Cheapest Pay-As-You-Go Plans for Texas Summers

Texas summers don’t care about your budget. When it’s 105 degrees outside, your AC runs nonstop and your pay-as-you-go balance disappears faster than you thought possible. A plan that cost you $4/day in March is suddenly eating $8-$12/day in July.

But some plans handle summer better than others. And there are real strategies that can cut your summer costs by 20-40% without making you sweat (literally). Here’s what to look for and what to avoid.

Why Summer Costs Jump So Much

It’s not just that you use more power in summer. The actual cost per unit of power goes up too. Here’s why:

Your AC is your biggest cost. In summer, cooling typically accounts for 60-70% of your total usage. In winter, heating might be 30-40% (and many Texas homes use gas heat, so it doesn’t hit your light bill at all).
Wholesale power costs spike. When everyone in Texas is blasting their AC, the cost of generating power goes up. Some plans pass that cost directly to you.
Peak hours cost more on some plans. If your plan has time-of-use rates, the hours between 2 PM and 7 PM in summer are the most expensive time to run your AC — and that’s exactly when you need it most.

A typical pay-as-you-go customer uses around 1,000 units per month in spring and fall, but 1,500-2,000 units in summer. That’s a 50-100% increase in usage alone, before rate increases.

What to Look For in a Summer Plan

Not all pay-as-you-go plans are created equal. Here’s what matters most when temperatures spike:

Fixed Daily Fee vs. Variable Rate

Some plans charge a flat daily fee (like $3-$5/day) plus a per-unit rate. Others charge a higher per-unit rate with no daily fee. In summer, when your usage is high, the plan with the lower per-unit rate usually wins — even if the daily fee is higher.

Example:

Plan A: $3/day fee + 12 cents per unit. At 1,500 units/month: $90 + $180 = $270/month
Plan B: No daily fee + 18 cents per unit. At 1,500 units/month: $0 + $270 = $270/month

They look the same at 1,500 units. But at 2,000 units (a hot month):

Plan A: $90 + $240 = $330/month
Plan B: $0 + $360 = $360/month

The plan with the daily fee saves you $30/month when usage is high. Do the math on your specific usage.

Avoid Plans That Pass Through Wholesale Costs

Some pay-as-you-go plans charge you the real-time wholesale cost of power plus a markup. This sounds like a deal in spring when wholesale costs are low. In summer, wholesale prices can spike to 5-10x normal levels during heat waves. Your daily cost could go from $5 to $25 without warning.

Look for plans with a fixed per-unit rate. You want to know what you’ll pay regardless of what’s happening on the power grid.

Check the “Summer Rate” Specifically

Some plans advertise a low rate but have different pricing for summer months (June-September). Always ask or check the plan details for seasonal rate changes. A plan advertising 14 cents per unit might actually charge 18-20 cents in summer.

Top Strategies for Cutting Summer Costs

Finding a cheap plan is half the battle. Using less power is the other half. Here are the highest-impact moves:

Thermostat Management (Saves $20-$50/month)

Set your thermostat to 78 when you’re home and 82-85 when you’re away. Every degree below 78 costs you an extra 3-5% on cooling.

If 78 feels uncomfortable, use a fan. A ceiling fan costs about 1 cent per hour. Your AC costs 30-50 cents per hour. The fan makes 78 feel like 74.

Seal Your Air Leaks (Saves $15-$30/month)

Feel around your doors and windows for drafts. A $5 roll of weatherstripping on your front door can save you $15-$30/month by keeping the cool air inside. If you’re in an apartment, a rolled-up towel under the door works too.

Run Hot Appliances at Night (Saves $10-$20/month)

Your oven, dryer, and dishwasher all generate heat. Running them during the day means your AC has to work harder to offset that heat. Run them after 8 PM when it’s cooler outside and your AC isn’t fighting as hard.

Close Your Blinds (Saves $10-$15/month)

South and west-facing windows let in direct sunlight that can raise room temperature by 10-15 degrees. Close blinds on those windows from noon onward. Blackout curtains ($20-$30 at Walmart) work even better.

Change Your Air Filter (Saves $15-$25/month)

A dirty filter makes your AC work 15% harder. A new filter costs $5 and takes 30 seconds to change. Do it every 30 days in summer. This is the cheapest upgrade on this list.

What Summer Actually Costs on Pay-As-You-Go

Let’s be honest about the numbers. Here’s what a typical 1-bedroom apartment in Texas costs on pay-as-you-go:

Month	Daily Cost	Monthly Cost
March	$3-$5	$90-$150
June	$5-$8	$150-$240
August (peak)	$7-$12	$210-$360
October	$3-$5	$90-$150

A 2-bedroom or a house will be 30-50% higher. These numbers assume you’re running AC at reasonable temperatures, not blasting it at 68.

Should You Switch Plans Before Summer?

If you’re on a pay-as-you-go plan with variable rates or wholesale pass-through, seriously consider switching to a fixed-rate pay-as-you-go plan before June. The fixed rate might look slightly higher in spring, but it protects you from summer spikes.

Switching between pay-as-you-go plans is usually free and can happen within 1-3 days. There’s no contract to break and no early termination fee.

Check what’s available at your address — enter your ZIP and compare the per-unit rates. Look at the summer-specific pricing, not just the headline number.

When Traditional Plans Are Cheaper

Here’s the honest truth: pay-as-you-go plans cost more per unit than traditional fixed-rate plans. If you’ve been on pay-as-you-go for a while and have built up 12 months of on-time payment history, you might qualify for a traditional plan now — even without perfect credit.

A traditional 12-month fixed-rate plan might save you $30-$60/month compared to pay-as-you-go, especially in summer. That’s $120-$240 over the summer months alone.

Use our plans page to see both pay-as-you-go and traditional options at your address. If you qualify for a $0 deposit traditional plan, the savings are worth the switch.

Read our path to traditional plans guide for the full breakdown of how to transition.

What to Do Right Now

Check your current rate. Look at your daily cost over the last week. Multiply by 30. That’s your baseline.
Compare plans. Enter your ZIP and look at what other pay-as-you-go plans charge. Focus on per-unit rates, not marketing.
Change your air filter. $5, 30 seconds, saves $15-$25/month. Do it today.
Set your thermostat to 78. Use fans to make it comfortable. This alone can save $20-$50/month.
Close your blinds on south and west windows. Free. Saves $10-$15/month.

Bottom Line

Summer in Texas is expensive on any plan, but pay-as-you-go doesn’t have to break you. Find a plan with a fixed per-unit rate, avoid wholesale pass-through pricing, and stack the efficiency tips above. A realistic target is keeping your summer costs 20-30% lower than they’d be if you did nothing.

And if you’ve been on pay-as-you-go for a year or more, it might be time to check whether you qualify for a cheaper traditional plan. Enter your ZIP to see all your options.

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This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. For official rules, visit the Public Utility Commission of Texas. NoDepositLights.com is powered by Compare Power (PUCT License BR190020).