Gas +Electricity bills = $1300 for winter quarter (with a newborn). Too much?

LMsOlive on 29/08/2015 - 02:30

Hi ozbargainers, was wondering how much is everyone paying for electricity + gas this winter?

A bit of background:
- 3 bedroom house, 3 adults (us + my mum visiting to help out) plus a baby born in June.

Ours came to around $1300 (roughly $850 for gas and $450 for electricity) and hubby is just about to crack it!

The things that I think I have been doing differently are:
1. More heating, to keep the temperature constantly warm for bub. We have ducted heating throughout the house, but I run an extra column heater in the room (bub still sleeps in our room)to keep the temperature around 18-20 degrees.
2. More washing, I run two loads in washer and dryer daily now, one for bub and one for the adults. I really couldn't be bothered to line dry in the dreary Melbourne weather while having to look after a newborn.
3. More cooking, mum has been living with us to help out so more cooking on stove everyday, no more just cold turkey sandwich for dinner.

I really don't think I could have done things significantly different to reduce the bills.

Am I too spoilt, as hubby thinks?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • eatwell365 on 29/08/2015 - 05:38

    Think your are about right under the condition of a house and newborn. It is the ultility fee that has skyrocketed.
    The graph on the bill benchmarks our family 30% below average use of a small family.
    We use LED light and occassional cooking. We pull curtains down to insulate the windows, and switch off climate control once the room heats up.
    Still, ours are $310 for electricity and $220 for gas = $530 for the winter quarter.

    • edgar28 on 31/08/2015 - 13:36

      yeah about alright. After the Doctor recommend warm air throughout the night for young baby for health purpose, the bills just shooting up like crazy.

      wearing more clothes does not help as still breathing in cold air. So according to my GP, you are doing the right thing……

      • OzzyOzbourne on 31/08/2015 - 23:54
        +10

        that's rediculous, you don't need to keep the house heated throughout the night. Has your doctor got shares in the gas company or something??!

        The air doesn't drop below 15C at night inside when unheated in Melbourne, unless you've got no insulation. What's wrong with breathing 15C or cold air anyway?

        Makes me wonder how any babies survive in colder climates/without heating.

        My 2 babied seemed fine with a few blankets when it was -15C outside in the winter and without heating at night.

        • edgar28 on 01/09/2015 - 09:18
          +3

          I am no doctor and everyone physical condition is different. a price that I have trust and gamble on……

          not sure he owns any utility company shares though

          when I am single, I dont need air cond nor heater….. after I have my 1st child….. air cond, heater….. healthier food…..

        • dlakers3peat on 01/09/2015 - 14:19
          +3

          I think spelling ridiculous with an e instead of an i is ridiculous

        • chengjianer on 01/09/2015 - 15:28

          @dlakers3peat:

          Haha, you funny!

        • OzzyOzbourne on 01/09/2015 - 17:42
          +3

          @dlakers3peat:

          thank you for your useful contribution on this discussion, what else can you do besides looking for typos?

        • btst7000 on 02/09/2015 - 01:36
          +3

          @OzzyOzbourne:

          Suggest punny corrections?

        • This Guy on 02/09/2015 - 01:45
          +1

          A reason for the Doctor to suggest using a heater may be to reduce the risk of SIDS caused by suffocation with a blanket.

          The only articles I've found connecting SIDS to Hypothermia involve apnoea as well. Newborns (esp. low weight) are a different story and hospitals design maternity wards and practises to avoid these risks.

  • eatwell365 on 29/08/2015 - 05:43
    +1

    Correct me if I am wrong - Saw the ultility usage charge was adjusted and credited due to the abolishing of carbon tax earlier.
    In this winter quarter bill, there is a new rate to increase again. what the….?

    • freefight49 on 03/09/2015 - 13:11
      +1

      The carbon tax really didn't make up much of your bill. There was no way people were going to get back $550 a year.

  • Geewhizz on 29/08/2015 - 06:10
    +20

    Those oil column heaters can really chew the power. Are you running that 24hrs per day?

    It also sounds like you're washing and drying very small loads, probably (definitely) not the most energy efficient way of doing it.

    • cloudy on 29/08/2015 - 09:06
      +1

      Column heaters are rediculous in energy burn. I check ours, it goes through around 1.5-2kwh. That's around $2.5 per 5-7 hours of use. Or around $5 a day if u use it for the whole time ur awake.
      5 x 90= $450 per quarter if used as described.

      • Hirolol on 31/08/2015 - 10:50

        What heaters are best for a room?

        • clem on 31/08/2015 - 12:53
          +5

          I'm a complete cold-fearing wimp and every winter I've got heaters running non-stop, and after many years I've settled definitely on radiation heaters!! The most common types of heaters are the cheap nasty little fan-forced ones, or the oil fin ones.

