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CUB’s Holiday Lighting Guide

The pandemic may hang over this holiday season, but there’s still plenty of reason to get in the spirit and decorate your home. Americans spend about $233 million on holiday lights each year, according to Wired magazine, so CUB has tips to help you cut down on your electricity costs. Switch to…...

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Deadline Monday, Nov. 23: Does Facebook owe you money?

We want to make sure you were aware of a major settlement in a class-action lawsuit against Facebook. It means that certain Illinois Facebook users could be in for a cash payout of several hundred dollars. BUT the deadline for filing a claim is this Monday, Nov. 23. Read our…...

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Federal stats: IL has lowest average electric bills in Midwest for 8th straight year

Recently released federal statistics show that for the eighth straight year Illinois has the lowest average residential electric bills in the Midwest. And in 2019, we had the fourth lowest bills in the nation. That’s encouraging, but there’s a lot of work left to do in order to secure clean,…...

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Why CUB continues the fight for landlines

Can you count on your cellphone carrier to save your life? When you dial 911 from a cellphone, most consumers may expect dispatchers to immediately know their location. However, current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules only require your carrier to provide location data that is accurate within 50-300 meters, according…...

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2020: CUB’s Year by the Numbers

2020 certainly wasn’t the year we were expecting: COVID-19 pandemic, racial and economic injustice and utility corruption. But CUB continued to work for Illinois consumers, despite some of the obstacles this year has thrown our way. We converted all of our in-person events to online programming, and invited people to email us their…...

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“I’m tired of meetings. I want action.”: Virtual Lobby Day urges action on CEJA

More than 800 consumers from across the state gathered on Zoom today for a virtual lobby day in support of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), comprehensive energy legislation currently before the Illinois General Assembly.  During lobby days past, consumer and environmental advocates met up at the state capitol in…...

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Three Important Steps To Keep from Getting Your Utility Service Cut Off During the Pandemic

If you’re struggling to pay your utility bills during this public health crisis, CUB has some guidance on what steps to take. 1) Call Your Utility: As the utility company is the entity issuing the bill and the only entity with access to your account, your first call—no matter the…...

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CUB helps protect Verizon customer from $250 hassle

Donald had been with Verizon for almost 20 years, and he had never missed a payment. But the 82-year-old Bartonville retiree had no idea that getting a new phone would lead to a months-long hassle and Verizon slapping him with a $250 fee. That’s why he called CUB.  Donald, who…...

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Cut your TV costs with CUB’s updated cable guide

In September, we asked and you answered: The utility bill you hate the most is cable. The average consumer pays $100-$200 a month on their cable bill, but only watches an average of 17 channels! That’s why we’ve updated CUB’s Guide to Cutting Your TV Costs with the most recent…...

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November natural gas rates trending up

November gas prices are more expensive this month than last, with the exception of Nicor Gas.  The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has anticipated an uptick. Last month, the organization predicted that natural gas bills across the Midwest could be about 8 percent higher than last winter. Over the winter season,…...

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