The Average Electric Bill (and What a Normal kWh Month Looks Like)
The average electric bill was $142 in 2024 and about $157 at 2026 prices. What a normal kWh month looks like by home size, state and season, plus a budget.
Saving Money
Savings goals, money-saving challenges, emergency and sinking funds.
25 articles in this category
How Much Does a Funeral Cost? A Line-by-Line Breakdown
How much does a funeral cost is a question most people type into their phone at the worst possible hour, usually a day or two after a call they weren’t ready to get. I want to be careful with this one. I’m not going to open with a tidy national average, because that number is … Read more
What the Average Utility Bill Looks Like, Line by Line (and Which Line You Can Move)
The average utility bill is about $395 a month with the phone, $273 without. What’s normal for electric, gas, water and trash, and which line you can move.
What the Average Phone Bill Actually Costs (and How to Cut Yours)
What the average phone bill really costs in 2026, plus the 20-minute call that cut mine from $184 to $126 and the line items to check before you dial.
The Program That Pays Part of Your Heating Bill (and When the Window Opens)
There is no national income limit for the home energy assistance program. Who qualifies, when your state window opens, and what LIHEAP actually pays for.
How to Cancel Subscriptions You Forgot You Were Paying For
I thought I could cancel subscriptions in 20 minutes. Then I found the 4 places they hide from your bank statement. The audit system I use each year.
Meal Planning to Save Money (The 15-Minute Version That Actually Sticks)
Meal planning to save money without the binder: the 15-minute pantry-first method that cut my grocery bill from $520 to $385 a month. Real numbers inside.
How to Lower Gas Bill Costs: What I Do in September, Not November
Learn how to lower gas bill costs before winter hits: the 5 September moves that cut my January bill by $32, plus the utility program nobody explains.
How I Save Money Automatically: The 4 Transfers I Set Up Once and Never Touched Again
I save money automatically with 4 transfers I set up once and never touched. The exact setup, the day each runs, and the buffer you need before you start.
The Best Way to Save for a House (A Down Payment Plan That Doesn’t Take a Decade)
The best way to save for a house, from someone still saving: how to find your real target number, pick the right account, and skip the 20% myth for good.
Ways to Save on Water Bill Costs (What Cut Mine by $27 a Month)
Real ways to save on water bill costs that cut mine from $91 to $64 a month. The 10-minute leak test, the sprinkler fix, and the $40 I wasted first.
Ways to Save Money on Gas (What Actually Moved My Number)
Ways to save money on gas used to feel like one of those things I couldn’t touch. The number at the pump was the number, and I just paid it and drove off a little grumpier. Then I actually looked. Not at coupons or some app that promised me pennies, but at my own habits … Read more