Full Answer
Are free night and weekend energy plans a good idea?
These plans charge a higher electricity rate during the day and customers pay nothing for energy used during nights and weekends. Although these plans may seem like a good option, there are many factors to consider before selecting a free night and weekend energy plan.
What are the best free electricity plans?
There are a lot of providers that offer free electricity plans. These include Champion Energy Free Weekends, Champion Energy Free Nights, Reliant Energy Truly Free Weekends, Reliant Energy Truly Free Nights, Direct Energy 12-Hour Power, Gexa Energy BOGO and Gexa Energy 3-Day Weekend. Review all free electricity plans by entering your zip code.
Is it possible to get free electricity at 10pm?
If your free nights and weekends electricity plan offers free power between 10 PM and 7 AM, it might be very difficult for you to actually shift your energy usage.
Does Free Electricity really save you money?
If you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that enough of your electricity usage happens during the free period, then you may be able to save money. It definitely pays to compare free nights and weekend plans. There are a lot of different Free Electricity plans you can pick from. Here are our favorites that are worth it, and why:
Is TXU free nights and weekends a good deal?
“Free Nights” or “Free Weekends” end up being anything but free, despite the phrasing the company uses. The rates you pay for the time it's not free can add up quickly, and in many cases end up averaging out to be much higher than a no-gimmick plan offered by another provider.
Is electricity cheaper at night in Texas?
The electricity rates are the lowest and medium, respectively. In Texas, peak demand occurs in the busiest times, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Partial peak hours are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again between 7 and 9 p.m. Enjoy off-peak electricity rates, the lowest, the rest of the time.
How does TXU free nights work?
Free Nights & Solar Days is 100 percent renewable as TXU Energy purchases solar power, along with solar and wind renewable energy credits, offsetting customers' actual usage. Customers get free electricity all night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., and solar electricity all day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Does Texas have free electricity?
Many of the best Texas electricity providers such as TXU, Direct Energy, First Choice Power and Payless Power have crafted free energy plans for Texas residents. These free power offers are very popular, but skeptics may ask, “Can you really get free electricity?” In short, yes you can.
How much does it cost to run a dryer for an hour?
Electric dryers span a wide range of wattages, from about 2,000 to 6,000 watts. That translates to about 2 to 6 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Based on the national average rate of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, each hour of electric drying will cost somewhere between 24 and 72 cents, depending on the model.
What is the cheapest time to use washing machine?
So, an alternative is to avoid peak laundry times: 4pm to 7pm. You could potentially save a few pennies per laundry load if you wash them in the morning, during the day (if you work from home), or later than 7pm in the evening.
What is the best plan on TXU Energy?
The best fixed rate plan for Texas homeowners with large residences is the TXU Energy Simple Rate 12 plan. After the $9.95 base energy charge, Houston customers pay 8.1 cents per kWh. This pricing structure means the average price per kWh falls as usage increases.
What time of day is cheapest for electricity?
What are peak and off-peak times for electricity? While this depends on your energy provider, off-peak hours tend to be quieter periods when power demands are at their lowest (for example, between 10pm and 8am).
Who has the lowest electricity rates in Texas?
What provider has the cheapest electricity rates in Texas?Pulse Power (888-853-4219): low rates, no gimmicks, trusted brand, 90-day guarantee.Gexa Energy (855-639-8212): very low rates, top name brand, 60-day guarantee.Cirro Energy (833-392-9778): discount rate Reliant sister company, top-rated operator help.More items...
What is reliant Keep Your Cash Nights & Weekends plan?
With Reliant's e-Sense® Keep Your Cash Nights & Weekends plan, customers can reduce electricity costs by shifting high-usage activities – like running the dishwasher or doing laundry – to nights and weekends. All electricity used on weeknights from 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. and all weekend long is discounted.
How can I get free electricity at home?
Generating Electricity at HomeResidential Solar Panels. Every ray of sunshine that lands on your roof is free electricity for the taking. ... Wind Turbines. ... Solar and Wind Hybrid Systems. ... Microhydropower Systems. ... Solar Water Heaters. ... Geothermal Heat Pumps.
What is free basic electricity?
Free Basic Electricity (FBE) is a government initiative that offers a small amount of free electricity per month to low-income households with qualifying meters. If you qualify, you can request FBE from your TymeBank SmartApp or Internet Banking, once a month.
Are electricity prices cheaper at night?
Usually – the 7 hours of off-peak electricity rates at night are usually cheaper, but you can check with your energy supplier to be sure.
Is it cheaper to run electricity at night?
Is Electricity Cheaper at Night with These Tariffs? Electricity is cheaper at night for those on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff, making these tariffs a good option for people who use most of their electricity overnight.
What is the cheapest time of day to use electricity?
Electricity is often cheaper late at night or early in the morning, so those will be the times when you can save money on your electric bill. This is because these are typical off-peak hours when not as many people are using electricity.
What time is electricity cheapest?
What's the Cheapest Time of Day To Use Electricity?In summer, typically between noon and 6 p.m. when air conditioners are on full-throttle.In winter, typically between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and again between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. — before and after work.
What Does Free Nights and Weekends Mean?
Free Nights and Weekends plans are energy products offered by some retail electric providers (REP) to incentivize customers to switch their energy...
Are Free Nights and Weekends Electricity Plans Worth It?
Free Nights and Weekends electricity plans are an interesting energy product and if understood and used correctly, they can save your household a l...
What Time of Day is Electricity the Cheapest?
The cost you pay for electricity during different times of day depends on the specifics of your energy plan. Fixed-rate plans have the same price p...
Why do we bring up the price for electricity during non-free times of the day?
Very often, free nights and weekend plans have a much higher rate per kWh of electricity during the non-free times than the rate of a typical fixed-rate plan.
