{"id":4417,"date":"2024-12-14T06:29:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-14T12:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/?p=4417"},"modified":"2024-12-11T14:30:08","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T20:30:08","slug":"choose-the-right-plan-compare-intro-rates-to-fixed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/choose-the-right-plan-compare-intro-rates-to-fixed\/","title":{"rendered":"Choose the Right Plan; Compare Intro Rates to Fixed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Right Natural Gas Plan Makes a Great Gift!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cheap
It’s confusing! A cheap intro rate costs less but isn’t always the best long-term deal. Learn how to compare intro and fixed rate gas plans so you can avoid paying too much on your natural gas bills this winter.<\/em><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Come the holiday season, we tend to spend more than our typical monthly budget. That makes it even more important to save a little on utility bills like natural gas in GA<\/a>. Before rates go up in winter with higher demand, now it\u2019s a great time to snag a deal with a new gas plan. Today, the cheapest options are intro rates for variable plans. But is this a smart move? Let\u2019s compare intro rates to fixed to help you choose the right plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparing Costs of Intro Rates and Fixed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This month, the cheapest rate belongs to a variable rate plan with an intro rate. Intro rates can be super low and appealing, but only last a month or two<\/em>. After that, rates jump up to the natural gas provider\u2019s<\/a> standard variable rate. The lowest rate this month belongs to the Gas South<\/a> Acquisition Variable<\/strong> plan at $0.390 per therm. The standard variable rate for Gas South<\/strong> this month is $1.99 per therm. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, fixed rates remain constant throughout the entire term. This month the cheapest fixed rate plan is the Scana Energy<\/a> 18 Month<\/strong> plan at $0.479 per therm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to look at these numbers and say the intro rate is cheaper and saves more money. However, what if you need a plan for three months? According to the PSC<\/a>, the average residential customer uses about 51 therms per month. With that estimate, the cheapest intro rate plan costs $19.89 for the first month plus $202.98 for the second and third month. This comes to a total of $222.87<\/strong> just for the gas you use. Over three months, the cheapest fixed rate plan costs a total of $73.29<\/strong>. That\u2019s a savings of nearly $150.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Intro Rates Can Be Good Deals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Because standard variable rates are often so much higher than fixed rates, a variable rate plan will almost never save you money after the first month. However, in some situations an intro rate can be a good<\/em> deal. Here are a few examples of smart times to grab a cheap intro rate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n