I think something is wrong with my heater. Is it possible for a heater to go bad and start using excessive amounts of electricity? Bill was $200, then $300, now $400. Never in my life have I had a bill over $120

Is this a heat pump? If the heat pump faults out your auxiliary heat will kick in(pure resistance heat.$$$$ just like a oven element or water heater.) It will bring the room temp with in 2 degrees and the kick out with the heatpump not working right the room temp will drop 2 degrees only to bring on the aux. heat again. It's a never ending cycle until spring or if you get it fixed. (Heat pump scenario.)

You pose a difficult question to answer since we don't know if you are in Key West or Alaska. How many and what type of windows, insulation, how hot do you keep the apt? What type of heat? All electric? We can possibly help you if you give us more info.

OK - sorry. Live in NJ, all electric. No windows, one sliding glass door, which I covered in plastic and sealed with electrical tape, after the $200 bill. Next month was still higher at $300 then last month at $400.

No clue about the insulation, I rent. I have no idea what type of heater it is. It's in the wall, has a fan, has a knob on it with 0-7. 3 is as high as I ever set it.

It is just such a small apartment. I don't see how I can have a $400 bill. Especially with such huge increases every month, what is it going to be this month $500? I had a guy from the electric company come out to check things and he told me "Hot air rises" and "If you open the doors the heat will go out" - not very helpful. I am just wondering if the heater is broken and sucking electricity for no reason...

Forgot to mention, last night I woke up freezing and I was cold today too and it seemed like the heater was just blowing out air with no heat. I turned it all the way off and on again and now it is blowing out heat but I don't check it all the time

All electric, colder temps mean higher electric bills. Remember your are seeing some of the coldest temps you have seen in a while for the area for a extended period. Not to sound mean but people in Florida have seen the highest bills for a long time for their area. If you rent I'm sure its not the best of being energy efficient.

You have all electric heat in a very cold environment and a very cold winter. You could have no insulation in the ceiling or walls. If you have a 10,000 watt heater at 10 cents per KWH, probably average for NJ, that's 24$ per day X 30 days, =$720. If your electric heater was broken, you would have no heat. Sorry for what may be bad news for next month. By the way, how do you live in a 300 sq. ft. apt?

I think you're right, I don't think I have any insulation.. It seems like I can feel cold air blowing in the apt. I think the hearer is old too and probably not very energy efficient. I am going to buy an oil filled one and see if it helps.

300 sq. feet is normal for 11 minutes from NYC. LOL I have a huge patio and a great view so it nice in the warmer months.

Yes, something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong with energy management policies in our country. Something is wrong when we export our manufacturing base and rely on fuel production in another country. Something is wrong with the greedy anti intellectual US Congress who earned their degrees as a gift from private or sometimes public universities toacknowledging the name on their birth certificate. Something is very very wrong with your electric bill. In the District of Columbia I almost gagged when my electric bill for a studio was $600.00 in 2001.
Find a rental which includes utilities or one in which each unit has a separate meter. TV is a high energy user. Program your set to your shows then set to off. Go wireles for laptop. Research energy consuming applicances, ask landlord to invest in energy saving appliances and use the expensive long life bulbs. I am not cheap, but I want to do more with my paycheck than feed the utility companies.