Deciding to Switch to Reliant Energy in Houston?

When considering switching to a new Houston electricity company we would like to suggest avoiding signing up with Reliant or TXU Energy. These two companies are advertising much higher electricity prices then some other more competitive electric companies in Houston. On the state run energy site right now it shows that Reliant Energy is not even offering a fixed electricity product. Most electric providers in Houston offer some type of electricity price that is fixed so you can lock in the price while rates are low and continue to pay that price 1, 2, or 3 years long before you have to renegotiate a new electricity price. This last year according to the Houston Chronicle it was said that Reliant had to stop taking on certain new customers because of a credit facility issue. Reliant Energy in Houston was not able to meet the financial requirements necessary for signing up new commercial and industrial customers and so for a time they had to stop taking on new customers. Since then this large Houston area electric company has been bought out and their credit issue is supposed to be resolved. For some reason Reliant still only shows a variable electricity rate being advertised and nothing else in the Houston area. Generally this is because it does not make fiscal sense to offer a fixed electric rate because of interest rates and credit facility issues with hedging a long term electricity contract. We don’t know if this is why Reliant Houston is only showing a variable electricity price and no fixed electricity prices like many of the other providers.

Comparing Reliant Houston to Other Electric Companies

In comparison with Reliant Energy we can recommend a few other Houston energy companies that offer some of the cheapest available fixed electric rates in the market. The providers we recommend are sound ethically run companies that do not cram in additional charges in your electricity bill through clever legal jargon in the fine details of their energy contract. Some Houston electric companies have been known to add in a fuel adjustment surcharge or leave off the TDSP charges in their advertisement only to add them in to your bill later on. Don’t fall for the too good to be true electricity offers and as well don’t sign up on an uncompetitive variable electricity rate that is subject to change after the first month.

When Does a Variable Electricity Rate Make Sense?

The only time a variable electricity rate like what Reliant Houston is offering is when you will only being staying at your place short term or you just don’t want to be locked in to a long term energy contract. In this case a variable electricity rate makes sense. There are much more competitive variable electricity rates in Houston that compete with Reliant that we would recommend over their current variable electricity prce they are advertising. If you would like a variable rate to compare with Reliants flex plan that is currently showing 16.1 cents a kWh then we recommend visiting Startex Power (their variable rate is 9.99 cents) and while your their take a look at some of their fixed electricity rates. All charges and fees are disclosed. No tricks or gimmicks. You can learn more about Startex by visiting their website and searching for customer complaints and reviews on Google.

No Deposit Guaranteed Houston Electricity

You may just need to move in to your new home or apartment very fast and avoid the need to pay a deposit. If you find yourself being a no credit or low credit score customer then we used to have a unique electricity plan in Houston that had no deposit but the plan is now discontinued. This plan was perfect for those that needed a  second chance at proving their credit worthiness and reestablishing themselves as a good paying Houston electric service customer. The plan was called the “Start Plan” and was with a company called Boing Energy. The Start Plan is no longer available but you can check out other great plans with Boing and others by using our compare chart or call at 1-800-971-4020.

Is it Worth it to Use TXU or Reliant Energy in Houston?

If you are considering turning on electric service in your name to TXU Energy or Reliant Energy we would like to encourage you to consider other choices. Right now TXU Energy and Reliant Energy are not offering very competitive fixed electric service rates for residential electricity customers. Reliant Energy is currently offering only a variable electricity rate for the Houston area according to the state website and it is for 10.4 cents a kWh. Most providers offer a fixed electric rate that is locked in for a year or longer. A variable electricity rate is subject to change after the first month. Energy prices adjust on a variable electricity rate based on what natural gas prices do. In Houston energy prices are at a historical low for the year. If you lock in with Reliant Energy at 10.4 cents a kWh on a variable electric rate you can expect it to go up rather soon as the summer is closing in and many analysts predict a rise in Houston energy prices. Also a variable rate is an indication that an electric company is not able to hedge energy prices to even offer a fixed electric rate. In summary, a variable electricity price like what Reliant in Houston is offering is not the ideal electricity plan.

Moving to Houston and Need Electric Service Turned on Fast?

