What is budget billing?
Many utility companies offer a budget billing plan to their customers. This basically means that you will end up paying a set amount each month for your utility bill. Your utility company will generally take an average of your past energy usage and estimate future gas or electric costs to come up with your monthly set amount. While this may seem like a great idea, you should carefully consider several things before enrolling.
First you should find out if a refund or credit will be issued if less energy is used. Some utility companies may not issue a refund if less power is used than planned. Additionally you may need to set aside extra money to cover the cost after the settle-up if more energy was used than the utility planned for.
Second you should also look at administration fees associated with the service. Many will charge a monthly fee. The fees will vary from utility to utility, but anything more than two or three dollars a month is too much for this service.
Third you should consider the contract that you sign when enrolling for the budget plan offered by your utility. There may be penalties applied if you move or turn off the service. For example you may end up paying extra when you move if you have used more power than was budgeted.
Fourth if you are enrolled with a Registered Energy Supplier such as Realgy Energy Services, it is important to find out if all charges will be covered under the budgeted amount. Some utilities will not allow for budgeting if the customer is enrolled with a supplier.
It is important that you fully understand what you are signing up for, check out your local utilities website before signing up for a budget plan or request to see a copy of the contract.
However, the easiest way to reduce your monthly utility bill would be to enroll with a Registered Energy Supplier to lower your energy rates, check out Realgy Energy Services rates for June 2012 and see how much you could be saving www.realgyenergyservices.com.
Deregulation and how it can help you save money with Realgy Energy Services
Deregulation is the separation of purchasing energy, and the distribution of the energy. While your utility will continue to deliver your energy, deregulation offers the opportunity for third party suppliers such as Realgy Energy Services to supply you with the same energy at a lower rate.
Lawmakers are carefully protecting consumers, as the energy industry implements the restructuring of itself from a regulated monopoly to a competitive service. Strict requirements and rules have been imposed on all new energy suppliers.
At Realgy Energy Services, we take consumer protection very seriously and provide you with protection beyond what the law requires at every step of the way.
Realgy Energy Services, like other companies selling to industrial, commercial and business customers, must:
· Register with the Public Utilities Commission or local utility
· Be approved by the Public Utilities Commission or local utility
· Provide financial guarantees to the public Utilities Commission or local utility
· Demonstrate customer service
You have the right to file a complaint against your supplier with the Public Utilities Commission or local utility. Any company violating the rules will have its registration revoked and will no longer be allowed to sell.
How does deregulation help you save money?
Deregulation of natural gas and electricity puts the power in your hands as a consumer; it gives you the choice to decide whether you purchase your energy from your utility or from a third party supplier like Realgy Energy Services.
In addition to saving you money on your energy usage throughout the year, Realgy Energy Services also offers to all of our customers:
Direct contact with our friendly Customer Service Team – We are here to answer any questions you may have (877) 300-6747
PriceWatchTM – Alerted when fixed pricing will reduce costs
Summer Storage Program – Purchase a percentage of gas at low summer rates to use during the winter
RealgyOfficeTM – Allows online access to account information quickly and conveniently
Check out our competitive rates at www.realgyenergyservices.com just enter your zip code in the Service Plan Offers box.