Those darn high power bills

With the cost of powering one's home going up and up and away, I often query others I may know or run across about how much their power bills are. I find different answers from different people, but it seems like there is little rhyme or reason as to the swings in costs that are mentioned. Some are like me and have power bills in the many hundreds. We're talking $600 or more a month in the worst months, which hover around the first of the year. Our situation has the kids home during the holidays; the weather is cold and the small solar array I have generates little power. The combination of the three pushes me into the higher tiers, as the more power you use, the higher that power cost. Sort of like the income tax structure where you pay more and more as you make more income. The kids use space heaters like lizards, stay up at night and watch TV, cook and whatever else they do. The forced air heater which heats the whole house runs constantly, being winter and all. I scream like hell at both the wife and the kids that the power bill is huge and to shut down some stuff and put on a sweater, but it doesn't work for long. What I find odd is some people I ask complain about their power bills doubling yet they still only pay something like a hundred bucks or so. I'm like, "WHA"? It's not surprising those out of state pay much smaller power bills. I travel a lot, so I ask a lot of folks the energy bill question, and it's usually that way. If you are not in California, you don't think about power bills so much. I have never done a survey so I may be all wet about the California thing, but it certainly seems that way. In any case, I do run into a lot of people here in California who still have puny power bills and I just shake my head. How come I have to make war with my family just to keep my power bills under $800 or so while a friend across town pays a few hundred bucks, if that? I call the power folks every so often and they tell me it's zoning or something like that and it would take an act of Congress or God himself to get my rates lowered. Adding insult to injury, I have to use propane and well water, as I am out in the country and not in city limits, as are many. So now add in the propane bill, which isn't cheap. Then add in the cost of maintaining the water well and powering it and you have a giant chunk of your paycheck disappearing down the power-rat hole. I know we like to blame the power company. Oddly enough, nobody seems to blame the propane company. But they are very close to one and the same, power and propane, so we probably should. All those power plants use gas, propane, liquid fuel and some even burn wood chips and other stuff. And everything the power plants use to make power keeps going up in price with all that other "stuff." Sun and wind power help but they are not very efficient when you consider the cost to build, run, maintain and eventually dispose of the machinery at life's end. The bottom line is everything is skyrocketing in price. And this power thing takes up a bigger chunk of my income. I think the fact that power is a necessity is a bit more irritating. It's not like I am complaining about buying a boat, new car or fancy clothes that cost too much. It's about staying warm, or cool, or fed, or watered. And that's the part that bugs me. I know there are no easy solutions, and I don't offer any here today except to say, we have to get a handle on the rising costs of all things. And water, power and heat are probably the most important reasons to do so. That and putting food on the table. The remedy to that will be offered up next week. Be sure not to miss it. This article expresses the opinion of Marc Cuniberti and is not meant as investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities, nor represents the opinion of any bank, investment firm or RIA, nor this media outlet, its staff, members or underwriters. Mr. Cuniberti holds a BA in Economics with honors, 1979, and California Insurance License #0L34249. His insurance agency is BAP INC. insurance services. Email: news@moneymanagementradio.com.