If you are moving to Houston or living there now but are about to switch electric companies to TXU Energy there is also an issue with making a switch over to them as well. They are offering a 14.9 cent fixed rate but they only offer a 24 month term. They are a large company but they were recently sold to a private equity group. The TXU rate of 14.9 is just not competitive with several other offers out there. There are 24 month fixed rates right now in the Houston area that are as low as 12.3 cents a kwh and this includes all fees and charges. That is over 2 cents a kWh difference in price. Going with TXU Energy or Reliant Energy who was also recently bought by a different company just doesn’t make sense anymore with their uncompetitive electricity prices and their new and different ownership.

Alternative to TXU and Reliant Energy for Electric Service

If you need a competitive electricity rate in Houston with an established reputable and ethical energy provider then we recommend giving Startex Power a try. This Houston electric company competes quite well against both Reliant and TXU Energy and they have no gimmicks and weird legal jargon to make their electricity rate look better. What you see is what you get when choosing Startex Power as your electricity provider in Texas. You can learn more about Startex by clicking here.

Bad or No Credit but Need a Switch Fast?

If you have bad credit, no credit or just need to move in or switch electricity providers extremely fast then there is really only one option in this circumstance. They have the best electricity plan for bad credit customers that basically gives you a second chance and allows you to avoid paying a deposit. This no deposit electricity plan is called the “Fresh Start Plan”. You can learn more about this electricity plan by visiting Bounce Energy. When you call be sure to ask for the “Fresh Start Plan”

Visit Bounce Energy and learn more – click here or call 1-866-945-8937

Have you ever heard of Nueces Electric Coop and other similar coop electricity service providers in Texas? These electric companies allow you to become an owner of the electricity provider in order to save additional money on your Texas electric service. The issue is that many of these coops are charging outrageous rates for their electricity price per kWh. As of March 25 2009 Nueces Electric Coop shows up on the governments power to choose website as having the highest priced Texas electricity rate being advertised. Nueces Electric company is currently charging 17.7¢ a kWh for their variable electricity rate. Energy prices are currently at a historical low from where electricity rates have been over the last year. Considering that Nueces Electric Coop is charging 17.7¢ a kWh when other electric companies can lock you in on a 1 year fixed rate for around 11 – 12 cents a kWh you really are in a losing proposition to sign up with Nueces Electric Coop even after receiving a small rebate for being an owner.

An alternative to Nueces Energy that is a similar Texas Electric Coop is to be a sales associate with Affordable Energy and receive $3 dollars back for every 1,000 kWh used on your electric bill. They are currently offering a 1 year fixed electric rate for 12.0¢ a kWh in the Dallas and North Texas area and 12.6¢ a kWh in the Houston and Centerpoint utility areas. This is several cents cheaper then Nueces Electricity Coop and you will get a rebate every month for your own electricity usage. To sign up for free as a sales associate with Affordable Energy you simply need to click here and then choose > Join Our Team > Join Now > Scroll down and choose the option labeled “Customer Service Representative”.

Once you have joined Affordable Energy using the free option known as”Customer Service Representative they should have created an affiliate website for you. They will assign you a nick name based on what you have asked for. For instance my affiliate website is http://www.affordableenergy.com/electric. Note I chose the name “electric”. You can choose a name like “CheapEnergy” or “yourname” or just about anything you want so long as it is not taken. You will then go to the affiliate site Affordable Energy created for you and sign up your residential home or apartment for their electric service. Be sure togo to your affiliate site they created for you. They should have sent you a confirmation email confirming the name of the site. You will then go to the “Texas map” that says, “Texas Residential”. Click on “Check for service availability” > Enter your ESIID number as found on a current Texas electric bill or just enter your service address. You can then choose the fixed rate term and rate you want to go with. Keep in mind there is an additional $6.95 monthly service fee that will also be on your electricity bill. The additional monthly fee raises the rate a fraction higher. For instance, if you signed up on a 12 cents kWh rate then the $6.95 monthly service fee when averaged into the rate will make the rate more like 12.3 cents a kWh. Considering the amount of money you will be getting back on your usage this fee is basically a wash for most people.

