Ways to Save on Your Utility Bills without Reducing Usage

By Lorin of My Story Defined

Have you ever signed up for a new service that you thought to be a good deal just to find out it will cost you?

So many times I can tell you I ran into the problem of my bill starting off small to increasing at least every 3 months. My budget I once had would now be taken advantage of by service providers. I understand that usage is a great determination in what your bill amount will be but what if I told you there are a few alternative ways to save on your utility bill without reducing your usage? Here are just a few ways to keep your hard earned money in your pocket.

This list includes my experiences with discounts and savings. There may be different companies in your city that offer different discounts and savings. Talk to your local service providers for details.

Combining Services You are Already Using

You have probably heard of the awesome promotions that the cable companies offer when you bundle internet, phone, and cable together. You may find yourself now paying $169 for services that you realize you didn’t even need or want for that matter. Although this may be true, it is not what I am referring to. What I am referring to are the services you currently are making use of and actually need.

For example:

If you have cable with 500 channels that you don’t ever watch and that is what is giving you a “discount” than you may want to reconsider using cable as part of your bundle. You don’t even use it and you are probably just paying extra money that you could be saving.

Now, if you need internet service to run your online business and also need a land line for your home office than you may want to consider checking out what bundle discounts your service provider offers.

Automatic Bill Pay

It is the 21st century now where a stamp on an envelope is not the only way to pay your bills. There are multiple options to paying your bill such as paying online and even automatic bill pay. Automatic bill pay is not only a way to save you time but another way to save you money.

One-Time Waiver 

My deposit was waived for utilizing automatic bill pay through my local energy company. The company offers to waive deposits in exchange for customers to set up automatic pay. Not only does it save the customer money but also gives the company confidence that the utility bill will be paid on time. Sometimes if you don’t continue the auto bill pay option they will retract the waive and add the deposit back onto your bill.

Monthly Discount

Other service providers will provide a specific amount off your bill each month by you utilizing automatic bill pay. This helps reduce the amount spent the utility category and will be sure to influence your personal budget.

There was only one company that I didn’t trust to automatically pay my bills as their system was not consistent and ran into problems with the amount being charged. They didn’t offer any discounts anyways for using that option so I would just manually pay my bill.

Give it a try and if you feel comfortable than watch the savings roll in.

Being a Loyal Customer

This is one of my favorite ways to save money on your utility bill. It generally only works with service providers that don’t involve your heating and cooling (usage is individually metered).

It all goes back to what I said about your bill starting off low in the beginning and quickly rising in the given months. As you continue your service with a company and pay your bills on time than you are most likely known as a loyal customer. And what does a loyal customer deserve? Discounts!

Most companies have someone within the company that handles customer retention. Whether your unhappy with your service or have just been a loyal customer than they are the ones to talk to. No company wants to lose valued customers to their competitors. Unless of course, they are not very smart and like losing money.

So if you have been a loyal customer for some time now or are ready to switch providers because of the cost of your bill. I recommend that you would first speak to someone in customer retention and see if there is some sort of compensation for your individual situation.

Think about it. You are making them money so have them save you some.

I know you may not think that you could possibly save money on your utility bill except through reducing your usage. So I am here to tell you that I have personally been able to save a lot of money on my bill by using these options and I want you to be able to take advantage of some savings as well.

If you are struggling to pay your utilities please consider checking out this huge list of financial assistance resources.

What other ways have you used to save on your utility bill without cutting your usage?

About Lorin

Lorin is a woman of faith who always has something to be grateful for and something to be learned. She desires to influence others by chronicling life’s experiences on her blog, My Story Defined.

 

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