          After a few years of using the fan-forced ones I threw them out. They chew up so much power (1kW or 2kW setting), but still suck. The 1kW is freezing cause it blows gross mildly lukewarm wind over you and that convection makes it even colder. The 2kW is only useful if you're huddled <30cm away directly in front of it. But at that distance it dries out your skin so bad and only your feet get burningly hot while the rest of your body and room are freezing.

          Oil fin heaters solve that shortcoming; after 30min on 1.5-2kW, the whole room is wonderfully warm. But it takes at least 20min to heat up the fins, so it's useless for getting up/dressed on cold winter mornings. Also annoying is the fact that they have this tendency to break at the control knob (happened on 2 of my oil fin heaters), rendering the thing useless and a waste of money.

          So I bought this hardcore heavy duty Ringgrip (outdoor) radiation heater to use indoors, and it's the best one I've ever bought. You can turn it on 1kW or 2kW, but 1kW is already amazingly warm for the entire room. It's instantly hot on winter mornings and has amazing heat transfer, and standing in front of it when you're cold is like being next to a warm fire. It's fantastic.
          You can also get cheaper indoor ones from other places (I think Big W and stuff have similar ones). They feel like they're much cheaper quality but they do the job, and have nice increments of 400W which is perfect.

          You'll be far warmer on a 400W radiation heater than 2000W off a little square fan-forced piece of .

        • Hirolol on 31/08/2015 - 17:33
          +1

          @clem:
          Well thanks for the in depth information.
          We have always used oilf fins, we use them in our home office and i was thinking if there is a cheaper option. Not really keen on sacrificing the warm to save a few $$$ and we are happy to wait 20mins for it to heat up if it means we have a full day of warmth.

          Do the fan/radiation heater still cost less even when you factor in that the oil fin doesnt stay on all the time, ours switches off till it reaches a certain temperature.

        • one man clan on 01/09/2015 - 12:03
          +2

          @clem:

          "So I bought this hardcore heavy duty Ringgrip (outdoor) radiation heater to use indoors, and it's the best one I've ever bought. You can turn it on 1kW or 2kW, but 1kW is already amazingly warm for the entire room. It's instantly hot on winter mornings and has amazing heat transfer, and standing in front of it when you're cold is like being next to a warm fire. It's fantastic."

          Isn't it really dangerous to use outdoor rated heaters inside?

        • clem on 01/09/2015 - 14:19

          @Hirolol: definitely don't use the fan heater, I reckon it's the worst.

          For the oil fin it's hard to tell sadly, yeah I remember mine would have this thermostat kick in every now and then. Does anyone know around how often it does this?

          I reckon if we assume it's on for 10min and clicks off for 5min, it'd have a duty cycle of 67%? So you could treat it as being (1.5kW)(0.67) = 1kW? Or overall usage of 1.3kW if its 2kW setting?

          This is typically the power at which you'd use a radiation heater (for mine anyway).

          I think the oil fin and radiation heater are comparable. I just personally prefer the radiation heater as I'm sick of oil fins breaking and weighing an absolute tonne (so it's such a pain to move). I also like being able to aim the radiation at myself, while the whole room also warms up, but I think it's a matter of personal preference =)

        • clem on 01/09/2015 - 14:27

          @one man clan: haha I thought that was just mainly gas ones, I'm not sure.

          The power of this heater's still just 1kW-2kW, which is the same as the flimsy Woolies ones. In fact the Woolies ones worry me because the plastic enclosure gets really hot near the handle, this one I've got is constructed from steel though so I kind of feel it's even safer (esp. cause Woolies seems to always recall dodgy heaters). And the power cord's also super thick which is pretty nice.

          Maybe the outdoor rated ones rely on assumptions that forced convective cooling is present to determine the current/thermal rating? And so indoors the heater could overheat? But yeah I'd still choose my Ringgrip over Woolies ones any day =P

        • This Guy on 02/09/2015 - 02:17
          +1

          A small, 2kW fan forced heater used as instructed (nothing in front for two metres, nothing around it's back and side for half a metre).

          The problem with radiation heaters is that they need line of sight to work. If your parnter gets close to it they will block all the heat from reaching you (but that is the same with a small fan forced heater too).

      • Hirolol on 31/08/2015 - 17:37

        The oil fin doesnt stay on all the time, ours switches off till it reaches a certain temperature.
        A fan/radiating would use more as its not very affective at heating rooms

        • Euphemistic on 01/09/2015 - 09:51
          +2

          We've got a column heater for my toddlers room, had it for years and use it during winter to keep the chill off the little ones room until they are old enough to pull the blankets back up themselves. Hasn't made a significant difference to our electricity bill.

          Catch is though, ours has three heat settings and an adjustable thermostat. We've only ever used the low setting and thermostat around 1/4. It is noticeably warmer in the room (door ajar, not closed) but if I end up on the floor next to the cot I generally need a blanket or it's a bit cool.

