OandKrailroad t1_j5ju617 wrote on January 23, 2023 at 3:00 PM

Reply to comment by Linux-Is-Best in Monthly Electricity Bill Is Killing Me by haitiandev

I agree and disagree. Wish I had bought outright, and own the system, but I chose to lease them. It’s 70$ a month, and I haven’t had to pay for electricity over that since the system got installed. It’s not a great option, but 70$ on a lease is better than $500

Linux-Is-Best t1_j5jyc07 wrote on January 23, 2023 at 3:28 PM

$500 x 1 payment = 500

-vs.-

70 x 12 months = 840 x 2 years = 1,680 x 2 more years = 3,360 x forever = $$$

No, I think buying is your more affordable option. It's just the upfront cost seems to catch people. One is an endless money pit, while the other is a short-term loss with a long-term gain.

OandKrailroad t1_j5krdyy wrote on January 23, 2023 at 6:32 PM

Where is this guy only paying $500 a year?

My electric bill used to be ~$200/month. Now it’s $70. It’s good savings as far as I’m concerned. I could have saved more but buying but I’m still saving something.

Linux-Is-Best t1_j5kss2r wrote on January 23, 2023 at 6:41 PM

I'm sorry, but I cannot tell if you are intentionally misleading, or you are misunderstanding, or you are comparing apples to oranges (honestly).

$500 1x payment for the 1 solar panel. It would cost more since ideally, you would want more panels and the other equipment, plus installations. Compared to your reoccurring $70 monthly lease fee, which would be forever, adding accumulatively over time.

OandKrailroad t1_j5kuuyd wrote on January 23, 2023 at 6:54 PM

Ahhh. My bad. I thought your 500$ payment was for the bills mentioned by OP not for buying a panel. I totally agree that buying outright is the better option, I just didn’t want to make that investment. With the lease, the solar company maintains them and replaces broken panels, which to me is worth it for the convenience. For most people in most scenarios, I’d advocate ownership. At the very least DONT choose Sunrun as a provider.

Linux-Is-Best t1_j5kvd8k wrote on January 23, 2023 at 6:57 PM

> At the very least DONT choose Sunrun as a provider.

On this, I agree. I have heard so many horror stories concerning that company. I recall a whole Facebook group of peer support, with people talking about their experiences. The big problem was the company used a lot of 3rd party contractors and the results of that experience varied widely.