The winter comes and so do the bills

When I posted about turning on the heat, I received 2 comments about the heating bills. I think this is the time of year that I do like the most, but I dread the electric bill that comes in.

My 2 friends have gas heat, I am so thankful that we don't. We have everything on the electric bill. All the utilities are on one. So, I guess I can be grateful about that.

TVA annouced that as of October 1st, all electric bills will be going up anywhere from $16 to $20 a month. WOW! That is a lot of money. And to hit that during the winter time, that is just wrong!

So, we get our bill. It is $204, $17 of it comes from the TVA increase. Whoa! It would have been $187, but I guess TVA has to make up their spending somehow, and they hit us with it.

So, this winter we decided that the heat will stay on about 66 degrees. That is warm enough. If you aren't in a room, turn the light out, the TV off. I bought a blanket for me to use in the Greatroom. That way if I do get cold, the heat won't be touched. The windows in PJ's room will be covered in plastic to keep his room warmer. Ceiling fans already have been reversed. To suck up the cold air, push down the warm air. The boys have extra blankets on their beds, and the rooms are closed off so that way they stay warm. It is just something we have to do if we want to keep the utilities down this winter.

Eric always dresses in his fleece pants and a sweatshirt, along with his new wool socks that I picked up for $3 a pair. PJ has his flannel pants and fleece shirt that he wears around the house. They each have quilts on their beds to keep them warm, so they will be fine.

Keeping the house at 66 or 67 wards off the germ bugs too. That is another plus right there.

So, we will see how this goes this winter. I have changed lightbulbs over to compact floursent bulbs, sealed up doors, close doors behind the boys that were born in a barn, and making the attempt to keep the house comfortable, not expensive.