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Stephanie, a Comcast cable and Verizon wireless customer, tells The Consumerist that she saved $230 by bargaining with the companies’ customer service representatives.  By researching competing offers and promotional deals, Stephanie was able to convince both Verizon and Comcast to cut her a better deal. “I couldn’t believe how easy it was,” she writes.

Fondulac District Library patrons are checking out more than just books, writes the Peoria Journal Star. Thanks to four new devices donated to the library by the Sierra Club, patrons can check out how much electricity they’re using in their homes. The Reliance AmWatt Appliance Load Tester showed David and Edie Schneider just how much electricity their television, light bulbs and out-of-date appliances use. “We ought to replace a few appliances with new, Energy Star-rated appliances,” said David. “Our Whirlpool refrigerator is 15 years old.” He said Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) also help him cut down on electricity. Take CUB’s “Get Green” pledge to use at least one CFL in your home and get the chance to win 50 money-saving bulbs or a month’s worth of free electricity, courtesy of CUB. The community with the highest percentage of pledges will win up to 10,000 bulbs at the end of 2008.

This Idaho TV station has ten tips for consumers to “create some breathing room in their spending plan.” The top three deal with cable TV (drop it), Internet (use free services at a library or cafe) and phones (get basic service). On that last point, we’ve got plenty of good information at our Phone Savings Center. Phones are a first step to fighting a lousy economy.

Kiril Lozanov and Sarah Lozanova produce enough solar electricity to fulfill all their power needs each year, writes the Chicago Tribune. How do they do it? They’ve installed a photovoltaic system complete with eight solar panels on the roof of their Avondale condo. “This technology is available and ready right now. It might not be highly affordable, but it’s available,” said Lozanova. While the system cost them about $4000 after tax credits and a state rebate, the Lozanovi hope to recoup their expenses more quickly by installing a net meter, which would allow them to sell surplus power back to ComEd.

CUB Executive David Kolata was interviewed on NBC’s Chicago affiliate to kick off the network’s “Green Week.” David talked about the wonders of super-efficient “CFL” light bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy and can save you up to $50 over the life of each bulb. Then, David and CUB staffers Sarah and Annie braved the morning cold to hand out energy-efficient “CFL” light bulbs to people passing by. I caught some of the morning coverage just before I pried by kids out of bed, and saw a very cold Annie, dressed in a coat with a furry hood, looking like she was handing out bulbs in Siberia. It was still dark, so it was a very symbolic moment for CUB—handing out light bulbs in the dark. We’ll do anything, well, almost anything, to shed light on new ways to save money! Then, of course, NBC went from CUB’s dedicated staffers to its Today Show celebrities, each stationed at an exotic part of the world. Ann Curry was climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa; Meredith Vieira was in Sydney, Australia; Matt Lauer was underwater in Belize, and Al Roker was in Iceland. But Mr. Roker didn’t look nearly as cold as poor Annie, handing out light bulbs in the darkness.

Jim Chilsen, CUB director of communications

The Chicago Tribune’s Problem Solver turns to CUB for advice in its “Guide to Not Getting Burned By Your Heating Provider.”  To ensure accurate billing, CUB’s Aimee Gendusa-English recommends that customers read their own natural gas meter more often. “That’s one way to take matters into their own hands and be an empowered consumer,” she said. CUB also advises gas customers to do everything they can to keep their service connected and to beware of any fixed bill offers from unregulated gas companies. CUB has yet to find anyone who has saved money under such plans. “The prices would have to be so astronomically high to make it a money saver,” said Jim Chilsen, CUB’s communications director. “It’s like waiting for the 100-year flood.” Visit CUB’s Natural Gas page for more helpful information and advice.

Nicor and Peoples/North Shore Gas customers can choose another company to supply them with natural gas. See our fact sheets for Nicor customers and Peoples/North Shore customers. Some of the plans are offering prices that beat the utilities, at least this month, but others want to lock you into an extremely high rate for years. Be careful!

The Southern Illinoisan reports that the federal government has radically changed its forecast for this winter’s heating prices. Back in July, when prices were well above a dollar a therm, CUB was worried about a horrific winter. “The bubble has burst a bit,” says CUB Executive Director David Kolata. The Energy Information Administration now predicts that Midwestern families that use natural gas, heating oil, and propane to heat their homes will see their costs drop by .5 percent, 20 percent, and 11 percent, respectively. Midwesterners who use electric heat, unfortunately, will see their costs rise by 5 percent, the EIA predicts.

Technolgizer breaks down the confusing cell phone deals offered by major wireless carriers. Don’t be fooled! The listed price of a phone may actually be the price after receiving a mail-in rebate. Buying a phone at a discounted price might also enter you into a lenghty unwanted contract with a particular carrier. The bottom line: Read the fine print before you purchase a phone.

After Daniel switched his Internet service to AT&T back in June, he found that the company’s standard modem didn’t work in his house. He returned it and bought a wireless modem, but found that that one didn’t work either. After returning the second modem, Daniel received a June AT&T bill charging him for both modems and a month of Internet service. He spent the next four months wrangling with AT&T customer service reps, but as of October still found himself without a refund.  Luckily, the Fixer was able to get through to the telecom giant, which finally cut Daniel a refund check of $113.