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Benefits of Pay as you Go Electricity Companies

Top Benefits of Pay as you Go Electricity Companies

Pay As You Go Electricity

Life can throw you financial curve balls when you least expect them. Unexpected medical bills, car expenses, job loss and other life events can take their toll on family finances. During these down times, paying your bills can be challenging. After all, companies don’t stop tacking on the fees and interest. Sometimes, when you need financial assistance the most, it’s harder to find. Unfortunately, it’s not just the credit card companies. Some electricity companies work this way too. The thing is, you need to have electricity and gas for your home. There is hope. In Texas, you can find electric service providers offering prepaid or pay as you go electricity. Choosing a pay as you go gas and electric option may be the right choice for your family.

Pay As You Go Energy

Flexible, pay as you go energy plans are attractive to many people. You have the choice to pay monthly, daily or as frequently as you’d like. Plus, there are no high deposits. So what’s next? You find a company that offers pay as you go electricity. Isn’t it great to make your own decision regarding your electricity needs? You have a right to choose, so enjoy the freedom.

If you’re going through a tough financial time, coming up with a deposit may not be so easy. After all, if you’re on a tight budget, you’re not going to sacrifice the things you need to survive, like food and water. Why should you be forced to come up with a hefty deposit to have electricity? Besides the deposit, some electrical providers will have extra fees that you may not notice until the bill arrives. After all, many REPs want to increase their profits. Things like capacity charges, distribution charges and other fees add up. There is another way to avoid paying an expensive deposit and extra costs — you can find a company with no hidden fees and allows you to prepay for your electricity. Since you’re pre-paying the way you want, be it daily, weekly or by the month, you may be able to budget your money better and get yourself out of a tough financial situation.

Many life events are out of our control. They don’t call them accidents for nothing; no one is trying to get hurt and land in the emergency room. During these times, we might max out our credit cards to pay for unexpected medical bills. Sometimes you might have paid your statement a little late, and the business will still report it to a collection agency. Cybercriminal attacks can also harm your credit. A low credit score can make it difficult to find a fair electric service provider, especially if they run a credit check. The good news is that you can find a reputable electric company offering pay as you go gas and electric plans with no credit check required. This way, you don’t have to worry about dropping your credit score even lower due to a credit check.

You don’t need to get punished further because of situations that were out of your control. You can find pay as you go energy plans that don’t require a deposit or run credit checks. Vault Electricity is here to help you find a pay as you go electricity company with all the benefits you’re looking for.

What You Need to Know About The TXU Free Pass Plan

TXU is the company that popularized Free Nights and other time of day electricity plans in Texas.  Now the electric company that brought you Free Nights and Solar Days has introduced a plan called the TXU Energy Free Pass 12 Plan.

How does the TXU Free Pass Plan work?

The plan is fairly simple.  For each billing period, TXU takes your 7 highest electricity usage days and subtracts those days from your bill.  For those days you are charged a 0¢/kWh energy charge and the typical pass through fees associated with Oncor or your local distribution utility are waived.

What is the KWh charge on the TXU Free Pass plan?

The electricity rate for the days you do pay for is very high.  In the Oncor service area which includes, Dallas and Fort Worth, the energy charge is 16.6¢/kWh.  In addition to that, you will pay the Oncor passthrough fee of 3.135¢/kWh.  This brings the total electricity rate to 19.7¢/kWh for the days you pay for.

If you used exactly the same amount of electricity every day of a 30 day billing cycle, your 7 free days would account for 23.3% of your total electricity usage.

TXU publishes an average electricity rate of 14.5¢/kWh for 1000 kWh of usage in the Oncor delivery area.  To arrive at this number, they assume that 33.1% of your electricity usage occurs during your 7 free days.

electricity rate for TXU Free Pass Plan

Every household is different. Its hard to predict exactly what your final average electricity rate would be.

The table below shows TXU’s published 1000 kWh average electricity rate for each delivery area including the 7 free days.  It also includes the energy charge plus TDU pass through charge for the non-free days of the plan.


