Rising Gas Rates: Secrets to lowering your bill

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Industry experts say that prices on some plans are shooting up and the recent bitter cold isn't helping matters. The ABC7 I-Team learned that there are details on your statement that you need to pay close attention to right now - and there are also cost-cutting tricks.

It started with a woman calling us about her $600 gas bill. Betty Phillips was in shock when she opened her recent gas bill. She's a widow on a fixed income in a three-bedroom home.

"This is more than double than what the bill had," Phillips said.

Her bill was $628, with some for the delivery charges and fees from People's Gas. But $387 of it was from the unregulated supplier, Santana.

When asked if she'd ever had a gas bill that high, Phillips said it had never been that high in the last 45 years.

Phillips' children say Santana told them she had been on a fixed-rate plan since May, but her usage is up in the winter, and that fixed rate was at $0.69 per therm.

"We have been hearing reports of rates as high as $1.00 per therm," said Jim Chilsen, Citizens Utility board.

Chilsen said $1.00 per therm is almost three times more than what government-regulated suppliers like Nicor and People's Gas are currently charging, around $0.31 to $0.35 per therm.

"A lot of times people get lured into deals because there is a low introductory rate and after a moth or two that introductory rate goes away and your bill goes through the roof," Chilsen said.

Sometimes you can get a deal with an alternative supplier, and even with a regulated rate you may be paying more than usual during these bone-chilling days.

"You want to make sure people have good weather stripping to keep the cold from coming in. Underneath the door, make sure you have something heavy there, a door guard," Chilsen said.

And every degree you drop on your thermostat can save you 2 percent.

"One of the things we do is that every house has a drafty section," Chilsen said. "So we close off the stairwell with this heavy curtain."

Clear clutter away from your heat source, and on days when it is sunny but cold, Chilsen says to keep your blinds open.

Phillips says she's going to follow those tips and she switched her supplier to the regulated People's Gas. She says she didn't realize she was with the unregulated Santana.

Santana has not yet returned the I-Team's calls for comment.

Utility experts say that if any alternative supplier comes to your door or calls you to sign up, you should read the contract carefully before handing over your account number.

More ways to save: https://www.cubenergysaver.com/