Utilities
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Drop cable TV and use free online content, Hulu, YouTube, or Netflix.
Most shows and news are available online for free or cheaply.
one person who lived it
Request a no-charge or inexpensive energy assessment from your provider.
It reveals where your funds are being spent.
3 people, independently
Avoid using ISP-branded speed test URLs as they may boost speeds during the test to show you are receiving advertised rates.
ISPs may artificially inflate download speeds on their own test links.
2 people, independently
Use a VPN when testing mobile data speeds to bypass carrier throttling of streaming-related traffic.
Carriers may limit streaming resolution (e.g., to 480p), but a VPN can hide the destination and reveal true speeds.
one person who lived it
Check if recent bills are estimated or based on actual meter reads.
Estimated bills can cause sudden catch-up charges when the meter is finally read.
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- Request a physical meter reading if you suspect your bill is an estimate.1
- Verify that your gas bill is not a correction for previously estimated usage.2
speeds, speed, internet, wi-fi19
Put dye or food coloring in toilet tanks to detect leaks.
Ensure all coaxial fittings are tight and avoid using cheap, store-bought coax cables to prevent speed loss.
Loose or bad fittings can easily kill your speeds.
one person who lived it
Do not mention that a lawyer did work for free publicly, as it will attract the wrong attention.
That'll attract the wrong attention!
one person who lived it
Put dye or food coloring in toilet tanks to detect leaks.
3 people, independently
Upgrade your router and Ethernet cables to ensure they can handle increased internet speeds provided by your ISP.
Older routers or cables may limit speeds to below what you pay for.
one person who lived it
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Expect to receive about 75% of your subscribed speed over Wi-Fi.
Actual speed depends on the number of connected devices.
one person who lived it
- Assume you will get about 30% less than the promised internet speed.1
Hire a professional technician to check your home wiring if internet speeds remain extremely slow despite other fixes.
One person reported this increased their download and upload speeds tenfold.
one person who lived it
Check if your mobile carrier supports Wi-Fi Calling when choosing a home, as good home internet can compensate for weak cell signals.
Many carriers switch to Wi-Fi to reduce network load, meaning strong home internet ensures connectivity even if cell service is poor.
- MVNOs (sub-carriers) often do not support Wi-Fi Calling.
one person who lived it
Try changing wireless channels on your router if you are tech-savvy.
Switching to a slightly different frequency can provide a speed boost.
2 people, independently
Verify your actual monthly data usage before switching providers.
Your usage may be lower than you think.
one person who lived it
Enable Quality of Service (QoS) on your router to focus on latency-sensitive activities like online gaming over streaming.
This helps maintain solid low ping while others are streaming video.
one person who lived it
Negotiate lower bills for cell phone, internet, and insurance every couple of years.
2 people, independently
Set your computer to a 'metered connection' to stop background apps from using excessive bandwidth.
This stops background usage, allowing other activities like streaming to function properly.
one person who lived it
Use your smartphone as a modem via tethering when primary internet is down or insufficient.
3 people, independently
Present yourself as technically competent when speaking to ISP customer service to potentially reach higher-level support staff who can resolve issues.
Support staff may escalate competent-sounding customers to second or third-line support where issues are more likely to be resolved.
one person who lived it
Use torrents with large swarms to accurately test upload and download speeds, as ISPs cannot easily manipulate results for long-duration transfers.
Large swarms have many seeders increasing max download speed, and the duration prevents ISPs from rigging tests with temporary boosts.
one person who lived it
Reduce internet speed tier from 1Gbs to 500Mbs if actual usage speeds remain around 300+mbs and no difference is noticed.
one person who lived it
Disable Wi-Fi on devices you aren't currently using to prevent lag.
Unused devices can consume bandwidth or cause interference.
one person who lived it
Choose a basic phone plan rather than unlimited data packages.