          We have a family of 5 and now a pool our winter bill was about $350 for power. We don't run AC 24/7 for heating, only to take the chill off. If you don't need a jumper on inside it is too warm. Try to run applicants in off peak times and avoid the dryer - although running the dryer a bit is unavoidable with littlest ones and extra washing. Mostly it would be run in the night or early morning if necessary.

      • dlakers3peat on 01/09/2015 - 14:21
        +1

        Oh here is another person spelling ridiculous with an e instead of an i. Whats going on. Are people on ozbargain illiterate?

        • CHIEFMEGADETH on 01/09/2015 - 23:26
          -1

          You should start an online company that Grammar and spellchecks peoples posts, Before they post them? So we don't have people like you whinging about it.

  • jason101 on 29/08/2015 - 07:32
    +1

    I think you are getting away cheaply.

    We've got a new born at home plus a small child (obviously my wife is also off work + grandma is around often, i'm going to work slightly later and getting home slightly earlier.) TV + A/C + Washing machine + Dishwasher running nearly 24x7 (also no solar feed in going out). I think you are doing well to keep it around $1300, we are well in excess of this figure.

    We have ducted R/C but have also purchased a blade heater for the babys room (which when "on" low clocks the meter at 420w, which I assume is less than running a 16kw (output) ducted unit. Between the ducted system and the small heater one is always running.

    For the first time in 12 years since I moved out of home I'm concerned about the cost of utilities.

    I've been falling asleep on the couch after work and when I wake up in the morning the first thing I think is that I've saved $1 by skipping a shower!

    • cowiie on 30/08/2015 - 22:01
      +5

      Can't compare output to input…

      • jason101 on 02/09/2015 - 16:50

        What - one can't compare a 420w blade heater to a whole of house ducted unit - do you seriously think the whole of house (output 16kw) uses less than 420w, I think in this extreme example the comparison or notion that the smaller unit is cheaper to run is reasonable given there is no way the ducted system would clock anywhere near 420w?

        Seriously trolls - no wonder the newbies are scared around here.

        • bowdo on 02/09/2015 - 23:16

          Cowiie is just pointing out that you need to compare apples with apples. 16kw will be the thermal output, and doesn't mean anything electrically. Just google for specs on your system. If the specs only tell you input amps, just multiply by volts (240) to get kw.

    • sal78 on 31/08/2015 - 07:25
      +3

      perhaps just wash dishes the old way? we dont use dishwasher. i cant stand dirty dishes so everything gets washed straight away. we only use the dishwasher as a drying rack. ppl say it saves water but my water bill is less when i dont use dishwasher.

      • rokkz on 31/08/2015 - 08:03
        +2

        Lol more energy is used to wash dishes by hand than an energy efficient dishwasher.

        • [Deactivated] on 31/08/2015 - 08:09
          +2

          More energy is generated through the exercise of washing the dishes with your hands. I don't have any science of course, but just going by the effect of actually doing the dishes vs leaving them there. ie not being a coach potato

        • rokkz on 31/08/2015 - 14:57
          +2

          @JohnKG:

          When I refer to energy, I'm referring to water/heating/soap V's a dishwasher.

          While it may be possible to use less water/energy by washing dishes by hand, it is extremely unlikely,”

          Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/experts-say-dishwashers-us…

    • Sober Thoughts on 31/08/2015 - 16:59
      +1

      I've been falling asleep on the couch after work and when I wake up in the morning the first thing I think is that I've saved $1 by skipping a shower!
      Let's just hope you don't work in a fish market !!!

  • Colin2905 on 29/08/2015 - 07:47
    +5

    Meh.

    Our gas bill: $0.00 (ie; don't have gas).

    Our electricity bill: $1862.62!

    • nocure on 29/08/2015 - 15:15

      For a quarter?

      • Colin2905 on 29/08/2015 - 16:43
        +1

        Yep, from 11/5/15 to 10/8/15; 10,414 kWh. The same quarter last year was 9,373 kWh. I attribute the increase to two things; running the ducted R/C A/C at 20° instead of 18°, and an elderly cat (long story goes here) = significant increase in clothes dryer usage.

        As to why our daily average consumption is at least triple the average for a three person household in our area (according to the graphs), some contributing factors are:

        • The ducted R/C A/C in the house, which seems to be on 24/7.

        • The split system R/C A/C in the garage, for the benefit of another cat, also on mostly 24/7.

        • An outdoor spa that's kept heated 24/7, even though it only gets used once a month, if that.

        • Son at home most of the time.

    • ashikk on 30/08/2015 - 20:55
      +1

      For a Qtr?
      Wow!!! I should stop telling off my kids and MRS for not doing LAST out LIGHTS out.
      NO gas at all and my electricity bill for last Qtr is only ~$400.00 and I thought I was paying too much.

      • minniethemoocher on 01/09/2015 - 12:34

        $400 ??? I think your meter is broken unless you have solar.

