Korean Job Discussion Forums

[falldownstumble]

I just got a 169,000 Won gas bill. My highest ever before this has been 60,000. I live in a tiny room, and I am an incredibly frugal person when it comes to using heat (thanks to my father's influence...man, it sucked growing up in a drafty house in Wisconsin with such a furnace-nazi, but it stuck).

Anyway, I talked to the other people in my building about how much they turn the heat up and how much their bills were, and mine seems to be outrageous. I would just like to hear others' experiences before I attempt to raise a stink. Have you ever gotten a bill this high in a small studio apartment, when you don't ever really turn the heat up high?

More than that, I'm hoping someone has an idea of what could be wrong in an old/poorly-maintained apartment building to make a heating bill way higher than what I'm actually trying to use. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

Thanks!

[Mebertz]

my highest has been 45,000, and only because I left the heat on when I went to work 2 days. Usually it's 35,000. I almost never have the heat on though.

Mike

[Mebertz]

my highest has been 45,000, and only because I left the heat on when I went to work 2 days. Usually it's 35,000. I almost never have the heat on though.

Mike

[cheeseface]

I pay around 80,000 for a 24 pyong apartment with two rooms only used for clothes and storage.

But I'm two hours out of Seoul by public transport, 45 mins on a good day by car.

[KYC]

180,000 to 190,000 each month. I live in a rural area and have to buy my own oil for the boiler. I fill it up 200L each month. Quite expensive...and one of the drawbacks of living in the boonies...

[mrsquirrel]

Normally 60k cold season
30k hot.

But Last month it was 120k and this month it's 68k and I wasn't even there. I suspect that Spliff was hanging out in my apartment though using my heat to save money.

[Komichi]

Last month I had to fork out nearly 400,000 won, and my place is very tiny.

I was slightly upset.

[seoul101]

About 80k for me this month, my place isn't big, probably about 15 or so pyeong.. really drafty though.

[viipuri]

Winter is always pricey for me - last month's gas bill for my house (I live in a single two-bedroom house [yes - me, all alone] , in Seoul, about 20 pyeong plus bathroom/outside area) was 142,000 (and previous month was 120,000)...but I do take long showers and have to pump up the heat if I have Korean friends over/crashing the night...summer is usually something like 5-10,000 won though...

If gas prices concern you, get a small electric heater...I have one also when I have no one around and keep the place mild with the ondol and the room I'm in (TV/computer room) warm with the heater...it also has a humidifying function...

[spliff]

Just got mine yesterday...56,000. And my apt is always toasty.

[nomad-ish]

i pay about 60,000-70,000 in the winter. but i crank the heat and take really long, hot showers.

[mrsquirrel]

[falldownstumble]

Well most of your posts make it sound like I am getting screwed somehow. I just can't fathom what could be happening. The most damning evidence is that the people who live in the same building as me and say they use their heat more than I do have very low bills. Maybe I am paying to heat the whole damn building.

[spliff]

Unfortunately lasts month electric power bill was 67,000 due to running a little electric heater. However, I'm pleased to say that the bill should be back in the teens as we've discontinued using said firebox...sorry I ever acquired that little turd, I am.

[mjdb27]

live in a decent sized studio, maybe 15x25, pay about 10-15,000 a month, always forget to turn my heat off when i go to work. take hour long showers. keep the heat around 22-27.