Consumer Tip – Save $$$ by calling your Electric Co
I was shocked to find my most recent electric bill be the highest ever since we’ve lived in our home. I thought something must be leaking, we need more insulation, OR maybe our electric costs have increased.
I called my current electric provider Reliant who gets their power from Oncor. Apparently, I was paying almost 16 cents/kwh and didn’t realize it. 3 years ago when I switched to Reliant, the rate was about 10 cents/kwh and after the initial 12 month plan had expired, they raised the rates slowly but surely as you can see from the usage charts below:
I called Reliant and spoke with the rep asking how I could save more money on my electric bill. She was less than helpful and didn’t mention anything about PowertoChoose.org. This is where you can go to see what companies are competitive in your zip code. I would pull this page up, then call your current provider to see if there what they can do to lower your rates. Based on my last electric bill in July, if I had the new rates, my electric bill would have been about $100 lower. This is definitely worth looking into and spending 38 minutes of your life on since it might save you $500-1000/year!
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are several things that need to be reviewed on a regular basis or you’ll end up paying more than you should only for the benefit of the person receiving your money.
- Call your electric provider annually to set up a new contracted rate for the next 12 months.
- Protest your property taxes with your local County Tax Assessor every year or two.
- Contact your independent insurance agent every year or two to make sure you’re insurance rates are competitive. At Ryan Everet Insurance, we do this part for you on your annual renewals.
Call or send us an email if you have questions about how we can help you save money, especially your insurance! 940-268-5112