What Causes High Electricity Bills?

Let’s face it—high electricity bills seem inevitable these days. That’s why it’s more important than ever to save as much money as possible. With prices on gas, food, and pretty much everything on the rise, curbing your costs and trimming down expenses is definitely a smart plan of action.

Have you found yourself wondering, “Why is my electric bill so high?” If so, you’re not alone!

Believe it or not, there are ways to save on your high electric bill in Texas. Read on for some of the top causes of an abnormally high electric bill, and some steps you can take to remedy the costly situation.

A top cause: usage habits

An abnormally high electric bill can first be caused by your average household electricity usage.

• There are plenty of simple steps you (and those living in your household) can take to trim costs and daily usage.
• Even though these steps may seem small, they can add up to big potential savings!
• If you have a digital thermostat, set it to lower the temperature when you’re out of the house in colder months, and raise it in warmer months.
  • There’s no need to keep an empty house especially cool or hot if no one is in it!
• Another tip is to turn off lights, electronics, and appliances that aren’t in use.
  • This is another area in which “smart” devices can come in handy, like those with auto power-saving options.
• Eco-friendly appliances (like those labeled Energy Star) are designed with eco-conscious features in mind.
• In the hot summer months, try to avoid running stoves, ovens, and clothes dryers at the hottest times of the day.
• When running dishwashers and clothes washers, don’t overfill them, but also make sure to run only full loads. This requires less energy and takes less of a toll on your appliances as well.
• Need to prepare or heat up food during peak hours? A top tip is to use smaller appliances, like toasters, toaster ovens, and microwaves.
  • These appliances use less energy, which means less heat in the house.
  • The more heat that’s being conducted in your home during warmer summer months means the AC unit has to work harder, burning more energy—and costing you more money!

Additional causes: home/household size and energy plan

The larger your home, coupled with how many people are currently living in your household, is bound to impact your power bill amount.

• This is the most obvious factor that can affect the size of your bill, but this is not always the case.
• If you live in a larger residential home, more than likely, you can expect to shell out more than the amount someone will see on the average electric bill for a two-bedroom apartment in Texas.
• The average kWh usage for 2000 sq. ft. homes is approximately 1,176 kWh per month, and the average kWh usage for 3000 sq. ft. homes is 20,820 kWh a year.
• Even if you live in a larger space, you should be mindful of how energy-efficient your lifestyle and routine are in order to save more money.
• Everyone in your home should take steps to be more conscious of their energy usage habits, as well as be informed on steps they can take to cut costs.

Despite the size of your home or how many people share your space, the type of energy plan you’re enrolled in can also have a major impact on your power bill.

Below, we will review the two most common types of energy plans available to residents of deregulated areas in Texas, as well as how each one can work to lower your electricity bill.

More Saving Solutions: Consider Prepaid Energy Plans

What type of energy plan are you enrolled in? Get informed in order to save as much money as you can.

• Prepaid and postpaid electricity plans are available to Texans living in deregulated energy markets.
• This means they have the option to choose which power companies they use, rather than being forced to utilize services from only one power provider—known as a monopoly.
• More options equal better choices, better prices, and the ability to save money while benefitting from a power plan suited to your lifestyle and household needs—it’s a win-win situation for Texans!
• A deregulated energy market creates more financial freedom for residents and a more competitive market between power companies.
• Now Power Texas, the top retail prepaid energy provider in the state, offers customers substantial savings and flexibility with their electricity plan options and services.
• Let’s start by looking at the difference between prepaid and postpaid electricity plans.
  • Postpaid electricity is a term that refers to the traditional method of paying for your utility usage at the end of the billing cycle, or after the electricity has already been used.
  • Once the power has already been used, it can be difficult to do much (if anything) about the amount you owe.
  • It can also be worrisome for those living on a tight paycheck-to-paycheck budget to afford any extra energy charges.
• Prepaid electricity is a more modern method that offers an affordable alternative—paying ahead of time for your electricity consumption—or before it is even used.
  • By enrolling in pay-as-you-go electricity, you can use simple, digital data to track your energy habits in order to stay on track with your budget.
  • These Smart Meters are installed conveniently in your home, and feature easy-to-read and interpret user-friendly data.
  • If you ever need to add funds to your account, you can do so quickly and easily with online, text, or phone account access.
  • Prepaid electricity options with Now Power Texas allow you to cut costs each month on your power bill and puts the customer in the driver’s seat instead of the power company.
  • Now Power Texas also regularly rolls out new savings and promotions designed to save customers even more money.

The best part? Now Power Texas can get you hooked up the same day with NO credit check, NO deposit, and NO SSN/ID check required for activation.

Start saving today! Fill up the form to get your new power plan turned on as soon as possible and watch the savings stack up.