01-02-2011, 07:37 AM
I spoke to Helco recently and they told me the cost is 35 cents a kilowatt hour. That works out to be the case with our bills. Our biggest user is the pool pump which runs about $80 per month. The total bill is usually $130-$140 so I would say our basic electric use is around $55 to $60. We don't use the drier (we hang clothes and only rarely have to finish them off for 5 mins in the drier). We keep lights on only if we need them. We do have an electric oven and stove and electric back up to our hot water tank. We have solar hot water. During rainy months we may have to put the hot water heater on for a few hours in the evening for showers and that might add $10 to the bill. If you are willing to pay attention to the useage, and as Bullwinkle says, conserve, you can keep your bills quite low. I have heard you can save $50 per month or more with solar hot water so if you are here long enough it will eventually pay for itself.
If you want all sorts of extras like hot tubs, air co, heated swimming pools, and use a drier every day, you can count on a bill of hundreds of dollars every month.
If you want all sorts of extras like hot tubs, air co, heated swimming pools, and use a drier every day, you can count on a bill of hundreds of dollars every month.