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You’re probably familiar with the regular drill of signing up for electricity, likely through a contract, then waiting for the bill and paying up at the end of the month. A postpaid electricity plan, if you will. But are you aware there’s a “pay as you go” option for your energy needs? Yep, they’re called prepaid electricity plans, and they’re a whole different way to handle your power. So, How Do They Work? Instead of paying your provider each month for the electricity you used over the last 30 days, you kick things off by putting some money in as a credit. That balance then shrinks in real time as you use electricity throughout the month. No long-term contracts or bills to stress about. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, hold on—like everything else, there are upsides and downsides to these plans. Are Prepaid Electricity Plans Right for Me? Let’s start with the good stuff. No credit checks and no deposits! Unlike traditional plans where a not-so-perfect credit score can mean having to pay a hefty deposit, prepaid plans don’t require any of that. Of course, you will need to pony up some cash to get the plan started, known as a connection balance—usually between $20 to $75. Once you’re up and running, you can track your credit balance through texts, emails, or your online account to make sure you have enough to maintain your service. But hey, if you’re not into checking in electronically all the time, this might not be your cup of tea. There will be a minimum amount you must keep in your account, known as the disconnection balance, that you gotta watch out for. Drop below that, and zap! Your power could get cut off quickly. Prepaid Electricity in Texas Most prepaid options are variable-rate plans, so what you are charged for your usage will change every month. Depending on the current market conditions, the changes can be extreme. And, variable rates are typically higher than those available with fixed-rate plans. Recently, there have been a few fixed-rate prepaid plans that give similar traditional plans a run for their money. But remember, they still play by the prepaid rules and might have an early termination fee. Prepaid Electricity Plan Benefits The cool thing about prepaid plans: they can be a lifesaver in sticky situations. Need to start power today, but it’s Saturday when most providers are closed? A prepaid company will likely be available to help you out. Or imagine you’re selling your house, you’ve already disconnected your electricity, but then the closing date shifts. A prepaid plan with no termination fee could swoop in to fill that short-term gap. Prepaid Electricity Plan Fees Now, let’s talk about fees. They’re the sneaky part of prepaid plans. Keep your credit balance above the minimum, and you’re golden. But slip up, and surprise! Disconnection and reconnection fees might come knocking. Some plans even charge for manual payments and paper copies of your usage and transaction history if you ever ask for those. Bottom line : Prepaid plans are fantastic for short-term situations and when you need flexibility. They can also be a good option if you are always on top of your usage and good at tracking your available balance. But let’s face it, most of us don’t have the time for that. Hence the reason postpaid plans are more common and popular (and usually cheaper in the long run, too). So, think about how much you’re into monitoring your power, and choose the plan that best suits your style! #budgeting #529plans #finance #personalfinance #college

Can you even imagine life without electricity? Our ancestors might’ve had it tough, but we’ve got our own set of challenges in the modern age—especially when it comes to managing our energy consumption and those pesky electricity bills! But worry not! We’ve got some tips and tricks to help you tackle those energy-guzzling appliances lurking around your home. Central Air Conditioner Texas summers make us best friends with our air conditioners, but those units might not return the favor. Did you know that about 6% of all electricity produced in the U.S. goes to cooling our homes? That’s a whopping $29 billion a year in electricity bills, according to Energy.gov ! The fix: Keep things cool without breaking the bank. Regularly clean those filters, schedule an annual checkup, and try not to fiddle too much with the thermostat. If your unit’s a bit old, consider upgrading to a high-efficiency one. They can slash your AC energy use by a sweet 20 to 50 percent ! Refrigerator & Freezer Hey, is your refrigerator running? Better go catch it! It’s a silly old joke, but it hits on an important fact—your refrigerator is running. That’s why it’s one of the biggest electricity chompers, always working to keep things cool. Freezers are no different—they’re like the supercharged version of refrigerators. The trick: Fill ’em up! The more stuff in there, the less they have to work to keep things chilly. Also, think about switching to an ENERGY STAR certified fridge. Oh, and that old fridge out in the garage? That extra space is costing you even more, especially if it’s over 10 years old since they’re not as energy-efficient as newer models. Electric Water Heater Let’s hear it for the unsung hero of household appliances: the water heater! Unlike your fridge or AC, it’s not running all day. Nope, it kicks in only when you need hot water. The fix: Lower that temperature a bit, only use hot water when necessary, and run your dishwasher and washing machine with a full load. Easy peasy! Space Heater Those little heaters that warm up your favorite reading nook or that one room that is always cold? Yeah, they’re energy hogs! In fact, they can guzzle up way more power in an hour than your fridge. The solution: Think bigger! Check your insulation, and maybe adjust the flow of your