Everything You Need To Know About Free Nights Electricity Plan

If you’ve spent any time comparing electricity plans in Texas, you’ve probably heard of the “Free nights and weekends” option. 

When we hear the word “free,” we think it must be a great deal, but look at the fine print.

Is A Free Nights & Weekends Electricity Plan in Texas an Actual Benefit?

Sorry, but this is just one of the many different marketing gimmicks that might not save you any money. 

If you don’t want to be taken in by nice-sounding phrases and expensive TV ads, you need a different way to shop. 

You Need Power Wizard!

Get peace of mind about your electricity purchase and let Power Wizard find the right rate for you.

 

This guide will help you understand how Texas electricity companies with free nights and weekends work and how to determine if this benefit will really help your family while still getting the best electricity plan.

Why Are There So Many Plan Options for Electricity in Texas?

There are over 160 Retail Electric Providers (REP) in Texas that offer over 2,000 individual plans.

Why are there so many REP in Texas? Because everything is bigger in Texas?

No, it is because of deregulated electricity. Below we will explain what deregulated electricity means and how it helps you as a consumer get the best plan for your electricity needs.

It Is All Because of a Thing Called: Deregulated Electricity

In 2002 the Texas Senate passed Bill 7, which allows for the deregulation of electricity. This bill means no one electricity provider has a monopoly on energy in the state.

Texans consume nearly 24 billion dollars in electricity annually, the highest in the United States. Texans’ electric bills rank the 5th highest in the nation.

Deregulated electricity gives consumers an edge, allowing electricity companies in Texas to compete for your business. Competition in the market gives you, the consumer, the choice of which electricity provider to use.

You have options when choosing an electricity plan.

Since there are so many options, some electricity plans advertise benefits to entice you to choose their plan over a competitor’s plan.

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How Does This Affect My Home Or Business?

Whether you need electricity for your home or business or both, deregulated electricity lets you pick the best plan based on your individual electricity needs.

Imagine for a minute, you live in a 1200 sq ft home and own a home healthcare business located in a 2400 sq ft building.

You are at home nights and weekends but spend most of your daytime hours at your business. The amount of electricity you use in your home will vary vastly from the amount used in your business.

Deregulated electricity gives you the option to choose a separate plan that meets your energy needs at home and at your business.

With so many options available, picking a plan can feel overwhelming, leaving you unsure where to begin.

In the following section, we tell you how to get the best plan for your individual electricity needs.

Does the Whole State of Texas Have Deregulated Electricity?

The majority of Texas cities have deregulated electricity.

The exceptions include San Antonio, El Paso, Lubbock, Amarillo, and a few other smaller towns.

Use the Shopping tool below to see if your city has deregulated electricity and discover the best electricity plan for you:

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What Types of Plans Are Available?

As you begin scouring the internet, you will find electricity plans differ quite a bit, from varying prices per kilowatt-hour (kWh), fixed rates and variable rates, different contract lengths and payment options, plans that offer free nights and weekends, or plans that have no deposits or starting costs.

Your head starts spinning as you slowly descend down the electricity plan rabbit hole; there are so many options and choices.

You notice several websites that pop up promising the lowest rates, but these sites don’t factor in:

• the size and age of your home
• your energy usage
• account special perks, benefits, or hidden fees.

Overloaded with information, how are you ever going to figure out the best electricity plan for you?

Sit back, relax and let Power Wizard do the work for you!

Using our modern, streamlined technology, Power Wizard does all the heavy lifting to find the best electricity plan for your unique energy needs.

Our unbiased algorithm considers factors that influence your electricity bill, such as how old your home is and your home’s square footage, to find the most effective plan for you.

Power Wizard understands how plans differ and uses this knowledge to locate a plan that will fit your individual electricity needs.

In the section below, we discuss factors that are included in electricity plans and how they may or may not benefit you:

Fixed-Rate vs. Variable Rate Electricity Plans

A fixed-rate plan locks in the price you pay per kilowatt-hour for a specific contracted term. The reason these rates are fixed and unchanging is due to the fact your REP purchased energy on the market at the average price.

A variable-rate plan’s fluctuates based on the cost of wholesale electricity. This means rates will vary depending on the current price of kWh, which changes every 15 minutes based on supply and demand.

This past September was the hottest Texas has experienced in over 125 years, with temperatures soaring to 110 degrees in some cities. As a Texas resident, you no doubt were blasting the AC and fans, trying to stay cool in the autumn heatwave.

But what do these record temperatures have to do with the difference between fixed-rate plans and variable rate plans?

As a result of the extremely high temperatures, wholesale energy rates skyrocketed to nearly $9,000 per megawatt-hour, a 36,000% increase. Some customers had electricity costs of $100 per day!

Do you want to pay a $3,000 electric bill?

Power Wizard always seeks out fixed-rate plans for our customers, so there will be no surprise bills!