Unlimited options are a marketing tactic designed to sell more expensive plans.
one person who lived it
meter, utility, electricity, check34
Disconnect all appliances and switch off breakers to observe if the meter continues to move, which might suggest phantom loads or electricity theft by others.
Check if your fixed-term gas pricing agreement has ended.
Reverting to non-agreement rates can increase costs.
one person who lived it
Ask neighbors about their monthly bills to determine if rates are elevated in your specific area.
Rates might be higher in your region.
3 people, independently
Check computer devices, such as printers, to ensure they are not stuck in 'heating' mode.
Devices stuck in heating mode can cause insane bills.
one person who lived it
Run washers, dryers, and dishwashers during off-peak hours.
Electricity rates are lower during low-demand periods.
3 people, independently
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Replace TVs or fans used for background noise with low-power alternatives like radios or white noise machines.
Noise machines use less power (around 5 watts) compared to TVs (120+ watts) or fans (80+ watts).
one person who lived it
Unplug appliances like stoves, dryers, and washers or switch them off at the breaker when not in use.
Plugged-in items drain energy even in 'off' mode.
one person who lived it
Clean refrigerator coils and ensure nothing blocks airflow behind or under the fridge to prevent excessive energy use.
Debris on coils or blocked fans can jack up your bill.
one person who lived it
Check your state's utility fees for surcharges like pole repairs.
In some states, energy companies add a fee for repairing electric poles.
one person who lived it
Switch to LED bulbs if you want to lower your electricity bill.
One person reported their electric bill dropped after switching.
one person who lived it
Check for shared circuits with neighbors in converted buildings, as they may be drawing power from your meter.
Shared circuits can lead to unexpected charges.
one person who lived it
Inspect well pump pressure switches for sticking that causes nonstop running.
A stuck switch can cause the pump to run continuously, consuming significant electricity.
one person who lived it
Disconnect all appliances and switch off breakers to observe if the meter continues to move, which might suggest phantom loads or electricity theft by others.
- Shutting off the breaker box may not detect if a neighbor is plugged into your wiring elsewhere.
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- Record daily electricity usage by reading the meter to identify spikes and correlate them with specific appliance use.1
Contact your utility company to request a meter inspection if you suspect theft or defects.
Revenue integrity departments can detect external taps and address them.
- The utility may charge for the service.
- They will not inspect inside the house.
2 people, independently
Employ a power meter or testing device to track the usage of specific appliances.
Understanding individual consumption helps identify heavy users.
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Contact the utility company to investigate potential electricity theft, meter errors, or estimated billing if usage is unexpectedly high.
Investigations have led to refunds for overages caused by landlord usage or estimation errors.
4 people, independently
Turn off everything gas-related, write down the meter reading, and check again after an hour or two to see if it moves.
3 people, independently
Check if your bill increased immediately after building electrical work was performed.
Bills can jump after electrical work.
one person who lived it
Verify that your electric supplier is the local utility rather than a third-party reseller.
Third-party companies often advertise aggressively but raise prices to ridiculous amounts.
- Some third-party providers are legitimate, but advertised ones tend to be expensive.
one person who lived it
Have malfunctioning major appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers repaired or replaced promptly.
One person discovered their fridge had been running continuously for three months without knowledge, and other appliances were draining power.
one person who lived it
Apply for utility discounts if you participate in any financial-help programs, as automatic qualification may yield significant monthly savings.
Participation in financial-help programs can automatically qualify you for utility discounts.
one person who lived it
Price out heat pump water heaters as a more efficient alternative for heating water.
Heat pump water heaters use less electricity than traditional models.
one person who lived it
Check if your local utility company has a program for low-income households to see if you qualify.
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Be aware that washing machines may use heated water depending on the wash setting.
Using hot water contributes to gas or electric bills.
one person who lived it
Call companies monthly to ask for lower bills without threatening to switch providers.
one person who lived it
Verify the utility meter reading against the bill to catch errors like transposed numbers or estimates.
Meters may be misread, estimated, or contain transcription errors.
