If you have encountered really high energy bills, despite the weather and the season. If you feel you have been facing the “why is my electric bill so high question quite often?” Or, if you think you have done everything in your hands to lower its costs with no luck this post is for you. We will go a little further trying to find those energy vampires or hidden costs that might’ve been causing you that headache each month.
Source: Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels
Answer the question “Why Is My Electric Bill So High?” with your Electric Bill
Sometimes the answer to the “why is my electric bill so high” question might be simpler than you think. It’s hidden in plain sight – or in your electric bill. Check out these 3 reasons:
1. Understand your billing cycle
Generally, the meter reading schedule has a 2–3-day variation from month to month. With this variation, you could be paying or 27 up to 33 days per bill, leading to a subtle increase or decrease on it. So, some months you could be paying less or more depending on how many days they’re reading. When checking your next electric bill make sure to look out for the billing cycle, this can be an indicator of how much should you be paying for it.
Next time when you ask yourself “why is my electric bill so high” make sure to understand your billing cycle.
2. Compare apples with apples
As you know seasons can be a determinant factor when it comes to your electric bill. It is not the same to pay for a bill of your July consumption as paying for one in August. That 1-month variation can make a huge difference in the price of the bill. You know, it is not the same to be in the middle of summer having our AC’s on at their fullest, as to be in August where temperatures tend to be more bearable.
So, next time when you ask yourself “why is my electric bill so high”, try to compare the bill to the same month of the last couple of years to have a better reference – this means compare July to July, November to November, etc. We usually tend to use the same amount of energy during certain months. Check out your electric bill, most of the time, your utility company shows a chart comparing year to year usage, and month to month consumption.
3. Are you on a variable rate?
If you haven’t switched providers, and if you still rely on your utility company as your energy supplier, chances are you’re on a variable rate. And that is the answer to your question “why is my electric bill so high”. Long story short, a variable rate is a rate that fluctuates depending on seasonality, demand-offer usage. Compare this month’s rate to last month’s one to see if it has increased or not.
What does this mean to you? Well, having a variable rate, means you will get an average rate on your electric bill, the higher the rate per kWh, the more you pay for it. The rate on your bill shows you the average at which you’ll pay for electricity. This can vary monthly, and since it depends on the market, you’ll have fewer chances to be able to budget around your electric bill. If you want to learn more about the difference between fixed-rate vs. variable rate check out our blog, we have a full article about it!.
Ps. Are you one of the 60% of Americans that don’t know how to read their electric bill, but still asks “why is my electric bill so high”? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out our blog post on how to read it, so you can understand it a bit better and finally get control over it!
Psst Psst. We strongly recommend you switch to one of our fixed rate plans to remove this part from the equation.
Are you being energy-efficient?
Energy efficiency refers to performing the same action with less energy. We have a full blog with ideas to improve your energy efficiency at home, but check out our top tips here:
4. Check out your lightbulbs
Did you know that switching to LED lightbulbs might save you up to 90% energy and last around 15x longer than regular ones? If you purchase certified ENERGY STAR® lightbulbs produce also from 70% to 90% less heat, making them safer to operate. We know lightbulbs are not a regular purchase, however, if you change them to LED lights you can save energy and save money at the same time. So, if you ask yourself “why is my electric bill so high” you should look up, literally. To your lightbulbs.
5. Do you have really old appliances?
Appliances that are old may not be as energy efficient as newer versions of them. Have you ever heard of ENERGY STAR®? When a product has this label, it means it consumes less energy than other models. It also stands for compliance to the federal standard of energy efficiency making them better for you to save money and energy.
Next time you face the “why is my electric bill so high” question, check for the answer on your appliances, are they running normally? Make sure to perform adequate maintenance to keep them up as how they should be.
Ps. We have a full article about ENERGY STAR® so you can know it’s benefits, and where it comes from.
6. Energy vampires
Energy vampires are not only people, but they can also be appliances. In a nutshell, they’re devices that keep using electricity while turned off and plugged. They can be present in your home in forms of phone & laptop chargers, TV’s on standby mode, coffee makers on standby mode, and basically everything that turns on instantly via remote control.
Have you asked lately “why is my electric bill so high”? You can use power strips to control when they’re using energy or not, also make sure to unplug all devices you don’t use often. Do you have a DVD or Blu-ray player that you barely use? Make sure to unplug it, it can be draining electricity even if not in use.
We know finding a high electric bill can be daunting, especially when you find yourself wondering “why is my electric bill so high” really often. Finding ahigh bill here will be a thing of the past with Power Choice Now. We have great fixed-rate plans that will take that part out of the equation!
You can check out our website, enter your zip code, and some basic information about your consumption. You will find out if there’s a rate that may benefit you more than your current one. At Power Choice Now, finding a new energy supplier is straightforward. As a client, you benefit from competitive energy markets, by this, we mean you are entitled to choose the energy supplier that best suits your needs.
PS. We also have a full article with our top 5 saving tips to spend less on electricity this summer. We want you to stop asking yourself “why is my electric bill so high”!
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