        • ashikk on 02/09/2015 - 00:37

          It's always been that $ range for last 8 years. I live in 3 bedroom townhouse, family of 4.
          I'm trying to get it to $300.:)

        • Euphemistic on 02/09/2015 - 08:46
          +1

          @ashikk: 4br home, family of 5. AC, electric cooking and we've never had a bill as high as $400. $350 was about the max.

          I've got no idea how people use enough sparks to get over $400.

      • billyb67 on 01/09/2015 - 13:21

        I can't believe any of these numbers..

        We have three people and havent paid over $330 pq in the last three or so years. Usually around $300.. No gas..

        We did change over to a smart meter though, that's made a difference.. Was regularly paying over $400 before that..

        • minniethemoocher on 02/09/2015 - 12:33
          +1

          You are all in NSW I wonder if that makes any difference. Obviously the weather is warmer. Each year the government gives our electricity supplier approval to increase our prices by 10-25% which is starting to add up.

  • DarkOz on 29/08/2015 - 08:12
    +22

    Electricity seems fine at $450 but gas at $850 WTF? Do you have a gas leak!? You seriously need to check the gas bill.

    We have a similar household. A kid and baby and mum cooks all the time with those long soups with the gas on for hours. Our bill is usually $500 electricity and $160 gas a quarter.

    You seriously need to tone down your usage and save yourself $500 a quarter easily. You could buy your baby anything with $2,000 a year!

    Don't keep it warm all the time. Too much comfort for the baby is not always good. That's what clothes and blankets are for. What happens when you take him/her out? You are not going to bring a portable heater along are you?

    Do less washings with bigger loads. Dry them in sunlight if possible unless it's emergency. Don't blame the weather. You are not the only person that lives in Mel.

    • Banana on 29/08/2015 - 10:45
      +5

      Yes, everyone has to put up with the crappy weather.
      There are 8 people in my family (grandparents are with us), can you imagine the amount of laundry my mum has to put up with? What she does is she hangs the laundry under the heater where the heater is turned on. No need for a dryer, girl.

      • msmhw on 30/08/2015 - 20:05

        We do it the other way around. We dry our clothes using the dryer and leave all the doors open between the living/bed rooms and the dryer to keep the temp warm.

    • takezo on 31/08/2015 - 11:09

      Are you in winter?

      I just recently got a shock with our gas usage. Was $500 for 2 months for a 3 bedroom double story with just me and my wife. Heating only comes on for 30 mins in the morning and 4 hours each night for weeknights. Longer on the weekends depending on what we're doing.

      It was 786 base usage for 2 months (massive increase on previous bill, but about the same as previous years). We're about to have a baby, so can't imagine what it will be like next winter when the wife is at home most of the day.

      • Banana on 31/08/2015 - 17:29
        +2

        I live in a 5 bdrm double storey and the heater gets turned on for two hours every night, kept at 17C. My dad has been sneakily turning it down to 16.5 or 16C. He is truly a tightass.

        • takezo on 02/09/2015 - 11:43

          17 during the day as well? I think I might struggle with that.

        • Banana on 02/09/2015 - 13:20
          +1

          @takezo:
          The heater never gets turned on during the day, no matter how cold it is. It is only turned on at night after dinner.

          Tight ass dad always wins.

        • Looking4Bargians on 02/09/2015 - 13:39

          I turn on for 30 min before sleep and 30 mins when we wake up in the morning That's about it. Set to 19'c
          Otherwise whole day temp doesn't go below 13'c in the house even without heater.
          Good Sunlight and heat comes naturally.

        • takezo on 03/09/2015 - 11:59

          @Banana: I salute you.

          I worked from home a few weeks ago and rugged up with a thermal and thick sweater and struggled to get through the day without heating. Temp dropped to about 15 degrees from memory.

        • Banana on 03/09/2015 - 19:24
          +1

          @takezo:
          12 Degree in the house usually. Dad works on the roof most of the time, summer or winter.So when I think about him working so hard for the family the least I can do is wear more layers and save on a little bit of heating.

  • oscargamer on 29/08/2015 - 09:00

    are the bills actual readings or estimates?

    • poboy on 02/09/2015 - 21:22

      In Vic, we all have smart metres, so the power retailers can read them accurate to within less than an hour.

  • chumlee on 29/08/2015 - 09:16
    +10

    Bill sounds about right.

    Tell your hubby to suck it up. He has another 20 or so years of paying high priced bills such as food, dentists, medical specialists etc.

    • airzone on 29/08/2015 - 10:13
      +4

      Lol yeah, this is only the start..

      Music lessons, dance, sport, tutoring, clothes (all the time!), school, nappies, etc…

  • mariosensei on 29/08/2015 - 09:29

    Bill amount depends on usage pattern and the actual appliances you have. First check the actual $ you are paying for each kWh of power and each Mj of gas you are paying minus off the % discount. Each retailer have their own rate & in some cases the actual rate is higher than others even after discount. Use your recent usage and shop around. I found that Powershop is very competitive for electricity. In one instance, I mentioned I'm with Powershop to one lady who was trying to sign me up over the phone and straight away she said she wont be able to beat them.