TXU Free Pass Electricity Rates
City (TDU) 1000 kWh Average Rate Non-Free Day Rate
Dallas (Oncor) 14.5¢/kWh 19.7¢/kWh
Houston (Centerpoint)15.5¢/kWh 20.7¢/kWh
Lewisville (TNMP) 15.5¢/kWh 20.4¢/kWh
Abiliene (AEPN) 14.9¢/kWh 19.4¢/kWh
Victoria (AEPC)15.5¢/kWh 20.2¢/kWh

Is the TXU Free Pass plan a good deal?

TXU’s other time of use plans also have high base rates.  The challenge for consumers is to shift their electricity usage habits to take advantage of the free periods.  With Free nights or mornings plans, consumers can change when they do their laundry or wash their dishes.  They can change their pool timers or do other things to plan their daily electricity-intensive chores at the right time.

It’s a little more difficult, however, to shift electricity usage to specific days of the month.  Summer is approaching in Texas which means A/Cs are about to be running all day every day.  You can’t just shove all of your air conditioning into 7 days of the month.

For most consumers, this plan would act somewhat like a free weekends plan.  If you work during the week, you should be adjusting your thermostat to use less electricity to cool your home during the days when you are working.  On the weekend, when you are more likely to be home, you probably want to keep the thermostat at a more comfortable temperature.  You’re also more likely to do energy intensive household chores like laundry during the weekend.  This adds together to make the weekends likely your highest electricity usage days.

What else do I need to know about the Free Pass plan?

  • The plan comes with a 12 month contract commitment
  • The cancelation fee is $150
  • It has a base charge of $9.95 per month plus a pass through base charge from your TDU of between $3.42 and $10.53 depending on where you live.
  • The plan has a renewable energy content of 6%

Filed under: TXU Free Pass Plan Review

What You Need To Know About The TXU Free Nights and Solar Days Plan (Updated 2019)

txu2TXU was the first major electric provider in Texas to offer time of day pricing to the public with their introduction of the TXU Free Nights program in Texas.  The plan was an immediate hit with consumers.  The company later created a Free Weekends plan under the banner of TXU Energy Right Time Pricing.  By the summer of 2013 the company had enrolled nearly 100,000 customers in free electricity plans.

TXU’s latest time-of-day pricing plan is TXU Energy Free Nights and Solar Days plan.  Under this plan customers get free electricity from 8:00p.m to 5:00a.m.  The idea with the Free Nights and Solar Days plan and similar plans offered by TXU and other electric companies is to shift consumption away from the 3pm to 7pm window that sees the most stress put on the state’s electric grid.  This is the most expensive time for electricity providers to procure electricity.

Other providers have since introduced similar plans.  They all attempt to address a major challenge that the Texas electric grid deals with. Capacity within a grid must be sufficient to cover peak demand periods.  In Texas, peak demand is typically during the heat of the day when air-conditioners in homes and businesses are at maximum usage.  Other times, particularly at night, most of that power generation capacity sits unused. This is why wholesale electricity prices plummet at night.  Anything that spreads electricity usage out more reduces strain on the grid.

How much does TXU charge per kWh during peak hours?

During the non-free hours, as defined by the plan, there is an energy charge of 17.6 cents per kWh* if you live in the ONCOR service area which includes most of Dallas / Fort Worth and other parts of the state.  In addition to this there is a TDU passthrough charge.

Predicting what your actual all-in rate will be can be tricky since much depends on not only how much electricity you use but what times of day you use it.

TXU Free Nights Solar Days EFL

As a guideline, TXU’s Electricity Fact Label (EFL) dated March 31, 2019 establishes an average price per kWh of 14.9 cents.  This number makes the assumption that you use a total of 1,000 kWh hours.  It also makes the assumption that a certain percentage of your usage falls within the “free nights” window as defined by the plan.  Of course, your results may vary.  If you can shift more of your usage into evening or night time hours, you could lower your effective rate.  A greater percentage of usage during the non-free hours would result in a higher effective rate.

Is TXU free nights worth it?

TXU’s time-of-day plans are best suited for consumers who don’t use a lot of their electricity during hours of peak demand or consumers who are willing to change their habits by shifting power intensive activities such as laundry and dishwashing to the hours designated in the plan as free.

