When it comes to managing expenses, there are some areas where it is easy to reduce spending (or even cut it out entirely). You can save money on food by limiting how often you eat out at restaurants. You can cancel all those streaming subscriptions you’ve accumulated over the years. You could spend less on video games and other “fun” purchases. And you can wait a little longer before you go out to buy a new pair of shoes.

But when it comes to utility bills, cutting down costs isn’t always as easy. This is especially true in a time when utility expenses have also been hit hard by inflation.

As USA Today reported in January 2023, “Home heating prices are at the highest level in 10 years, the energy assistance association said. On average, households will pay 12.7 percent more for home heating this winter. Heating oil is expected to rise the most from last year, up 25.9 percent, or nearly $500 more than the 2021-22 winter heating season.” In California, consumers have been facing a 385 percent increase for their natural gas bills.

Electricity rates continue to see high inflation in 2023 as well, with expected inflation of 10 percent, even after some parts of the country saw rate increases as high as 40 percent in 2022. And of course, inflation is impacting several other necessary purchases, such as housing, food and insurance.

All of this, unsurprisingly, is creating a situation where more people are having trouble keeping up with their utility bills than ever before. The good news, however, is that there are ways to cut down your utility costs by maximizing the benefits of the senior discount — even if you aren’t a senior.

“A lot of families who come from ethnic communities tend to take upon the responsibliity of taking care of their elders,” says Leonard Kim of AdvisorCheck. “For example, by housing my mother when she was unable to find work due to her age, we were able to explore programs that benefited her (and my paycheck as well),” Leonard continued. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74IrWb5yZDI

What Senior Discounts Are Available (to Non Seniors)?

The exact nature of available discount programs available to senior citizens varies depending on where you live. However, most states, counties, cities or utility providers offer some type of senior discount program.

For example, senior citizens in Georgia who are at least 65 years old can qualify for a $18 monthly discount on their Georgia Power Company bills, as well as a fuel credit of up to $6 per month. This discount is available to seniors with a total household income of $23,540 or less.

Seniors with a household income of $24,980 or less can also receive a credit of up to $14 per month on their bill from Atlanta Gas Light Company. Customers of Liberty Utilities can receive a waiver of their monthly customer charge.

Similarly, senior citizens age 62 or older in Los Angeles can receive a discount of up to 15 percent off their water and power charges, based on income eligibility.

On a national scale, another program that can potentially help households with utility bills is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). To qualify for this program, an individual or their family member must have annual household income that is below a certain threshold (such as $27,465 for a two-person home). Automatic eligibility may be available to those who are participants in other government benefit programs, including SSI (Supplemental Security Income), SNAP and TANF.

However, not all senior benefits programs have an income requirement. For example, in Beaumont, Texas, citizens aged 65 or older can claim a 10 percent discount off garbage services, as well as free water and sewer services for the first 1,000 gallons of use.

Because there is no “one size fits all” approach to senior utility discounts, you are best served by contacting your utility provider or local government to learn more about what programs are available in your area.

Many cell phone carriers also provide discounted plans for seniors. For example, T-Mobile offers two unlimited lines for individuals age 55 and older for just $55 per month (as opposed to $90 a month, which accounts for savings of close to 60 percent). Other carriers, such as Verizon and AT&T, also offer senior plans for $80 per month for two lines.

Several internet providers, including CenturyLink, Sepctrum and Xfinity, also offer discounted rates for seniors who qualify for financial assistance programs. Depending on which internet provider is available in your area, qualified adults could get basic internet services for as little as $9.95 per month.

How to Take Advantage of a Senior Utility Discount (Even If You Aren't a Senior)

While such discounts can be helpful, what if you aren’t a senior? The good news is that you can still gain access to senior utility discounts with the help of your family members.

For utility discount programs, this works by having your grandparents or elderly parents have mail addressed to them sent to your home. After this, utility bills for your property could be put in their name. That way, they could then apply to receive locally available discounts for your address, allowing you to gain access to a discounted rate.

Naturally, you’ll still need to pay the bills yourself, and you’d need to get permission from your older relatives and coordinate with them to set up mailing and billing. Depending on what discounts are available in your area, this can make electricity, water, trash or other bills much more manageable.

In some cases, you may be better served by moving in with a senior relative to help everyone save on living expenses. Splitting bills with your senior relatives could save a lot of money overall. Even expenses like eating meals at home together could provide a cheaper cost per meal than if every family member ate separately. And of course, having everyone together under one roof can cut down the individual cost of rent and other expenses.

