tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465015914589377788.post8008277528947857687..comments2024-03-20T09:32:16.592-04:00Comments on Michael James on Money: Cheap Natural GasMichael Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10362529610470788243noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465015914589377788.post-69376859157204153532010-03-30T22:13:46.173-04:002010-03-30T22:13:46.173-04:00Gene: I did my own meter readings for a few years...Gene: I did my own meter readings for a few years to avoid the crazy double-sized estimates. After a while, a strange thing happened; the gas company started making more reasonable estimates. So, I don't have to call in my own readings any more.Michael Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10362529610470788243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465015914589377788.post-21276338808425083982010-03-30T20:14:55.246-04:002010-03-30T20:14:55.246-04:00My gas supplier (Manitoba Hydro) uses estimates ev...My gas supplier (Manitoba Hydro) uses estimates every other month to charge for gas and electricity. However, there is the option for the customer to do the readings himself and submit them online. I do this every other month to keep from paying $300 for the estimated month and $20 for the month they actually read my meter.genehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05608927986297939720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465015914589377788.post-23064356963031157942010-03-30T15:36:15.099-04:002010-03-30T15:36:15.099-04:00Patrick: It's nice to see that someone keeps ...Patrick: It's nice to see that someone keeps track of my ideas. It's also nice to see that the recent past has been consistent with my assertions back then. Of course, there has to be a period eventually where the fixed prices are better. But I can't predict when that will happen. So, I'm sticking with the strategy that I think will work best in the long run.Michael Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10362529610470788243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465015914589377788.post-85231471358867295532010-03-30T14:47:11.238-04:002010-03-30T14:47:11.238-04:00Naturally, fixed contracts are inferior to paying ...Naturally, fixed contracts are inferior to paying the actual going price. I learned that from <a href="http://michaeljamesmoney.blogspot.com/2008/05/safety-margin-beats-insurance.html" rel="nofollow">an article</a> by a very wise man.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16816252455472704262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465015914589377788.post-11807823874924228622010-03-30T07:29:39.557-04:002010-03-30T07:29:39.557-04:00Andy R: These technological improvements are the ...Andy R: These technological improvements are the main reason I've never wanted to invest in commodities. The companies that extract commodities from the earth may do well, but actually owning the commodity seems like it shouldn't work well in the long run.<br /><br />Mark Wolfinger: If it were possible to lock in current rates it might be worth thinking about, but surely the companies offering locked-in rates are maintaining a huge spread over actual current rates. The other thing I wonder about is the solvency of some of these energy marketing companies. If rates rise to the point where their customers are actually coming out ahead, then the marketing company is losing money, which it can't do forever without breaking contracts.<br /><br />Mark Warner: I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean by "tracing the baseless difference".Michael Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10362529610470788243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465015914589377788.post-87106928134883582302010-03-30T01:10:38.693-04:002010-03-30T01:10:38.693-04:00Try to lock in rates now!
How much lower can the ...Try to lock in rates now!<br /><br />How much lower can the bill get in the winter?<br /><br />But first, read your meter and compare it with the estimated reading.MarkWolfingerhttp://blog.mdwoptions.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465015914589377788.post-12778571607090093172010-03-30T01:08:56.053-04:002010-03-30T01:08:56.053-04:00You might find interesting a quick read on the fam...You might find interesting a quick read on the famous Simon-Ehrlich wager. It was a bet regarding the price of a basket of commodities over a ten year period.<br /><br />Ehrlich lost the bet, in part, because of the principle of substitution and improving technology.<br /><br />Your gas bill reflects a dramatic recent technological improvement in the extraction of natural gas, particularly from shale formations.<br /><br />The Ideas program on CBC Radio recently ran a story on salt. Apparently the Queen of England used to fret about her country's "dangerous dependence on foreign.....salt!"<br /><br />Technology and substitution has a funny way of making the doomsday prophets less than reliable. And knowing that helps commodity consumers stay out of silly contracts when the kid from the gas company knocks on your door.Andy Rnoreply@blogger.com