Why did my eectric bill go up?

    Beginning in July 2011 and ending in August 2012 we paid $118.00 per month with a $283.00 credit at years end.  The next 12 months, ending in August 2013 we paid $103.00 per month with a $187.00 credit an years end and the next 12 months ending this month we paid $100.00 per month and owe $99.98 at years end.  Money wise it would seem we paid more this year than last year.  Our average daily cost dropped from $3.71 to $3.41 and then rose to $3.45 this year   again making one think they have used more power. 
   What seems upsetting the most is the efforts we have taken to use less.  Drying close in the early morning hours when it is cool so as not to overheat the house and make the air conditioner work harder in the simmer and to help warm the home in the cooler months.  We upgraded to a dishwasher to use less water and purchased more energy efficient laundry room appliances and a new refrigerator.  But the biggy we did was add a cover to our front porch.  The front of the house faces the setting sun so it gets bright and hot in the evenings.  The front door knob was so hot it would take the skin off ones hand.  With the cover to the porch, the front rooms stay cooler and one can actually see the TV screen.  The air conditioner actually ran less.  Couple that with a slightly cooler summer than last year one would think that ones electric bill would go down. 
  The first full year we used 1180 kw per month and the second year it was 1018 and the third year it was just 960.  So our cost cutting measures have taken effect and are working.  So why is our bill higher?
   It seems Duke energy raised its rates and has been approved for yet another rate hike.  We work hard to save energy and cut costs and Duke works just as hard raising rates to keep things the same. 
  I knew when I built the porch cover we would never save enough on our power bill to justify the costs.  Being able to sit in the living room and gain use of the front porch was worth the costs though.  it seems a major victory in todays economy just to be able to keep costs the same.