Who do you use for electricity?

[tammywammy]

I currently have TXU, but they sent out a letter saying that rates are going to start being jacked up starting in August. So I'm thinking about switching. Overall, I don't really use much electricity, the highest last summer in August was $114 and my lowest was around $30.

I found a good deal with Reliant. The deal is 10% off until Sept. 22. Then it would be, I think, 13.3 cents. Plus, the service charge during the summer is $4.50 then it's back to the regular $5 after Sept. 22. I'm paying 15.5 cents right now.

Does anyone else here use Reliant?


TXU offered me a 24-month contract but it's at 15.5 cents.

[sonias]

1. We lucky people in Austin own our own utitly - Austin Energy

City of Austin. So much for deregulation bringing down the cost of electricity right? I hate the electricity industry, they're all a bunch of money grabbing thugs. I'm not sure who is worse - the insurance industry in Texas or the Utility industry. Both are a bunch of price fixing monopolists.
:grr:

Have you ever checked out this website?
http://www.electricitytexas.com/

I don't have to shop for a provider for electricity but supposedly this is a one stop comparison shopping site for services.

I know very little about the company that runs the site except that it's called WhiteFence.

Business Week
WhiteFence, Inc., a one-stop comparison shopping marketplace, operates as an online marketplace for utilities and home services in the United States. Its online services enable consumers to compare and order essential home services, such as local phone, electricity, natural gas, local and long distance phone, digital phone, voice over Internet protocol phone, cable and satellite television, high-speed Internet, subscriptions, change of addresses, newspapers, renters insurance, banking, and other home services. The company was formerly known as Qcorps Residential, Inc. and changed its name to WhiteFence, Inc. in 2004. WhiteFence, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Sonia

[tammywammy]

2. I'll check that site out

I did go to www.powertochoose.org

There are some smaller companies that are slightly cheaper than Reliant, but I've heard good things about Reliant (for a power company).

[tbyg52]

3. What have you heard that's good?

We're with Reliant, staying there mostly from inertia, although they were very nice once when a bill got lost in the mail, we didn't notice that we hadn't got it, and were therefore late paying. They wiped the record of the late payment, although considering it's just one time in nine years they *should*. That's all I know about them, except that I wish we had municipal electricity.

[Horse with no Name]

4. I just switched to Direct Energy

I had HORRIBLE bills with Reliant...I don't have a bill in front of me, but my AVERAGE monthly bill was $600.
I just got my first bill from Direct Energy and it was for 18 days and included a connection charge. It was $180.
That is the only info I have at this point in time...just the one bill, but so far I am liking it.
Check it out.

[moc]

5. We switched from Direct Energy to Spark about a year ago.

Their rate is 12 cents per kwh.

Have you checked out www.powertochoose.org? (I think that's the URL.) You can compare rates across companies. That's how we ended up using Spark.

The other thing we did in the last year is install a new A/C and replace our windows. (Our house is 40 years old.) I don't know if it was the switch to Spark, the new windows and A/C or a combination of the two, but comparing the same months one year later, our electric bill has gone down 25%.

[tammywammy]

6. Overall, my price per month isn't that high

My highest bill for my house was last August at $114, which was $70 cheaper than my apartment.

I renewed my home warranty, I'm hoping the A/C unit breaks this summer and they'll replace it.

[Texano78704]

7. Green Mountain Energy

Wind power!

[Skittles]

8. Green Mountain n/t

[crispini]

9. Green Mountain. Guilt free.

That said, I use as little as possible. My bills are about like yours.

[shagsak]

10. I have used reliant for about a year now

Haven't had too many problems with them. I got locked in at 13.1 for two years, still seems like the best deal since everyone is jumping up in price now.

Only thing is (and I only know this from the college days) that TXU is usually a little more lenient when you get behind on your bills. I think once I was about 3 months past due for a total of 6 months and never got shut off. However with Reliant, I was 5 days late with my first Reliant bill and they sent out a disconnect notice. I payed the bill immediately and 7 days later they shut me off anyway. Apparently when you get a disconnect notice they can legally shut you off regardless of whether or not you pay. If you pay your bills early then no sweat but if you ever get lazy, godspeed.

[tammywammy]

11. Intersting

Thanks for the notice. I usually pay my bills once they send me the email alert that it's up online.