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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Ameren Missouri is sending all of its customers, both residential and business, a personal energy report.

It's to help cut their energy costs. Annette Sweet, Spokeswoman for Ameren Missouri tells us it's important that every customer knows their usage to they're able to take steps to control it.

That's exactly why Ameren is sending every customer a personal energy report. The energy report helps their customers understand their energy usage trends and offer ways to save.

Ameren is offers a variety of programs to help save you money. Sweet tells us there are a lot of ways you can reduce your usage.

"It can be anything from using the CFL bulbs instead of an incandescent bulb, it can be setting your air condition or heating to a higher or lower temperature and that will save you money," Sweet said.

Those are not the only ways to cut your energy usage. Ameren recommends when you replace your appliances, make sure to look for an energy savers star appliance. Those will use less energy, leaving more money in your pockets.

"If you're going to be gone more than 2-3 hours I would set your thermostat lower in the winter and higher in the summer and when you come home again you can change that," Sweet said.

Sweet tells us there are some things that use energy no matter what, whether you have it on or now.

"One of the things might be a flat screen T.V. and things like that," said Sweet. "Either unplug those or put them on a power strip and shut the power strip off when you leave so you're not consuming energy when you're gone."

If you'd like to learn more about using and saving energy CLICK HERE