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Most utilities have penalty rates for exceeding certain thresholds of usage. They can hit you twice : once for an increased transmission charge that is dependent on your usage and then with a penalty rate for the electricity or water used. For instance due to a water shortage in the West, many utilities will charge 3 times as much for water once a threshold is reached. Typically, these thresholds are most often exceeded in the months of July and August where they can tack on $100 or $200 to a utility bill. However, if you plan your summer vacation at the end of one of these periods you can often bring usage to near zero for a week or even ten days. That "shut down" can save you a bundle since it all would have been at the penalty rate. While your grass may need water sorely when you get back, the extra usage will likely get charged at normal rates since the following periods have cooler weather. In addition, your use of air conditioning will plummet during the peak season week and your house, void of its normal inhabitants, will get by just fine. The extra $100 plus that you save can cover the cost of a nice meal on your vacation.
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