It’s no secret that the cost of natural gas and electricity have both risen dramatically in the past twelve months. In fact, overall inflation hasn’t been this high since 1982. Even if you’ve done everything you can to prepare your home for winter, you’ll need to adopt a whole new set of habits in order … Read more
Each MidWestern winter brings with it the threat of power outages, which could mean a lack of ability to keep warm inside our homes, increasing the danger of hypothermia in both young and old. Although power outages generally occur with little warning, thankfully, there are some ways that one can prepare not only for winter, … Read more
Your kitchen may be full of money-wasters! Your fridge, stove, and small appliances can be power-sucking machines. Name brand dish detergent is your ally in winning the war on grease and grime, but using too much of it means that you are wasting money, replacing that bottle of detergent more often than needed. Thankfully, there … Read more
We all wear clothes. Therefore, by default, we all also wash, dry, iron, and fold our laundry on a regular basis. When calculating the cost of doing laundry, one must take into consideration a host of factors: detergent, water, energy, and wear and tear on our appliances, to name a few. It is estimated that … Read more
Nearly two years ago, I scheduled an energy audit with my utility company, Ameren Illinois. I was actually inspired to do so because I was preparing for an interview with the Citizens Utility Board. Since I was disseminating advice on reducing utility bills, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to schedule an energy audit of … Read more
As I was leaving the house at 7:30am, I noticed a definite chill in the air. I regretted my decision to walk out of the house wearing a sleeveless top, capris, and slip on shoes with no socks. The cooler morning temperatures reminded me that I wanted to share some simple things that you can do … Read more
At 2:30 yesterday afternoon we had nearly 70 mph straight line winds. They flattened fields of corn, bent billboard supports in half, and snapped power lines. Like a giant, invisible hand, the storm sent an aging power pole up the street from my house to wherever it is that power poles go when they die. Literally minutes … Read more
Summer temperatures have hit with a vengeance. The daily heat index is now often over 100 degrees. Not only that, we sit in our homes and listen to the central air cycling “on” – over and over again, in a seemingly endless loop. Mentally, we brace ourselves for the next utility bill to arrive, knowing … Read more
I often see jaws drop when I am invited to speak about energy costs and I confidently state, “Your best ally for saving on energy costs is your utility provider.” People often see the utility company as the “bad guy”, the large behemoth, sending them an unbelievably large bill every month and then gobbling up … Read more
You can’t ignore your utility bill. It arrives in the mail with Swiss watch consistency. You need lights and gas. Yet, the cost can sometimes threaten to sink your budgetary boat. I am a real customer, not a utility company employee. I give you “boots on the ground advice – stuff that has actually worked … Read more
