thermostat setting

What do you guys set your thermostats to during the winter?

Mine is set at about 69.  Though I have not changed it since the beginning of November my power bill for December was $240.  We had a rather warm month here in December and my bill still went up over $70!  There were a couple of times we actually turned the fernace (sp?) off in November and December.  I am a little annoyed by the jump in our bill.  I try my hardest to conserve and for what??  Everyone I know had a higher bill, even my brother who has a wood burning stove for heat, his bill went up over $40.  

I guess I just don't understand why, and how the power company can log a miscellaneous column on our bill.. shouldn't they have to explain what that is?  And why do they charge a 3% tax charge on reconnections?  I have not had my power disconnected, but on our bill it lists that there will be a 3% NC sales tax added for any reconnections.  Tax Tax tax tax tax tax taxeeesssss!!! URGGHHH!!!  

[Lonelymom]

I wish my bill was $240. Mine was $460 or round about last month and over $600 this month. I don't understand it because the temps have been fairly warm most days here and we are not home but a couple of hours in the evening before we go to bed. I have my thermastat set at 70 and havent touched it. I tell the kids if your cold get a blanket. When you figure why the jump like that will you tell me??

[AndiJ78]

We have a super efficient home, so I rarely have to turn the heat on, but our energy charges stem from the pets (basking/heat lights for the turtles and the beardie, filtration system for the tanks), lights, the dishwasher, and doing laundry for 5 people.

The kids running around and the lights provide enough heat to keep the temp around 75, in fact we have to open the doors to cool it down it gets so warm some days/nights. Even during the single digit cold snaps, it still stays above 70. It is odd. Of course it can be a curse in the summer if we are not proactive ;-)

Yet my bill runs about $145 a month summer or winter. Before buying, we rented a super drafty old house and it usually cost us $140/mo for electricity throughout the year, but the gas bill was $10 in the summer (administrative charges mostly) to $150 in the winter on top of the electric bill. It was terrible!

It used to be that gas was the cheapest way to heat, not anymore. We are on electric out here because of the location. I just keep thinking about the old house we almost bought, our bill would have been incredible to heat it!!

I would have a stroke if i opened a bill that high!! $600 for one month?!?!? Holy cow, I would contact the energy company and ask for a free energy assessment. They will come through and help find ways to make your home more efficient, which may help lower the bills.

[pcarsey]

We too have a super efficient home and keep our thermostat off......lol Like Andi, our lights and people moving alone keeps it nice and toasty in here. We actually have to run our ERV most of the time to keep the temp from spiking above 78. In the winter time in a drafty house 78 is nice, but in a air tight house.. 78 can be very uncomfy!

Our electric runs between 70 -80 a month and it probably costs us about 10 a month in gas to cook, heat out water (uses gas) and heat our house (whenever we absolutely have to turn on the heat).

[Lonelymom]

yeah I have had them come out before and after an inspection they determined they made a mistake in the bill and I received credits for about 3 months to pay back all the months they over charged me. I will be making that same phone call today.

I did however freak out when I opened the bill and broke my diet and started binge eating. Not a good way to handle the stress I know but who wouldn't freak over that kind of bill!!

[GRose]

Mine is set at 68 usually. Heat is included in our rent so our electric bill is only $7 a month, it's awesome.

[MJIthewriter]

Anything below 70 and I start shivering. Anything above 75 and I start sweating...

[dominosarah]

My house is small so i set it at 63 during the day and 67 at night.....Now that it is -40 below i may turn it up a notch!!!!  Am on the even pay plan every month and even that went up.

[babyprayers]

I set mine between 68 and 71 however, our house is old, and even though we spent thousands of dollars remodeling, and bringing everything up to date.old houses are drafty,, then again when it dips down to minus 9 in good ol ny, I dont care how much it costs me, we turn the heat up, and the fireplace as well

[babypooh]

I turn my air conditioner on sometimes :) Here in California, winter doesn't really seem like winter :(

[Tuckamore]

Babyhardiman you hit on a very sore subject for me. And I am crying for all of you except MJthewriter and Dominosarah (you too Lonelymom)...LOL. Until my 80 year old Dad came to live with us our thermostat was set on 60 in the day and 66 at night. Now that Dad is here it is 72-74 in the day and 68-69 at night. He cannot tolerate it colder at his advantaged age.