    • bradsmrbetty on 31/08/2015 - 17:55

      Another vote for Powershop.

  • tomleonhart on 29/08/2015 - 09:34

    Strange. We are on the same boat. We use 3 column heaters consistently throughout the day. I go to work and my mum + my wife and bubs are at home.

    However our electricity bill last quarter only came to around $380. I too thought it was up in the 1000 mark.

    Edit: Gas bill hasn't arrived yet !

  • NancyCat on 29/08/2015 - 10:45
    +6

    I run two loads in washer and dryer daily now, one for bub and one for the adults.

    That's a lot of washing. A load of washing for a 2 months old bub daily? And any reason why you need to separate bubs & adults? We have 3 kids, on average, we have about 5 loads of washing per week. Running a fully loaded washing machine probably uses the same amount electricity as a half loaded machine. As for drying the clothes…get a few clothes horses put around the house near heaters, you have your heater on full blast 24/7 by the sound of it anyway…your clothes will be dry in no time. Not to mention, it's better for your clothes too.

    I don't know if $1300 is too much…but I'm sure just by changing your washing habit can save you some money. Your bub is only 2 months…it's only the beginning.

    • Shoppingisfun on 29/08/2015 - 12:10
      +4

      I agree…find the heating duct which pumps out the most air and put a clothes horse over it…the clothes dry really quickly and you aren't paying any extra :)
      Having said that I think your bill is similar to ours but it is always worth calling your providers and make sure you are on the best plan. What I did recently was find the cheapest provider I could online (in my case in Melbourne it was Momentum) and call my provider and basically ask them to beat it or I would leave. I got an extra 20% discount on electricity and about 5% on gas from just making the call. Haven't got the next bill yet but hopefully it will make a difference :)

  • djones145 on 29/08/2015 - 11:47

    what was it last winter? that might help, if it was 200 yes that's a big change
    if it was 800 already prolly not

  • paul11 on 29/08/2015 - 12:37

    Who is your electric/gas provider ? I saved approx 20% on electricity when I switched providers from Origin to Momentum ?

  • grabngo on 29/08/2015 - 12:38

    harden up buttercup
    As OP says,more to come
    brace yourself

  • minniethemoocher on 29/08/2015 - 12:48
    +3

    Bill doesn't sound unrealistic BUT the column heater really adds to the bill, although your electricity bill isn't too bad. I would suggest investing in a baby sleeping bag. We are in Melbourne too and we have a really efficient ducted heating system and continuous hot water, and someone is only home 2 days a week plus the weekend. Our gas bill was $570 for the quarter and most of my friends are around $700. I'd say given you are home full time $850 sounds reasonable for gas as well.

  • Randxyz123 on 29/08/2015 - 13:58
    +2

    You could try switching providers and see if they will give you a discount. Or call your provider and ask if you need to change plans.

    Why is your hubby about to crack it? I mean I know this is OzBargain but obviously with a newborn the bills are gonna increase and will keep on increasing.

    You could try switching your light globes to LEDs if you haven't already to save power.

  • nocure on 29/08/2015 - 15:26
    +1

    You should also think about changing to cheaper tariff for some appliances.ie Tariff 33 is .19¢ kWh power (off @ 5.30pm on @ 9pm ) Tariff 31 is .12¢ kWh power (on @ 10pm off @ 7am)

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 30/08/2015 - 23:52

      You're in QLD i guess? How does this help OP in Victoria…

  • phluffed on 29/08/2015 - 16:08

    2 adults + 1 child in an old drafty 3bdr.
    Electricity ~$100 a month
    Gas ~$400 a quarter

    Gas hot water, gas cooker, gas heating (on at least 6hrs 7 days)

    However, the child is now 3.. when she was a newborn, electricity was $700 for the quarter (heater in her room on 24/7 thermostat) and gas was $500.

  • coolhead on 29/08/2015 - 17:29
    +1

    in similar situation: had a baby few months ago… using but gas + electricity for the recent quarter is $450.. i think we are on the lesser side but yours i think is way too much..
    we used gas heating alot but it was not warming up the house property and house was still cold so we are using it along with oil heater/…
    best way to use the oil heater is to get a $5 timer from bunnings.. we warm our room before going to bed and then time it for 15 minutes every hour.. this ways room & baby stays warm whole night and u r not using the heater thruout…

    clothes washing daily is too much i guess… u need to load ur washing machine to its capacity….we don't use dryer I must say and had my family here for some time as well.. just spin the clothes properly in washing machine and then put them on clothes rack…simple things that you might have to change if u have to bring ur bill down… cheers

    Edt: ur electricity bill seems to be ok.. Gas is high .. i think u r having same issues as us.. i was turning it for hours and room was still not warm..having an oil heater which heats very quikcly might help

  • idjces on 29/08/2015 - 18:53
    +1

    Got our bimonthly electricity bill last week, $150, but we just had solar installed so I expect it would've been closer to $250 without solar. We've been using the heat pump far more often, with a 2 month old in our room

    Gas is typically $250 bimonthly

    This is a 4/2 house with 4 adults and our 2 month old.

