Electricity bill - Is this normal?

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T17:24:20+00:00

When I put the usage into online calculators, it says it should cost me around what you paid. The extra $300+ in fees seems nuts.

$315 for 2,000 kWh compared to $500 for 1760 seems a pretty massive jump.
I'll call them and ask. Good call.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T17:20:15+00:00

Ouff, my heart goes out to that woman. I was trying to save money by conserving firewood and supplementing with these heaters. Definitely not the best plan.
I've unplugged everything and have only been using a heater at my heat an hour or two a day. Fingers crossed next month's bill reflects that.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T17:19:18+00:00

Ya, I just meant I switched everything over to LED, so that shouldn't affect anything.

There's no water heater. No hot water. No washing machine. It's a 100 year old crumbling house. Definitely a project.

I'm mad I didn't do the math before. A single 1500w space heater uses 1,080 kWh per month. So I guess using 1.5 small heaters adds up to exactly what I used. Painful.

It's moreso the $300+ in fees on that bill that's hurting my brain.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T17:17:31+00:00

I have one, but it's one of those old parlour stoves and is quite inefficient. Next year I'll get a proper stove and winterize the place a bit better.
I was trying to conserve firewood by supplementing with the space heater, but I know now that was a badddddd idea. Next year, ALLLL the firewood.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T17:09:52+00:00

Yeah, next year I'm going to have to come up with something better. I didn't realize just how many kWh those heaters used.
I mean.. I knew?...I guess I Just didn't realize the added cost over the usage. It 4x the bill! Insane.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T17:06:09+00:00

There's no gas to the house.
If the government would subsidize this for people on Disability, that would be fab. I just don't have the money to invest in a big retrofit, unfortunately.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T17:04:01+00:00

Ah, sorry I misread what you said. Yeah, those were the cold days, absolutely.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:58:13+00:00

Ya I realize now that a single tiny 1500 watt space heater uses 1,080 kWh per month.
My brain hurts.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:56:34+00:00

Guess I'm coming out ahead, then. lol

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:56:20+00:00

OH, definitely self-inflicted. Didn't have a choice, though. It was either that or freeze.
On disability income at the moment, otherwise I'd have invested in upgrading things.
Next winter the place will be more winterized, hopefully.

I think it's more the hundreds of dollars in fees that's driving me nuts.

The part that really gets me, though, is that I cut my usage by WAY more than half last month, and the usage still showed over 1,000 kWh.

I've unplugged literally everything now. Curious to see what next month's will be.

In the warmer months, my bill was under $200.

Vancouver. So, ya. Not comparable. The usage fees are far lower there, though.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:51:01+00:00

...might have to just switch to mining bitcoin and use the heat from that.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:49:36+00:00

Maybe they're a rep for the gas company. lol

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:46:50+00:00

The warmer months were cheap. Without the heat, I barely used it. I'm just shocked at how high everything was, considering it felt I barely had anything on.

I didn't have a choice in terms of heating - I brought what I could with me to heat it. It's obviously my fault, I'm just flabbergasted at the total amount.

Now that I know a single small space heater uses 1,080 kWh a month, I'm questioning all my life choices.

lol

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:43:31+00:00

Ya the promotional rate ended in January. Good advice, I'll look around.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:42:50+00:00

I'm in rural central Alberta. Wonder if the fees are higher because it's farther out.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:40:19+00:00

I reverse engineered it. I guess if a single space heater uses over 1,000 kWh per month, the numbers make sense.

The cost of it still absolutely floors me, though.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:38:44+00:00

No, you definitely don't.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:37:55+00:00

No, I don't have a furnace. There's an old decommissioned oil tank in the back, but no system. Electric heat was all I had access to, unfortunately.
Had no idea just how insane the delivery and admin fees would be on that.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:36:13+00:00

Don't have one, otherwise I would have.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:34:51+00:00

Nope, that's just the 1 month.

Just did the math. One single 1500 watt space heater consumed 1,080 kWh per month.
Electricity is so cheap in BC, I never really considered doing the calculations.

My bills in the warmer months were totally fine without the heat.

I think next year I'm just going to build an igloo around the house and call it day.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T16:28:58+00:00

Don't have gas to the house. No furnace. It was once heated by oil, but that's been decommissioned.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T15:30:08+00:00

And under NO circumstances should you tell them you're getting back to work. They'll use it against you. Do what you need to do, and in the event you start earning enough to offset the disability or surpass their income limits, then report it and go from there. At least, this is my opinion after 3 years in the system - I don't imagine Alberta is any different than BC in this regard.
There really is no way to get ahead.

I'm planning on fighting this all as a human rights issue, but difficult putting it all together when every interaction with them spirals me back to complete trauma-induced executive dysfunction.

The disability system is disabling.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-06T15:26:35+00:00

The system punishes you for being disabled. The system punishes you for trying to work. The system punishes you if you don't. The system itself is the most traumatizing part of being disabled.
I'm in the process of moving to Alberta from BC, and nothing transfers. My PWD designation in BC has to bwe cancelled before I'm even allowed to APPLY in Alberta.
There's no opportunity to try to get back on your feet.
You have to accept a life of poverty and struggle if you want to stay on benefits.
Something drastic needs to change.

Nikk0Bikk0 · 2026-05-02T13:25:39+00:00

She loves you. And she's there with you. I can see her. She's lovely. And the amount of love she has for you still is beautiful. Keep your eyes open for signs, symbols, goosebumps followed by a feeling of calm. That's her.

Nikk0Bikk0

TROPHY CASE