Setting Up Your Home
Utilities
Setting up utilities is easy once you decide where you are going to live. The term “utilities” refers to a set of services consumed by the public: electricity, gas and water. Excel Energy of Colorado provides gas (used for heating, cooking, or both) and electricity. Visit ExcelEnergy to set up and discontinue service. Individuals that do not have a social security number will simply be charged a deposit in the amount of one month’s service. When service is discontinued the deposit will be refunded. Consider signing up for automatic bill pay where possible to avoid late fees and penalties. The Landlord usually pays for water and garbage services when renting.
If you are purchasing a home, visit Denver Water to start water service. Garbage collection is managed through the City and County of Denver. You are not required to contact the City and County of Denver for trash collection once you purchase a home; simply visit their website at Denver The Mile High City for pick up schedules, recycling and composting information.
Phone, Cable (Television) and Internet Services
There are many options when it comes to communication and home entertainment plans. Services can be purchased from separate companies or all together from one company (“bundling”). Bundling the purchase of services saves money. Bundling, however, is less likely to save you money if your telecom needs are simple – basic television, minimum broadband Internet,and telephone service with little or no long distance calling. Visit allconnect to shop and compare phone (landline), cable (television) and Internet services.
Note: Determining which communication system is the most cost-effective depends on your phone usage. If your personal and professional needs are completely met by a reliable and cost-efficient cell phone plan, a landline may not be needed. It is not unusual, however, to maintain a basic landline account and use your cell phone as your primary contact number; reception troubles, static and dropped calls are still common cell phone problems inside homes. Some people function very well with only cell phone service, while others view their traditional telephone (landline) service as a reliable back up. Consider talking to other Foreign Nationals to learn about their experience. See the Foreign National directory under “Resources and Government Links”.
To shop and compare only cell phone plans visit:
To set up cell phone service only, visit the companies listed below for the latest information on plans, rates, required forms of identification and store locations:
To save money, make sure to ask about plans that do not require a contract (month-to-month). Month-to-month cell phone plans are good for
Special rates on cell phones are usually offered when purchasing a service plan from the providers above. Cell phones can also be purchased separately at convenient locations like Apple, Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target, Walmart and Amazon.com.
To set up only a landline visit CenturyLink for plans and rates.
All U.S. phone numbers begin with a three-digit area code followed by a seven-digit number. Denver has two area codes – 303 and 720 – that precede a seven-digit number. If you are calling anywhere outside those area codes but within the United States you will need to add a 1 in front of the area code.
Example: New York – 1.212.555.1010
Be sure to contact the Benefits department at NJH to learn about phone and computer discounts.
Postal Service
Prior to departure, tell your local postal service where you need your mail forwarded. Once you arrive and move into your home it’s easy to set up postal service in Denver. Simply prepare a note for the mail carrier stating the name(s) of the individual(s) that will be receiving mail at your new address, and place it in your home mailbox. You are not required to visit the United States Postal Service directly to set up service; a handwritten or typed note for the mail carrier is enough. If you live in an apartment, print your name on the mailbox. Mail is delivered Monday through Saturday, once daily. To send out mail put it in your mailbox for the carrier to pick up, deposit it in one of the blue mailboxes located on many streets, or take it to the Post Office. Visit U.S. Postal Service to locate your nearest Post Office and hours of operation.
Change of Address
If you move notify the U.S. Postal Service to submit a change of address. If you change your address often, it’s a good idea to rent a “post office box” to use as a permanent address. This can be done easily for a small fee by visiting your local Post Office, with proof of your current address, and filling out an application.
Mailing Parcels Overseas
Visit My Freight to compare shipping rates. For package delivery options visit:
Grocery and Household Items
- The Denver area has a variety of retail centers that carry all types of merchandise. Many stores are open seven days a week including holidays and some are open 24 hours a day. Contact other Foreign Nationals to get shopping advice. See the Foreign National Directory under “Resources and Government Links”.
Grocery Stores
There is a good selection of food stores located throughout the Denver area. Many are listed below. Visit their websites to find a location nearby:
If you are searching for an international food market, below is a list of grocery stores in the Denver-Aurora area:
Jerusalem Market – 5470 E. Evans Avenue, Denver, 303.691.2330
M&I International Market – 909 S. Oneida Street, Denver, 303.331.1590, mandiinternationalmarket.com
European Mart – 5225 Leetsdale Drive, Denver, 303.321.7144
Pacific Ocean International Market– 2200 W. Alameda Ave., Denver, 303.936.4845
Melita’s Greek Café & Market – 1035 Lincoln Street, Denver, 303.629.1624, Melitas Greek Cafe & Market
Arash Grocery’s – 2720 South Parker Road, Aurora, 720.748.2001
Tana Grocery – 2222 S. Havana Street, Aurora, 303.745.7076
H-Mart – 2751 South Parker Road, Aurora, 303.745.4592, H-Mart
Midopa Oriental Market – 2000 S. Havana Street, Aurora, 303.695.4803
Ibiza African Market – 1930 S. Havana Street, Aurora, 303.369.1874
Solomon’s Grocery & European Deli – 1939 S. Havana Street, Aurora, 303.337.6454
Pacific Mercantile Company – 1925 Lawrence Street, Denver, 303.295.0293, Pacific Mercantile Company
La Popular Food Company – 2033 Lawrence Street, Denver, 303.296.1687
Gomez Market – 354 N. Havana Street, Aurora, 303.364.8524
World Food Bazaar – 242 Havana Street, Aurora, 720.858.1112, World Food Bazaar
Kantamanto African – 495 Havana Street, Aurora, 303.360.7200
Vinnola’s Italian Market – 7750 W. 38th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, 303.421.3955, Vinnolas Italian Market
Zaytoon International Market – 13736 E. Quincy Avenue, Aurora, 303.209.0126
Household Goods
Denver offers a wide variety of options for finding household goods, including kitchen, dining, bedding, bath, appliances and storage / organization. Visit store websites below for locations nearby.
American Furniture Warehouse (furniture)
BestBuy (electronics)
Costco (grocery, household goods, clothing, electronics, health & beauty, pharmacy)
Ikea (household goods)
KMart (household goods, clothing, electronics, health & beauty, pharmacy)
Kohls (household goods, clothing)
Marshalls (household goods, clothing)
Ross (household goods, clothing)
Sears (household goods, clothing, electronics)
Target (household goods, clothing, electronics, health & beauty, grocery, pharmacy)
Walmart (household goods, clothing, electronics, health & beauty, grocery, pharmacy)
Another way to acquire household items is to buy them already used, or “second-hand”, for greatly reduced prices. Visit Goodwill and ARC Thrift Stores to find store locations nearby where you can find used furniture, housewares, appliances and clothing for adults and children. The popular website Craigslist is another source for used goods.
General Life Needs
To find information about local amenities and service providers you can visit dexknows, Home Advisor and Craigslist.