Apartment dwellers: How much is your monthly electric bill?

[SaltBoy]

Also, are you a big energy waster, or do you try to conserve as much as possible? I'm moving into a pad soon that requires me to pay the electric bill each month; I'm scared of the results.

 

[Lucky]

~1500 sq. ft
3 computer/3 monitors
2 5000 BTU window AC's going 24/7 @ maximum cooling
2 TV's on most of the day
Standup fan & celing fan 24/7

As well as the usual assortment of stereo equipment, 2 refrigerators, lights mostly kept on 24/7, etc.

~$80-90/month.

edit: and no, i dont really try to conserve electricity. I probably should but I find the amount of the bill tolerable.

 

[StageLeft]

I think we have about 800 square feet. The central AC which we pay for is on at least 20 hours a day. We have computer on 24/7. TV on 10 hours a day (although we obviously don't watch that much), lights on all the time, etc.

Last bill was $88.

Least I've seen was $38 which I got one month during a month when it was too hot to use heater but too cold to require AC like in the spring.

 

[xospec1alk]

4 computers. 4 monitors, tv, ps2 and a really huge fan...running simultaneously every day...well almost...electric+gass is usually around 65 bux a month...but has recently risen...to around 75...just electric i think was 60 something

 

[notfred]

I have a 740sq. ft. apt, We run the A/C as little as possible (don't run it at night or when we're gone, or if the heat is bearable), we dont leave extra lights on, and I have 1 PC running all the time. Our last billwas for $43, but that was only billing for 11 days of service! (first payemnt at the new place). I'm afraid to see the next one.

 

[royaldank]

I'm in a 1225 sq ft apartment. I leave two computers on most of the time, a couple TVs are on for a few hours each day, and AC runs for five or six hours a day. Two aquariums with pumps, a stereo recieve that never gets turned off, a TiVO, 2 VCRs, Satellite reciever, and a washer and dryer. Most it's been was around $90 and if I try hard, I've had it as low at $35 (no heat or air, and computer turned on and off each day and only a couple loads of wash).

 

[luv2chill]

1000 sq ft...

Summers are a lot more than winters because my heat is gas-powered. Plus, I'm an A/C nut... I just love air conditioning, especially to get rid of the humidity that pervades Kansas this time of year. I keep my apt at 74 pretty much anytime I'm around. When I'm at work my thermostat keeps it at 80 (which basically means it only goes on sparingly). Living on the ground floor helps with the cooling costs.

I also have two computers (only one monitor though) on 24/7 with no power-saving, plus a lot of other electronics.

Summers are about $60-70 a month, winters are more like $40-50.

l2c

 

[EagleKeeper]

1200 sq ft
Bill last month was $120
High temps were in 90s
3 systems on full time
3 teenagers in house
wife stays home.

Temps will now avg 100+
Expect bill to reach $150 or higher
unloading 2 systems this month - burn in completed
Lose RC5 crunching power though.

 

[pulse8]

I'm not sure the square footage, but it's probably in the neighborhood of 600-800. We rarely run the A/C.

2 full systems
1 laptop
Various other electronic devices

We pay every two months and my bills are about $100-$110. So it's about $50 a month.

 

[HomerSapien]

Wow..I must be getting ripped off. 1300 sq ft apt. (4 people) AC set to 75-80, fans that run alll the time, computers on some of the time. 1 tv on several hours a day. 1 on for a bout 1. 1 210 W bulb for lizard tank. Last months bill was ~107. Lowest we had was $80 and that was in the winter when we didnt use the AC at all. highest was $150. We have an apt in the middle of two others and on the bottom floor. I swear this town is ripping us off left and right.

 

[BatmanNate]

I reside in South King Co. WA, in a 700 Sq Ft 1 Bed apt. No need for AC or Heat most of the time, it stays fairly temperate. Don't own a TV because I don't watch it. 1 monster computer from my sig that runs 24/7, lights and everything else usually off most of the day. (With exception of fridge) Runs average $35 / mo.

 

[dman]

Was living in an apt. for about 7mo's before we moved into our new home. Bill in previous home was ~$120/mo. Apartment, which was not much smaller than previous home (@1100sq/ft vs 900sq/ft under air) had an electric bill of $80-90/mo.

Apartment is concrete structure and we were on 2nd of 3 floors, so, pretty good insulation. Only 3 windows for heat to creep in and southern exposure.

