TXU Energy (2014, how much, buy)

[elnina]

I am thinking about switching to TXU Energy? Anyone uses it? What are your experiences?

[JaqueCosto]

from my experience they're one of the more expensive REPs

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by JaqueCosto

from my experience they're one of the more expensive REPs

Expensive, and terrible customer service.

[War Beagle]

Originally Posted by elnina

I am thinking about switching to TXU Energy? Anyone uses it? What are your experiences?

Every time I have researched electricity rates, they are always one of, if not the most, expensive providers.

[hx2010]

I currently have their free nights plan, and it's still way more expensive compared to the other electric companies I had before. Plan on switching when my contract is over.

[jasonamd]

Originally Posted by hx2010

I currently have their free nights plan, and it's still way more expensive compared to the other electric companies I had before. Plan on switching when my contract is over.

On any of the plans where something is offered for "free" it is rarely ever free. They get their money back by charging higher rates to cover what they give you for free and in most cases lock you in for 24 months. The plan with the "free" Nest thermostat Reliant offers has one of the highest rates of any of their plans and depending on your usage, you will probably end up paying more than it would cost to get a cheaper plan with a different provider and buy your own Nest.

The TXU "free" nights and "free" weekends plans have TXU's highest rates.

I never had a problem with TXU customer service (Reliant is another story) but switched to a different company for cheaper rates.

[elnina]

So, who offers the best rates, in your opinion?

[houstonfan]

powertochoose.org
mytruecost.com

It's not just about kwh cost. It also depends on your usage. Some companies charge premiums for low usage, etc. That's why the 2nd website is pretty good imo. Have not put it through the test yet though, but intrigued.

[War Beagle]

You have to do the math when you are on the Power to Choose site. I hate deregged electricity because it is more convoluted than it needs to be. Depending on how much electricity you use, the quoted rate might not be your actual rate. Most of the companies will charge a base fee for any usage under 2000 kWh and some will charge more for usage under 700-800 kWh. Then there are other fees that they can tack on that aren't necessarily reflected in the per kWh rate they quote.

I went through this last week and I was surprised how much variation in actual cost there is when you plug the numbers. What might look like a higher rate on the surface might turn out to be a competetive rate because there are fewer base charges and/or additional fees. To get the best rate, you need to have a good idea as to your monthly usage so you can make an apple to apple comparison.

One thing I am relatively certain of is that what I call the "gimmick" plans are generally not good deals. While the idea of the "nights and weekends" sounds great in practice, the reality is that the peak rate is so high that the "discounted" off-peak rate is really not that cheap overall.

[trbstang]

Originally Posted by elnina

So, who offers the best rates, in your opinion?

Whoever has the best rates on Power to Choose I have been using Amigo Energy as they've had just about the lowest rates on 12 mo contracts for me. Currently I have it at 8.4 cents until April 2014, but their best rate now is like 9.4.