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10-07-2005, 08:57 AM
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#21
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Crownsville
Posts: 3,746
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Re: heating bills
I'm thinking about trying to keep the heat turned down this winter too, and just trying to dress a bit warmer. I might try to do a little insulating, too. Guess I'd better call the oil company too, to see what kind of rate I'm going to lock into for the winter. I'm almost afraid to, though! 
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10-07-2005, 09:46 AM
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#22
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 987
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Re: heating bills
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Originally Posted by Calgary_Girl
Nope, I'm Canadian so we like it cold in the house. The thermostat is set at 60. If I feel a bit chilly I'll let it run for 10 minutes to warm up the house a few degrees and then it's back down to 60  |
course what she isn't telling you is that 60 degrees in Canada is really 140 degrees F 
__________________
I have an inferiority complex, but it's not a very good one.
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10-07-2005, 09:50 AM
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#23
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,860
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Re: heating bills
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Originally Posted by Outtahere
Has anyone here tried the new programable thermostats? They say they help a lot but I'm not sure it would in my case since we always turn down the heat at night and when we're not home.
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The programmable thermostat remembers even if you forget, and it can do it many times per day. *Depending on your interest in fiddling with it, it could pay for itself in a couple months.
We used to use a programmable thermostat on the Mainland. *Buy one with a battery backup (power outages) and it's a no-brainer. *You can have it heat the house a few degrees in the morning before you crawl out from under the electric blanket and turn it back down when you're out of the house. *It can have the house warming up for you when you come back home and it's one less thing to deal with.
I try to automate as many home chores as possible. *A neighbor enjoys his "zen" of watering his grass every few days with a hose, but I'd rather let the sprinkler timer take care of that while I'm surfing. *Now if I could just get the trees & hedge to trim themselves...
__________________
*
Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."
I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
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10-07-2005, 10:01 AM
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#24
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,005
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Re: heating bills
We have an electronic thermostat with timer. I love it. No more twice daily trips to the thermostat to change the temperature setting. In the winter, we have it set cooler at night, and then it warms up as we are waking up. I figure it might save us $10-20 per month at the most.
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10-07-2005, 10:14 AM
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#25
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,321
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Re: heating bills
We moved into our new home last January. The natural gas heating bills for Feb. and March averaged $160 (1800 sq. ft. one level house). Since then I have had additional insulation put in the attic, installed a storm door and put up window blinds and low emissivity film on the windows. We have a programmable thermostat which sets back at night to 60 but we are retired and home most of the day so the heat stays set at 70 during the day. I'm hoping these measures will somewhat offset the expected whopping increase in natural gas prices.
Grumpy
__________________
...you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...
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10-07-2005, 10:23 AM
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#26
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 97
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Re: heating bills
We have a programmable thermostat and set it to switch down to 55 degrees at 11:30pm and come back up to 65 at 6:30am. The neat thing is we didn't even notice the lower temp at night.
The power bill dropped quite a bit.
EDIT - that was last winter. So far here in Sunny CA it hasn't gotten too cold yet.
__________________
Is this a good time to RE ? Ok, how about now...
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10-07-2005, 10:29 AM
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#27
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,343
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Re: heating bills
My house in NYC is not well insulated and due to the extreme cold last winter, my natural gas total just for the 3 coldest months was over $1300. That's last years prices. I just hope that it is not a very cold winter. I didn't raise the rent for my tenant, so I will have to convince him to wear sweaters and warm socks during the evening and morning hours. It will be rough on me because for the 1st time, I will be at home and not at work during the day. I guess i'll be wearing my winter jacket and keep the thermostat at 63.
Life this winter will not be a beach. I can't wait to sell the house.
__________________
I look to the present moment because that's where I live my life.
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10-07-2005, 10:40 AM
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#28
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,343
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Re: heating bills
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Originally Posted by Apocalypse . . .um . . .SOON
We have mostly purchased older houses w/ radiator heat, so we can't really use a programable thermostat.
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Why? I have radiator heat and I use a honeywell programable thermostat. It works pretty well.
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Originally Posted by Dry Socks
We have a programmable thermostat and set it to switch down to 55 degrees at 11:30pm and come back up to 65 at 6:30am. The neat thing is we didn't even notice the lower temp at night.
