ByNeed help with electric bills in Texas? DoNotPay can assist you
Did you know that 40% of Americans are struggling to provide for some of the most basic human necessities, such as rent or food? We’re going through some financially rough times, and it is not surprising that you’re looking for help with electric bills in Texas.
Plenty of other people are finding themselves in the same spot as you. Bills are getting more challenging to pay off as time passes—not only because you have other things to provide for, but also because you’re being charged more.
It wouldn’t be shocking if you were hearing it for the first time that many other people are struggling just as much as you are. That’s because the vast majority of them choose to stay silent—they’re too ashamed to talk about this ever-growing issue.
DoNotPay is going to help you break that silence once and for all.
How can DoNotPay help with electric bills in Texas?
Our app has numerous features that enable us to assist you when you need it the most. It was our goal to make it as user-friendly as possible. Having achieved that, we can proudly state that anyone who knows how to perform a Google search can use DoNotPay with ease.
If you need help paying electric bills in Texas, follow these steps:
- Access the DoNotPay app either through your
- Search the platform for the ‘Corona Relief’ option
- Tell us what you’re struggling with
- Give us some basic information about yourself and the circumstance you’re in
If you’re wondering what kind of basic information we need from you, it’s as basic as can be:
- Your full name
- Your residential address
- Your email address
- The circumstances that are preventing you from paying your bills
As soon as you submit these pieces of information, we will look for some of the best options for your specific needs and present you with them.
What’s going to happen if I don’t pay electric bills in Texas?
If you don’t manage to pay your electric bill by the due date, it is likely that your electric service will be disconnected. You will receive a ten-day notice beforehand, though. Your Retail Electric Provider (REP) isn’t allowed to disconnect you without handing you the notice first.
If they happen to do that, you should consider reaching out to a consumer rights advisor or a lawyer.
I don’t understand what’s on my electric bills
We live in a country where it seems like bill comprehension is reserved for those with Ph.Ds. The vast majority of Americans have no idea what they’re being billed for at the end of each month.
We at DoNotPay believe that anyone should be able to understand their bills. That’s far from the current reality of things, unfortunately. As we’re always looking for different ways to help our users, we’ve put together a list of different items that appear on electric bills most frequently:
- Billing Summary—Under the ‘Billing Summary’ section, you will be able to see how much electricity you’ve consumed during the latest billing cycle. It’s also common for this section to show how much you paid for the previous billing cycle. In case you get your gas from the same supplier that you get electricity from, the price of your gas consumption will be here as well.
- Wholesale Costs—This section is supposed to show you how much your supplier has to pay for the electricity and gas that you consume.
- Billing Details—These will show how much electricity you consumed during the latest billing cycle, as well as your rate per kWh. Some smaller charges will show up in this section as well. The most common ones are distribution charges, transmission charges, and generation charges.
- Usage Profile—The majority of electricity bills some with the ‘Usage Profile’ section. It is supposed to show you an overview of your energy consumption over the past month and sometimes even over the past year. The point of this section is to make you more aware of your energy consumption.
The cost of electricity is on a constant rise. More and more people are struggling to make up for their electric bills because of this, as we’ve already mentioned. Even though wholesale costs aren’t going back down either, we don’t think that suppliers should be allowed to overcharge you to this extent.
Even if you’re going through a financial crisis, your supplier will make sure to mail you the bill. The lack of understanding is disheartening, and it forces you to make an effort and find ways in which you can reduce your electricity bills.
Could there be any errors on my bill?
The best place to start this journey is to look for errors. Yes, that’s right—bills are packed with all sorts of different errors. You will be shocked to see how often they appear once you start analyzing your bills more carefully.
Whether your supplier made those mistakes purposefully or not shouldn’t concern you. Your only mission should be to detect them and make sure that your supplier doesn’t get away with it.
Some of the most common errors you’ll find on your electricity bills are:
- Duplicate items
- Services you’ve never heard of
- Services you’ve canceled, but still got charged for
- Services you’ve never even received
Duplicate items
Duplicate items are the most common type of errors. They are also the easiest to spot, so you don’t have to be an expert to find one. Don’t overlook duplicate items, and make sure that you call your supplier and demand an explanation once you detect one.
Services you’ve never heard of
If you carefully analyze your electricity bill and notice that there’s a service you’re completely unfamiliar with, get in touch with your supplier immediately. Ask for clarification—perhaps it’s an old service that got renamed. If not, ask them to remove it from your bill.
Services you’ve canceled but got charged for
As soon as you cancel a service, set a reminder for yourself to look for it on your next bill. It’s common that the service keeps appearing on your bills long after you cancel it. Don’t stay silent—you will let your supplier get away with overcharging you if you don’t say anything.
Services you’ve never received
It is also likely that you will find a service you’ve never even received on your bill. Once you spot one, reach out to your supplier’s customer service team and ask them to explain what this item is supposed to be.
In case you don’t feel like you’ve got what it takes to detect all of these types of mistakes, don’t hesitate to reach out to a friend or your neighbor. They might have more experience in finding errors in bills.
If you want to go one step further, you can get in touch with a consumer rights advisor. These advisors can spot errors that you would never have noticed in the first place. They are experts at what they do.
Am I allowed to negotiate my electric bill?
In case you come from a low-income household, you absolutely can negotiate your electric bill. There’s nothing standing in your way—except yourself, perhaps. The only important thing when it comes to handling this situation is that you don’t feel embarrassed to ask for help. Many people out there live under the same circumstances as you do, but don’t struggle as much. That’s because they aren’t afraid to fight for their right.
