Reducing Utility Expenses is Easier Than You Think

Take a look at your communities electric bills.  You probably see several meters being billed to the community.   Now take a closer look. 

How many meters are billed for small dollar amounts?  Something in the neighborhood of $15.00 to $30.00 per month.  Now look closer.  How many are billed for 3 to 5 KWH each month?  I found 5 meters being billed for small amounts of usage.  In fact the taxes and usage costs were around $1.50 per month for each of the 5 meters.  The meter rental fee is more than the cost of the electricity around $17.00 per meter. 

If these are meters running to the irrigation system then get controllers that use batteries.  It could add up to a savings of around $900.00 per year.   

Look at the Soil in Your HOA as the Source of Landscaping Problems

The soil in which you are cultivating dictates the plants that will grow and how much water needed to grow them.  Soil that is good for growing sugarcane is considered to be poorly draining soil for growing wheat.  Growing plants purchased from a nursery may be grown in the area but, aren't growing in native soil.  These plants are growing in rich black soil that drains well with organic matter and lots of nutrients. 

Scottsdale Water Rates Increase July 1, 2012 Updated

Some board members have been using the scare tactic that if we don't reduce usage the city will go to a tiered billing system.  Scottsdale has always been on a tiered billing system for water.  The base fee is based on the meter size and the usage is based on gallons used and has been for many years. 

Information Missing from Your HOA Budget

A budget is more than just determining how much will be spent based on historical costs. It's more than just numbers on a paper to use as a guideline. It provides the information needed to make economical decisions and determine what is a bargin and what is not. The only problem is that most budgets are missing the information nessasary to know bargin shopping.