Utility Bill Costs—Have You Taken Them into Account? Part II

When consumers are at their maximum on debt to equity ratios and utility bills only continue to rise, it becomes a matter of “robbing Peter to pay Paul”. That once simple mortgage payment of $1933 a month is often times cannibalized to pay utility bills that must still be paid even when times are tough. 30 Year fixed mortgage loan payments stay the same while energy costs do not. One can be paying $150 in April for electric but when the summer’s blistering heat happens that bill can double or even triple and leave homeowners searching to come up with an extra $300 or $400 per month—the juggling act known as “robbing Peter to pay Paul” begins.

When funds become tighter as home utility bills increase, the funds needed to cover these increased costs must come from some where. Credit cards are frequently used to pay these reoccurring monthly expenses. The juggling act is now in full swing and it is not long before the decision becomes whether to pay the utility bill or the mortgage payment. By the time one is at this level of choice it is not very long before one finds them self either in foreclosure or without electric power.

There are some people that do not think financial problems will befall them and then there are some people afraid to move forward fearing something catastrophic will cause them financial ruin. It does not have to be an “either or” situation. The more you know about energy efficient homes the less likely you are to end up in an unpleasant home ownership situation as described above. When looking to purchase a home, one must learn more than just the acquisition cost of the home. Consumers must begin to take into account the energy operating costs of the homes they are purchasing. The larger the house, the larger the utility bills will be unless it is energy efficient. An energy efficient home will add comfort to your lives and dollars to your pocket.

Copyright © 2006, Frangipani & Siti Crook, The Energy Efficient Home Team™