KHOU, one of the local television stations here in Houston, ran a story earlier this week stressing the fact that consumers that don't shop around for electricity service end up paying much more than those that do. As electricity prices continue to fall, KHOU found that many people either don't know about the drops or just don't how to take advantage of them.
Electricity deregulation has allowed consumers to choose their electricity provider, which can be a double-edged sword. Those that are proactive with their electricity service can save on their bills, but those that aren't proactive could end up throwing lots of money away. In fact, a utility rate attorney quoted in the story estimated that Houstonians alone are overpaying billions of dollars on their electricity bills each year.
With summer and higher electricity usage just around the corner, this is the perfect time to take charge of your electricity bill. If you're ready to save, here's what you need to do:
- Figure out what you're paying now – Electricity bills can be pretty confusing, even for the most savvy consumer. Check out this primer to figure out what you're paying now.
- Compare your cost to the average for your city – To see how your bill stacks up with the average for your city, head on over to the WhiteFence Index. Even if you're under the average cost, chances are you could be saving even more.
- Compare your options – It used to be that to find the best deal on electricity service, you'd have to look up what providers serve your area and call each provider for rates. Now, when you enter your address on WhiteFence's electricity page, you'll get an easily compareable list of providers and plans in just seconds. As a bonus, when you shop with WhiteFence, you'll find exclusive rates and promotions. For details on how to compare all of your options, check out this guide.
- Order your new service – Electricity prices change every day, so if you find a great deal, make sure you order your service as soon as you've made a decision.








Here in Houston, like most parts of Texas, we have the power
to choose our electricity provider. Despite
having the option to switch providers in
our area, most people I talk to around here either don’t know we are
deregulated or don’t think switching providers is worth their time.
Deregulation is actually a great opportunity for consumers, so I thought I’d help
spread the word and take a minute here to explain why it’s worth knowing about
and taking advantage of. 
