The kids are home all day - doing school online and, once the virtual school bell rings, off to TV or video games. Adults are working from home due to business need changes or you may have a college student who is living at home again and has to conduct online learning, too. 

The daily activity in your once-quiet home is now changing due to recent world events. There are more people in the house which can create increased:

• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Laundry
• Showers and water usage
• Gaming activities
• Plugged in electronics of all kinds (iPad, iPhone, laptops, monitors, etc.)
• Use of a space heater in a cooler part of the home.

Keep in mind the electric bills you receive in March and April reflect usage during colder time periods. Your electric bill typically reflects usage from the past 30 days.

Tips to help you monitor energy usage:

• Monitor your usage with SmartHub, Itasca-Mantrap’s free tool for account management. SmartHub can help you take control of your Itasca-Mantrap account and give you the chance to focus on smart energy choices for your household.

• Check out all the various features to manage your account. You can schedule payments, set up alerts, view billing history and see your current bill, along with statements from the previous month or even the previous summer, if you want to compare costs. You can view your actual usage by the hour, day, month or year and see how your usage is trending over time, which will allow you to take steps to lower your bill.

Access SmartHub at (link SmartHub) or by downloading the app on your mobile device through the Apple iTunes Store or Google Play Marketplace. Smarthub can be easily accessed on your computer, phone or tablet.

Other payment options to consider:

• Pay Now – Pay through our website without creating an account.

• Auto Pay – Payments can be electronically transferred from your checking or savings account, or debited from your Visa, Mastercard or Discover credit card to Itasca-Mantrap. Sign up through SmartHub or call the Itasca-Mantrap office for more information.

We all know that life can throw some curve balls at times. Contact Itasca-Mantrap’s Member Service Department if you feel you are unable to pay your bill, we can work with you to set up payment arrangements. Call 218.732.3377 or 888.713.3377 or email itasca@itasca-mantrap.com.