heating. Only use a space heater when you really need it, and unplug it when it’s not in use. Oh, and get creative—there are ways to keep cozy without burning through electricity! Dishwasher Ah, the majestic dishwasher—they make life easy, but they sure can spike that electricity bill. They can slurp up over 1,000 watts an hour on their own, but add in the water heater and the costs sneak up when they’re running. The fix: Go for an ENERGY STAR certified dishwasher—it can run for less per year and saves loads of water, too. Plus, only run it when it’s full and consider air-drying those dishes to save some cash. When you know which appliances are gobbling up your energy, you’ve got the power to make a change! So, grab these tips and start saving some serious dollars on your energy bill. Your household will thank you! Need help finding an electricity company? Use our website to find a cheap rate! {GP CTA} #energy #homeimprovement #sustainability #energyefficiency #sustainableliving

Let’s dive into kilowatt-hours (kWh) and what they mean for your electricity bill. So, what exactly is a kWh? Well, it’s like the meter stick for how much energy your home uses, and retail electricity providers (REPs) use this unit to calculate your bill every month. Think of it like this: a kilowatt-hour measures how much electricity your home munches up in a given period. Imagine a watt (W) is like the little pieces of energy each appliance needs to run. A kilowatt (kW) is a bunch of those little pieces —1,000 to be exact. And the hour (h) part? Well, that’s just the time all those watts are at work. Put ’em together, and you get kWhs—kinda like the total energy consumed by your home in a month. Kilowatt-Hour vs Kilowatt Here’s the scoop: a kilowatt measures the amount of energy an appliance uses at one time, while a kilowatt-hour measures how much energy that appliance gobbles up over time. It’s a bit like measuring how fast a car goes (that’s the kilowatt) versus how far it can go in an hour (that’s the kilowatt-hour). How Much Does 1 Kilowatt-Hour (kWh) of Electricity Cost in Texas? Now, here’s the twist: There is no set cost! It all depends on who you’re buying it from, what type of plan you have, and the conditions of the electricity market. On average, Texans tend to pay a lower rate than the national average. But hold on tight—your rate might be a different story. If you live in a deregulated area, you could be paying up to 50% more than those in regulated spots. REPs set the terms for plans they offer in competitive markets, and they have a way of making those rates look real attractive. Since the actual cost will vary depending on how you use electricity, however, that rate might not look so pretty come bill time. Sneaky, right? Do you live in a deregulated area? Check our tool below. {Competitive ZIP code tool} How Do Retail Electricity Providers (REPs) Determine Energy Rates per kWh? REPs buy electricity in bulk on the wholesale market and then offer various plan options to their retail customers. The rates for each will depend on the wholesale price and the terms of the contract – like how long it is, and if it’s a fixed-rate or variable-rate. Fixed means your price per kWh stays steady, while variable plans dance to the market tune, changing month by month. What Can One Kilowatt-Hour Power? 1 kWh can do some impressive things! It can run your fridge for 20 hours, drive an electric car for 3.6 miles, power a 100-watt bulb for 10 hours, keep your iron hot for an hour, run a cycle of your dishwasher, or toast 89 pieces of bread. How Do I Calculate How Many kWh an Appliance Uses? Wanna know how much juice your appliances gulp? Check their wattage and plug it into this formula: (watts x hours) divided by 1,000 = kWh. Easy peasy! For example, a 40-watt light bulb used for 120 hours in a month is 4,800 watts. Then divide that by 1000, and we get 4.8 kWh. And to see how much money that adds to a bill, multiplying the electricity rate (let’s say it’s $0.09 per kWh) by 4.8 will make the light bulb have a monthly cost of $0.43. Look at the three steps below if you need some help: 40 watts x 120 hours = 4800 watts 2. 4800 watts / 1000 = 4.8 kWh $0.09 per kWh x 4.8 kWh = $0.43 How Many Kilowatt-Hours (kWh) Does the Average Household Use? The national average is around 1000 kWh per month. But, as they say – everything’s bigger in Texas! Our average household uses something more like 1500 – 2000 kWh per month. Of course, every home is different. An apartment might use less than a single-family house, and that same house with more people might use even more. There’s no one-size-fits-all number. How to Check Your House’s kWh Electricity Usage To be a smart energy consumer, you’ve got to understand your electricity usage. Your electric meter measures the amount of electricity that is delivered to your home. REPs check your meter to see how many kWhs you’ve used and to therefore charge you for each month. You can check your bill and updates from your provider for your usage. You can likely even check your meter yourself through Smart Meter Texas . See? Understanding kWh isn’t rocket science! And knowing this stuff helps you anticipate your costs and keep an eye on those bills. {GP CTA} #renewableenergy #energy #solar #sustainability #climatechange

