By Jeff Geoghan

After a month since the much-reported electric rate caps came off of Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL), surveys reported that only 13% of PPL’s customers had switched to one of the new competitors in the market.  So where are we?

As you probably know, the only change taking place is with the power generation portion of the electric market.  In other words, the transmission of the power to your home/business is still under PPL’s authority and equipment, so you’ll continue to get billed by them for that portion of your monthly bill.  The generation side was under the state-mandated rate caps for the last decade, so the impact of rising costs at the power plant level have been hidden the end user (you).  With the end of the caps you are now at the mercy of changing rates, which in PPL’s case have meant a 30% increase for January.

To ameliorate the issue, PPL offered pay-in plans over the last 2 years which allowed ratepayers to build up a bit of a war chest that would be applied to the overages coming this year.  Nobody I know took that option (for whatever that’s worth).

Now, “Electric Choice” is the buzzword as competitors announce their entry into the market to provide power generation.  The PA Office of Consumer Advocacy is maintaining the official PA list of electric providers and rate plans.  In reviewing the plans, we found that the real savings did not seem to be too compelling over PPL.  where PPL rates may have gone up 30%, even the best of these competing programs offered 10% off, so the net increase would be 20% over your 2009 and earlier bills.  Of the programs currently offered, Dominion Energy appeared to have the best safety (minimal fees) and price combination.  Dominion was also the first to get in the market and mailed a piece to all PPL customers in the fall.  One the major pitfalls of the competitive field is the presence of large early-termination fees (which we all know & love from cell phones, etc) which curb our ability as consumers to change our providers as new and better programs come online.

Either way, if you have electric heat or otherwise depend on PPL for a chunk of your utility usage, you’d better get on with making a decision.  One event coming up this week promises to help answer questions about Lancaster County electric choice – State Representative John Bear put together an open house on the subject:

Rep. John C. Bear (R-Lancaster) will be holding an Electric Choice One-Stop Shop Event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4, at the Jewish Community Center at 2120 Oregon Pike, Lancaster to help constituents learn more about the whole new world of electric choice and deregulation, speak directly to the new suppliers of electricity in our area about program offerings, and exercise their option to sign up for the supplier of their choice

You can read the full announcement at Representative Bear’s website.  If you like talking to people rather than studying paperwork then I would highly recommend this event.

If any readers have helpful comments or advice on coping with electric choice please feel free to post here or contact us.  We’ll stay with this story as the spring season approaches…

By Chad Diller – Certified Turfgrass Professional

Can’t we just get a lawn?  It seems like an easy question, but in my experience, I have learned not to assume everyone knows how to be a master on their own turf. Establishing and maintaining a beautiful lawn, in Lancaster County PA or elsewhere, is both an art and a science. Whether you just want something green to look at, or you want your sod to be the pride of the neighborhood, lawn care is a carefully executed strategy. Here are some points to ponder when planning on making your lawn look better:

• Water: Water is the most important element you can give your lawn. If Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, you should water your lawn a few mornings per week. Don’t water in the evening, as it can promote turf disease.
• Mowing: Use a sharp mower blade, and mow frequently enough, so as to only to remove 1/3 of the grass blade at a time. Make sure you mow at the right height. You should have a 3” tall blade when finished cutting. Mowing too short will promote weed growth and even damage grass plants. Mowing too tall can promote certain turf diseases, so get out that ruler.
• Seeding: If it isn’t thick, make it thick! If your lawn is really thin, or just needs a little nudge in getting fuller, there are many types of seeding. These vary from Aeration & Seeding for a decent lawn, to Slice-Seeding a really weak lawn, to Complete Renovation of a lost-cause. Be sure to do what’s right for your specific situation. Bad conditions call for drastic measures.
• Treatment Program: Nutrient levels and Soil pH are very crucial to growing a thick, green lawn. There are also more pests that come on your lawn than that nosy neighbor down the street. Be sure to do your homework when considering a Lawn Care Plan. Whether you purchase the materials yourself, or choose a company that specializes in this type of work, be sure you are making your decision for the long-term health of your lawn. If you choose to contract a Lawn Care company in the Lancaster, PA area, choose one with a proven track record, and a great reputation. Like many other purchases in life, you get what you pay for.

Chad Diller

Tomlinson Bomberger Lawn Care, Landscape, & Pest Control

Certified Turfgrass Professional

Certified Arborist

717-278-5898

ChadD@TBLL.com

By Jeremy Walter – Bare Financial Services

Eleven more months to go in 2010 – and studies show that as many as three out of five of us will have already broken our New Year resolutions.  That said, maybe your own resolutions need a tweak or two.

Stephen Covey demonstrates in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, that those who win in life begin with the end in mind.  Said differently, if we want to be successful in life, we need to know what we’re aiming for.  This is the reason why I’m personally such a fan of goals and resolutions, even if we find ourselves not meeting all of them.

When it comes to finances, goals are critical.  Retirement goals, education goals, freedom from debt goals, lifestyle goals – these are what puts a purpose behind our money and our income.  We want our money to accomplish something, right?  And it’s with this mindset that I’d encourage you to consider setting a 2010 financial goal for your home.

This goal is going to be highly individualized for your unique situation.  Maybe you’re just starting out on your own, and you want to save a certain thousand dollars to use as a down payment on your home.  Or maybe you’re outgrowing your first home, and you want to pay down the mortgage to a certain point that you have so much equity to use for your next home.  Or maybe you’re near the end of your mortgage and if you hit it hard enough, you’ll be able to knock it out a few years early.  Or perhaps it’s time to explore that rental property you’ve been contemplating and you want to have the home purchased by the end of the year.

In business school one learns about setting SMART goals.  Be Specific with the 2010 home goal.  Set a certain dollar or percentage amount that is Measurable.  Be realistic and make the goal Attainable.  Envision the accomplishment of this goal and be sure it’s Rewarding to you in its fulfillment.  And set a specific date you want to achieve this goal to make it a Timely one.

Determine your end result – and put it in writing.  Print multiple copies and go to Staples and get them laminated.  Hang them everywhere.  For me personally, I have my 2010 goals hung in my car, in my office, as my bookmark, and in the shower.  “Out of sight out of mind” the saying goes – so keep your 2010 home goal in front of you.

We’ve got 11 months to the end of year – let’s try to be the minority and achieve what we set before ourselves.