    So in comparison I agree that your bills are quite high, we only wash maybe 3 times a week, and we go without a dryer

  • FirstNameLastName on 29/08/2015 - 19:39
    +2

    Might be a good idea for people to say where they live when posting comparisons about their winter energy use.
    The OP lives in Melbourne which is an important factor.

  • djones145 on 30/08/2015 - 12:26
    -3

    Member Since 29/08/2015
    Last Login 2 hours 10 min ago
    Statistics 1 posts / 0 comments

    Troll?

    • imahapyboy on 30/08/2015 - 22:10
      +1

      ????? davidjones 1:45pm?

      • djones145 on 01/09/2015 - 21:02

        one post, online all the time, no responses to a forum post they created for a few days

  • LeavingTheWheel on 30/08/2015 - 19:36
    +2

    I feel for your husband. No doubt you are on one wage and probably money is tighter than you'd expect. That's a whopping great bill.

    Also, if that's a oil column heater you are using then the vapours are bad for the baby anyway. Consider switching to a Ceramic Panel Heater and it'll do a better job with no fumes.

    It's pretty obvious this is your first child. You won't break it with a little variance in temperature, but your Mum should probably tell you this. Good Luck, and don't expect much of a difference for the next quarter.

    In fact when summer hits I suspect you'll have the air con on too. It's your new cost of living.

    • IamEzza on 31/08/2015 - 18:38
      +2

      What vapours? Column heaters are completely sealed units.

      • LeavingTheWheel on 01/09/2015 - 15:21
        +1

        Oil filled column heaters can give off an oil vapour, obviously the older they are the more chance you have of this happening. The Water filled Column Heaters are obviously a lot safer.

        Just because oil isn't dripping out, doesn't mean a vapour can't escape.

  • OneJay on 30/08/2015 - 19:42
    +13

    Personally I found dryers to be the appliances that use the most electricity. I was under the impression column heaters were more efficient than convection or those little floor rotating ones.

    Off-topic, Recently Yarra Valley Water sent me a 3 month water bill for $1600 for my shop. I said "that can't be right" and was told they'll 'look into it'. 2 weeks later I queried again and was told the estimated usage was $12000. I told them "go F yourselves" and again was told "they'll look into it". 3 days later I received a bill for $28. I reluctantly accepted.

  • snajper on 30/08/2015 - 20:53
    +7

    Heehee…. when I saw this post I knew that it was first child in your family.. I was the same with our first child… heaters on day and night…. constantly at 24C …I was holding a heater up in the air while my wife was changing the nappy… we got the bill for $1200 and the baby ended up getting heat rash….. now I look back and laugh…

    It is to be expected for bills to go up with baby onboard but be sensible….

  • [Deactivated] on 30/08/2015 - 21:16
    +2

    You could always turn down the settings from the gas hot water system

  • mightyhawks23 on 30/08/2015 - 21:52

    $850 for gas is crazy high

    Similar situation; 3 bedroom with MIL staying but our bub is now 15 months
    Our last bi-monthly gas account came to $300 so ~$450 for the quarter so sounds like you're using about twice the amount of gas
    About $300 this qtr for elec

    Do you have the ducted heating on 24/7?
    We ran the heating overnight for about a week but decided to turn it off overnight cos it just seemed to dry

    The column heater seems redundant especially if you have the ducted heating running.
    Cut back on the washing - we do the washing maybe 2x a week and do the drying on a clothes horse

  • Magnate on 30/08/2015 - 22:10
    +21

    Hi MsOlive,

    I'm an electrical engineer and can certainly give you some advice. Firstly, can you check your power bill and see what kind of tariff you are on? In Victoria it will typically be one of:
    -Peak only (General Domestic)
    -Peak and offpeak for a dedicated hot water service (General Domestic + Off peak)
    -Time of use (some form of smart tariff where you are charged different rates at different times and days).

    The following assumes you are on peak only. If you are on a different tariff then let me know and I'll tailor the advice accordingly.

    HEATING
    All 'resistive' electric heaters have identical efficiency. They have an efficiency of 100%, that is they require 1kWh of power to produce 1kWh of heat. This includes ceramic, oil, fan, bar etc.

    Gas heating is now not that much cheaper than electric resistive, at least in NSW. From memory my gas cost about 17c/kWh of delivered heat, whereas electricity is ~25c/kWh. Allowing for inefficiencies in the central heating unit (heat going up the flu) and ducting losses they are pretty similar.

