I asked my friend Dina in NorCal to cover an event for me and thought this would be great information for my readers! Thanks Dina!
This time of year, I not only have to watch our bank accounts due to holiday spending but how much that gas and electric bill is going to be. Is it cold enough to turn on the heater just yet? Or can we just throw another blanket on to be warm and toasty? Do we enjoy the pretty lights of our holiday decor or do we save some money and not plug them in, just yet? When is the best time to turn on the oven, so I can get some holiday baking done? All of these are concerns that I have running through my head on the daily, this time of year.
Who knew that a big corporate company like PG&E, the energy provider for 15 million customers in the state of California, would have programs and incentives for US, the consumers, on how to SAVE money! PG&E lays out 3 simple steps to quickly get involved and take your family along:
1. Participate in their winter gas savings program
Highlights customer progress between bills
- Reinforces actions taken to reduce energy usage
- Provides information and tips to help customers meet goals
- Provides link to detailed online usage information via MyEnergy
- pge.com/wintergassavings
2. Visit PG&E's Energy Efficiency Hub
Lets you know when you’re moving into higher-priced electric tiers
Customer chooses delivery method:
- Email
- Text message
- Phone call
The earlier in the season you log onto their wintersavings program, the more savings you can receive. The more engaged you are on the website (the more you look around and click on things) the more savings you get, not to mention the more informed you are. In past seasons, just for logging on, people have saved more than 23% on their bills than people who didn't. Having access in the palm of your hand is a good incentive as well, many people have smart phones these days. Just sign up for the energy alerts and be infomed on what your energy usage is and how much you're paying for power, pun intended, don't be left in the dark. When your family uses less energy there are incentives for you and savings opportunities, like rebates on energy efficient products. Log on to pge.com/smartrate, pge.com/pdp, and pge.com/greenbutton for more incentives and saving tips. Every little cent counts toward that holiday spending, to my family anyhow.
PG&E and Opower have teamed up and they work together to help California be more energy efficient. Opower works on a global level, their programs consistently generate cost-effective, verified, sustainable energy savings, along with increased participation in other utility-marketed programs. Their programs also motivate customers to reduce their energy use during peak times and seasons—when it matters the most. Interestingly enough, OPower has saved enough energy to take the City of Oakland, "off the grid" for a whole year.
Our family has always been good about unplugging things that don't need to be plugged in, turning off lights when necessary, and even washing clothes at the optimal time of day (after 6PM). But now with all this new found information, I went home and logged on to both sites pge.com/myenergy and www.social.opower.com and got BETTER informed. The PG&E bill was always something that came in the mail and I just paid it, without a concern on how to save money. Who knew we could actually SAVE.
Stay Connected and Be Informed
Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of PG&E and Opower. I attended an informational luncheon and received a promotional item to thank me for my participation. Labels: Electric Bill, Energy Management, OPower, PG and E, PGE
