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End door-to-door sales!

Sick of alternative energy suppliers knocking at your door?  We are, too! Illinois residents have the option of choosing their gas and electric suppliers.  With the lure of new customers, many alternative gas and electric suppliers have sent representatives through neighborhoods to try to attract business. Having the freedom to choose your…...

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Contracts begone!

Looks like two-year phone contracts are going the way of the dinosaurs. The nation’s largest cellphone provider, Verizon, announced last month that it would eliminate two-year service contracts for its customers— and the up-front phone subsidies that made those contracts attractive.   Sprint announced the same week that it would also…...

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Money-saving programs to brag about

By Samantha Vercellino Thanks to efficiency programs offered by Illinois’ major utilities saving energy—and money— is easier than ever before. CUB chose five of its favorite energy efficiency programs from across Illinois. (See them below in no particular order.) ComEd’s Lighting Discounts Lighten your utility woes by switching to newer energy-saving…...

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CUB’s Internet, cable, and telephone shopping guide

Gone are the simple days of a landline phone, a few TV channels, and a dial-up Internet connection.  Step into the nearest Best Buy, and you can become quickly overwhelmed by the plethora of telecom options available.  To make shopping a little easier, here’s CUB’s tips to help you make the right Internet, cable and…...

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Save money AND help CUB!

Save money.  Help CUB.  Talk about a win-win! CUB recently partnered with CouponCabin, an online shopping site that delivers coupons to your inbox and pays cash back for online purchases at 1,800+ stores. Sign up and the cash back you earn will automatically be donated to CUB! Plus CouponCabin will…...

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In a jam with your utility? Don’t rule out Facebook, Twitter

Social media isn’t just for selfies and life updates. Facebook and Twitter can help you tackle utility problems. One Chicago couple recently took to Twitter to address a concern with Peoples Gas. Having had their heat turned off, they had made a payment to restore service. However, they reported that the utility…...

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CUBPowerCalculator.com: Go ahead…try it again!

A new season means new electric rates. That’s why we’ve updated our free calculator to reflect fall electric prices coming to Illinois. The CUB Power Calculator—a tool that shows how your utility’s supply rates stack up against an alternative supplier’s plan— can now provide a price comparison through May 2016.…...

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Price Spike! Send a message to regulators today

Just a few days ago we found out that a recent electricity auction could increase power bills for typical Northern Illinois households by more than $80 in 2018-2019. After a similar auction sparked a 30 percent increase in power prices for Central and Southern Illinois earlier this summer, CUB warned…...

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Higher electric bills again?

Here we go again. For the second time in less than a year Illinois consumers—first in Central and Southern Illinois and now in Northern Illinois—face significantly higher electric bills because of a flawed power-pricing system.  And while electric customers will take the hit, big power generators like Exelon, NRG and…...

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Statement: CUB Executive Director David Kolata on today’s capacity auction results

For the second time in less than a year consumers in the state—first in Central and Southern Illinois and now in Northern Illinois—face significantly higher electric bills because of a flawed power-pricing system. Illinois’ electricity market is not working well for consumers. This price spike is one more red flag…...

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