If you believe that negotiating your bill is the best option for your specific needs, you should know that there are a few ways to do it:
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Financial aid options |
How to go about it |
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Consumer rights advisor |
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Organizations that help pay bills |
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Price negotiation |
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Organizations that help pay bills in Texas
If you believe that finding an organization that will help pay your bills is the best option for you, you should check these out. They are some of the best and most popular ones we’ve found:
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program
- Austin Energy
- Atmos Energy
- CenterPoint Energy
- Modest Needs
- The Salvation Army
- Weatherization Assistance Program
- Citizens Energy Corporation
- The 2-1-1 Program
- The Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
If you’re looking for the most fuss-free way of dealing with your situation, then DoNotPay will be your best friend. You can access our app through your to see what we can do for you.
We understand what it’s like to be in an emergency. That’s why we’re dedicated to making this whole process as easy on you as possible. We can do all the work in your stead if that’s what you need. Use our app to relieve yourself of any further stress.
Am I allowed to apply for a loan to pay off my electric bill?
Yes, you are allowed to apply for a loan to pay off your electric bill. Should you do it, though? If you’re struggling to pay your bills, it means that you don’t have enough money on a monthly basis. Imagine what would happen if you were to apply for a loan—you would just add yet another debt to the existing one.
If you can avoid this option, do it by all means. It could turn into a nightmare, so stay away from it. In case no other option works out for you, it’s fine to go for this one. Just make sure that you treat it as a last resort.
Can I pay off my electricity bill with my credit card?
Yes, if you want to pay off your electricity bill using your credit card, you absolutely can do that. One thing you should be aware of, though, is that you could do some serious damage to your credit scores if you proceed with this option. This only applies if your bill is enormous. If that’s not the case, you can feel free to get the job done with your credit card.
Can I ask for a waiver on late fees for my electricity bill?
If you want to ask for a waiver on late fees for your electricity bill, feel free to do that. There are a few ways to go about it:
- Consulting a consumer rights advisor
- Consulting a lawyer
- In-person
- Sending a letter
- Calling your supplier’s customer care team
Let’s face it—going there in person and calling your supplier’s customer support are time-consuming options. If you’re in an emergency, you will have no time to waste.
Consulting a lawyer is going to drain your finances, so that’s not an ideal option either. If you’re looking for financial help with your bills, you probably won’t have enough money to buy food, let alone lawyer consultations.
Sending a letter would be your best bet, especially because DoNotPay can help you generate one, which makes the entire process much easier to handle. We can send a letter in your stead if that’s what you wish. The process will take up to 48 hours, though it usually takes less, as we’ve already mentioned.
Am I allowed to ask for an extension date for my electric bill?
If you need help with electric bills in Texas, feel free to ask for an extension date for it. Don’t be shy, though—it is your human right to ask for help when you need it the most. We are here to help you break your silence once and for all and get you the help you deserve.
Asking for an extension date is a good option, and if you consider it the best one, you should know that there are a few ways to go about it:
- Calling your supplier’s customer care team
- Sending a letter
- In-person
Both calling and going there in-person are time-consuming options. If you want to do it the easy way, you can send a letter to your supplier with the help of DoNotPay. Follow these steps to receive our help:
- Access our app either through your
- Select the ‘Corona Relief’ option
- Tell us what you need help with
- Give us some basic information about yourself
- Let us know that you want to send a letter requesting an extension date for your electric bill
Once you finish following these steps, give us up to 48 hours to execute the task. It will probably take a lot less, as we’re dedicated to getting things over with as soon as possible if you’re in an emergency.
Since we’ve become experts at writing letters by now, there’s no need to worry about how the letter will come off. We make sure to list all of your relevant information and make your reason behind your inability to pay your bills sound convincing.
The most important part of this process is that the supplier finds your reasons sensible. You can count on us to generate the most efficient letter in no-time.
Is there a way for me to reduce my electric bills?
Yes, of course, there is a way to lower your electric bills. There are many different ways you can do it, but these are the most effective ones:
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Ways to lower electric bills |
How it works |
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Invest in energy-efficient machines. | If you have the money, you should consider purchasing an energy-efficient fridge, freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, etc. The market is packed with these, so finding them at a lower price shouldn’t be an issue. |
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Get your hands on energy-efficient light bulbs. | Replace your old ones with these, and you will reduce your electricity bill significantly. They aren’t too expensive, and they will last ten times longer than traditional light bulbs. |
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Don’t forget to close your doors and windows! | If you keep them open, you will let all that freezing winter air in. It works the other way around as well—you don’t want that steaming hot mid-July air inside your house because it will result in your turning up the heating/AC. |
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Insulate your home better. | If you’re able to do this, you will see a significant decrease in your electricity bills. Once you provide your house with good insulation, it will be able to maintain its temperature much more efficiently than it previously did. |
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Stop using tumble-dryers! | You have no clue how much energy they drain. Try to dry your clothes outside or on a clothes horse. Yes, it will take a lot longer for your clothes to dry, but it will be worth it at the end of the month. |
If you manage to follow through at least one of these options, we guarantee that you will be able to see a significant price drop in your bills.
How else can DoNotPay help me?
DoNotPay has many different features that enable us to help you in various ways. It’s constantly evolving and bringing new features to the table. To stay up-to-date with DoNotPay’s features, access our app through your .
Check out these features:
- Getting refunds for all of your canceled or delayed flights
- Fighting your traffic tickets
- Getting you a DMV appointment in no-time
- Helping you jump the phone queue when getting in touch with customer support
- Canceling any membership or subscription service
- Making virtual credit cards that cancel free trials before you get charged
- Contesting your parking tickets
- Helping you pay any other bill
- Disputing your speeding tickets
- Helping you send demand letters to people and companies by guiding you through the process