    Do you have any refrigerative air conditioning units (split systems or window mount) with a heat setting? If so, you should be using these for heating. A typical reverse-cycle air conditioner has a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 2.5-3, which means that for every 1kWh of power they consume they produce 2.5-3kWh of heat. This is by far the cheapest way to produce space heating.

    My recommendations, in order of preference:
    1. Use any reverse-cycle AC units as your primary heat source (if you have them)
    2. Try and minimise the amount of heated space. Close laundry doors, bathroom doors etc & shut off any ducted vents that aren't required. The gas burn will be directly proportional to the heated space.
    3. If you can, reduce the central heating thermostat by a couple of degrees.
    4. Keep the oil heater in the baby's room to maintain the required temperature (It is better to heat just one room to the required temp via electric heating than the whole house via gas duct, even if gas duct is 10% cheaper).

    WASHING / HOT WATER
    What kind of washing machine do you have? Does it have a hot & cold water tap, or just cold? What temperature are you doing your wash on?

    Most modern washing machines have a heating element. If you are using hot or warm washes and supplying the hot water from the hot water service then you are wasting a reasonable amount of energy running the hot water through the pipes to the machine every time you do a load of washing. One of the houses I lived in barely got the hot water to our washing machine by the time it was full.

    If your washing machine has a heater element (which it probably does) the solution is to turn the cold tap off. The washer will then heat the water internal with its electric element, saving all the energy wasted in heating up the pipework to the laundry. Your washes will probably take a couple more minutes though.

    Do you have a smart (auto-sensing) dryer? If not, you are probably over-drying your clothes. A 2.4kW dryer will be costing you about 60c/hr to run. An extra half an hour a day of unnecessary operation will add up to $27 over the quarter. Try and use shorter times on the dial, and put it back on for another short period of time if it's not dry enough.

    Also, a dryer is at its most efficient when it is correctly loaded (as per the kg rating). Underloading a dryer reduces its efficiency. If you have a small amount of clothes that require drying add some old towels to bring it to the correct loading. It will dry quicker and therefore use less energy to do so.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/08/2015 - 09:50
      +3

      Don't you mean to turn the HW tap (if connected) off to the WM - NOT the CW tap?
      Up-voted you, however!

      With a good FLWM after a final spin, a clothes rack $aves.

      The horse may have bolted - but hubby should investigate 'Momentum' - for both Gas & Electricity!!

      This Melbourne winter has certainly been cold - in spite of measurable Global Warming ;-)
      And I believe that women, generally, feel the cold more than men.

      [Also splurge $15 on an ALDI plug-in Power Meter when they are next available - & check out individual appliance electricity consumption.]

      • Magnate on 02/09/2015 - 10:10
        +1

        Yep, turn off the HW tap. My bad there.

    • cloudy on 31/08/2015 - 14:45
      +1

      That is a excellent post magnet, thanks.

      Are there any other things that have a Coefficient of Performance of greater than one? We don't have a reverse cycle AC at our place..

      • FloatingPoint on 01/09/2015 - 12:34

        Nothing else. All heaters are the same (except reverse cycle AC). They convert energy (electricity/gas) directly to heat, so 1kW of power can only create maximum 1kW of heat.
        Reverse cycle AC do not create heat directly from energy. They "move" the heat from one side to the other.
        If you use heating a lot, install a reverse cycle AC (and think about insulation). Not cheap to install but usually you will recover the cost in a 2-4 years by saving electricity.

    • Marty131 on 01/09/2015 - 12:05

      A typical reverse-cycle air conditioner has a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 2.5-3, which means that for every 1kWh of power they consume they produce 2.5-3kWh of heat

      Is that back to front, or am I too far out of uni to remember any Thermal Dynamics correctly? How can a device produce more energy than it consumes?

      • peteru on 01/09/2015 - 12:30
        +1

        Simple. It's a heat pump. The energy is used to transfer the heat from outside. You only need the power to move the heat, not to generate it.

        That is why reverse cycle air conditioners or heat pump hot water systems are so much more cost effective.

        As far as the original poster's bills are concerned, the main issue is the gas bill. Electricity looks about ball-park, but the gas figures are stupid. The problem with gas is that it really can not be made any more efficient, unlike electricity.

        • cloudy on 01/09/2015 - 16:27

          When you say transferring the heat from the outside, to inside the home. Where is the warm(er) "outside"? Presumably it's cold everywhere hence the need for a heater.

        • peteru on 01/09/2015 - 17:19
          +2

          @cloudy:

          Exactly the same principle as a fridge. Even though it's not cold in your kitchen, the fridge shifts the heat from the inside to the outside and stays cool where you need it.

          In this case, the compressor and heat exchanger in the air conditioner work to shift the heat from the outside to the inside. If you were going to go to the outside and feel the "heat sink" on the air conditioner compressor, you would feel that it is colder than the outside. That's because some of the heat on the outside is being pumped to the inside. Bit by bit, a little bit of heat is being pumped in, and the final effect is a lot of heat for not so much energy. Neat! Huh?

