12.31.09
Let’s start the new year off right! I have mentioned many times in my writings that I recommend people, retirees especially, look for ways to control costs in retirement. One way to do this is through controlling the cost of utilities.
What spurred this thought was this article from Bloomberg about California electric bills and new meters:
Apparently, the new meters installed by PG&E, California’s largest electricity supplier, are so accurate, that some users’ bills are doubling!
Now, if you live in a big city, this is not easy since you are attached to a grid but if you live in the suburbs, you can consider alternative sources for your electricity, water, heat – in ways such as solar roof panels, water wells, and a wood stove. All these could protect you if we face rising utilities costs due to such causes as rising cost of fuels that energy plants use, rising cost to maintain old grids (such as ours), or the dollar devaluing (which it has done since the creation of the Fed to the tune of over 90%) causing the costs of fuels to rise in US dollars.
understand something – we’ve had it easy in the US these past few decades – with a strengthening dollar, cheap energy and raw materials costs – our costs of living had increased but never exploded long term. We may be facing that risk now – you would be wise to look into alternative energy. And
By the way, I visited a home this past week where the owner installed solar electricity panels which offset his electric bill 100%! Smart move and definitely helps shield him from possible energy cost increases.