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Length of Electricity Plans

Electricity plans with fixed rates usually require a contract for a specific period of time. Contracts can range from 6-months, 12-months, or 24-months.

Fixed-rate plans with contracts have consistent rates that eliminate the shock of unpredictable bills. But, in order to get those consistent rates, you are locked into a contract.

Being locked into a contract means if you want to change electricity plans in the middle of your contract, you may be charged a penalty such as a cancellation fee.

When determining the best plan for you, Power Wizard takes into account the cost of cancellation fees in your overall costs when suggesting a switch in electricity plans mid-contract.

If you are locked in a contract but wonder if you can save money with another plan, check Power Wizards’ Shopping tool:

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Prepaid vs. Postpaid Electricity Plans

Prepaid and postpaid electricity plans may seem simple enough to understand, but each plan has pros and cons.

Here is the breakdown of the pros and cons for each of these payment options:

Prepaid electricity plans may be a good option if you have a low credit score or don’t have extra money for a deposit. This type of payment option plan may also be a good choice if you are living in a temporary place or will be moving soon.

But keep in mind the convenience of no credit checks, no deposits, and no contracts come with the price of higher kWh rates.

Postpaid plans are best for people who want stability in billing and low kWh rates, which are based on the average market value.

Still not sure which option is best for you?

Power Wizard’s unbiased algorithm reviews many factors to determine which payment plan option is best for you and your family.

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Other Popular Features

REPs incorporate offers and other features to entice you to choose them as your electricity provider.

Some of the popular features include:

• Free nights and weekends
• No cancellation fee
• Free perks when you sign up (like a new Google Home)
• And other marketing strategies to get you to sign up

Free Nights and Weekend Electricity Plans

When you hear free nights and weekends, it probably conjures up decade-old memories of when you used to wait for the clock to strike at 9:00 pm so you could call your BFF for free!

Free nights and weekends aren’t just for cell phone providers anymore; electricity companies are getting in on the action!

Before you rush out to claim your free energy nights and weekends, read the fine print in the Terms of Service contract.

Understand what free really means before signing up:

Here are a few questions you should ask when considering free nights and weekends plan:

• What time does your free energy begin? Is it at 7:00 pm, 9:00 pm, or midnight?
• Are you in bed by 9:30 pm? If so, you aren’t using much energy at night.
• When does the weekend begin? Friday at 5:00 pm or Saturday morning?
• Are you home all weekend or chauffeuring kids and running errands?

If you use less energy during the “free hours,” this perk may not actually save you a lot of money since the bulk of your energy usage will be during peak hours, meaning a higher kWh rate.

Plans that offer free nights and weekends use variable rates, so while you may be saving on nights and weekends, you may be paying more during weekdays.

Why is Free Night and Weekends Energy Such a Popular Choice?

Well, because it’s free!

Everyone loves to see the word “free.” Who doesn’t want a great deal and save money?

But is electricity really free?

Below we share the secrets behind free nights and weekend electricity plans and help you determine if this bonus is a good option for you.

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Does Power Cost Less at Night or On the Weekend?

To understand power costs, you need to understand the differences between peak and off-peak hours.

Peak hours are times when more energy is used, creating a greater demand for electricity. Peak hours can include daytime hours, weekends, and times of extreme weather.

During off-peak hours, people are less likely to use as much energy because they are usually sleeping.

Electricity itself doesn’t necessarily cost more during peak hours and less during non-peak. The rates fluctuate to encourage consumers to reduce energy usage in high-demand times.

This is where free nights and weekends can be a benefit:

Retail Electric Providers use perks like free nights and weekends to avoid outages during peak times and stabilize usage and demand.

We can’t stress this enough, read the fine print in your contract. The cost per kWh is generally much higher during peak hours than during off-peak hours. To help explain this further, consider Loraine and Patty:

Loraine lives in southwest Texas, where summer temperatures easily reach 100 degrees during the day but as soon as the sun sets, temps drop into the high 70s. Loraine uses much more energy during the day to keep her home cool but reduces her energy usage in the evenings and overnight.

Patty lives in Houston, which can be quite humid in the summer, so temperatures only vary 5-10 degrees between day and night. Patty uses about the same amount of energy to run her AC during the day as she does at night.

Loraine and Patty both live in Texas but in extremely different climates. Free nights and weekends may save Patty a good chunk of change, while Loraine probably won’t see near as many savings.

Still not sure if this perk is worth it? Power Wizard’s technology considers free nights and weekends when searching for the best plan for you.

Why Seemingly Free Nights Electricity Plans Can Be Misleading

Read the fine print! We keep repeating this because it is imperative to know the Terms of Service of your electricity plan.

Terms of Service contracts are intimidating. You probably believe you need a law degree or to be an electricity expert in order to understand them.

You don’t need to enroll in a postgraduate school to find the best electricity plan; you just need Power Wizard’s Shopping Tool:

Our technology reviews the Terms of Service and factors in hidden fees, cancellation fees, and rate changes before selecting the right plan for you.

