Warmer temperatures are anticipated for the year (the groundhog didn’t see his shadow this time, which means early spring). Inventories abound for natural gas and prices are falling. Things might actually be at a good state right now, and it’s time your business took advantage of it.

How? By tapping into (no pun intended) fixed rate natural gas contracts. Basically, you are locked into a fixed rate per therm (a measurement of natural gas) and pay the same amount each month.

The contracts last up to three years and are provided by companies such as Xcel, IDT Energy, Accent Energy and CenterPoint Energy. Basically these and other firms come to an agreement with utility companies to deliver natural gas to consumers through a pipeline. The utility company makes a profit off of the transmission charge, so they are willing to contract out the supplying of the gas, as long as the transmission charge is paid.

Using fixed rate natural gas contracts can save you money, but it can also cost you more. It simply depends upon whether gas prices go up or down. Right now, they’re down, which means it would be smart to get in on this opportunity now, with a lower fixed rate, and pay less later.

Another advantage of these contracts is stability and consistency in your bills. A fixed energy bill will allow you to budget the expenses of your business more easily, causing less stress come bill paying time.

They’re worth looking into for any business owner. Anything that is easier or cheaper over the long term is usually worth it.

Sources:
• CNNMoney.com: How to Avoid Sky-High Energy Bills
• StarTribune.com: Fixed-rate Gas Plans No Bargain for Some

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One Response to “A Newer Way of Avoiding High Energy Bills”

1. grace says:
   

   Accent Energy LLC was supposed to save my business money, instead it costs me alot more. They also make it really hard to get out of the contract too. They drag me on for months and still tried make me pay penalty for canceling, if I didn’t stay with them for 2 year. I called my gas company(SoCalgas) and told them I was unhappy with Accent Energy and that I want to come back. SoCalgas told me to go to their website, print out the canceling form and fax it to them…They also told me that I only have to try Accent Energy or others consumer choice program for a year and if I don’t like it, I can go back to my original gas company or choose another one in their program. I didn’t know that, I was going to pay Accent Energy an extra month worth of gas to cancel the 2 year verbal contract that I made over the phone when one of their reps called me.

   I’m with Accent for about 1 and 1/2 year and I can’t afford to stay with them any longer. I had paid $300 to $400 more every month and it’s not worth it to stay with them until my 2yrs is up. My aunt signed up with them too. She got out early, about 3 or 4 month and pay an extra month worth of gas bill. I thought she’s crazy. I hear radio and tv ads saying that gas is going to increase 20 to 30 percent more this year…I’d stayed with them and kept on think, oh, it’s about the same as I paid with my old gas company… Then my accountant asked me why my gas bill so much. I told him that it’s a new company that suppose to save me money on gas for my business and that I have to stay with them for two years. He tells me to cancel even though it’s only a little more than a 1/2 year left.

   I tried and have had a lot problems with Accent Energy reps. First reps told me he will take care of it. One month goes by, Accent still bills me and I call them back to check if my account had been cancel. This second reps tells me “no”, so, I tell her to help me close the account. She puts my request down and that she will call me back… Another month goes by, I call her back, this reps tells me she going to find out how much it going to cost me for cancelling…

   By November of 2007, it will be 2 years for me, now June, I received a bill from them,plus another $1300 for the penalty. I have not paid them yet, I have to print out the contract from my old gas company saying I only have to stay with them for a year…

   So, as you can see, my account is still not final, but at least it’s getting there.

   Posted June 14th, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
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