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My4GirlsMyLife
My 4 girlies
Member since 2/08 9702 total posts
Name:
Valerie
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Lipa is out of control !!
Thank you for my $200 bills every month( estimated) and thank you for my $621 bill I recieved today b/c the estimates were wrong 
ETA: This is my first yr in a house and was not expecting this at all !! I live in a small ranch 
Message edited 8/26/2010 1:06:59 PM.
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Posted 8/26/10 1:02 PM  |
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Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource | Long Island Weddings |
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
I'm sorry your estimate was so off, maybe the last homeowners used a lot less power, and they estimated off of them.
edit to add:
Maybe its better to go on actual reading.
Message edited 8/26/2010 1:13:07 PM.
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| Posted 8/26/10 1:12 PM |
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Erica
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 11767 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
this was a BAD summer - electricity use has been crazy for everyone.
balanced billing or not - you are using the electricity.
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| Posted 8/26/10 1:14 PM |
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ttcc
LIF Toddler
Member since 7/09 453 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
FYI. On the back of each bill you can see how your actual usage compares to the balanced billing. If you owe or have a balance in your favor.
But LIPA probably should have adjusted the balanced billing if you were that much over.
Message edited 8/26/2010 1:22:26 PM.
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| Posted 8/26/10 1:21 PM |
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hazeleyes33
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 13060 total posts
Name:
Ginger
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
Mine went from $130/month to $185 for the last 2 months and now I owe $154 for the end of the year. Sept bill $339 and then goes back down to $130/month.
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| Posted 8/26/10 1:36 PM |
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Blazesyth
*yawn*
Member since 5/05 8129 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
This is why you don't use balanced billing.
Sure - 11 months it's the same; then month 12 SURPRISE!!! I'd rather pay actual usage thruout the year instead of paying it all at once.
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| Posted 8/26/10 1:49 PM |
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
$435 for us this month.
I love how last month it was only $39, so we did brace ourselves for this bill, but still!
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| Posted 8/26/10 1:53 PM |
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My4GirlsMyLife
My 4 girlies
Member since 2/08 9702 total posts
Name:
Valerie
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
I don't understand any of this lol . I guess I am really clueless ! I know I used the electric , and I have no problem paying it , but I didn't know this happens ! I was in a co-op for 10 yrs and never had this issue , so I am definately new to this ! I don't have the "in your favor or their favor" on my bill .. can I request that?
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| Posted 8/26/10 2:03 PM |
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My4GirlsMyLife
My 4 girlies
Member since 2/08 9702 total posts
Name:
Valerie
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
Posted by Blazesyth
This is why you don't use balanced billing.
Sure - 11 months it's the same; then month 12 SURPRISE!!! I'd rather pay actual usage thruout the year instead of paying it all at once.
How do I do this? I would rather pay upfront what I need to and not have any surprises KWIM. I think I will send them more than they say.
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| Posted 8/26/10 2:04 PM |
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MeNBobs
*****
Member since 4/07 3765 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
  I am scared to get mine too.
Between the AC, the dehumidifier and the pool filter running non stop I may have to sell a lung. I have been sending in more than I owe each month. I know I'm still going to owe more but I am hoping it will soften the blow.
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| Posted 8/26/10 2:09 PM |
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LeShellem
A new beginning
Member since 2/07 3600 total posts
Name:
LeShelle
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
Posted by Blazesyth
This is why you don't use balanced billing.
Sure - 11 months it's the same; then month 12 SURPRISE!!! I'd rather pay actual usage thruout the year instead of paying it all at once.
Same here. Electric is high in the summer and Oil is high in the winter. The two pretty much balances to about the same every month. I don't like surprises.
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| Posted 8/26/10 3:16 PM |
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hazeleyes33
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 13060 total posts
Name:
Ginger
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
Posted by Blazesyth
This is why you don't use balanced billing.
Sure - 11 months it's the same; then month 12 SURPRISE!!! I'd rather pay actual usage thruout the year instead of paying it all at once.
This is the first year we have owed so much. But I have to tell you, my dh was home as he was not working fulltime for awhile, my dd has been home for the summer and we used our ac the most we ever had.
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| Posted 8/26/10 3:38 PM |
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Coosie
So in love with my little boy!
Member since 1/10 1889 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
I feel like LIPA never knows what they are doing....we're on balanced billing...it was $107/month - then this month the bill says its going up to $138 next month b/c we're using so much electric. I feel like calling them and saying no $hit we're using so much electric....it's friggen hot....but in a few months, the electric will go down and they'll readjust my bill again to a lower rate. It's a roller coaster ride with them b/c unlike the oil company, they don't want to issue a refund or roll over the balance into next year. They want to break even or us owe them. NEVER they owe us!
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| Posted 8/26/10 4:18 PM |
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bella
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 1871 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
I so feel your pain, I jsut posted ontihs yesterday, we got a crazy bill too!! I am now sitting in my 80 degree house afraid to turn the AC on 
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| Posted 8/26/10 4:22 PM |
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bookworm
Two Little Rosebuds
Member since 8/09 2106 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
we have a similar situation because the house was unoccupied for almost a year, and they're basing the estimates on that. every other month we get a whopper bill that makes up the difference accounted for in the actual meter reading.
our solution: we set what we know is too much aside each month. what doesn't get eaten away with the unpredictable lipa bills will go towards skyrocketing heat in the winter--THAT'S what really scares us as first-time homeowners.