What is a free night and weekend plan?
Free Nights and Weekends plans are energy products offered by some retail electric providers (REP) to incentivize customers to switch their energy usage to the off-peak hours of the day. On this plan, your electricity will be free during the designated time period each day (for example between 9 PM and 9 AM or Friday evening to Sunday night). The rate you will pay for electricity used during the normal times (when electricity isn’t free) will often be higher than the fixed rate you would pay otherwise, which might result in fewer savings than originally estimated.
Why do free nights and weekends charge nothing?
On the other hand, free nights and weekends plans charge nothing for the energy used during the non-peak hours (late evening to early morning) and a high rate for the usage during all the other times. The reason is to incentivize customers to switch their usage away from peak hours – when everyone uses a lot of electricity (for example, ...
What is the time of use tariff?
The original idea behind the free electricity plans, sometimes also known as ‘Time of Use’ tariff, was to encourage customers to shift their energy usage from peak hours to non-peak hours. What are the peak hours? They are the times of day when people most need and use electricity.
How much energy is used at night?
Marketing materials for free nights or free weekends electricity plans will tell you that 30 to 40% of energy is used at night and on weekends, tricking you into believing that by switching, you will save 30% on your total electric bill.
How much kWh is used in a household?
We will assume that the average monthly usage of your household is 1500 kW h and you can switch 30% of it to the designated free period times.
What time of day do people use electricity?
They are the times of day when people most need and use electricity. Think of a late afternoon (approximately 4 – 7 pm) – that’s when everyone comes back from work or school and starts using electricity – to cook a meal, watch TV, play music or turn on an AC after.
How does a free night and weekend plan work?
How do free night and weekend plans work? When you sign up for a free night and weekend electricity plan, a smart meter monitors your energy usage by time of day. The plan details will state when electricity is free, often between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., with weekends starting and ending at the same times.
What is fixed rate energy?
Fixed-rate plans guarantee the price of energy you’ll pay for the length of your contract. Variable-rate plans charge you a price that varies based on different factors or at the discretion of the retail provider. Indexed prices connect the price you pay to an index, like an energy futures market.
How does energy use change?
Many people were previously leaving their home every weekday for work or school. That meant most of their energy usage occurred at night or over the weekend. However, recently many office jobs have turned into work from home jobs, and schools across the country are implementing virtual learning. With these changes, our energy usage habits have shifted. Residential customers are now more likely to be running their air conditioning systems all day, using their kitchen appliances more frequently, and continuously powering electronics like laptops and TVs. This additional power usage during expensive daytime hours can mean that a free nights and weekends plan is no longer beneficial to the family budget.
What is a fixed supply rate?
A fixed supply rate means never having to watch the clock before running the dishwasher or turning down the A/C. Constellation offers fixed supply rate energy plans that allow customers to pay the same rate, 24/7. Compare electricity plans in Texas or look for energy plans by zip code.
Why is it important to choose the right energy supplier?
The importance of choosing the right energy supplier. A growing number of states have made all or part of their energy markets competitive, opening up choice for their consumers. If you’re lucky enough to live in these states, it pays to research energy providers.
What is indexed price?
Indexed prices connect the price you pay to an index, like an energy futures market.
Can you get free electricity on weekends?
Free nights and weekends may not be enough to offset the cost of energy during daytime hours. Free night and weekend electricity plans could be a benefit if you leave home Monday through Friday to work a 9-to-5 job and mostly spend time at home on Saturday and Sunday. Or perhaps you travel during the week and are mostly home on weekends.
How to reduce electricity usage during non-free times?
Reduce your usage during the non-free times as dramatically as possible, especially turning up your air conditioner when you’re not at home during the day. Be prepared to be warm at home after work and school until the free electricity times start. Because free electricity is great — except when it isn’t.
How to understand electricity plans?
To truly understand the terms offered by the plan, you should talk to a customer service representative for the electricity company that interests you. If they want your business so badly — and they do — the person you talk to should be able to answer any and all of your questions about what’s free, what’s not, and what an average bill should look like. The more information you have, the better choices you can make.
What would happen if consumers could be incentivized to voluntarily shift their electricity usage to “off-?
If consumers could be incentivized to voluntarily shift their electricity usage to “off-peak” times of the day, it would reduce demand, grid stress, and energy prices.
What would happen if we used too much energy during peak demand?
If too many people use too much energy during Peak Demand — especially in the heat of the summer — it would create more demand than supply could provide. This imbalance of supply and demand could create increased stress on our aging electricity grid, which could lead to brownouts and blackouts.
What time does free time go?
If the free hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. every night, it will be very difficult for the average family to shift high-usage activities to those times. You need to be very clear on the available hours for the plan so you know how to use them in a way that helps you lower your electricity bill.
Do free nights and weekends save you money?
These free nights and weekends plans will only save you money if you learn how to first use less electricity and then shift your usage to the free times of your plan. Just because some of your usage will be free doesn’t mean these plans are magic.
Do you need to read the EFL for electricity?
This old adage remains true, even if people skip it more often than they should. For electricity plans, you need to read the aforementioned EFL. That document will contain specific information about the following:
What Time is Free Electricity for Popular Plans?
The chart below lists the time for free electricity hours with Reliant, TXU Energy, Direct Energy, Gexa, Pulse Power, First Choice Power and Champion Energy Services.
Is Texas free for weekends?
Free Nights & Free Weekends electricity plans are an incredibly popular choice for Texas electricity customers. Free nights Texas is one of those perfect choices for summer. You can sleep with the A/C blasting and be comfortable — all for free. Or Free Weekends Texas may be perfect if you like to chill out on the couch during the weekend.