the degree sign as in 75ºF, hold down the Alt key and hit the numbers 0 1 8 6--I am not complaining...just telling you in case you want to know...;-)

There is a whole bunch of those alt keys...I did not know about them till someone told me how to make the copyright symbol...then I got to investigating...I still have to look up most thing!

{{{SIGH}}}

Tuesday was a mixed bag type of day. Had the appliance repair guy come again to install another circuit board in the fridge.  When hubby got...