Your Electric Bill - Your Price to Compare Can Mean Savings!

Everyone wants to save money these days. Take some time to examine your monthly household bills. For example, look closely at your monthly electric bill. You may be able to save money by buying your electricity from a supplier other than your utility for a substantial savings.

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Your electric bill is actually a composite of many charges associated with delivering electricity to your house. To simplify -- you can lump all charges into three categories:

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Supply charge. The electricity delivered to your house is either generated by your utility, purchased by your utility from another company, or is a combination of both internally generated and purchased electricity. That is your supply charge. Somewhere on your bill is your "price to compare" -- given in cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity. It is the rate you are being charged just for electricity -- sometimes referred to as "commodity charge." Multiply your "price to compare" times the number of kilowatt-hours of electricity you use to determine your supply charge. Fixed charges. Every month your utility charges you a fixed amount for being a customer. This amount does not vary depending on the amount of electricity you use. It covers the utility's costs of maintaining you as customer, even if you used "zero" electricity. Your state may also impose a fixed tax on your bill, regardless of the amount of power you use. Variable charges. All other charges on your bill vary depending upon how much electricity you use. For example, take your electric transmission and delivery charges. Your bill calculates this charge for you by multiplying the kilowatt-hours you used by the rate for electric transmission and delivery. Other charges are computed in the same way.

Here's how you can save on your supply charge

Call your electric utility and ask if they offer supply choice. If they do, ask for a list of alternate suppliers and their rates that you can compare with your own utility's "price to compare."

You may find that you are already getting the best deal. Or perhaps the savings will be so little that it's not worth your while to contract with an alternate supplier.

If you do find that your savings justify switching to an alternative supplier, you'll have to contact that supplier in order to sign up. Read the terms of the contract carefully. How long will the supplier guarantee this rate? What happens at the end of the contract period? If everything looks o.k. and your potential saving looks good, go ahead and sign up and save!

Your Electric Bill - Your Price to Compare Can Mean Savings!

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Compare Home Depot's "Tuff Shed" With Lowes "Kwik Shed"

Compare Home Depot's "Tuff Shed" Wooden Storages Sheds with Lowes "Kwik" Shed.

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I compared the 8 X 10 feet wooden storage sheds that were on display at both locations. The Tuff Shed series KR-600 of Home Depot has galvanized metal floor joists, which will not rust, with ¾ inch decking. The walls have full length 2x4 single top and base wall plates. They also have heavy duty 2x4 rafters jointed by metal plates. They have a large 4 x 6 feet galvanized metal reinforced door and a steel keyed paddle style locking system. The hinges on the door are heavy duty galvanized steel. This wooden storage shed does not come as storage shed kit and must be constructed on site by Home Depots technicians. As an added convenience Tuff Shed also offers a wide variety of option packages which include windows, ventilations systems, storage shelves, pegboards, workbenches, ramps, and even solar security lights. The price for this shed is 49.00 or 49.00 painted. With these prices you get delivery and installation.

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The Lowes Kwik Shed 8 X 10 feet wooden storage shed.

The floor joists of 2 X 4 inch lumber are set on 24 inch centers. They are set on treated skids but the 2 X 4s are not treated so if this shed is placed on a damp surface or on the ground the 2X4's being in such close proximity to the ground may draw moisture. If you have anything that needs to be stored in a dry location then it must not be stored on the floor. The studs in the walls and in the ceiling are set on 24 inch centers. In the walls this may be minimally acceptable but this distance causes the ½ decking on the roof to bow and the shingles do not seal correctly so there is always a possibility that the roof will leak. The floor is constructed with 3/4 inch particle board which will not withstand moisture for any length of time. Any problems with water will cause a separation of the glue and the saw dust composition and the floor will finally fail. The back wall is constructed using 1 inch lumber instead of 2 x 4 studs which is totally unacceptable. The cost of this wooden storage shed is 49.00 installed and it can also be purchased as a storage building kit for 8.00.

The difference between the Home Depot, Tuff Shed, priced at 49.00 and the Lowes Kwik Shed, priced at 49.00 is almost like night and day. You may think that there is some exaggeration on my part, but I assure you that I have no bias in either direction and my motives are strictly as a service to the public. If you are shopping for wooden storage buildings, which I also believe far surpass the metal building kits on the market, then check out the Tuff Shed line at Home Depot.

Compare Home Depot's "Tuff Shed" With Lowes "Kwik Shed"

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