How high is your Electric now that you have torts or turts?

[jdawn]

I was paying so much for electricity that I went solar. This year, when the sun shines, my meter actually runs backwards...and I still have all my winter tortoise stuff plugged in and turned on!! The only thing that effects the backwards running is if I run the electric dryer...then it runs forwards again.

Yvonne, we went solar last year too and are also fortunate on sunny days to enjoy the meter running backwards! We have worked hard to conserve, but because hubby needs to run his office from home w/ computers going constantly, our monthly elec. bill still runs about $20 (that combined w/ an electric water heater which is a big energy eating culprit). We hope to get a solar water heater by fall and think we should be bill-less by then Because my torties hibernated most of the winter and are just now coming out, the lights they use during their transition to outdoors, which is coming soon, has been minimal. More reasons for us to be happy when it's a sunny day ~ Jenny Dawn

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

My electric bill has gone from 75 euros to 175 euros my partners going ballistic,3 heaters and 3 mercury lamps dont come cheap to buy or run..But to me they are worth it,Rather swap the hubby!!

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'Rather swap the hubby!!'--------Too funny!

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I wish I had your $20 bill Jenny. I'm a single mother and it's tough having these high bills. Anyone else have more tips?

 

[-ryan-]

I hear ya' brother! The only reason I'm still here is because my wife and I happen to be some of the few with good paying josb and benefits (health care, investment plan & retirement). But of course here in New York State along with supporting our own family we are obligated to support several others too!
Ryan the answer is simple, just do what so many others do here in NY State-Quit working! Then you can get assistance to pay your bills, qualify for food stamps, assisted housing and when the time comes your kids can go to college completely free! They don't need to worry, there are enough people like my wife and I that have worked our whole lives, we'll pay for it, what's a few more dependents anyway?
But after talking to you alot before this post, like me, I'm sure you're not the type to do that.
Welcome to the moral minority, at least here in New York State.

Yeah, I try to keep things kosher. I hope to get a decent job teaching music, however this is also getting much more difficult because instead of hiring new teachers, schools are all firing the ones they have. Ten years ago I could get out of school and hop right into a position, but now it seems I'll be floating around for a while. Moving down South seems better and better all the time. A lot more job openings for teachers, more sunshine for the tortoises, and I can drive my pickup without people assuming I hate the environment But it's tough since I've made so many connections here. I would have to give up working with a lot of great musicians and a lot of great students and venture into the unknown.

 

[ChiKat]

I hope to get a decent job teaching music, however this is also getting much more difficult because instead of hiring new teachers, schools are all firing the ones they have. Ten years ago I could get out of school and hop right into a position, but now it seems I'll be floating around for a while. Moving down South seems better and better all the time. A lot more job openings for teachers, more sunshine for the tortoises, and I can drive my pickup without people assuming I hate the environment

Noo kidding...I want to teach kindergarten and the district I'm student-teaching in had to let 3 kindergarten teachers go last year...great! For the past few years I've been talking about moving either to Cali or one of the Carolinas

Anyways...my mom has been complaining about the electric bill being sky high...coincidentally since I moved back home in December and brought home my tortoise, lap top, etc. (thankfully she hasn't made that connection )

 

[dreadyA]

Well, i only have to heat seeking herps. My ornate wood turtle has a 150w CHE, a thermostat and a UVB bulb. My slider has two water filters, and an MVB bulb. My electric bill is only $25-$35 a month
Not too bad. I'm sure if i had a tort right now, it would be in the 40s or 50s
Thats why i love my crested geckos-No heat bulbs& no UVB bulbs!

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

You are so lucky Abe,$35 big ones...

 

[N2TORTS]

Well let's see, here in the great Empire(tax & welfare) state of New York, my electric bill is over $320 a month. When I bring tortoises in and turn over 40 lights and other electrical fixtures in the tortoise room my bill jumps up an additional $120-140 a month! Add another $100+ a month for food and other incidentals and it becomes a very expensive "hobby" during the winter for me to. The costs begin to drop as I start placing tortoises into hibernation, less lights, less food.

With an average of 98 sunny days a year solar power isn't much of an option where I live. As much as wind power does well here, it's extremely high intial cost would take about 25 years before it actually paid for itself, never mind saving money on it! I don't plan to be living in the Northeast that long!

Isn't it great living in NY?

... ya got " Cash Cab" .. right?

 

[GBtortoises]

N2TORTS-Maybe in New York City, but I don't live anywhere near there!