Anybody lock in natural gas lately? (insurance, price, versus)

[ready2move]

We have Georgia Natural Gas with a variable rate. Seems that it's been pretty cheap this year. We are thinking about locking in so next winter it will be covered...anybody else done this and with which provider?

TIA

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by ready2move

We have Georgia Natural Gas with a variable rate. Seems that it's been pretty cheap this year. We are thinking about locking in so next winter it will be covered...anybody else done this and with which provider?

I always lock the rate ... it makes auto-payment that much easier. I'm with GNG.

[RainyRainyDay]

I believe variable rate should be cheaper in the long haul, but I have not researched the matter and have no proof. It's just an article of faith.

[neil0311]

Just locked in a 12 month rate with GNG. Natural gas is at all time lows and supply is predicted to decline.

[ready2move]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Just locked in a 12 month rate with GNG. Natural gas is at all time lows and supply is predicted to decline.

That's what my husand and I were thinking. Would you mind telling me what you locked in at with all the junk fees?

There was a company that had a 24 month lock in. That would be for the next 2 winters. Even if the price went lower, which we don't think it will, at least we would have a constant for 2 winters.

[gt6974a]

Think we're at 1.30 therm and Scana has a .84/therm offer that we've talked about locking into.

[runningncircles1]

I believe variable rate should be cheaper in the long haul, but I have not researched the matter and have no proof. It's just an article of faith.

Well, at least you admitted it was an opinion and didn't hold it as infallible :-P JK w/ ya

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by runningncircles1

Well, at least you admitted it was an opinion and didn't hold it as infallible :-P JK w/ ya

Hah!

Actually, my opinion is not entirely unsupported. I've found a post I wrote about this before, citing a newspaper article: http://www.city-data.com/forum/4880307-post14.html

I think the preference for fixed versus variable rate plans has a definite psychological aspect. I feel comfortable with paying "market rate". If the market gas price goes up, I'll pay more, and when it's down (like now), I pay less. I'm OK with that. I don't want to get on the fixed price bandwagon because I figure the gas company charges a premium for the "insurance" and the AJC article agrees with me (see other post), but also because I'd hate worse to lock in at a high price and feel I was overpaying, than to miss out on locking in at a low price.

[cityrover]

variable is cheaper unless there is another fake gas/fuel crysis. with this economy, i doubt it

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by ready2move

That's what my husand and I were thinking. Would you mind telling me what you locked in at with all the junk fees?

There was a company that had a 24 month lock in. That would be for the next 2 winters. Even if the price went lower, which we don't think it will, at least we would have a constant for 2 winters.

The per therm rate was $0.87 with a $5.99 monthly fee for 12 months