Some recommendations TXU makes for getting the most out of the plan’s free hours:

  • Using timers to control the start time of major appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers
  • Making use of programmable thermostats
  • Charging portable devices during free hours
  • Running pool pumps during free hours

TXU also offers tools using your smart meter to help you analyze your electricity usage and identify ways to lower your electric bill by shifting some of your usage to the free electricity times of day.

* Note: The rates mentioned in this piece are as of March 31 2019.  To see up to the minute electricity rates for this and other plans, enter your zip code above.

What time does free nights start for TXU?

The free portion of the plan covers the hours of 8:00p.m to 5:00a.m.

Where does the solar power come from?

As the name implies, the non-free electricity portion of this plan is based on pricing for solar energy.  That’s a big part of the reason the rate is so high.  By choosing this plan, you are paying a premium to support solar power facilities.  In reality, if you switch to this plan, your power will be coming from the same grid as before.  This grid has electricity from a mix of sources that includes both renewable and non-renewable sources.

Identifying any particular kilowatt of electricity that comes off of the grid as solar would be a little like trying to guess what cows your gallon of milk came from.  The power for this plan is considered solar because TXU purchases solar credits from solar farms to equal the amount of power you use during the day.

See Also: TXU Free Pass 12 Plan

10 Tips to Save Energy During Winter

For many, wintertime is magical. It’s also the coldest season, and you’re going to want to stay as cozy as you can in the comfort of your home. The good news is that you can keep your home snug and warm this winter season. The thing is, when it’s cold outside we like to turn on the heaters and do whatever we can to keep our home comfortable. Keeping the heaters on all day long and into the night is not exactly efficient energy use. However, by applying some simple techniques, you can be a master in how you promote efficient energy use. Below are cost-free and low-cost tips that can help you see energy savings on your electricity bill, even during the coldest winter evenings.

Let the sunlight shine inside.

The sun is the furnace of the world, and it can bring some warmth into a home. You can open the blinds and draw the curtains on south-facing windows and allow the sun to heat your home naturally. Best of all, it doesn’t cost a thing. You’ll want to remember to close your curtains and blinds at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.

Adjust your thermostat temperature.

You can achieve efficient energy use in the winter by adjusting the temperature on your thermostat. When you’re home, lower it to a comfortable temperature. When you’re asleep or away from home, go ahead and turn your thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours and your energy savings can be about 10% a year.

Bundle up indoors.

Wear your winter wardrobe indoors and get all nice and cozy. Get this. The energy savings add up for every degree you lower your thermostat. So, slip on your fuzzy socks, wrap a scarf around your neck, and put on some ultra-soft PJs. Enjoy lower electricity rates and buy more clothes with the money you save!

Switch the blade rotation on your ceiling fans.

Hot air rises to the top. When you reverse your fan’s blades so that they run in a clockwise rotation, it can help push the warmth down.

Upgrade your windows.

Efficient energy use windows are an excellent investment for your home. Sure, it can be costly to install. However, tightly-sealed windows can reduce heat loss and bring substantial energy savings all year long. Plus, they can be considered an upgrade your home, possibly increasing the value of your home.

Replace your old light bulbs with LEDs or CFLs.

Are you still using incandescent light bulbs in your house? Winter is the perfect time to swap them out for LED or CFL bulbs. With shorter days, you’re going to want to keep the lights on longer. Making the switch to LEDs can lead to substantial energy savings. LED bulbs consume 75% less energy than incandescent light bulbs, which can lead to lower electricity rates. If you’re one to put up holiday lights, you’ll want to upgrade to LED bulbs. Look for holiday lights that are ENERGY STAR® certified.

Inspect for drafts.

The cold winter air can seep into your home. It can make its way indoors under doors, around windows and through electrical outlets. When there’s a draft, It takes much longer to warm your home. With the installation of weather-stripping and insulation, you can keep that cold winter air outdoors, where it belongs.

Upgrade to a smarter thermostat.

It’s time to invest in a smarter thermostat. This low-cost upgrade can lead to energy savings. With a programmable thermostat, you can lower electricity rates by up to 12%. It’s also going to be a great benefit during the warm spring and summer months coming right up. Plus, you can adjust your home’s temperatures from a smartphone so that you can come home to a comfortable house.

