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Post by reaton on Jun 2, 2022 16:49:56 GMT -6
Hi Bob……….hope all is well. I have been playing the 3 month game for the past few cycles hoping prices would come down and then ease into a 12 or 24 month plan. But that has back fired in my face and my current 3 month plan from Frontier at 9.2 kwh terminates in mid-July. The 3 months are now 22 cents kwh and the 5 years are 13 cent kwh. I feel like my best option is to pick a 5 year plan that has the lowest cancellation fee ($175) and when rates drop pay the $175 fee and get the lower plan. Or just bite the bullet for another 3 month plan that will cover the expensive July/Aug/Sep period and hope by October rates are lower. Any advice on what you and others are doing ?
I read where Saudi Arabia is increasing the production of oil by 50 per cent but the experts say that will not help.
-Ronnie
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Post by Bob Liu on Jun 2, 2022 17:51:53 GMT -6
Sorry Ronnie, I wish I had a good answer. I don’t have one. : ) That’s why I paused the suggestions for this time of the year.
I gambled on short-term too, just didn’t lose badly. (I switched to a 3-month plan, @5.4 ¢/kWh, in early April to start in late May. It only covers me to Late August though.)
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jonathan
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Post by jonathan on Jun 2, 2022 17:59:28 GMT -6
Hi Ronnie. You and I are in the exact same boat, literally. (Frontier 3 month plan ending in mid July.) I also have no idea what my next move will be, but I'm pretty sure it won't be a 5 year plan. I might end up playing a 1 month game using a variable rate plan but we'll see. Anyways, just letting you know you're not alone in this bizarre and scary cycle!
Best regards, Jonathan
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Post by Bob Liu on Jun 2, 2022 21:47:25 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Jun 10, 2022 23:47:04 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Jun 17, 2022 22:44:31 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Jun 24, 2022 22:07:48 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Jun 29, 2022 4:52:37 GMT -6
NEC Co-op Energy finally replied about how it charges. Base Charge: $7.5 /month Energy Charge: 10.4 ¢/kWh
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Post by Bob Liu on Jul 2, 2022 0:11:05 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Jul 8, 2022 23:26:19 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Jul 8, 2022 23:32:55 GMT -6
Prepaid of Payless Power What to keep in mind:
* With prepaid electric service, payment is made in advance of energy being consumed. * The continuation of electric service depends on you prepaying for service on a timely basis and if your current balance falls below the disconnection balance of $0.00, your service may be disconnected with little notice. * An initial pre-payment of up to $75 is required to initiate service.
* To maintain electric service, you must make a payment before your account balance is exhausted. * Payless Power will not accept a debit or credit card payment of less than $75. In other words, all payments processed via the internet or by phone with a credit card must be $75 or greater because our system will not accept a lesser amount.
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Post by Bob Liu on Jul 9, 2022 2:13:37 GMT -6
I’ll keep this thread going since my contract will expire next month.
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Post by Bob Liu on Jul 15, 2022 22:20:01 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Jul 23, 2022 0:30:19 GMT -6
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Post by reaton on Jul 24, 2022 12:14:23 GMT -6
Hello Bob,
About three weeks ago my existing contract ended and I decided to go with Payless Power (12 month fixed rate) and it was a mistake. They use the pre-paid plan that you mentioned in previous posts. In other words when you sign up you set up a balance of $150 in my case. On a daily basis you get an email telling you your previous day’s usage and the amount deducted from that $150 account balance based on that day’s usage. When your balance gets down to $20 you will get a notification and you can either manually inject money or preferable have autopay set up for the injection. If your injection is less than $150 there is a $4.95 service fee for the transaction. Also if the balance goes below zero you can be disconnected immediately with a $35 service fee to get reconnected……therefore it pays to have auto pay set up for this injection.
For those people like myself who like to pay bills monthly and hold your money as long as possible and pay on the due dates this plan is NOT for you. The constant barrage of emails on a daily basis and the slamming of your credit card 2 or 3 times a month for the injections is not for me. I wish I would’ve paid the additional fraction of a cent and gone with Constellation Energy. When rates come down and the math works out I’m going to pay the $99 cancellation fee and switch companies. Lesson learned.
