Manage Household Utility Costs at Your New Base by Avoiding These Pitfalls
Being stationed at a location with a hot summer or a cold winter may make it harder to pay large energy bills.
Budget billing is a popular solution, but it may cost you more in the long run. Even the simple act of using automatic payments may increase the amount you pay for electricity.
Budget Billing Programs
Budget billing programs, offered nationwide, allow customers to pay the same amount each month for utilities such as electricity, even though actual usage varies seasonally.
At the end of the time period, usually a year, the utility company then compares actual expenses to how much the customer paid during the year.
- If they used less electricity than they paid for, they get a refund.
- If they used more electricity than they paid for, they have a balance due.
Author summary: Manage utility costs effectively.