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Hidden Fees

Hidden fees are tricky because they are usually buried deep within the Terms of Service agreement, on the bottom of the third page of your electric bill, or written in terms you don’t understand.

Some hidden fees include:

• Fixed charge: This is a mandatory fee charged before your meter even begins to run.
• Renewable energy fees: These fees are included on properties with solar lease or power purchase agreements.
• Reconnection/Disconnection fees: Charges to reconnect or disconnect service can be anywhere from $3-200. Prepaid electric plans often charge these fees when minimum account balances are not maintained, resulting in the termination of electricity.
• Minimum usage fees: Fees charged when your monthly usage is under the agreed kWh monthly allotment, a penalty for not using enough energy.

Rate Changes After 12 Months

Imagine this: You get a great fixed rate for your electricity from ABC Power Company. You sign a 12-month contract locking in your great rate for one year. Since your electric bill is set for autopay, you don’t notice when your 12- month contract, with the great rate, expires. Now your contract automatically renews without any notice and a rate increase which is nearly twice as much as your original rate.

Many Retail Electric Providers do not notify you when your contract is up; they automatically renew your contract and raise your rates.

Power Wizard always keeps track of your contract end dates and notifies you before renewal.

Variable Rates During the Day

Did you know that variable rates can change every 15 minutes?!

Variable rates are affected by demand, weather, and the cost to generate electricity.

Many cheap plans are “cheap” because they include extra fees and charges tacked on to the initial plan fee.

Are Free Weekend Electricity Plans Worth It?

Energy usage is like a thumbprint- it is unique to everyone.

To determine if free weekend electricity plans are worth it, you should consider the following things:

• Is your family home all weekend?
• Are weekends high energy usage times in your home?

Many people that work 9-5 Monday through Friday use the weekends to catch up on laundry, chores, and their favorite TV shows, video games, or movies.

If this sounds like your weekends, then you probably use a lot more electricity during the weekend than you do during the week. A free weekend electricity plan may be a good fit for you.

On the contrary, if you’re looking at free weekend plans for your business, and your business is closed on the weekends, then a free weekend plan is probably not the best option for you.

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Examine Your Lifestyle or Business To Figure Out If Free Nights And Weekends are Worth It

To understand the value of free weekend plans and if this perk benefits you, it is important to examine your lifestyle.

If you travel on weekends but have a free weekend plan for your home, this plan isn’t going to save you a lot of money.

In fact, it might actually cost more due to higher rates on weekdays (we’ll explain this later).

But if you’re looking for a plan for your business that is only open on the weekends, this plan can potentially save you money.

Whether free weekend plans are worth it or not will depend on your individual needs.

You don’t need spreadsheets and lists to figure out your individual energy needs; Power Wizard’s algorithm can do it for you.

We examine all of these factors to determine the best plan for your unique personal and business electricity needs.

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Which Is a Better Deal: Free Nights or Free Weekends?

Whether free nights or free weekends are a better deal truly depends on your individual electricity needs, your lifestyle, and usage patterns.

If you choose a free night and/or weekend plan, you will need to really focus on when you are using energy.

Factor #1: Weather

Many states experience all four seasons. In Texas, we usually only have two: summer and not quite a summer.

Since summer feels like it lasts longer in Texas and comes with record-breaking temperatures, air conditioning is not a luxury. It is a necessity!

The hottest part of the day is from noon to 5:00 pm. This is when your AC will use the most energy, so a plan with free nights is not going to help save money.

Factor #2: Times of “Free Electricity”

To get the most bang for your buck from these plans, you need to focus your energy usage during the “free” hours.

Running the dishwasher, vacuuming the house, and doing the laundry will need to be designated for nights and weekends. Remember, nights usually start after 9:00 pm.

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Factor #3: Rates for Non-Free Hours

This is one of the biggest factors to consider when looking at free nights and weekend plans. Many plans offer free energy on nights and weekends at double rates during non-free hours.

It may seem like you are saving money on the weekends or nights, but you might actually be paying more during daytime hours.

What Are Electricity Companies with Free Nights and Weekends Plans?

Electricity plans are always being updated with different offers, specials, and incentives. So, electricity companies with free nights and weekend plans are constantly changing too.

This makes it nearly impossible to stay up-to-date with which plan offers which perk.

Power Wizard continually monitors the market to ensure you stay on the best plan possible.

Don’t Focus On This Particular Feature and Get the Best Rate Available for YOU.

Plans, rates, and perks are constantly changing, so choosing a plan based on a particular feature may not always yield the best rate available for you.

Instead of focusing on benefits, perks and plans, think of the bigger picture.

Look for the overall plan that will give you the best rate available and save you money.

Not sure where to begin to find the best plan for you?

Use Power Wizard’s Shopping tool to find out: