Whether you rent or own your home, you pay monthly utility bills. (Yes, some renters receive certain utilities included with their monthly rent, but these expenses are likely factored into the total rent payment they make each month.)
Utilities include expenses like water, sewer, gas, electricity, and trash collection. For modern living (i.e. reading by nightlight and showering with clean, hot water), they are necessary parts of your total housing expenses.
According to a recent survey reported on by Gen X Finance, the average monthly service utility spend rang in at $197. The reported totals, however, ranged from $30 per month in the tenth percentile of respondents to $418 per month in the 90th percentile.
How Do Your Service Utility Expenses Compare?
As indicated by the range of average utility expenses reported, the total cost can fluctuate drastically. Your average monthly utility costs will depend on the season (if you are cooling your home with constantly running air conditioning or heating it in the winter), the size of your home, the number of people living in your household, and the area in which you live (for example, where water is scarce, it’s also more expensive).
You can also actively work to lower your utility costs by limiting the amount of electricity you use, making use of natural light, being fast in the shower, and unplugging appliances that are not regularly used.
Want More Information on Service Utilities? Contact Your South Carolina Public Service Commission
To learn more about reducing your utility costs with lifestyle modifications or a household energy audit, contact your South Carolina Public Service Commission. Our commissioners work to represent the public’s service utility needs and concerns and can connect residents with resources to improve service and lower bills.