-Ronnie
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jonathan
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Post by jonathan on Jul 24, 2022 12:33:18 GMT -6
Thank you so much for sharing that info Ronnie. I'm sorry to hear about your hassles, but your story has saved at least one person from ever considering a prepaid service in the future. Best wishes to you.
Jonathan
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Post by Bob Liu on Jul 24, 2022 12:36:43 GMT -6
Hi Ronnie,
We appreciate your comments on Payless Power.
They started this NEW pre-paid policy less than a month ago. Yes, I could imagine the pain when I read through their documents. Now, I think it’s a new gimmick invented by the providers.
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Post by Bob Liu on Jul 29, 2022 18:02:15 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Aug 5, 2022 18:52:30 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Aug 12, 2022 19:52:39 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Aug 19, 2022 20:08:07 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Aug 19, 2022 20:14:28 GMT -6
I decided to switch to Southern Federal. Starting on 8/23, the current contract end date. This is why. According to Texas Smart Meter, www.smartmetertexas.com, my last year’s Energy Usage roughly were: Sep: 700 kWh Oct: 230 kWh Nov: 180 kWh
2 months Total: 930 kWh (Sep+Oct) 3 months Total: 1110 kWh (Sep+Oct+Nov)
If I switch out 2 months later: Constellation: 99 + (930 * 0.098) = (99 + 91) = $190 Southern Federal: (4.95 * 2) + (930 * 0.151773) = (10 + 141) = $151 Difference: (190-151) = $39
If I switch out 3 months later: Constellation: 99 + (1110 * 0.098) = (99 + 109) = $208 Southern Federal: (4.95 * 3) + (1110 * 0.151773) = (15 + 169) = $184 Difference: (208-184) = $24
For comparison only, so calculation was done without Oncor’s delivery charges. I’m better off going with Southern Federal. Earlier I switch out, the better it is for me (if I could find a good one). On the other hand, it’s not so critical, since the difference is not much. : )
My usage is low, so your mileage may vary.
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Post by Bob Liu on Aug 19, 2022 21:12:00 GMT -6
Side note on enrollment of Southern Federal:
On the Power-To-Choose website, the SF 3-month plan does not have the “SIGN UP” button. I went to the SF website, there is a plan called “3-Month Contract Fixed”. It’s the SAME plan as PTC’s “SoFed Try Us Out - 3”. Same Electricity Facts Label (EFL). From there, I was able to enroll online.
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Post by Bob Liu on Aug 26, 2022 20:42:15 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Sept 1, 2022 13:01:16 GMT -6
As of 09/01/2022, Oncor’s Delivery Charges: $3.42 /mon + 4.4076 ¢/kWh (was 3.8907)
The hot summer is at its end, and A/C is used less. Oncor needs to increase the rate to cover its expenses. This delivery charge change is normal.
Compared with the same time last year 4.1543 ¢/kWh, it’s a 6.1% increase.
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Post by Bob Liu on Sept 2, 2022 19:42:14 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Sept 9, 2022 17:31:11 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Sept 9, 2022 17:36:25 GMT -6
Normally, the electricity rates of short-term plans should have started decreasing now. It is not happening this year. Short-term plans are not even the rate leaders. I can see the energy providers are not optimistic about the coming winter with the war dragging on in Europe.
So, what I suggest from this time on, is personal “guessing”. I have no past records to support them. So, use it at your own risk! : )
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Post by Bob Liu on Sept 14, 2022 0:04:09 GMT -6
My old Southern Federal rate was 15.1773 ¢/kWh, now it is 11.4604. I made a quick switch-out, and then switch-back to SF, to get the new better rate. Whole process took several business days.
I need to CALL to enroll back in the new SF plan. The SF rep said that my old record will stay in their system for 30 days after my cancellation. In these 30 days, I won’t be able to enroll ONLINE. Their office hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm.
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Post by Bob Liu on Sept 16, 2022 21:12:33 GMT -6
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