San Diego’s Rising Prices: How Laundry Services Can Help You Save Money
Inflation has affected everyone, regardless of their economic status, with rates reaching as high as 7.7% year-to-year. However, the situation with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has been particularly difficult, with significant spikes in prices, even during a “non-recession” period.
Data shows that In San Diego cost per unit of natural gas has more than doubled for the month of January, increasing from $2.36 per unit in January 2022 to $5.11 per unit in January 2023. This means that customers who had a peak winter gas bill of $105 last year can expect their bill to increase to $225 this month and so on. Similarly, electricity rates have also increased up to 7%.
With these significant increases, many consumers are looking for ways to manage their energy costs more effectively. One solution that can help is to outsource laundry services to a professional provider. By using high-efficiency machines and energy-efficient dryers, professional laundry services can significantly reduce the amount of energy used to complete the laundry process.
The Rising Cost of Gas And Electricity in San Diego
Initially, in October 2022 SDG&E warned consumers of a $28 increase in electrical costs. However, this increase was relatively small compared to what followed in December and January. In January, the cost of a “therm” ( a gas unit) nearly doubled, from $2.55 in December to $5.11 per therm. SDG&E has over 900,000 gas meters in homes and businesses, and over 90% of the increase in overall gas rates is driven by the market price for natural gas.
SDG&E maintains that it does not charge a markup for natural gas. The utility pays suppliers for natural gas on behalf of its customers, and if it pays $1 for natural gas in the commodity market, that’s what customers pay, plus $1.65 per therm ($1.56 for SDG&E directly and 9 cents for a public purpose program) for delivering the commodity to consumers.
Natural gas is not only used for heating and cooking but also generates 40% of the country’s electricity. Therefore, when the price of natural gas soars, it also raises the price of electricity.
What worse, according to the SDG&E proposal from this year to 2027, a typical residential customer using 400 kilowatt-hours would see an $8.45 increase per month in their electricity bill, which is a 5.3% increase compared to 2023. Additionally, natural gas rates would go up by 17.5%, resulting in a $9.16 monthly increase for residential customers using 24 therms in a given month
The price of natural gas in San Diego California increased due to several factors, including reduced storage, pipeline problems, and chilly weather. According to analysts, the reduction in storage caused by the closure of the Aliso Canyon storage facility in 2015, which was responsible for 60% of Southern California’s gas storage, contributed to the increase in natural gas prices.
The pipeline problems were due to maintenance and damage caused by wildfires. Finally, the cold weather led to higher demand for natural gas and electricity for heating purposes, which resulted in higher prices.
How Laundry Services Can Help You Save Money?
With recent increase in price hikes, one area where you might not think to look for savings is your laundry routine. Many people assume that doing laundry at home is the most cost-effective option, but that’s not always the case. If you factor in the cost of energy, water, and laundry detergent, as well as the wear and tear on your appliances, doing laundry at home can actually be quite expensive.
That’s where laundry services come in. laundry services can potentially help residential customers manage their electricity and natural gas usage. One way laundry services can help is by offering energy-efficient washing machines and dryers, which can reduce the amount of electricity used during each laundry cycle.
Additionally, laundry services can promote practices such as washing clothes in cold water, which can help reduce natural gas usage. By using energy-efficient equipment and adopting sustainable practices, residential customers can potentially reduce their electricity and natural gas bills and mitigate the impact of rate increases proposed by utility companies like SDG&E.
Also, many laundry services offer discounts and special deals to regular customers, which can help you save even more money in the long run. But how much can you actually save by using a laundry service? It depends on your individual laundry needs, but in general, outsourcing your laundry can save you anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars per month. If you have a large family and do several loads of laundry per week, the savings can really add up over time.
Another benefit of using laundry services is the convenience factor. With laundry services, you won’t have to spend hours sorting, washing, and folding your clothes. Instead, you can drop off your laundry and pick it up clean, folded, and ready to wear. This can be a huge time saver, especially for busy families or individuals with demanding work schedules.
