CUB staffers have been working from home for a few months now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped our outreach team from connecting with consumers and helping them save money on their bills.
CUB member Don will save about $50 a month after he submitted his gas and electric bills to CUB’s Virtual Utility Bill Clinic, an online service that CUB revived to better serve consumers while we can’t meet face-to-face during the public health emergency.
As a part of the free service, a CUB specialist reviews your bills to see if you’re paying for unnecessary services and tell you if you’re eligible for money-saving programs (including financial assistance). We’ll also check to see if you’re signed up with an alternative supplier, which was the case for Don.
Aimee Gendusa-English
Upon reviewing Don’ gas bill, CUB’s Lead Service Liaison Aimee Gendusa-English immediately noticed he was signed up with Just Energy, an alternative supplier.
Alternative suppliers are notorious over-chargers–in Don’s case, he was paying 56 cents per therm while his utility, North Shore Gas, was charging just over 27 cents a therm. By switching back to the utility, he will save about $50 a month, which adds up to about $600 a year.
“The savings were remarkable,” Don wrote to us after receiving his first bill back with the utility. “I want to thank you and CUB for all that you do to help Illinois consumers. I will certainly be raising my annual contribution to CUB.”
If you want to submit your bills to CUB’s Virtual Utility Bill Clinic, email a copy of your most recent electric, natural gas, and telecom bills to [email protected]. (Put “Attn: Virtual Utility Bill Clinic” in the subject line.)
