How to Listen to Your Electric Bill?

Your electric bill is speaking to you every month. Do you know what it is saying? Watch as Billy Swanson unpacks how to listen to your electric bill every month whether you are a year ’round or part-time Florida resident.

Your utility bill can tell you of potential problems. Are you listening?

 

 

1) Don’t only look at the amount due.

The first (and sometimes only) thing a person looks at when they receive their utility bill is the amount due. How do they come up with that number? You’ll see taxes, fees, and other charges, but the kWh (kilowatt per hour) cost is the key.

 

2)  Look at the kWh used.

There are different types of payment plans that you can set up with your utility provider (in this case, FPL). Some families choose to pay for their usage month-to-month and others opt to enroll in the budgeting program. Also, some people choose to utilize FPL’s on-call service while others do not. These are just a few reasons why comparing your utility bill to your neighbor’s doesn’t always work if you talk about only dollars. The kWh usage is the true measurement of the electricity that you are consuming on a monthly basis. When you look at the kWh line and compare your consumption, you’re able to see if your electricity usage increased/decreased even if your bill stayed relatively the same.

 

3) Look at the amount of service days the bill includes.

Some months have more days than others and your utilities bill will change, too! When comparing your kWh usage to another timeframe, make note of how many service days were included in each bill you’re comparing.

 

4) Why is kWh/day the most important measurement?

Since the number of service days can change, you’re able to see your efficiency numbers the most clearly when you look at the average amount of kWh are used per day. There are many reasons why these numbers will change. For example: How did you use your home? Did you have any visitors? What was the weather like? Did you use your A/C more?

 

5) WARNING! SOMETHING COULD BE WRONG.

If you receive your electric bill and see that your usage is at 0 kWh/day or if you notice a drastic increase/decrease in kWh used this year vs last year – you need to give us a call because something is happening. Even if you are a snowbird or part-time resident, your kWh/day should never be 0, it should be relatively similar to the year before.

 

You might also enjoy: How to Save Money on Your Electric Bills in the Summer

 

If you have any questions, we are here for you!

Call or text us: (941) 485-2222