A/C was usually on 75.

Moved into our new home, 3x size and electric bill is much higher. Lots of windows for heat to come in. Need to get some tinting.


I still wonder if those insulating windows they use up north to prevent heat from escaping would make a difference. I spoke to the local utility company BEFORE we bought the house and they have an efficiency group that gives tips on what you can do to lower your costs. The person there said it didn't help much to prevent heat from entering the building/cool air from escaping. I guess that's in proportion to the extra cost they would have been.

blah blah blah, I'll stop now.

 

[Platinum321]

I live in a 700sqft single bedroom apt by myself..not home during business hours+... i have 2 comp.. 1 on 24/7.. and the other when i'm home. microwave my food and use my foreman & rice cooker often.. A/C on when getting naked and the fan can not do the job.. which is 10% of the time when i'm home. My bill is $15-21 a month so far... use to be $11 but then stupid electric company added a $5 charge to help w/ the energy crisis or something (guess where i live).

 

[LostHiWay]

I hate living in Ohio....we get raped by First Enegy (Ohio Edison). 4 bedroom house, decent size (not sure on square feet). We have the central air on most of the time and 2 pcs running 24/7. The avg. electric bill in the summer is $250, During the winter it's usually $150 or so.

 

[glenn1]

Situation: One bedroom apartment for me and my cat probably 800-900 sq. ft, on the shady side of the building. Hot water, heat, and gas (stove) included with rent.

"are you a big energy waster, or do you try to conserve as much as possible?" Neither. I turn on the AC when i get hot, and turn it off if it's comfortable outside. I don't leave all the lights burning 24/7, but i don't read by candlelight either. Computer is turned on probably 5-6 hours/day. Use

Costs: My Connectiv bills have pretty consistently been running around $25/month for most of the year, it sometimes edges up to around $40ish if i've been running the AC heavily. I've been in my current apartment for about 2 years or so.

 

[Stifko]

In Manhattan I pay $40 to $45. When I unplug my fridge it drops to like 35.

 

[Boogak]

Damn, you guys have it easy! My bill runs from about $70 during winter to a little over $100 during summer cuz of the AC. Cursed Texas summers... this is for a 750 sq ft apartment in Dallas.

 

[tgillitzr]

Originally posted by: Platinum321
I live in a 700sqft single bedroom apt by myself..not home during business hours+... i have 2 comp.. 1 on 24/7.. and the other when i'm home. microwave my food and use my foreman & rice cooker often.. A/C on when getting naked and the fan can not do the job.. which is 10% of the time when i'm home. My bill is $15-21 a month so far... use to be $11 but then stupid electric company added a $5 charge to help w/ the energy crisis or something (guess where i live).

And you whiny californians are complaining about this?


My apartment is about 900sq ft, 2 bedroom
Electric water heater, electric AC, electric heat, electric stove
AC is kept at 72 when I'm at home, 78 when i'm not. I have three computers running 24/7, only one monitor. 46" Projection TV is on probably 2-5 hours a day. My bill during the spring was about 45, last month it was 68, I expect it to continue to climb.

I'd have to check my bill, but how many KWH's did you use, average per day? How much per KWH?

 

[Freejack2]

Now I'm really beginning to think I live in an area with one of the highest fuel costs in the nation.
We pay per month $120 - $170 in the summer and $200 - $250 in the winter.
2 bedroom apartment with central air kept at 72 in the summer and heat at 68 in the winter. 2 computers each on for about 12 hours a day.

Last place I lived summer was $200-$250 a month and $250 - $400 in the winter. It wasn't too well insulated though.

Last bill was 645kWh and 32 Therms of natural gas for a total bill of $126. Not much heat or air conditioning was used though.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: Boogak
Damn, you guys have it easy! My bill runs from about $70 during winter to a little over $100 during summer cuz of the AC. Cursed Texas summers... this is for a 750 sq ft apartment in Dallas.

Try a $300 electric bill. I was out of town for a month and apparently my two roommates at the time turned a broken A/C to it's lowest setting and left all the lights, computers and TV on 24/7. The AC didn't even work. But they left it on to get air circulating, instead of using the ceiling fans. They bitched and moaned when I told them I wasn't going to pay for that month of electric bills, cause they're fuggin retarded.