Is there a best time of the year for locking in your electric rate?

[barronj]

In Austin, we have to use Austin Energy for power but I have a home elsewhere that I have to choose the power provider for it.

I guess I've been month to month for a month or two, not realizing it. The rates they're showing me now are higher than the last time they broached re-signing and I'm wondering if there's seasonality or a reason to hold out.

Thanks in advance!

[The King]

I try to have a rate locked in outside of hurricane season, so I don't have to renew during that period. Since 2003 I've re-signed with the same provider only once.

[svauto-erotic855]

Why bother?

[mustang_revival]

Started using energy ogre and last month my Sept bill was lower than it has been maybe ever..

[32vfromhell]

conventional wisdom is to not do it in peak usage months (july/august and december/january)

[bubbaearl]

i love my coop . low rates and i get a check from them every year just like my mortgage co .

[Fastlane]

Started using energy ogre and last month my Sept bill was lower than it has been maybe ever..

I have been using Energy Ogre for a a few years and go with their suggestions with great results. My yearly subscription is up in April. Rates are usually very competitive around that time. According to Electric Choice "In the spring, mid-March is the best time to lock in low rates, while mid-October to late November typically have the highest rates. While these months may not always line up with the end of your previous contract, keep these things in mind when you shop for electricity rates."

[BP]

I've noticed the lower rates are only for 3 month contracts, maybe 6 tops and they'll always expire just before June. It's too damned confusing. I signed up for a tiered plan that's $82 for up to 1k kWh then another $82 for up to 2k, after that it's 9.9 cents per.

I went with a 1 year deal and a $50 ETF in case rates drop for long term deals but they haven't yet. If I maximize the deal mine works out to 8 cents a kWh, the 12+ month deals I see are 8.2 cents per with $200+ etfs.

I looked at griddy before too and it seems really cool until the wholesale rates get into the $5+ kWh during peak times in summer.

I think it'd be awesome to have one of the Tesla power wall systems along with Griddy's service but at $9k per cell it'd take forever to recoup that investment.

[32vfromhell]

I've noticed the lower rates are only for 3 month contracts, maybe 6 tops and they'll always expire just before June. It's too damned confusing. I signed up for a tiered plan that's $82 for up to 1k kWh then another $82 for up to 2k, after that it's 9.9 cents per.

I went with a 1 year deal and a $50 ETF in case rates drop for long term deals but they haven't yet. If I maximize the deal mine works out to 8 cents a kWh, the 12+ month deals I see are 8.2 cents per with $200+ etfs.

I looked at griddy before too and it seems really cool until the wholesale rates get into the $5+ kWh during peak times in summer.

I think it'd be awesome to have one of the Tesla power wall systems along with Griddy's service but at $9k per cell it'd take forever to recoup that investment.

some of the griddy spikes have been eyepopping on seeing someone pay like they did in August 2019 at $7.00 / kWh

[The King]

I look for as long a contract as I can get, given that I’m not planning on moving any time in the near future, no base customer charge, and the same price per kWh across all usage tiers. Barring an identical price across all usage tiers, I focus on the best price for 1000 kwh.

[txstangnut]

some of the griddy spikes have been eyepopping on seeing someone pay like they did in August 2019 at $7.00 / kWh

So as a experiment I went on Griddy in June of last year. I was on it when the largest price spike hit.

The max price that can be charged is 9.80 per kWh. It hit that price and stayed that way for about 2.5 hours.

Griddy refunded the membership fee for that month and made some other changes around alerting for price spikes.

So I started on the home automation to save some money when the price spikes and adjusted my HVAC usage.

So as a example when the price spikes my AC unit gets shut off at 9 cents a kWh and comes back on at 8 cents a kWh.

I would be happy to post what my bill was for any month and answer any questions about it.

I will never go back to a contract rate after using Griddy. I turned a few people on to it and the have been happy.

I treat it like avarage billing and throw them a hundred bucks every month after that price spike so I carry a credit balance most of the time.

They do have a referral program so if you decide to try it I can send a code to you and I think you get 25 bucks credit.

It is no contract and you can go on or off when you want.



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[Gasser64]

Why bother?

Cause the price just keeps going up, up and away if you don't.

[txstangnut]

Cause the price just keeps going up, up and away if you don't.

This. I have seen 60 months for 10.5. Seems like a scam.

The TDU charges are the worst part of my bill.

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[Gasser64]

I want a full solar system just for the pleasure of being able to tell them all to eat a dick. Oncor especially. I'd want to send a company wide email.

[War Machine]

I use power ogre