To learn more about Affordable Energy please visit them here: Affordable Energy

Again don’t sign up with Nueces County Electric Coop when their rate is the highest advertised rate on the state of Texas website. It just does not make fiscal sense to do so. Choose a cheaper provider that still gives you the opportunity to be a sales associate making commission on your own electricity consumption. For those interested this company also allows you to sell their electricity service to others. Be sure to Join on one of the paid options if you would like to sell electricity service to others.

The Dilemma of No Established Credit

Many in Texas have found themselves faced with a problem when moving into their first apartment. Take for instance a recent high school graduate that has no credit because they have yet to apply for a credit card or any other form of credit. They have just been hired by their first employer and have been their a few months and are one of the successful employees that the company has. They have received a couple of promotions and are making a fairly good salary. The only problem is that the employee still lives at their parents house. They desperately want to move out to achieve for the first time complete independence. Their parents help them move into their first apartment by cosigning the lease agreement. The student then goes to apply for utilities under their own name to be able to have some form of credit by having a utility in their own name. The Houston electric provider comes back asking for a $500 deposit just to tun on electric service at their first apartment. All of a sudden the dream of moving into their first apartment hits a road block. The student doesn’t have $500 for a deposit for an electric company. OK so we understand the young independent worker has no established credit but they do have a good job and they are responsible so why should they be punished? There is an answer to this dilemma and we will answer that and more below.

Most Houston Electric Companies Have not Created an Answer for This Issue

The margin in the electric providers electricity service rate is quite thin. One of the main points an electric company considers when selling their electric service to residential customers is what credit score threshold they will use to pass a customer on credit with no deposit. Below a certain score the deposit amount increases and they do this to insure they make money when selling electricity service in Houston rather then lose money. Obviously it makes sense that an electric company would want to make money so the deposit requirement isn’t completely evil. The worse the score the worse the deposit amount for Houston electric service. A Houston energy company by the name of Bounce Energy once had  an electric rate product for people who find themselves in a credit crunch like this. The electric rate product was called the “Fresh Start Plan” but it is no longer available. Since there is no longer a no deposit electricity plan available in Houston that we recommend we encourage you to compare and try out several traditional electricity companies in Houston until one passes you on credit and offers you a low or no deposit option.

You may go to Texas Affordable Energy to check on current residential

Best Humble Texas Electric Rates

When choosing an electric provider in Humble Texas there are multiple electric suppliers to choose from. There are actually over 50 different electricity companies but not all of them offer affordable energy. Some of the electricity providers in Texas claim to offer an affordable energy rate but in reality the electric rate has hidden fees and charges that are not obviously disclosed. These energy providers may be offering an energy contract with legal terms and conditions but the public utility commission allows for certain unclear terms and conditions that many electric providers have used to inflate their electric rate with the customer having little understanding of when entering into the energy agreement. The old adage of “if it is too good to be true it probably is” is something that has applied more then a few times since 2002, when Texas deregulated the electricity market.

Compare ethically run cheap Texas electric providers here and sign up online.

Cheap Rates, Many Terms, and Quality Service

We have listed some of the more quality ethically run residential energy companies on this site. Many of these affordable energy providers have provided a discount on their electric rate for our customers and none of them are charging more then what there cheapest available energy rate is. We also have several available electricity monthly terms to choose from so that you can lock into a contract that fits your needs. If you will be in an apartment for only 6 months there are 6 months terms. You might be moving out of your Humble Texas home or apartment in a few months time, in this case you might want to sign up for a month to month rate. Depending upon your needs for your Humble TX electricity service we have the companies and electric rates and terms to fit any scenario. Feel free to browse through our best rate at the below link to begin your search.

Humble Texas electric rates – Compare Now!

We have several electric rates at competitive prices listed at the top left of this page. You may choose the electric rate and provider that makes the most sense to you and sign up online at the provided discount price. In Houston you have over 50 different electric providers to choose from but not all of these providers are considered to be ethical or honest in the way they sell or advertise their electric prices in Houston.

Need a Low Deposit or No Deposit

If you are having an issue with large deposits being required in the Houston area then you may want to go ahead and try and sign up with Affordable Energy. Affordable Energy has one of the most lenient credit approval requirements in the industry. If they do need a deposit they will usually work with you by letting you pay half up front and bill you the rest over time.

You can sign up with Affordable Energy here: Sign Up