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| Posted 8/26/10 6:20 PM |
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Blazesyth
*yawn*
Member since 5/05 8129 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
Posted by My3girlsMylife
Posted by Blazesyth
This is why you don't use balanced billing.
Sure - 11 months it's the same; then month 12 SURPRISE!!! I'd rather pay actual usage thruout the year instead of paying it all at once.
How do I do this? I would rather pay upfront what I need to and not have any surprises KWIM. I think I will send them more than they say.
Just call them and tell them you want off of balanced billing. They do actual readings every other month. So for example January will be estimated then February will be actual. If you paid under in January, you make up in Feb.. if you paid over in January, it would go towards Feb's bill. This way there are no surprises. Every 2 months you are even instead of paying estimated for 11 months and then in month 12 having to pay the huge 'true-up' bill for the whole year.
Posted by LeShellem
Same here. Electric is high in the summer and Oil is high in the winter. The two pretty much balances to about the same every month. I don't like surprises.
This is exactly the way we look at it.
Message edited 8/26/2010 8:17:52 PM.
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| Posted 8/26/10 8:12 PM |
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wants-2-b-a-mommy
LIF Adolescent
Member since 6/10 593 total posts
Name:
cant tell ya yet!
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
360 for us this month, i was actually shocked it wasn't more considering how hot it was
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| Posted 8/27/10 9:20 AM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
I see balanced billing as a gamble, for everyone. For you, trusting that they will estimate well. For them, assuming environmental items like weather and your habits, which they have no control over.
When we have much hotter and drier summers like this one than normal, everyone is going to be off. They can't predict that. They don't know if you have big, mature trees shading your house in the hottest part of the day or if they were cut down. They don't know if your refrigerator was purchased on sale because it isn't energy star compliant or is not as efficient as it could be. They don't know what you set the AC to, how often someone is home, if you tend to leave it off when you're not there and then blast it on high for hours, how often you cook and heat up the kitchen, etc.
If they forecast more usage than we have, we're not going to be happy with paying an overage during the year. If they forecast less, we're going to be unhappy about getting a drastic increase in our bill.
Even with their formulas, history on previous owners or whatnot, I think it's a better use of time to concentrate on how you can avoid a high bill rather than depending on your utility company to tell you how it's going to be.
I think it's just one of those situations in life where you have to roll with the punches and do the best you can with the unknown. The only thing you can control in these situations is how much you use and how efficient your house and appliances are with electricity use, cooling and heating. It s*cks but it's home ownership. 
eta: (disclaimer) this is just a general opinion, not directed at the OP or anyone else in particular. Really. 
Message edited 8/27/2010 9:27:03 AM.
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| Posted 8/27/10 9:25 AM |
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jmf423
:)
Member since 5/05 6372 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
When we bought out house they suggested we don't do balanced billing the first year so we could get an idea of what WE use as opposed to what the previous owners used.
I like knowing what we use every month and think i might stay off the balanced billing.
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| Posted 8/27/10 9:38 AM |
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pnbplus1
Family
Member since 5/09 5751 total posts
Name:
Mommy
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
Posted by jmf423
When we bought out house they suggested we don't do balanced billing the first year so we could get an idea of what WE use as opposed to what the previous owners used.
I like knowing what we use every month and think i might stay off the balanced billing.
Same for us - But we actually read our meter every other month (they it read the other month) and this way we are always paying our bill based on actual usage and not estimated. I like it this way. I don't pay them anything extra, they don't hold any of my money for future use. Plus, if it were to be really high, then I can try to make adjustments and see if they are making a difference once the next bill comes.
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| Posted 8/27/10 11:31 AM |
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Mommy2Boys
My Boys!!!!
Member since 6/06 14437 total posts
Name:
C
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
Being it is your first year in the home they estimate based on the previous owners usage. By next year the balanced billing should be pretty consistant since they have this year to work off of.
We have been in the house for 4 years and at the end of the year we always have to reconcile approx. $200-300.
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| Posted 8/28/10 8:07 PM |
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HeatherRose
Life is Good :)
Member since 11/07 6605 total posts
Name:
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Re: Lipa is out of control !!
I don't do balance billing because I want to pay for my exact usuage
but even when you don't do it, they "estimate" bills sometimes and don't send out a reader. if it says estimate and not actual on it, I make sure to go outside write down the numbers and go online and enter it in. then it tells me the right amount to pay for the month. one month it told me to call because it was so far from their estimate, but we were running the ac so much and a pool. it went from their estimate of $110 to $360!! but I'd rather pay the $360 now then pay it the next month when they do the actual reading plus the current month. it also helps to tell me to be better with the electric. this was our first high month since we have been in the house. we just got the next bill and its $210. I can handle that.
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| Posted 8/28/10 9:16 PM |
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