Lay down a rug or mat.

We love hardwood floors. The thing is, during winter, they can feel downright cold. Purchase a beautiful floor rug, and it can help insulate your floors. Plus, a rug or floor mat can also reduce the noise level. Once the warm weather arrives, you can always remove the rug and put it away until next winter.

Turn off the lights!

This simple technique is one that you should practice all year long. There’s always that one person in the house that likes to leave the lights on. You’ll be amazed at the energy savings you can get by just turning off the lights when you don’t need them. You can always leave post-it notes around the home for the people in your household that have a hard time remembering.

 

Efficient energy use is a goal every household should strive for. The little things add up! Consider applying the tips mentioned above for energy savings throughout the year.

What Factors Make Up Your Electricity Price? | Infographic

The amount of power used by your household influences your electric bill. The time in which you use energy could also be a significant factor in your electricity price. For instance, the peak hours for electricity demand are highest in the afternoon and the early evening. During these peak hours, wholesale electricity prices are usually higher. Supply and demand affect the cost of how electric power gets to your home.  Some electricity plans charge different rates at different times of the day because of this.

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The Factors that Influence the Price of Electricity

Electricity supply costs vary minute by minute and are calculated per kilowatt hour (kWh).

Fuels: High demand for electricity can increase demand for fuels, including natural gas. Higher demand results in higher costs to generate electricity.

Power Plants: The cost of constructing, maintaining and operating power plants influences the price of electricity.

Transmission and Distribution: Maintenance is a factor in the price. Costs also include repairs from damage caused by accidents or extreme weather conditions.  The expense of generating electricity is only a small part of electricity expenses.  Much of the cost associated with supplying electricity to consumers is in the cost of transmitting the electricity from the power plant to the end user.  This includes maintenance and upkeep on powerlines and relay stations along the way.  These costs are passed on to consumers in the form of higher electricity rates.

Weather conditions: Rain and snow provide beneficial amounts of water for generating low-cost hydropower. Favorable wind speeds provide low-cost electricity generated by wind turbines. Extreme weather conditions can raise prices. The cost of electricity is usually highest in the summer when demand is high for cooling.

Regulations: Where you live has an influence on what you pay for electricity. Some states have fully regulated prices. Others have a combination of both. Many states have deregulated energy markets, including Texas, California and New York.

Pro Tips On How to Cut Down on Your Electricity Bill

If possible, try to do all your laundry, dishwashing and other power-intensive tasks during off-peak hours. Tip: Some electric companies charge more for power used during the day rather than at night.

Pick the Right Provider: Do some research and discover a provider that offers time-of-day pricing. This format encourages electricity conservation and can help reduce peak demand. You can also choose a provider that utilizes green energy.

Lower Your Thermostat: During the summer, adjust your thermostat to 80 degrees, and when you’re not at home, adjust to 62 degrees in the winter.

Turn off Ceiling Fans and Lights: When you circulate the air in your home, it can make you feel more comfortable. However, if you’re not home, turn them off. The same thing applies to lights. If you don’t need them on, turn them off.

Unplug: Unplug fixtures or switch off the power strips when they’re not in use. When you unplug unused devices, you can reduce what is called “vampire energy.”

Replace Old Appliances: Older appliances are less likely to employ energy efficiency technology. Upgrade to ENERGY STAR®-certified appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers. You can even upgrade to an ENERGY STAR®-certified television.

Visit www.VaultElectricity.com for more information on how to choose the right electrical service provider.

How Electricity Companies With No Deposit Are Helping Power Texas

Light Companies with No Deposit

No credit? Bad credit? Are you going through a tough financial time? Life throws us many curve balls when you least expect it. If you’re moving to a new place in Texas, you’re going to want to have your electricity turned on as soon as possible. However, what about the fees and the credit check?

The good news is that most of the state of Texas is a deregulated market, so they’re competing for your business. Deregulation benefits you because they want to get your business and stay ahead of the competition. Electricity companies with no deposit required are readily available for you to choose.