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I had it set to 60 at night but my tenant who is really nice, gently complained that it was too cold when he had to get out of bed in the middle of the night so I set it to 63. My thermostat is on the 2nd floor so I think the 1st floor might get a tod colder just before the heat kicks in.
__________________
I look to the present moment because that's where I live my life.
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10-07-2005, 10:45 AM
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#29
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,811
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Re: heating bills
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Dry Socks
We have a programmable thermostat and set it to switch down to 55 degrees at 11:30pm and come back up to 65 at 6:30am.* The neat thing is we didn't even notice the lower temp at night.* *
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I can assure you that my wife sure notices when the temp goes down overnight. As soon as her warm tail hits that cold seat.... 
__________________
Work? I don't have time to work....I'm retired.
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10-07-2005, 11:18 AM
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#30
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,005
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Re: heating bills
Hey, somebody has to heat it up before you sit on it.
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10-07-2005, 11:30 AM
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#31
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,375
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Re: heating bills
There must be heated toilet seats on the market, else nature opportunity calls....
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10-07-2005, 11:33 AM
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#32
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,005
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Re: heating bills
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Originally Posted by DanTien
There must be heated toilet seats on the market, else nature opportunity calls....
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You are correct. Japan is the place to go for fancy toilet seat gadgets. Heat, massage, remote control, radios, wind, and the list goes on. Why? Don't ask me!
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10-07-2005, 11:35 AM
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#33
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,375
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Re: heating bills
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Originally Posted by justin
You are correct. Japan is the place to go for fancy toilet seat gadgets. Heat, massage, remote control, radios, wind, and the list goes on. Why? Don't ask me!
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Wow! I'm going in the wrong place!
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10-07-2005, 11:36 AM
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#34
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
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Re: heating bills
Damn, and Ron Popeil just retired... *:P
Ronco Bun Warmer, just $19.95, call now and receive the Ronco Portable Bun Warmer, normally a $19.95 value, ABSOLUTELY FREE. CALL NOW!!
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire
...not doing anything of true substance...
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10-07-2005, 11:38 AM
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#35
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,375
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Re: heating bills
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Have Funds, Will Retire
Damn, and Ron Popeil just retired... :P
Ronco Bun Warmer, just $19.95, call now and receive the Ronco Portable Bun Warmer, normally a $19.95 value, ABSOLUTELY FREE. CALL NOW!!
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Plus, if you call now....
Have - what about you as the new Ron Popeil?
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10-07-2005, 11:42 AM
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#36
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
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Re: heating bills
I think Jim Cramer has already claimed the "throne"...
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire
...not doing anything of true substance...
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10-07-2005, 06:05 PM
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#37
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 362
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Re: heating bills
We're in a 2300 sq ft 2-story in Wisconsin and haven't cracked $200 yet but I'm figuring this winter we will.
We're pretty well insulated and use auxilary wood heat which helps a bit.
We recently set up budget billing (so I won't actually crack $200) and we'll pay $150 per month. Our previous 12 months averaged out at $121 but with the increases I told the utility co. to take $150 per month. I don't want to be surprised with a huge "you owe us" bill next yr.
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10-07-2005, 06:11 PM
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#38
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Calgary
Posts: 805
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Re: heating bills
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Originally Posted by bosco
course what she isn't telling you is that 60 degrees in Canada is really 140 degrees F* *
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If you keep that up, they may actually believe you!  I haven't met an American yet that can convert F to C off the top of their head.
__________________
I can only be nice to one person today! Today is not your day...tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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10-07-2005, 06:35 PM
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#39
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,875
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Re: heating bills
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Originally Posted by Calgary_Girl
If you keep that up, they may actually believe you!* * * I haven't met an American yet that can convert F to C off the top of their head. |
When I was a younger man, I could convert from F to C in a heartbeat.
Oh, I see we're talking temp. conversion
JG
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10-07-2005, 06:42 PM
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#40
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: San Diego
Posts: 5,267
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Re: heating bills
So let me ask this, as I sit here in San Diego not understanding what y'all are talking about; what about those parabolic electric heaters? If heating oil is so expensive, buy a couple of those and just use as needed! Maybe this never lived anywhere where the lows get below 50 guy is oversimplifying things, but is there no alternative?
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