Trimming Your Electric Bill: Usage, Energy Checks and Budget Billing
An electric bill can feel like a bill you cannot change. You can, a little. Before you build any side income to cover it, it helps to make the bill smaller and steadier first. Here are two simple steps.
Step 1: Look at what you actually use
Your bill shows how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) you used. For a rough comparison, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that the average U.S. home bought about 899 kWh a month in 2022. If your use is far above that, it may be worth finding out why. Your own use depends on the size of your home, the weather and how you heat and cool.
Step 2: Try a home energy check
The U.S. Department of Energy describes a home energy audit as a way to understand the whole picture of your home’s energy use, comfort and safety. Many utilities offer an audit or a list of tips. Call the number on your bill and ask what they offer and whether there is a cost.
Ask about budget billing
Budget billing spreads your yearly cost over similar monthly payments, so a hot summer or cold winter does not bring a shock. In Pennsylvania, for example, the Public Utility Commission has said budget billing does not change the total a customer pays in a year, and that accounts are adjusted several times a year. Rules differ by state and utility, so ask yours how the amount is set and what happens at the yearly true-up.
Budget billing does not make power cheaper. It makes the bill easier to plan, which also makes it easier to match with a steady side income.
If money is tight
The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps some households with energy bills. Our post on trimming your heating bill explains where to look. Be careful of anyone who calls demanding immediate payment by gift card or app to avoid a shutoff. Call your utility directly using the number on a past bill.
Then pick the side income
Once your bill is lower and steadier, you can work out how much extra you need. Our guide on how much side income a bill really needs shows how.
More on Replace a Bill
- Before Winter: Ways to Trim Your Heating Bill First
- Trimming Your Home Internet Bill Before You Replace It
- Calling Your Provider to Ask for a Lower Bill: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide
