The electric company gives discounts for using appliances during off-peak hours.
Use them at night when possible. With natural gas, dress warm and lower the thermostat or shut it off.
Utility bills don’t have to be prohibitive if you plan ahead.
There are no power lines, natural gas lines or phone lines within several miles of me, but that’s good advice for most folks.
BTW, way back when, I was down that way. The combined electric and gas utility there (PS) was one of the cheapest utilities I’d ever used. Utility bills were much higher back in the Midwest (way, way back when). Have rates gone up there?