“I think everyone is feeling the pinch as far as the awful winter that we’ve been having,” Wohlschied said.

For DTN-owned properties, some communities have the heat cost included in the rent, but the resident is responsible for footing the bill in some of the company’s other locations.

This year, the residents with the heat included in their bill are in luck.

Typically, the two payment options balance themselves out in the end, because the residents who pay for their heat have more control to adjust and conserve when possible.

However, with such severe temperatures, this year is not comparable to the last few, Wohlschied said.

Professional writing junior Sarah Waldrop is facing a tough break this winter paying for her heat.

With only one roommate of the possible three her apartment could hold, she said she is looking at a utility bill that will end up costing her about $20 more than it normally would be as a result of the sub-zero temperatures.

“I constantly have to turn the heat on or have it running,” Waldrop said. “It’s pretty expensive to split for just two people.”

But there are a few things students can do to lessen the monthly burden they face when it comes to utility payments.

Wohlschied recommended pulling furniture and rugs away from the heating vents to allow as much airflow as possible.

Double-checking the windows to make sure that they are completely shut and locked can also make a huge difference, she said.

Officials from CRMC also addressed the issue of excessively high heat bills in an statement released to residents of all the company’s properties.

They encouraged students to move all items away from heating vents and registers to allow more ventilation throughout the room.

CRMC also urged students to make sure Consumers Energy, Lansing Board of Water and Light and other local energy companies aren’t giving them an estimate on their monthly bill as opposed to an actual read of money owed.

On its website, Consumers Energy offered several tips to conserve energy and keep bills at a manageable level, including refraining from overheating the living space by using supplemental heating equipment such as a space heater for perpetually cold areas.

Other options the company suggests to save money and conserve heat include piling on the blankets, dialing down the thermostat slightly and even setting a ceiling fan at a slow speed, which moves warm air around the room without causing a cold breeze.

Turning thermostats down at night, opening curtains during the day when the sun is out and using weather strips around doors to lock heat inside and keep cold air out also will help make the heating bills more manageable.