Knowledge is power. Knowledge also saves power. It makes sense that monitoring energy consumption enables more control over the amount spent on energy. Doing this effectively, however, is not as simple as it sounds.
The electric company typically provides a lump-sum bill at the end of the month. If the current monthly total is higher than the previous month, the cause is often not obvious. Was the increase due to weather, a short-term glitch, or a prolonged pattern of neglecting to pay attention to usage patterns?