I made $100 for flipping my light switch

[Chris Hipp]

I've been using the same bulbs since I moved into my house in '05. They seem to never die! Plus, they use so little juice that if you forget to turn it off it really doesn't even matter.

 

[RJP]

Anyway, long story short, forget $50, I save nearly $100 on my electric bill this month. Cross my heart and hope to die.

I'm gonna call BS on this. Not that you don't THINK you saved $100, or even that your bill wasn't $100 less than previous month, but rather that something else is going on.

When you think about how much of your electricity bill is "lights" vs "appliances" it seems very unlikely. Unless of course your were insanely wasteful in terms of leaving too many lights on all the time previously.

Additionally, I wonder whether you are comparing "this month to last month" instead of "this month to same month last year" which would be the true comparison, as it will normalize for weather and other seasonal changes.

Which months were you comparing?

 

[D_B]

That wont work for me, It's a nice figure, but you have to remember if was hotter/colder on that month a year ago and if you used your heat/ac less or more ... easier for me to remember what like was like a month ago and facter in number of days

 

[Damselfish]

1. Compact Fluorescents don't like dimmer switches.

You can actually get CFs now that work on dimmer switches. I read about these and went looking, got them at Home Depot or Lowes. They cost about twice as much as similar ones that aren't compatible with dimmers. I recently replaced 3 floods in my kitchen that are on a dimmer and on a lot and I'm happy with them.

 

[Missdirected]

I'm gonna call BS on this. Not that you don't THINK you saved $100, or even that your bill wasn't $100 less than previous month, but rather that something else is going on.

When you think about how much of your electricity bill is "lights" vs "appliances" it seems very unlikely. Unless of course your were insanely wasteful in terms of leaving too many lights on all the time previously.

Additionally, I wonder whether you are comparing "this month to last month" instead of "this month to same month last year" which would be the true comparison, as it will normalize for weather and other seasonal changes.

Which months were you comparing?

Okay I wasn't going to bother with your post but...

* Couldn't go by last year as there were more people living here
* Did go by previous two months average - not much could change because the stove and oven are gas and I haven't used heat or air in several months. So we are not playing with many a variable here
* Lastly, I will give you that upon looking at the bill further, I'd guess the savings more in the $70's. That said, even if it was $20 a month that adds up brotha!
* So if you are not interested in swapping your lights fair enough. If you are, I suggest you do more research other than my thread.


One last note, I do not live in a tiny apartment. I live in a rather large home with many, many lights.

 

[DandyDon]

However much they save a month, they pay for themselves in only a few months of lighting - depending on hours/day used, continue to save each month for 5 years based on 4 hours/day used, save additionally on Air Conditioning costs in the summer since they are cooler, and the Daylight bulbs are pretty. The slightly cheaper yellow light CFBs are not a good deal, IMO.

 

[RonFrank]

MissD, you do not want to know what I was thinking when I read the title to this thread!

I'll have to try this. We use a lot of F bulbs already, but when it comes to energy, it all counts.

 

[DandyDon]

MissD, you do not want to know what I was thinking when I read the title to this thread!

:11:​

They are a very good idea. You may have noticed that Blue Angel had changed to them, altho they were using the yellowish ones. But then, I try to remember to take a couple of the 25w/100w equivs to Cozumel with me to switch out with room bulbs as I like more light than is typical in Coz rooms. They travel well, too - no filament to break like in incandescents, in their own plastic case.

 

[SparticleBrane]

So uh...why is your power bill more than $100 to begin with?!

 

[Missdirected]

So uh...why is your power bill more than $100 to begin with?!

Because I don't shovel coal