Ameren's Holiday Tips Could Cut Your Winter Bill by $70. Here's How.

ST. LOUIS, MO – December 17, 2025 – As Missourians deck their halls and prepare for holiday feasts, utility provider Ameren Missouri is offering a timely gift: a guide to energy efficiency that could trim up to $70 from a typical household's seasonal energy bill. The series of recommendations focuses on simple, actionable steps that can lower consumption during one of the most energy-intensive times of the year, providing financial relief while promoting safer holiday practices.

In a season marked by festive light displays and buzzing kitchens, the utility's advice comes as a practical response to the high energy demands of winter. The savings, which Ameren notes depend on home size, equipment, and energy habits, are broken down into manageable adjustments that homeowners can implement immediately. This initiative highlights a growing trend among energy providers to empower customers with tools and knowledge to manage their own consumption.

A Practical Guide to Holiday Savings

The cornerstone of Ameren's advice is a detailed breakdown of how specific holiday activities contribute to energy bills and how to mitigate those costs. The most significant saving—over $30 in a single season—comes from a now-familiar recommendation: switching to ENERGY STAR® certified LED light strings. These modern lights use up to 75% less energy than traditional incandescent strands, a figure supported by independent energy studies which show LEDs can reduce holiday lighting costs by as much as 90%. Beyond the financial benefit, the company emphasizes that LEDs run cooler, significantly reducing the risk of fire compared to their older, heat-producing counterparts.

Outdoor decorations, particularly popular inflatable figures, are another major focus. An average inflatable can consume between 150 and 250 watts, running up costs when left on continuously. Ameren suggests that simply shutting off these decorations when idle, or using timers to limit their operation to evening hours, can save a household between $10 and $15 over the season. Combining timers with smart plugs for all decorative lighting can shave an additional $5 from seasonal costs.

Inside the home, the kitchen and thermostat offer further opportunities for savings. During holiday cooking marathons or when hosting guests, the internal temperature of a home naturally rises. By turning the thermostat down a few degrees, an all-electric home can save an extra $5 to $10 on heating. This simple adjustment allows the furnace to work less, compensating for the heat generated by ovens and extra body heat. Ameren also advises batching baking—cooking multiple dishes back-to-back to leverage a preheated oven—and using the oven light to check on food instead of opening the door, which releases heat and forces the appliance to use more energy to return to temperature.

For the millions traveling during the holidays, a pre-departure checklist can yield savings even while away. Setting the water heater to a "vacation" mode, lowering the home thermostat, closing curtains to add a layer of insulation, and unplugging nonessential electronics can trim $4 to $6 from energy costs during a typical five-day trip. This last step combats "phantom load," the energy consumed by devices in standby mode, which the U.S. Department of Energy estimates can cost the average household $100 to $200 annually.

Beyond the Holidays: Smart Tech and Year-Round Habits

While the tips are framed around holiday festivities, Ameren is positioning them as a gateway to long-term behavioral change. "Simple adjustments during the holidays can add up to real savings," said Tony Lozano, director of efficiency and demand response at Ameren Missouri, in the company's announcement. "And you can use this same approach all year long, because there are always small ways to adjust and save on your energy bills."

Central to this long-term strategy is the promotion of smart home technology, specifically smart thermostats. Through its online marketplace, Ameren Missouri is offering residential electric customers devices like the Google Nest Thermostat for as low as $1. This heavily subsidized price, a fraction of the typical $129 retail cost, comes with a condition: customers must enroll in the utility's Peak Time Savings program. This demand-response program allows Ameren to slightly adjust participants' thermostats during periods of peak energy demand on the grid, helping to prevent blackouts and reduce the need for expensive, less-efficient power sources.

In exchange for enrolling, customers receive a $50 bonus and an additional $25 annually for continued participation. The long-term savings from the thermostat itself can be substantial. Independent studies have shown that devices like the Nest Thermostat can reduce cooling costs by an average of 15%, with some utilities estimating total annual savings of up to $180 for customers who use them effectively. This program illustrates a direct partnership between the utility and the consumer, where technology facilitates shared benefits of cost savings and grid stability.

The Bigger Picture: Utility Strategy and Missouri's Energy Future

Ameren's holiday campaign is more than just seasonal advice; it's a component of a much broader strategy known as demand-side management. For modern utilities, encouraging energy efficiency is often the most cost-effective way to meet growing energy needs. Investing in customer-facing programs that reduce overall consumption can be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than building new power plants and transmission lines. These programs are increasingly viewed as a critical resource for ensuring a reliable and affordable energy future.

This approach is reflected in Ameren Missouri's long-range planning documents filed with the Missouri Public Service Commission (MoPSC). The company’s updated Smart Energy Plan outlines significant investments in customer energy-efficiency programs, with a goal of achieving a peak demand reduction of over 1,200 megawatts by 2030. Furthermore, Ameren has proposed investing over $200 million in rebates and incentives for residential and business customers between 2025 and 2027 to encourage efficiency upgrades, a plan designed to save enough electricity to power nearly 70,000 homes annually.

While these ambitious plans are subject to regulatory approval and occasional modification by the MoPSC, they signal a clear strategic direction. By helping customers reduce their own bills, Ameren simultaneously manages stress on the electrical grid, helps the state move toward its clean energy goals, and builds a more collaborative relationship with its customer base. These small holiday tips, from unplugging an inflatable snowman to installing a smart thermostat, are individual actions that contribute to a larger, statewide effort to create a more sustainable and resilient energy system for all Missourians.