Vault Electricity can help you find the best light companies with no deposit required! Imagine having the power of knowing how much electricity you’re using and how much money you’ve spent at the exact moment. Light companies with no deposit allow you to make payments on your schedule, as many times as you want. When you select electricity companies with no deposit, you can make several payments throughout the month, which for some families is a much better prospect. Sounds great, right?

Benefits of choosing light companies with no deposit include:

  • No credit check required. If you’ve already got a low credit score, why lower it even more?
  • No deposit required (of course!). Prepay for your electricity daily, weekly or monthly.
  • No long-term contracts or obligations to sign.
  • No more late fees or hidden charges.
  • No need to use your ID or Social Security number.
  • You can receive alerts and notices via text messages and emails.

No Deposit Electric Companies in Texas

Researching the best no deposit electric companies in Texas can be an arduous task. At Vault Electricity, you can compare the best residential plans right on our site – in real time. We take the guesswork out of finding a reputable electrical service provider. We work with the top electric companies in Texas so you can find the best plans and rates (note that rates vary by city).

Many of the electricity companies with no deposit require a smart meter, which collects your usage and secures the transfer of information in real-time. Smart meters are a great way to encourage you to think about how and when you use electricity so you can better manage your energy costs.

Are light companies with no deposit cheaper? No. Usually, a no deposit plan costs more than finding a package with a long-term fixed rate. However, you have a right to choose your plan, and if deciding when to pay works best for your situation, go for it. Vault Electricity is here to help. Call us at 855-564-1181 for more information on the

How Texas Electricity Providers Can Help You Save On Your Residential Energy Bill

Get smart about choosing the best residential electricity company. For most families, saving money is a top priority. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the hardest things to accomplish. There are groceries to buy, school supplies and clothes, medical bills and a host of unexpected expenses that come at the wrong time. The good news is that when it comes to selecting electricity providers, you’re in the driver’s seat. You can choose which way you want to go, and steer your way to the lowest electricity prices.

Thanks to energy deregulation in Texas, consumers can select the right plan. Being able to choose how you purchase electricity is an advantage for families. Vault Electricity displays real-time electricity prices so you can compare rates in your area.

It’s a good idea to search by the lowest rate and by reputation. Since Vault Electricity works with dozens of the top electricity providers in Texas, we do the hard work for you. We only work with reputable companies, so you can rest assured that our list of electricity providers are working to gain your business. When you compare electricity rates and plans, shopping for the cheapest electricity supplier in your area is a breeze. The market is continuously changing, so you can switch electricity providers every year if you wanted to. Plus, when you make a switch, you won’t lose any power.

Electricity providers offer different electric rates

How do electric providers display their energy costs? The answer is by kilowatt-hours (kWh). For instance, if you’re paying a rate of 8 cents per kWh instead of 12 cents, you could save $100 or more on your monthly electric bill. Of course, the electricity prices can fluctuate week after week. This is why it pays to know what your contract terms are. You can find electricity providers that offer fixed rates or variable rates.

For many families, the electric bill is one of the most significant monthly expenses aside from rent or mortgage costs. Locking in a fixed rate means that you will pay the same per kWh for as long as your contract term length. This could be the best route to take for families that like to plan and budget. The only factor that should affect your monthly bill is how much electricity the family consumes, which is wise to start practicing some energy-saving strategies. Take note that if you decide to end the contract early, you may have to pay some fees.

Electricity providers may also offer variable rate plans, with electricity prices based on market conditions. Uncertainty is not favorable for families, so if you’re not good about monitoring rates regularly, you might feel a little sticker shock come bill time.

Compare electricity rates

Are you ready to save money? Lower your monthly energy bill with a plan from Texas’ top electricity providers. Vault Electricity displays up-to-the-minute rates so that you can compare electricity plans. We offer our customers a wide range of reputable electric companies. Browse and find the cheapest electricity supplier to green renewable energy plans suited for eco-conscious families. Our plan details are easy to understand and read. We’ll show you any fees attached, what’s required, contract length and electricity prices by kWh. Finding electricity providers in your area is simple. Enter your zip code and compare electricity plans! Best of all, once you find a plan, you can enroll on our site. Contact us with any questions you may have—we look forward to helping you find the plan that’s right for your needs.