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A ‘greener’ take on this year’s holiday gift giving

By Samantha Vercellino Gift shopping can be stressful, especially when the holiday is right around the corner. But don’t fret; we’ve put together a list of our five favorite “green” gifts of 2015! Smart Crock-Pot: Unlike most slow cookers, the Smart Crock-Pot is Wi-Fi enabled which allows users to adjust its temperature…...

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Sick of robocalls?

Not long ago, Congress made headlines when it passed the federal Budget Act of 2015, avoiding a government shutdown. But a lot of people don’t know about a provision buried deep within the Act that allows robocalls to your cellphone! The good news is a group of senators have proposed a solution…...

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Victory in Springfield: Funding restored for excellent utility program

Good news out of Springfield this week: General Assembly leaders and the governor restored funding for the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)—an essential program that helps keep electric and gas bills affordable for  roughly 50,000 low-income customers. After months of campaigning from consumer advocates, including CUB and more than 1,700 of you who…...

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Breaking: Good news, bad news for Illinois consumers

After a busy day at the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), ComEd customers received news that their rates are dropping by $66.5 million–but Ameren gas and electric customers got hit with a total of $150 million in rate hikes. Read CUB’s statements on the ComEd and Ameren decisions. In both cases…...

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Illinoisans haven’t seen gas prices like this since…2001!

This isn’t a misprint: December’s natural gas prices are at their lowest point in nearly 15 years! Major Illinois utilities are charging consumers 26-48 percent less to heat their homes this December compared to last. Peoples Gas shows the biggest price drop of all, charging customers about 28 cents per…...

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What are we paying for?

We already pay a bundle for Internet service, and now a big Internet Service Provider (ISPs) wants to slap you with yet another fee for exceeding so-called “data caps.” Comcast recently enacted a policy in certain test markets that charges fees for customers who use more than 300 GB per month ($10 per…...

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CUB’s top 5 money-saving cases from 2015

Over the years, CUB has helped save consumers an astounding $20 billion—an accomplishment that would be impossible to meet without our consumer advocates. In 2015 alone, the consumer advocacy team generated $30,000 in savings for individual consumers who called us with a utility complaint, according to CUB records. That’s why…...

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Despite monster profits, they still want YOU to pay more

The parent companies of Illinois’ major energy and telecom companies have made $12.5 billion in profits so far this year— so why exactly are so many Illinois utilities still asking for higher rates? Just check out these monster profits: Can you believe it?  The parent companies are raking in the dough, but the utilities…...

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#GivingTuesday kicks off today!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone. Now it’s time to welcome Giving Tuesday—a global day dedicated to giving back. We’re celebrating this special day by sharing a few stories of how our consumer advocacy team comes to the rescue of Illinois consumes every day. In 2015, the team…...

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8 ways to stay comfortably warm this winter

By Samantha Vercellino Polar vortex or not, winter is always cold—but staying warm and cozy shouldn’t break the bank. Follow CUB’s simple tips to live comfortably, and save, during the bitter cold. Heat efficiently. Your heating system, like any other machinery in your home, will eventually break down. That’s why…...

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