Hey there! Texas sure knows how to turn up the heat (and the chill)! When the power goes out, particularly when extreme temps are in play, it’s like the world hits pause and there’s a sudden rush to get things fixed. Imagine a scorching summer day with no AC or a freezing winter night without heat – not fun, right? And it’s not just comfort at stake; it’s safety and health, especially for those relying on medical equipment or refrigeration for medications. Here’s the deal: we need power, pronto! But before you panic, let’s troubleshoot. Double-check that your area’s really in the dark. If your neighbors are all good, it might just be an oops moment (like forgetting to pay your bill – oopsie!). It might be a tripped breaker or issue you can address at your electrical box. If not, then you have a power outage that needs to be reported to the utility company. You can track outages through links or report your outage using the phone numbers provided. Who Do I Call for a Power Outage in Texas? So, who do you call in the Lone Star State when the lights go out? You may think it’s your retail electricity provider – the company that sends you that pesky electric bill every month – but they’re not the company actually delivering your electricity. It’s the transmission and delivery provider, often referred to as a TDSP or TDU, that you need to contact. Think of them as the behind-the-scenes heroes – like ONCOR in Dallas or CenterPoint in Houston. They own and maintain the power lines and equipment, so they’re who you need to fix an outage. You can check the map below to find out which TDSP services your area. No matter who your retail electricity provider is or how often you switch providers, your TDSP will stay the same. So it’s a good idea to keep their number handy – jot it down somewhere easy to find or save it in your phone. You can even bookmark their Outage Tracker. That way you’ll be ready for anything! Remember, when the power’s out, knowing who to call and having that number ready to roll can be a total lifesaver. Stay cool (or warm), and here’s hoping the lights stay on!

GetPower: Make the Informed Choice GetPower is your go-to website for everything regarding Texas electricity. We aim to inform and empower Texans to easily discover competitive Texas electricity rates and stay up-to-date on market trends. Whether you're tracking pricing patterns or trying to find the next electricity contract for your home, GetPower has all the information you could ask for. What Makes GetPower Different? Unique Data Texas electricity market trends and pricing history are meticulously curated, offering deep analyses that can be tailored to your needs through: Graphs & Charts Analytical tools Calculators And more! Gain access to information you’d have trouble finding anywhere else, enabling smarter decisions and unlocking new opportunities. Education GetPower offers expert insights that will help you make informed choices each time you shop for electricity. Through our educational materials and Education Center, you can learn about the basics of electricity and complex, industry-level knowledge that is rarely shared with the public in an easy-to-digest form. Trusted Partner Discounts Besides rates and plans, GetPower also offers a network of discounted products and services from trusted partner companies. This could include helpful move-in services, pool maintenance, solar installation, and HVAC assistance, just to name a few. GetPower is here to help you accomplish more than just finding an electricity plan; we are a hub for home improvements as well. Why Trust GetPower? Industry Experience With 50+ years of combined experience navigating the complexities of the Texas electricity market by owning Retail Electricity Providers (REPs) and trading power, our executive team brings unparalleled expertise to help you maximize savings on your electricity bill. This includes deep-rooted knowledge of market trends, various pricing structures, and the intricacies of all REPs, ensuring that you receive the best service tailored to your specific needs. By leveraging this insider experience, we’re able to continuously monitor the market and offer plans optimized for your usage, so you don’t have to waste your time calculating potential bills at specific rates. Technology You can trust GetPower to help you find the best electricity rate because we use advanced technology to simplify the complex process of shopping for electricity. GetPower compares rates from many providers, considering your energy usage and historic data to match you with available plans. Our platform is designed to be user-friendly, transparent, and efficient, allowing you to see clear comparisons without hidden fees or confusing terms. Additionally, GetPower provides ongoing support, helping you manage your energy plan and ensuring you have the resources to make the best decision when choosing the electricity provider for your home. When Should I Use GetPower? You're New to the Market If you're unfamiliar with the Texas electricity market and want a straightforward way to compare plans without getting overwhelmed by the options, GetPower is perfect for you. You Want to Save Time Instead of manually researching and comparing providers, GetPower quickly narrows down the best options based on your preferences. You Have Specific Energy Needs GetPower can help you find a plan tailored to your unique energy usage, whether you're looking for a fixed-rate, variable-rate, or renewable energy plan. You Want to Learn Whether you’re here to learn the ABC's of Texas electricity or are a seasoned industry expert searching for detailed data, all levels of expertise are welcome. Conclusion In conclusion, GetPower is more than just a website for comparing electricity rates in Texas—it’s a platform designed to inform, educate, and empower consumers. With unique data, educational resources, expert insights, and trusted partner discounts, GetPower takes the guesswork out of navigating the Texas electricity market. Whether you're new to the market, seeking to save time, or looking for a plan tailored to your specific energy needs, GetPower simplifies the process, offering you the tools and knowledge to make confident, informed decisions. Trust GetPower to help you find the best electricity plan for your home, backed by industry experience and cutting-edge technology. For more information, take a look at the GetPower FAQ.