2 people, independently
Unplug almost all electronics after use to save money on electricity.
It saves a few dollars.
one person who lived it
Compare kilowatt-hour (kWh) usage across different apartments or time periods rather than comparing dollar amounts.
Fees and contract terms may differ drastically between locations or providers.
one person who lived it
Monitor your refrigerator's electricity usage with a killawatt meter to check if it is failing.
Refrigerators on their last legs consume excessive electricity.
one person who lived it
Organize neighbors to conserve energy collectively if building utilities are pooled.
Collective conservation reduces everyone's share of the bill.
one person who lived it
Contact your command's ombudsman to resolve utility billing disputes.
They have established methods for handling these issues during deployment.
one person who lived it
Ask your utility provider about average billing or budget billing options.
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Charge personal devices using employer-provided electricity at work.
It feels nice to use someone else's utilities.
one person who lived it
Investigate whether your individual meter is paying for communal appliances like washers and dryers.
one person who lived it
heat, temperatures, air, reduce20
Air dry dishes by opening the dishwasher door instead of using the heated dry function.
Dry clothes around the home instead of using a dryer.
to avoid dryer costs
one person who lived it
Do not tamper with a leaking appliance before reporting it.
Tampering may cause them to deny your claim.
one person who lived it
Hang laundry on a clothesline to dry, using the dryer only briefly to fluff if needed.
This results in huge savings; even in January in California, sun drying followed by 5-7 minutes of fluffing works.
one person who lived it
Apply bubble wrap to windows to reduce heat and cold exchange.
It lessens heat/cold exchange.
one person who lived it
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Wear extra layers of clothing to reduce heating needs.
to not use too much heat
one person who lived it
- Wear warm clothes indoors and keep blankets on furniture to reduce heating usage in winter.1
Plant trees or build structures to provide afternoon shade for your home.
Shading the home in the afternoon reduces the cooling burden on the AC system.
one person who lived it
Use a programmable thermostat to adjust temperatures when you are at work or sleeping.
It reduced the electric bill.
one person who lived it
Use a microwave or toaster oven instead of a full oven for reheating to save energy.
It is less power-intensive; one source claims it is 80% more efficient.
one person who lived it
Focus on sealing drafts with shrink wrap before adding insulation like bubble wrap.
Shrink wrap eliminates drafts while bubble wrap insulates; address drafts first.
- Bubble wrap has dishonest claims about performance and may suck compared to other methods.
one person who lived it
Move a small electric space heater into the room you are currently occupying to stay warm without increasing your electric bill.
It keeps you toasty while preventing the electric bill from skyrocketing.
one person who lived it
Set your thermostat to lower heat and higher AC temperatures; use window units only in occupied rooms.
AC consumes significant electricity, and limiting usage can drastically reduce monthly bills.
one person who lived it
Check heat pump supply vent temperature with an instant-read thermometer; if it exceeds 105 degrees, auxiliary heat may be activating.
Temperatures around 85 degrees are expected for standard operation, while over 105 indicates auxiliary heat usage.
one person who lived it
Cook outside during hot summer weather to prevent overloading your air conditioning.
It reduces the heat load on the AC system.
one person who lived it
Use deep freezers efficiently.
They use remarkably little power because they are not opened and closed often.
one person who lived it
Contact code enforcement if apartments fail to maintain minimum temperatures.
Apartments are required to keep a minimum temperature.
one person who lived it
Hang laundry outdoors instead of indoors to prevent adding humidity to the house.
Indoor drying forces the AC to work harder to dehumidify the air, increasing energy consumption.
one person who lived it
Understand that electricity bills naturally rise in colder weather for electric heat users.
The lower the outside temperature, the more electricity is needed to keep the home warm.
one person who lived it
Air dry dishes by opening the dishwasher door instead of using the heated dry function.
3 people, independently
Service your air conditioning unit regularly.
Dirty or failing equipment can increase energy usage.
one person who lived it