Sticker Shock

[AuDust]

I agree with Mr. Young, living on a mountain has advantages. Built in 1978 and heated with wood till 1998. Then the power company provided energy audits and free gas hook-up plus a rebate if one converted. Hard to pass up, so took the plunge. Great for the first few years but like everywhere, the price has soared. But I'm having the last laugh, left my wood burners in. Themostat is as low as it goes, and furnace turns on only when I decide to leave for a few days. And it's true, wood heats you at least five times...when you cut it, load it, split it, carry it in, and finally burn it. Besides, if I didn't stay busy would have to watch TV.

[novascroller]

I guess there are a lot of advantages living in a country made up of 2 long narrowish main islands (North Is & South Is) and a little one down the bottom (Stewart Island). I am about midway in the North Island and we live with temperatures where we think -3C in the winter is absolutely terribly freezing and we are sweltering if our highest summer temperature gets to 27C. We do have high humidity levels though.
We have a friend who comes to Plamerston North from Ohio to work from Dec - March every year and are well aware of the problems he encounters living back in Ohio. We grow orchid flowers out in the open - he grows them in an expensive automated house that he can control from here!

NZ currently has a shortage of tradesmen! Now our weather MUST be an attraction!

need any electronic technicians??

[Little flower]

I guess there are a lot of advantages living in a country made up of 2 long narrowish main islands (North Is & South Is) and a little one down the bottom (Stewart Island). I am about midway in the North Island and we live with temperatures where we think -3C in the winter is absolutely terribly freezing and we are sweltering if our highest summer temperature gets to 27C. We do have high humidity levels though.
We have a friend who comes to Plamerston North from Ohio to work from Dec - March every year and are well aware of the problems he encounters living back in Ohio. We grow orchid flowers out in the open - he grows them in an expensive automated house that he can control from here!

NZ currently has a shortage of tradesmen! Now our weather MUST be an attraction!

[novascroller]

Living on the mountainside with no natural gas within a mile , I have a propane tank for my furnace. Put $200.00 worth in it several years ago and non since. It is only for backup heat if I have to go away in cold weather.
I burn wood in an airtight heater to heat my house . Most of the wood is free from the logging road up the mountain just behind me.
I am getting pretty ancient so when the time comes that I don't feel like chainsawing my wood and hauling it home , I can buy the best firewood for a 4x4x8 cord for $150.00 a cord delivered. I only burn two cords a year so $300.00 a year will do it for me.
Country living does have some advantages.
W.Y.

i'm jealous. i pay $175 a cord for wood here on the east coast. the only "free wood" available are old pallets. i miss country living and i hope someday to return to the country living i had as a kid. we lived in a log house on 54 acres of land with a quarter mile of lake frontage. i digress. anyway, we've had it pretty easy so far here in nova scotia, i've burned only $200 worth of oil since Sept and burned maybe 3/4 cord of wood. still waiting for the real cold weather to hit.

[CanadianScroller]

Here in BC natural gas prices are regulated. Although the distributor has had a couple of increases in the past few years our bills are much lower.
I am not sure if it is due to the insulation we have in our houses, the unusually mild weather or the fact we like to cuddle lots.

I am paying around $65 a month for gas and $75 for electricity, I know both will go up since my daughter is moving home tomorrow.
I pay for my utilities on a fixed monthly term. I use hardly any gas in the summer but still pay the $65.

Water is still cheap here around 90 cents for 600 gallons, way cheaper than gasoline.

[bearfretworks]

Well I'll be...... Finally found something cheaper in Alaska - natural gas! Of course, we inject 30+% of the daily US demand right back into the oil wells each and every day. The politicians ae working with the oil companies to get a gas pipeline built to bring that stuff to market in the lower 48.

