For a lot of people, there are aspects of their lives that become sort of a daily routine. We may get ready for work, get in our car and drive to the coffee shop on the way to the office. At lunchtime, we may drive to the nearest fast-food location and get lunch. Once we finally end the day at home, we may stream an episode or two of our favorite show before bed.
As we all look for ways to save money in this age of increasing inflation, we begin to think about our daily routine and how much value it has provided compared to the money we spent. A morning latte costs about $6, a fast-food combo with a burger, fries and a drink can set you back $10, and a Netflix subscription is about $16 each month. All these daily expenses totaled around $85 a week, or about $340 monthly. And what was the real value—short-term satisfaction and a larger waistline? Even if you start packing your own lunch, a latte would still cost you about $120 a month. This can cause you to wonder if this is the best value for your money?
The average daily cost of electricity is about $4.57. You could power your entire home every day for the price of a medium latte. You could brew your own coffee, cook your own meals, binge watch a series, and run on a treadmill for less than the cost of that drink. Now that’s real value.
Electricity provides benefits that we often take for granted. It goes well beyond short-term satisfaction by allowing us to charge devices and have cold food and hot water, all in a comfortable indoor climate. Besides the privilege it affords, electricity has also remained relatively cost-stable even amidst rising inflation.
As a member-owned cooperative, Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (CWEC) does everything in our power to ensure your costs stay reasonable and that electricity remains a great value for our members. It’s not always easy, as there are several factors beyond inflation that impact the price of electricity—some within our control, but most beyond it.
The cost of electricity can fluctuate due to supply and demand, infrastructure investment, maintenance and operational expenses. Weather patterns also contribute, affecting both demand and generation capabilities, with extreme conditions leading to heightened energy use or disruptions. Government policies, such as subsidies for renewable energy or taxes and regulations on emissions, shape electricity costs as well. Your electric co-op considers all these aspects when adjusting rates, and because we’re a cooperative, we consider the impact of those costs on our members as well.
As our community continues to rely on electricity for nearly everything in our homes, schools, hospitals and businesses, we need it to be reliable and affordable. You can be assured, CWEC always puts you top of mind and works each day to ensure electricity remains the best value for your money.
