Each month, NerdWallet suggests one wallet win to help you feel more confident about your money. This month’s topic is utility bills, and we’re going to show you ways to lower your water bill each month.
Time required: About two hours in total, which includes calls to your utility’s customer service line and arranging a plumber’s visit.
What happened to me: Earlier this year, I opened up a routine water bill and was shocked at what I saw. According to the utility company, I owed just over $1,000 for the previous three month period of water usage.
My typical bill was about half that amount.
My first step was to call the utility company to see if perhaps they had made a mistake. They agreed to send out a representative to read my water meter, and then a week later, they confirmed that the reading was correct.
In other words, my water usage had shot up and I was on the hook for the mega-bill. They suggested calling a plumber who could troubleshoot my water usage and perhaps identify a leak.
Meet MoneyNerd, your weekly news decoder
So much news. So little time. NerdWallet's new weekly newsletter makes sense of the headlines that affect your wallet.
The fix: When the plumber came to investigate a few days later, he confirmed that we did, in fact, have a leak. One of our toilets needed a new flapper. The total cost for his visit was $300.
The plumber also suggested that I submit the receipt to show we fixed the leak and ask for a one-time reprieve from the utility company.
Encouraged by the relatively easy repair and the hope of getting a refund, I waited a couple weeks and then asked the utility company if they could detect that our water usage had fallen. They sent out another meter reader, and then confirmed the problem seemed to be fixed: Our water usage had fallen back down to its typical levels.
As for the bill reprieve, the utility company said they would consider it and asked me to send in the paperwork. However, three months later, I’m still waiting for a response.
Still, I was relieved that my high water bill was relatively easy to lower. When the next bill arrived, it was about $870. Still too high because the leak had continued into the current meter reading period, but trending in the right direction.
Based on the number of gallons we use now, I expect the next bill to be under $700. Over the course of the year, reducing my quarterly bill by $300 adds up to $1,200 in savings.
What you can try:
Pay close attention to your bills. I know my typical water bill amount, so I was able to spot the increase. If you want help organizing, try using the cash flow feature on NerdWallet’s app. It lets you see your monthly expenses and income in one place.
Call your utility company. When you get a high bill out of the blue, it’s worth first calling the utility company to check for an error or obvious explanation. They might also have suggestions for next steps.
Ask for help. Utility companies also often offer hardship programs to customers in distress. It’s worth asking if you might qualify. If you’re unsure how to start the conversation, try one of our scripts.
Bring in a professional. While hiring a plumber isn’t cheap, the cost can pay for itself within a billing period or two if a leak is identified and fixed.
Use less water. Outside of leaks, water can also be wasted in other ways: Extra long showers, leaving faucets running and watering grass unnecessarily all use up extra water. Consider scaling back to see your bill drop.
If you’re following along with us on this monthly financial challenge, start by testing out the tips we shared today over the next few weeks. We’ll be back again next month to learn how to save money on holiday shopping. And if you missed last month’s edition, take a look back at how to pay less when you’re online grocery shopping.
Meet MoneyNerd, your weekly news decoder
So much news. So little time. NerdWallet's new weekly newsletter makes sense of the headlines that affect your wallet.
