My parents taught me how to balance a checkbook and maintain a budget. I can’t imagine getting through life without those skills.

My daddy grew up during the Great Depression and monitored every dime he spent, ensuring his life was absent of financial suspense. He kept up with what he earned and what he spent so that when a bill arrived, he had the money to pay it. Typically, he’d put that payment in the next day’s mail.

Because he adhered to a strict budget and kept close watch over his checkbook, Daddy managed to save money. When a financial surprise did occur, we could cover it.

Growing up on a farm, there would be surprises—droughts that spoiled crops, deluges that spoiled them even worse, drops in the market, you name it. But because Daddy kept his financial books as well as he kept his cows, he made a good living on the farm.

I am grateful for the lessons Mama and Daddy taught me about spending little and saving a lot.

What does that have to do with electricity and energy use? A lot.

I’ve found that when I apply the same discipline to my home energy use that I apply to keeping a budget, there’s more money in my bank account at the end of the month.

What’s more, with Jackson EMC’s new MyJacksonEMC website and app, I’m provided tools that enable me to mind my energy use the same way I keep my budget.

Jackson EMC recently launched MyJacksonEMC.com and its accompanying mobile app as a way for members to access their home energy information and manage their account. The robust app provides information on everything from energy use data to your bill balance and payment due date. Download it to your mobile device or visit the website on your computer to gain access to report outages, pay your bill or view your energy use.

Create your MyJacksonEMC account by visiting MyJacksonEMC.com or downloading the app from the App Store or Google Play. Then you’ll be able to:

• Pay your bill. Choose the “Pay My Bill” or “Pay Now” option to pay with your bank account, credit card or debit card. Or enroll in the Auto Pay program to pay with a monthly automated draft from a bank account or credit card.
• Choose your preferences. Sign up for paperless billing with the “My Profile” section at MyJacksonEMC.com or “Settings” on the app. Use one or multiple email addresses or phone numbers to receive account notifications.
• See your energy use. View your energy use by billing period, week, day or even hourly use when you choose the “Energy Use” or “My Usage” options.
• Submit a service request. Select “More,” then “Contact Us” and select a service under the “Report am Issue/Inquiry” options to transfer or disconnect service, request outdoor light maintenance, enroll in budget billing or subscribe to JEMCO News’ e-news edition.
• Report an outage. Use MyJacksonEMC to report an outage, receive notifications about it or track its status. A map at MyJacksonEMC.com and within the app displays known outages.

So far, more than 86,000 members have registered for a MyJacksonEMC account and the mobile app had been downloaded more than 30,000 times.

I’m thinking maybe parents should add a new entry to life lessons they teach their children: Balance your checkbook, maintain a budget, and keep up with your energy use and accounts with tools like MyJacksonEMC.

Jackie Kennedy has worked with Georgia’s electric cooperatives for 25 years, producing newsletters, press releases and articles about the industry or energy-related matters. She is the author of People, Power, Progress: The Story of Jackson EMC, published in 2013. In her blog, she grapples with a variety of energy efficiency topics.