          If you are interested in the physics/science of this, check out wikipedia, it's bound to have an explanation.

        • cloudy on 02/09/2015 - 08:18

          @peteru:

          Thanks for that! Pretty interesting indeed :)

  • gccmelb on 30/08/2015 - 22:58

    The ducted heating should be at 17-18c. Column heater in the bedroom is a waste of cash, as bedding should be enough. Plus rooms with ducted heating not being used, the ducts should be closed.

  • sal78 on 31/08/2015 - 07:18
    +1

    im not sure. Ours was $550 last quarter and we are a family of 5 + my dad also living with us. We use gas for cooking only.

    Forget abt hubby cracking it, I would crack it with that bill. We couldnt afford that high electricity bill.

    At least you can go on payment plan and split up payments.

    We use column heaters because its less electricity. It's timed to come on at 6am so when kids are downstairs in am it takes the chill out. no heating for kids. they rug up if its a cold night. wear fleece or onesies and occasionally i let them sleep together in same room. adults use electric blankets to warm the bed up. we do heaps of washing but we put on a load each night and hang it out in am. during the day no one is at home except my dad and he just surfs the net. we cook everyday.
    we only use dryer to dry clothes that still feel a lil damp after being on the line. rarely use it.

    our gas is like $200 every 2 yrs. i cant even remember tge last time we got gas bottles. they last ages and gas cooking is the best for us.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/08/2015 - 09:44

    4 bed room house

    Gas $70 per q
    Elec anywhere from 180 to 300 per q

    All lighting is LED
    4.5kw solar panel system on roof (cost 7000)
    Off peak hot water
    Clothes washed using cold water
    Appliances bought with energy ratings in mind

    Have 4xAC used when needed

    Maximse usage in day and minimise at night where I can because of the solar

    I don't use gas for heating only cooking and bill is mainly just supply charge

  • [Deactivated] on 31/08/2015 - 09:48
    +1

    Something wrong with Gas - same here with a baby but our quarter has gone max to perhaps $400-$450. We used ducted heating and maintain temprature at 18-19C during the day (turn off when sunny enough) and 17C at night else it's too warm for bub and me as well.

  • bluedufflecoat on 31/08/2015 - 10:06
    +1

    We have a small little unit / apartment … with two adults, one 3-yr old and one infant. Minimal heating as we are north-facing and insulated by our upstairs and next-door neighbours. We have an electricity bill, a gas bill (for cooking) and a hot water bill (shared with others in the block, I'm still not sure how it's calculated)… but my estimate for our bills over winter:

    Electricity: $95/month (about $20/month more than usual)
    Hot water: $30/month
    Gas: $30/month

    We also run the dishwasher and do laundry on average once a day… wash/dry.

    So, say $155/month —> $465/quarter.

    Be sure to keep curtains open during the day for the sun to warm up the house.
    Keep the draft out, with insulator things, sorry I don't know what they're called - but you put them in your door frame to keep the wind from getting in. Small investment, huge returns.
    Wear lots of layers, if necessary. But now that we're heading into spring, it won't be as cold… :)

  • T1OOO on 31/08/2015 - 10:30

    It's about right. Our elect is over 1000$ per qtr

    I run the air con at night. It's too cold. :-)

  • JimB on 31/08/2015 - 10:59

    "1. More heating, to keep the temperature constantly warm for bub. We have ducted heating throughout the house, but I run an extra column heater in the room (bub still sleeps in our room)to keep the temperature around 18-20 degrees.
    2. More washing, I run two loads in washer and dryer daily now, one for bub and one for the adults. I really couldn't be bothered to line dry in the dreary Melbourne weather while having to look after a newborn."

    1. doesn't make sense. If you're running ducted heating throughout the house, why run an extra column heater in the room to keep the temperature around 18-20 degrees? shouldn't the ducted be running at 18deg anyway? column heaters are energy sucking devices.

    2. since you have heating on, air dry your clothes on a clothes horse.

    Cooking uses bugger all gas.

    But $850 a quarter for gas this winter isn't astronomical as Melb had a very cold winter.

    And people wonder why I want to build a 30sq house, rather than 50sq.

  • syousef on 31/08/2015 - 11:06
    +4

    Happened with both my kids (now 5 and 7).

    Husband is probably about to crack it because he doesn't know where to get the money from. Tell him you'll do your best to make changes but to expect big bills. You'll need to budget better and give up something else if you can't afford the bills. He shouldn't be using words like "spoilt" and you need to address that if you want to make a happy home.

    When you're looking to make cuts start with heating and cooling as they are the things that take the most power. Best way is to heat/cool only one room if you can get away with it. If you have central air conditioning don't set it to max settings if it can't get up. Set it to about 21 degrees in summer and 18 degrees in winter. The odd cold meal won't make a huge dent in the budget but you could still try that as a compromise.

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