[jttheclockman]

It is ashame how we become so dependent on things we can't control. Someone mentioned they are not turning the thermostat down, well I am not either but never keep mine above 68 anyway because I like to run around in sweats. It has not even been a terrible winter here but if it were I can only imagine what some people on fixed incomes would be doing. I have to say I was floored because it was 2 &1/2 times higher than the month before. I do see this is not an isolated case though. Stay warm and hope for a short season so we can pay for big electric bills next when we need to put air conditioners on.

[wwalker47]

I live in Florida and my electric has gone up, even when we don't have anything (heat or air) turned on, it seems. I know, I know you northerners are really worried for me, afraid I might freeze?

Old Mooner, I also lived in England and it sounds like you were in my house. We had the same Central heating system and fire place. I would like to have the "paraffin heaters" back, tho, they really worked well. I was a kid living over there while my Dad was in the USAF--1963-1965. He was stationed at High Wycombe, lived in Flackwell Heath.

-Bill

[Old Mooner]

My "gas" bill for heating last month was $374 and I live in Texas. The next one will no doubt be a ripper. Of course electricity is also going up in price around here. I admit I live in a big, old, two-storey house, but I keep my thermostat set at 68 degrees (72 is "normal" for most humans) and, as the Brits do, actually wear clothing around the house. Seems I am going to have to wear "old man" sweaters and socks to keep warm.
Short story--When I was a young buck in the USAF I went to jolly old England for three years. I lived in a "modern" house with "central heating" which mean't that there was a central boiler (it burned coal) in the kitchen that heated water that circulated through the house to small, flat radiators in other rooms. It warmed the radiators to the point where they were warm to the touch. Of course, being American (Yank) I was used to coming home, throwing off my clothes and running around the house in a tee-shirt and shorts. No more. There was a fireplace in the living room that also burned coal. Ever try to light a rock? I wound up buying something called "parifin heaters" (kerosene) to go in the bedrooms. I still froze and when I visited my British neighbors I found that they were only heating one or two rooms and leaving the others unheated. Unheard of! They thought my house was unbearably hot and my teeth were rattling. Anyway, I got used to it and changed my way of dressing (and living). My neighbors also thought I bought too many groceries at one time. Maybe I am going to have to remember how to live like that again. Maybe Gill can tell you how things have changed since then.
Moon

[William Young (SE BC)]

Living on the mountainside with no natural gas within a mile , I have a propane tank for my furnace. Put $200.00 worth in it several years ago and non since. It is only for backup heat if I have to go away in cold weather.
I burn wood in an airtight heater to heat my house . Most of the wood is free from the logging road up the mountain just behind me.
I am getting pretty ancient so when the time comes that I don't feel like chainsawing my wood and hauling it home , I can buy the best firewood for a 4x4x8 cord for $150.00 a cord delivered. I only burn two cords a year so $300.00 a year will do it for me.
Country living does have some advantages.
W.Y.

[Woodbutcher68]

My bill has tripled, but I'm not turning down the thermostat. At least the oil companies lowered their prices.

[SharonW0111]

Here is my gas bill since around oct--note the increase-- oct--$26....nov--$65 ...dec..$130 - havent gotten jan yet and I think I ll have to morgage my dog to pay it -- but now rember this is Texas and our temps are still in the 70 s in the daytime and 40s at night- I m Not using gas in the day -- Wonder who is ??--The electric is still over $130 + which is unusual this time of year.. ANY ONE WANT TO ADOPT ME so they can pay these -- just kidding- I'm not house broke yet..lol
Sharon

[Greenfield_Bob]

John, same thing here in central Indiana. Just got my bill today and it was the highest I have ever had and the bad thing is it wasn't that cold. I guess we will have to wear warmer clothes.

Bob

[NC Scroller]

Same problem here in NC. The only thing we have going for us is we average 15 to 20 degrees warmer then you Northern Boys. I know I am from up state NY....... Scott

[jttheclockman]

I must say I almost fell on the floor today when I opened my PSE&G bill. The natural gas bill was very ugly. I think some serious changes like wearing woolen long johns is in order here. Is this happening throughout the world or is it an East coast thing here in the good old USA???