Sep. 30--Saving energy is one thing. Saving money on your PG&E bill is another.

To that end, the utility offers programs for low-income customers to help them save money. Other programs help customers manage their monthly bills regardless of their income.

Diana Guido saves money on her PG&E bills under the CARE program, which provides low-income customers with a discount on residential gas and electricity bills. She also signed up for Energy Partners, which provided a no-cost energy audit that resulted in free weatherization improvements that made her home more energy efficient.

"It's a big difference. I've seen a dramatic change in the amount of the bill," said Guido, who lives in Martinez with her husband and their two adult children. The family signed up for the program last year.

(See breakout for details on eligibility for various PG&E programs.)

Enrollment in CARE has increased in the last year as the California economy struggles with a hard-hit housing market and rising unemployment. CARE is the most popular of the utility's ratepayer-funded financial assistance programs, but the tough economy has made it even more popular. During the first eight months of the year, CARE added 284,861 new residential customers, compared to 238,055 new enrollees last year over the same time period.

"We have seen a significant increase. The numbers speak for themselves. We have stepped up our outreach efforts because this is

a difficult time for people," said PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian.

While more than 1.2 millon residential customers have enrolled in CARE, the utility estimates another 316,000 are financially eligible for the program. A family of four with an annual income of up to $43,200 would qualify for CARE.

Another program known as FERA provides a discount, but only for the electricity portion of energy bills. Both CARE and FERA have income caps for enrollment but the caps for FERA are higher. The higher limits for FERA are meant to reach more customers who need help with their electricity bills but cannot qualify for CARE. A family of four with an annual income of between $43,201 and $54,000 could enroll in FERA. Customers cannot enroll in both programs.

"Depending on which program you qualify for, that's the program you apply for," said Sarkissian.

New enrollment numbers for FERA have also increased. In the first eight months of 2009, the program enrolled 8,239 new participants, compared to 6,470 who signed up during the same period in 2008.