Happy to Get the Gas Bill??? :-)

I was so happy to receive my gas bill this month. I am on the budget plan with my gas company, and every 6 months, they review your usage to make sure your budget plan is realistic. They review in April and even things up on the October bill so that you start out fresh going into the coming season. You don't want to be surprised with a huge bill in October after a low budget payment the previous 11 months. But for me, that's usually a fun bill, too, because it generally ends up being $20 or so, and it makes for a nice little break before heading into the high utility-usage months.

On review this month, they lowered my gas bill -- wooo hooo! It's not much, only by $7, but every little bit helps. I've specifically tried to weatherize the house this year, caulk, having the front door reset, weatherstripping, etc., and I've also tried to plug some major holes in the basement. I'm sure I wasn't completely successful, but there is a noticeable improvement down there in temperature. There is still more to do - I'd like to add more insulation to the attic and finish caulking around all the windows, but I can't really complain. My gas bill (which includes heat and hot water) is now $56 a month for a 3-person family in an 80+-year-old, 1250-square-foot house! Not bad at all.

Now if I could just get the kids back in the habit of watching their electric usage. That's the next utility bill to work on!