Renter tools
Monroe utility budget planner for renters
Summer air conditioning makes electricity the most variable bill for most Monroe renters. This planner estimates electricity from apartment size and season. You add the other bills you expect to pay.
Use the square footage on the listing when it is shown.
12¢ is a round planning number, not a quoted rate. Replace it with the all-in rate from a recent Entergy bill if you have one.
Leave a field at $0 if the lease includes that utility.
Monthly utility budget
- Estimated electricity use
- 720 kWh
- Electricity
- $86
- Estimated monthly total
- $86
Electricity use is estimated from square footage with simple planning assumptions. Actual bills depend on the unit, insulation, appliances, thermostat settings and weather.
How the electricity estimate works
The planner multiplies square footage by a usage factor for the kind of month you pick: about 0.6 kWh per square foot in a mild month, 0.9 in a typical month, and 1.3 in a peak-summer cooling month. It then multiplies by your electric rate.
These factors are simple planning assumptions, not measurements of any Braud Properties unit. Your real use depends on insulation, windows, appliances, thermostat settings and how many people live in the unit.
The default rate of 12¢ per kWh is a round number for planning. For a better estimate, divide the total on a recent Entergy bill by the kWh used to get your all-in rate.
Which utilities will you pay?
Who pays which utility depends on the property, the unit and the lease. Before you budget, check the listing and the proposed lease. Leave any included utility at $0.
In the City of Monroe, residential water service starts through Utility Billing at 1401 Stubbs Avenue (318-329-2220). Electric service is set up through Entergy Louisiana’s start-service process.
Keep summer bills under control
Small habits add up in a Louisiana summer. Keep blinds closed on sunny windows in the afternoon, use ceiling fans, and avoid big swings on the thermostat. Report a struggling AC unit or a leaky window through the resident portal early. A maintenance issue can raise your bill quickly.