OT: Switching electrical supplier?

[dogpause]

I've always been a bit skeptical of 3rd party energy suppliers, but I'm pretty certain that Eversource is not the best or cheapest provider of electricity and gas. Does anyone here use different supplier, and has it been worth it?

Also have doubts about he solar panel vendors and would like to know your experience with them.

Thanks

 

[Devland]

I've always been a bit skeptical of 3rd party energy suppliers, but I'm pretty certain that Eversource is not the best or cheapest provider of electricity and gas. Does anyone here use different supplier, and has it been worth it?

Also have doubts about he solar panel vendors and would like to know your experience with them.

Thanks

I have never tried switching, but there was a story on the news a couple of years ago where a lot of these suppliers were luring customers in with a lower price and raising the price much higher when they got them locked in.

 

[UConnFranklin]

I've been changing energy suppliers for the past three or four years and I find it to my advantage. State law mandates that your supplier sends you a letter at least a month maybe two, notifying you that your plan is about to expire and tell you what the new rate will be. If you don't like it you can go on a website and shop around, comparing rates of various companies. You can always go back to Eversource whenever you want. I think the site is chooseenergy.com Good luck! I've never had a problem.

 

[boog204]

Everything UConn Franklin said. You will absolutely save some $$ but you have to be diligent about dates and opting out before you are locked in at a much higher rate.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Agree. I have saved every time I switched. 4-5 times. Not big $ but saved about $10 - $20 a month on a $200 bill.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Some of these energy companies use dubious tactics with seniors to get them to switch. My now deceased mother-in-law was upset to find her company had been changed without he knowledge. Apparently in a interview she inadvertently gave them permission. She never signed anything but apparently said the magic words.
Her hearing was pretty impaired and they sent third party salespeople door to door asking questions . She was in her late 80’s. at the time.
Her electric bills were minimal but sfter a fight , we got he switched back. She was the best mother-in-law ever. I kid my wife that it was a shame she took after her father not her mother.
Saving a couple of dollars a month was not as important to her as the feeling she was taken advantage of..
You kids might not understand the importance of most elderly people that they still control their own lives .

 

[8893]

Some of these energy companies use dubious tactics with seniors to get them to switch. My now deceased mother-in-law was upset to find her company had been changed without he knowledge. Apparently in a interview she inadvertently gave them permission. She never signed anything but apparently said the magic words.
Her hearing was pretty impaired and they sent third party salespeople door to door asking questions . She was in her late 80’s. at the time.
Her electric bills were minimal but sfter a fight , we got he switched back. She was the best mother-in-law ever. I kid my wife that it was a shame she took after her father not her mother.
Saving a couple of dollars a month was not as important to her as the feeling she was taken advantage of..
You kids might not understand the importance of most elderly people that they still control their own lives .

It happened to us and we're still not sure how. Switched back with no problem but still not sure how we got switched in the first place. If I had the time to monitor the dates and make sure we opted out in time, I would consider it. But NFW is it worth $10 a month savings to me now.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

10-20% cost savings X each utility's a hassle for some people, yet can add up for households budgeting or surviving on limited revenues. Others inclined to reallocate $10-20/month X each utility towards home purchases, paying down mortgages, saving for kids' future tuition, etc. likely plug switching deadlines in their calendars, make the changes, and reap the savings. Unfortunately, utilities' oligopolies to absolute monopolies clearly exist in many areas.

 

[Todd]

I have been switching rates for years. Eversource is 9.078 ¢ / kwh and we are paying 6.078 ¢ / kwh. Just make sure it is fixed rate and all should be good. There are a lot of short term cheap rates, the longer the term usually the more it cost. We have signed up for as short as 4 month term. This is just the electricity, Eversource will still charge delivery for energy also, this is how you are being billed now. Eversource is billing you for power and delivery, so you are just replacing the electricity part. Its nice to be cheaper when its AC season.

 

[imno1]

Also have been switching for some time but this last time I had Con Ed and they sold it to another. May period ended and that tried to jack my price and charge me if I left even though my original contract was fixed rate no penalty for cancellation. I had to threaten calling PURA before they relented and let me out.