CEO’s Message – February 2025

Budget-Friendly Ways To Keep Warm This Winter

Believe it or not, in February, temperatures slowly begin to warm up. I’m thankful that soon the cold winter will be a fading memory, but for now, I’m looking forward to spring!

This time of the year, we typically have an uptick in complaints about high energy bills. Nobody wants to be surprised with higher-than-expected bills; I completely understand. January is a very high electric and gas usage month for most of our members because of cold temperatures and long nights. January usage shows up on energy bills in early February.

So how can you save money and improve your cash flow when it comes to your power bill? In this article, you’ll find ways to save, and how Union Rural Electric Cooperative (URE) can help.

If your electric bills tend to be much higher in the winter, consider going on budget billing. This doesn’t necessarily save you money overall, but it does help smooth out your electric bill costs throughout the year so that you’re less likely to have a big surprise come February. Call us to get more information and to get signed up.

1 of the easiest ways to save some real money is to manage your thermostat settings in your home. On average, for every degree you adjust your thermostat below 68 in the winter, you can save about 3% on your heating bill. Simply dialing your thermostat down to a lower setting, if only when you’re asleep or away from home, can make a big difference in your winter heating bill. An easy way to do this is by using an inexpensive programmable thermostat, or better yet take advantage of a URE rebate on a smart thermostat for your home. Check our website for details on rebates.

It does you no good to heat your house if the heat is blowing right out the windows, so you should seal up any air leaks that you may have in your home. A simple and relatively low-cost winter fix is to apply clear heat-control window film on any older windows or doors that go unused through the winter. This can be done for about $5 per window and save you much more than that in reduced energy bills.

And here’s a big 1: Avoid using plug-in electric space heaters, unless absolutely necessary. Even small heaters can really add to your electric usage and lead to a nasty surprise when you get that bill. If you do use them, make sure you turn them off  when you are not in the room. Electric space heaters are about the least efficient way of using electricity to heat your home, so it’s best to avoid them, if possible.

Once you’ve taken care of the low-cost ways to save energy, you could also consider higher-efficiency LED lighting and Energy Star-rated appliances. This is best done as part of a longer-term plan.

It stands to reason that you should take care of the least expensive fixes first — setting the thermostat lower, sealing any drafts, etc. — before spending more money on new equipment to lower your electric bill.

It may be difficult to avoid cold weather in Ohio, but at least there are lots of ways to save on your power bills. Visit our website and check out the “ways to save” tab for more great ideas. If you have any questions about how to save on your heating bills in the future, please reach out to our friendly member services staff for more information. Remember, URE is your electric cooperative and we are here to help you.