I live in the Frozen Tundra guys where we have a -21 (that's BELOW ZERO) windchill factor today. An even colder snap is coming later this evening and tomorrow, tomorrow night bringing us a -40 anticipated chill factor. Just guess what our heating costs run? I have a small Lakefront home. Though we don't like paying them we can afford these high heating bills. But I don't know what the unfortunate ppl on unemployment, SSDI, without income, SS fixed income or those that have a minimum wage job do in these winters. Our state offers some heat subsidy for the low income but not nearly enough and the funds always run out. We have elderly ppl that eat cat or dog food in order to heat their homes to 50-55 degrees. If I had a  $145.00 or a $7.00 heating bill I would be doing cartwheels.

$400-$700 (depending on the size and efficiency of your home) in a month that you have a cold snap is not unusual in Wisconsin. I am sure MN is similar. Lonelymom your heating bill in TX doesn't make sense. I would look into that...but they have reasons I'm sure...they get you coming and going. Sorry guys, the cost to heat homes today is simply unreasonable and if you couldn't guess it makes me angry enough to spit tacks. This is my last winter here. I am moving out of this frozen tundra. Again I am sorry for my rant and I'll shut up now.      

[swampcritter]

One thing that Swampy did in his Illinois house is to buy programmable thermostats. You set the temerature to vary by time of day, and you can have a different weekend schedule. It saves a great deal on heat.

[jollyman069]

we have gas heat here and we are on the budget which is close to $400 per momnth.. like tonight the temp is about 25 and the wind is blowing about 20mph.. during the ay we set it at 68and at night we turn it down to 64 now this weekend the high on friday is only suppost to be 8 above and here in maryland thats cold.. i know for ppl like Tuck and sarah and few othrs that is a hest wave sometimes.. i truley beleive anything below 70 is cold!! and like an idiot i loive in maryland..o've

[Cherie762]

we keep ours on 67...its cold at first but you get used to it viruses dont breed in lower temps we find with the hous cool and good hand washing we hardly get sick.

[alienshadow]

We keep ours at 59 to 60 degrees ahhh me loves it... Oh yeah my light bill was only 80.00 chi ching $$$ now thats what I call SAVINGS!!!!

As I say theres more than one way to skin the cat (OOPS sorry cat lovers out there)

[margypops]

Chilly some nights here in  CA in the winter,  put it to 70 degrees but its so hot during the day at the moment onl;y goes on for a couple of hours in the evening, the Santa Annea winds have been blowing and our allergies are horrible .

[scaredmom330]

Mine is at 73 and I got a $400.00 electric bill this month...just about killed me but my bones cant take the cold...tuckamore I am one of those on SSD and trying to buy thesehigh bills, lol, what can you do? you gotta stay warm.... what worrys me is the young couples with babies that can't pay their heat bills and the babies suffer..

alienshadow ...two months ago mine was $30.00, I would love to have $80.00 each month. lol

[mirabella45]

70.. our electric runs $150 in the winter months which arent long here in Tennesse.

[swampcritter]

Just checked it now, the Swamphouse interior temperature is 63 (all rooms) and its 46 outside.

[peekawho]

Swampy, when I come to stay, it will have to be warmer than that.  

[jenmom]

We set the thermostat to 65 from 8am to 8pm, and 62 for the over night. We normally have somewhat mild winters here but this year is really cold. The last few years we've paid $200-$250 for heat and electric combined (because that's how the bill comes) during the coldest months Jan-March.

[pertykitty]

at night i keep it at 66.  during the day it ranges.  for the most part 67/68 but there were some days 69.  our house is overly insulated so it really stays warm.  we dont get that 70 + like some of you but id die in that heat!  our bill for elec and gas last month was $90ish.  its the summers here that get us!  113 heat can really cook you!!

[Lonelymom]

I grew up without heat most of my life because my mom said we couldn't afford it. I will find a way to pay high bills before I allow my children to grow up that way. Not saying my mom is a bad mom but sometimes she says she is broke when she has money.

Heck she refuses to heat her house now because she said she can't afford the bill yet she is make good money and paying cheaper bills than me.

[pcarsey]

Dana I sure wouldn't mind feeling some 113 degree temps right now..lol