Changes in billing make it difficult to pull out details. During some periods Gas and Electric were on a combined billing and were difficult to separate, while at other times they were separate companies. We have gas heat and electric air conditioning, with fairly constant monthly totals within any given year.

Suffice to show:

July 1998 Gas + Electric $766.81
July 2008 Gas + Electric $295.46

July 1998 Water (includes Sewer Chg) $131.55
July 2008 Water (includes Sewer Chg) $46.73

Gas and Electric rates have increased by something between 15 and 18%, so far as I can figure them out, during this time period. At current rates, the July 1998 bill would be somewhat more than $900 for the month, so I've cut off about 2/3 of the bill.

The reductions are deliberate and planned, and have required significant "adjustments." While the reduction in Electric charges aren't entirely from the gradual elimination of incandescent light bulbs as the old ones burned out, I'd estimate that at least a third of it is just due to the difference in lighting, and we have better lighting now, in most parts of the house, than were in place originally. I still have incandescent bulbs in ONE FIXTURE that's on a dimmer. The existing fixture has "mini-base" bulbs for which fluorescent conversion bulbs aren't available, dimmable or otherwise.

The remaining improvements are largely from adjustments in air circulation/distribution for the existing forced air systems, and slight increases in summer temp settings with addition of three or four supplemental portable fans. (We're both getting too old to tolerate big changes in temps, which might save somewhat more.)

The reduction in water costs is largely due to disabling the automatic lawn sprinkler system. I didn't actually disable it. It did it to itself, and I couldn't rationalize the extortionate repair/reinstallation charges for an unneeded and wasteful conspicuous consumption of resources.

The worst "utility" here is the trash service, which has nearly tripled in our 10 years in this house - with NO MUNICIPAL RECYCLING available and no indication that changes are to be expected.

There are few things that one can do (without investing in new equipment) that individually will make really big differences in utility costs. It's the cumulative effect of lots of smaller changes that can make a difference large enough to help the cash flow.

Switching to more efficient lighting can make a noticeable difference, but by itself it's sort of "pocket change" for most people. The cumulative effect of a whole community saving just a few bucks each probably can be worthwhile; but it takes time to make a switchover and the savings can get overlooked by those who don't pay attention.

John