Family plans can also help you take advantage of senior discounts for phone service. Paying “your share” of a family plan that is officially in the name of an older family member can prove to be much less expensive than getting your own individual plan. In addition, several cell phone carriers, including T-Mobile and Verizon, offer discounted plans for seniors aged 55 and up.

Other Ways to Save On Utilities

While senior discount programs can be a big help for saving on utilities, these aren’t available to everyone. This is particularly true if you live in an area where senior utility assistance programs have low-income requirements. However, there are still ways that non-seniors can save on their utilities.

Notably, many programs for low-income families, such as LIHEAP, are not limited to senior citizens (though they are often easier for seniors to obtain). For example, in Maricopa County, Arizona, residents can qualify for utility payment assistance regardless of age if their “household income for the past 30 days is at or below 60 percent of the State Median Income.”

Of course, just because your income is higher than the thresholds determined by local assistance programs doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t benefit from lowering your utility expenses. Studies show that 47 percent of Americans earning six figures consider themselves to be living paycheck to paycheck. Lifestyle adjustments can go a long way in ensuring that utility expenses don’t become an unmanageable burden.

Lower Heating and Cooling Costs

Regardless of the time of year, heating and cooling tend to be among the biggest contributors to household energy bills. Fixing leaky ductwork and replacing worn window stripping can help maintain desired temperatures in the home so your system doesn’t run as often. Using a programmable or adjustable thermostat can also make a big difference for your energy costs.

For example, The U.S. Department of Energy explains, “You can save as much as 10 percent a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. […] You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to around 68°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home. In the summer, you can follow the same strategy with central air conditioning by keeping your house warmer than normal when you are away, and setting the thermostat to a setting as high as is comfortable for you when you are at home and need cooling and to ensure humidity control if needed.”

Make Energy-Efficient Upgrades

Aside from heating and cooling, switching to energy-efficient products can go a long way in reducing monthly utility expenses. Switching to LED light bulbs will reduce energy consumption and save on trips to the hardware store, since they typically have a much longer lifespan than other bulbs.

Timed power strips that shut off at night can also keep electronic gadgets from consuming power when not in use. Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances can also provide long-term savings.

Reduce Water Use

Depending on where you live, water can be quite costly. Even simple actions like taking shorter showers or turning off the water while brushing your teeth can help you save several gallons per day. Upgrading to a low-flow shower head, faucet or toilet can also reduce how much water is consumed with each use. Finally, be sure to fix any leaks in a timely manner — those small faucet drips can add up faster than you might expect.

Phone and Internet

It never hurts to reassess how much you are paying for your phone and internet plans — after all, these are utilities, too! If you aren’t using all the features offered by your current phone plan, you could save by downgrading to a less expensive plan. Check around with different internet providers for discounts or plans with lower rates than what you currently have. Every little bit helps!

Keep Your Finances In Shape

While you may not be able to control how inflation affects your utility bills, there are still plenty of aspects related to your finances that you can control. You can control your ability to take advantage of available discount programs and other saving opportunities. And you can ensure that your investments grow with the help of a quality financial advisor.

Of course, not all financial advisors are created equal. Your free AdvisorCheck account makes it easy to search for advisors and evaluate their experience level, disclosures and other factors that can help you determine if they’re a good fit for your financial goals.

Becoming a member also gives you access to a personalized dashboard where you can track multiple advisors. With helpful resources to help improve your financial literacy and health, you can’t go wrong by creating your free AdvisorCheck membership.

A financial advisor helps you both in the now, right here in today, and in the future so you can achieve your dreams. Talk to a financial advisor today for more tips about how to budget and save money so your household can better handle rising costs. By creating a financial plan tailored to your needs, you will be better prepared for whatever the future might bring.

If you like our content, please give us a like and subscribe as it really helps us to continue to provide relevant information.

Written by Lucas Miller, Entrepreneur Magazine Contributor

Fact checked by Billy Quirk

Reviewed by KJ Kim

Disclosure

The information provided in this article was written by the research and analysis team at AdvisorCheck.com to help all consumers in their financial journeys, by providing the resources and the insights to help improve one’s financial health, make it through recessionary and inflationary periods of time, and save their earnings to use them towards building a secure financial future. 

Unauthorized reproduction or use of this material is strictly prohibited without prior approval. Any parties interested in content syndication, references, interviews, or PR, please contact our marketing team at marketing@aimranalytics.com

AdvisorCheck.com is an independent data and analytics company founded on the principles of helping to provide transparency, simplicity, and conflict-free information to all consumers. As an independent company providing conflict-free information, Advisorcheck.com does not participate, engage with, or receive funding from any affiliate marketing programs or services. To become a free AdvisorCheck member, visit advisorcheck.com/signup