How to save on utility bills in St. Petersburg – 7 life hacks

Recalculate payments

Don’t be lazy and carefully study your utility bills. Check out the list of services indicated on the payment slip; it may contain services that you do not use. For example, a radio point, a landline telephone or a collective television antenna. You can disable these services by submitting an application to the management company.

Unscrupulous management companies often include in the receipt services that they do not perform or for which the tenant is not obligated to pay. For example, landscaping the adjacent area, replacing risers, etc. If any services cause you confusion, then do not hesitate to contact the Criminal Code for clarification.

Recalculate all amounts indicated on the receipt – errors in payments (on the larger side, of course) are not so rare. If you see that the amounts in the receipt do not match the meter readings or your payments do not take into account your benefits and subsidies, then be sure to ask the management company to recalculate the amount of utility bills.

Also, residents of St. Petersburg can request a recalculation if they left the apartment for more than five days. But only if there are no meters in the premises. To recalculate, you need to submit a corresponding application to the Criminal Code and attach documents confirming your departure (for example, transport tickets).

Install a multi-tariff meter

This will help you save on electricity bills. A multi-tariff (or otherwise, three-tariff) meter tracks electricity consumption by time intervals, where the most expensive time is from 07.00 to 10.00 and from 17.00 to 21.00, the more budget time is from 10.00 to 17.00 and the cheapest is from 23.00 to 07.00.

This way you can save up to a third of your utility bills for electricity. Especially if you will turn on the washing machine, dishwasher and other powerful electrical appliances and charge the batteries only at night.

Save water

First of all, installing water meters will help you save on utility bills. It is extremely rare for a person to waste as many cubic meters of water as is accepted according to standards. You can reduce your water bills by one and a half to two times.

Repair the plumbing – it’s better to spend money on repairing the plumbing than to overpay every month for water that flows unnoticed from a faulty faucet or toilet cistern.

Inspect your household appliances

Modern technology is less energy-consuming than old technology. If your equipment is class B or C, it is better to replace it with a new one, choosing models of class A, A+, A++. Yes, you will have to fork out more, but this will ultimately have a beneficial effect on utility bills.

Use technology wisely

• Empty your vacuum cleaner’s bag regularly – a clogged dustbin will cause the appliance to absorb more electricity.
• Do not forget to defrost the refrigerator – frost and ice causes the motor to turn on more often, and therefore consume more electricity
• Use eco modes – they are found in many modern electrical appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers.
• Unplug chargers and household appliances if you do not use them for a long time or leave the apartment for a long time. Most electrical appliances consume electricity even in sleep mode. Turning off “passive appliances” can save you thousands a year in utility bills.
• Replace conventional lamps with energy-saving ones. Such lamps cost 3-4 times more than conventional lamps, but they can operate uninterruptedly for 2-3 years and, in addition, consume less electricity.

Apply for housing subsidy

The state provides assistance to citizens in paying for housing and communal services if a person is experiencing financial difficulties. If the share of expenses for utility bills in the family budget exceeds a certain limit established by local regulations, then the citizen is entitled to a subsidy.

For example, in St. Petersburg The regional standard for the maximum allowable share of family expenses on utility bills is 14% of total family income. To apply for a subsidy for utility bills, you can contact the MFC or the City Center for Housing Subsidies.

Use promotions and cashback cards

Some banks provide their customers with a cashback service when paying for utilities using their cards. That is, when paying utility bills with a card, you can get part of the funds back to the card – usually this is no more than 1-2%, but still a pleasant saving.

Residents of St. Petersburg can also receive cashback in 2024 when sending utility bills via application “EIRTS SPb/PSK”. In this case, the payer receives 1% of any amount of utility payments back to his account.