Millions of people are now enjoying the best electricity rates in Houston, TX because of deregulation. However, with more than 60 energy providers competing for your business, the choice soon grows overwhelming. This is frustrating for 85% of the state’s consumers who can choose their low electric rates in Houston, but simply don’t know how to do so.
Understanding Deregulation
The goal of deregulating electricity in Texas lies in creating an environment where you, the consumer, can evaluate what providers are offering so you can choose the best electricity rates. You’ll want to base this on factors, such as; price, term, and energy mix. You’ll want to take these things into consideration, along with whether or not an electricity provider requires a credit check or deposit. Much of this information is found in their fine print – their terms of service.
How to Find the Best Electricity Rates in Houston, Texas
There are a few things you should know when shopping for the best electricity rates in Houston, Texas. These include:
- Contract term lengths vary from short-term, no contract plans to long-term, locked-in contracts. Many people appreciate the fixed rate plans because their pricing is stable, which gives you security and peace-of-mind that you’ll never pay more than you’d planned for. However, if you opt out of your contract before it ends, simply because you want to switch to another plan offering low electric rates, you must pay a cancellation (a.k.a. early termination) fee. On the other hand, variable rate plans don’t have a cancellation fee, but they don’t always offer the best electricity rates. This is because the price you pay for your electricity each month is based on the current kWh rate.
- Average electric levels per month is how much electricity you consume throughout the month. This is an important number to know, so that you don’t spend more than you should on your electric bill. Most electricity providers advertise rates based on the highest usage level – an amount most homes never consume.
Understanding Usage Fees
Although you may think you’ve found the best electricity rates in Houston, TX you should make sure they don’t charge you for not using a certain amount of electricity (usually 800 – 1,000 kWh per month) or offer you a discount for exceeding this amount. Neither of these are good for you as a consumer, because you end up paying for electricity you don’t use, which means you really haven’t found low electricity rates, especially if you live in a small home or an apartment.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the only fee you should watch for. Many energy providers try levying a lot of different fees on customers, including fees for:
- Making payments
- Talking to a customer service agent on the phone
- Receiving a paper copy of your bill
- Running a credit check to set up electricity in your name at your residence
Get to Know Your Energy Provider
Just because an energy provider has a familiar name doesn’t mean that you can trust them to offer low electric rates. You also can’t necessarily rely on them or believe they’ll quickly restore your electricity if there’s an outage. This is because all electricity in Houston is delivered through CenterPoint, so it’s up to them to restore your electricity when there’s an outage.
Instead of basing low electric rates on a provider’s name, look at their customer service record. Find out how many complaints people have made about them. You’ll find that some well-known electricity companies have poor scores, while companies you’ve never even heard of score exceedingly well.
You’ll also find that some companies offer freebies, including high-tech thermostats, restaurant gift cards or sports team apparel for customers who enroll in particular plans. Never choose a plan based on these things. These gimmicks are rarely worth it when you can actually save money by choosing low electric rates in Houston that don’t offer these gimmicks. This is also true of plans offering free nights or weekends, because they don’t offer the best electric rates throughout the rest of the week.
Choosing Low Electricity Rates in Houston, TX
Low electricity rates in Houston, TX are well within your grasp. You can actually save over 25% on your electric bill once you find the lowest electric rate that’s available to you. This is a process that’s fast, free and easy. So, there’s no reason you shouldn’t find the cheapest rates that are available to you today!
