Electric Bill Costs/Tips?

Submitted by justaduck0 t3_110ykfj in ManchesterNH

Hello!

I will be moving to Manchester, New Hampshire from Lawrence, Kansas, and I wanted to ask the good locals how much I should expect my electric bill to be per month, more or less? For context, I’ll be living in a 1bd unit in the Kalivas-Union neighborhood, with electric being the only utility I would have to pay (apart from internet), as water and heat are covered in the rent.

I’m well aware that cost of living there is significantly higher than here in KS but I’d like to know what your electric bills average out to per month just to have some idea of what to expect and what dy’all have any advice or tips on what I can buy/use to save on electric bills.

Thank you in advance for anything you can share, and I’m pretty excited to move and explore life in Manchester and New Hampshire 😀

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Deathtrout1 t1_j8byiva wrote

I lived in an older condo, 2 stories, older windows, kept the heat 68. Paid 450 last month for electric with electric heat. It’s for sure on the much higher side, I WFH so that adds to it. You can buy your electricity from a private supplier at a fixed rate from places like direct energy, and only have to pay eversource delivery. Still expensive though if you have electric heat.

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sndtech t1_j8dh020 wrote

once you sign up for electric delivery service from Eversource you can and should choose an an alternative electric supplier. Eversource's base rate is insane and you can get a much better deal.

Here's a current list of providers in NH.

https://www.energy.nh.gov/engyapps/ceps/shop.aspx

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luchoosos t1_j8g8a0g wrote

I've never heard of this before, some of those rates are quite lower than the 20-22¢ I'm paying with Eversource. Do you know if there are drawbacks going with a different supplier?

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Kv603 t1_j8giwd4 wrote

No major drawbacks.

You'll want to keep track of when your locked-in rate expires and how it differs from the Eversource rate and the supplier's default rate.

If you don't, you may find your rate jumps significantly above even Eversource's rate once the promotional period ends.

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luchoosos t1_j8gki2a wrote

Take advantage of the promotional periods and monitor options available at the time it expires? Seems worth it for the rate difference.

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Kv603 t1_j8djr54 wrote

Electric (resistive) heat is going to be your primary load.

> Do y’all have any advice or tips on what I can buy/use to save on electricity costs?

No gadget will save you.

If the apartment has an electric furnace/baseboards, consider buying space heaters and only actually heating the room you are in (e.g. just the bedroom at night).

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justaduck0 OP t1_j8hlho9 wrote

>No gadget will save you.

I'd be sad-faced about it if I was actually asking to be saved from one.

>If the apartment has an electric furnace/baseboards, consider buying space heaters and only actually heating the room you are in (e.g. just the bedroom at night).

Good stuff! I hear buying some thick, blackout curtains can also help with the drafts and efficiency. Will keep what you said in mind. Thanks!

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FatherOfTheVoid t1_j8fq6l8 wrote

Wear layers. Warm socks, long johns, a hat. If you keep yourself warm you don't need to keep you apartment as warm.

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Andtom33 t1_j8e53cb wrote

Electronic heat is bad news

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justaduck0 OP t1_j8hllwh wrote

To clarify: I currently have that here in my current place in KS. Heating is covered with the rent at my new place in Manchester. I'm just looking to see what electric bills average out to without that heat component.

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Kv603 t1_j8ihwhu wrote

> I'm just looking to see what electric bills average out to without that heat component.

Electric rates in Manchester are ~150% of the national average, with power bills for apartment residents averaging around $200/month after the recent rate hikes -- that assumes central HVAC so includes the summer air conditioning and the blower motor for heat (but not the cost of actually heating the air).

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