Utilities.

I just received both my ComEd and People's Gas bill in the mail today. I was so eager to open the bill that I ran up the stairs to my apartment. Who ever heard of that? Someone being excited to open a bill.

But I was! I have been even more intentional over the past month in my usage and habits at home in regards to electricity and gas that I've been itching to see if I'm making any difference.

Last month I paid $20.60 for my gas bill and $19 for my electricity bill.

This month, my gas bill isn't as accurate as it should be. People's Gas took it upon themselves to enroll me in their budget plan since the winter is coming. Their presumption that I would need this budget plan annoyed me. I know winter is coming. I know my bill will probably be more as I turn the heat up...but even still I am finding other ways to keep my bill from going through the roof. I had to call in to take myself off their budget plan. Also, while it will be December 1st, I have yet to turn my heat on. Why? Because I don't need to. My apartment is small and cozy. If I cook dinner, that heats my apartment up. I have lots of blankets. I wear long sleeves and I drink tea.

Even with the budget plan, my bill this month for gas is $21.00. Minus their bs and the taxes and tariffs for efficiency program and environmental charge..my bill really comes to $17.05! How amazing is that!

Some people are going to roll their eyes when I tell them my electricity bill.

Are you ready for this?

With all the taxes and tariffs included my total electricity bill comes to.....$15.43!!!!


I am just feeling really good about myself right now. Who knew putting the microwave on a surge protector and turning it off indefinitely would decrease my bill? Nowadays...everything is unplugged from the walls except for the stove, fridge, and router for my wireless internet.

This brings me back to living with roommates where our electricity bill ws $130 once and I was made to pay a 1/3 of that even though I knew I didn't use that much energy. Now I'm able to get an accurate read of what I really use.

The goal is to bring the gas bill down to $18 including taxes and the electricity down to $13. We will see what happens. Any suggestions on how I can further decrease my monthly utilities bill?

Utilities

Not sure if you can see this too clearly but this is my natural gas bill for this month due on November 17th from People's Gas, Chicago's choice of vendor for this utility.

The total bill comes to $20.60

I think that is amazing!

And..and..the bill is really $16. The rest is taxes and politics and some environment pact thing.

I think that's impressive and look forward to making it even lower. I once knew a women with a two bedroom apartment who's gas bill was about $12. Crazy!

It will be interesting to see my gas bill during December and January when hell freezes over and the devil decides to blow a cold wind in chicago to make up for lost time.

Somethings that aide in this that may be different for the average household is that

• I don't cook ever day
• I don't have a programmable thermostat
• My apartment management is amazing with checking our filters and ducts and all that whatnot. (don't remember my old apartment management doing so. they were so amazing that when the roof in the bathroom above the shower started cracking and falling, their solution was to tell me to shower with the window open because the steam did it.)
• I have yet to turn my heat on
  

I also just received my ComEd Electricity bill and the total for that was $19. The bill went down $1 from last month. I wonder if its because I've been unplugging EVERYTHING from my walls except the fridge and stove.

Is your gas and electric bill high or low? When do you start turning your heat on?