5 Ways to Make Your Prepaid Lights Balance Last Even Longer

Texas prepaid light customers can cut their daily usage by 15-20% with a few simple changes — saving $20-$30/month without making yourself miserable. No deposit, no contract, no surprises on a monthly bill. But that daily balance can drain fast, especially in Texas summers. Here are five things that actually make a difference.

1. Know When Rates Are Highest

Most prepaid plans charge the same rate all day, but your usage spikes during certain hours. In Texas, the grid is under the most stress between 2 PM and 7 PM on summer weekdays. That’s when your AC is working hardest.

What to do: Run your dishwasher, laundry, and dryer before noon or after 8 PM. Your AC will be the biggest draw no matter what, but shifting other appliances helps.

2. Set Your Thermostat to 78 When You’re Home

It sounds warm, and it is. But every degree below 78 can add 3-5% to your cooling costs. If you’re on prepaid, that translates directly to your balance disappearing faster.

What to do: Set it to 78 when you’re home, 82-85 when you’re away. A programmable or smart thermostat makes this automatic. If you don’t have one, a basic programmable thermostat costs around $25 and pays for itself within weeks.

3. Check Your Air Filter

A dirty air filter forces your AC to work harder, which means it runs longer, which means you’re burning through your prepaid balance faster. This is the cheapest fix in the book.

What to do: Check your filter monthly. Replace it every 1-3 months. A standard filter costs $3-$8. If it looks gray and clogged, it’s costing you money right now.

4. Use Fans to Feel Cooler Without Lowering the Thermostat

Ceiling fans and box fans create a wind-chill effect that makes 78 degrees feel more like 74. They use a fraction of the energy your AC does.

What to do: Run fans in rooms you’re actually using. Turn them off when you leave the room — fans cool people, not rooms. Make sure ceiling fans spin counterclockwise in summer (the air should push down).

5. Monitor Your Balance Daily

This sounds obvious, but most people who run out of prepaid balance didn’t see it coming. They went from “I have plenty” to “my lights are off” because they weren’t checking.

What to do: Check your balance every morning. Most prepaid providers have an app or text alerts. Set a low-balance alert at $10-$15 so you have time to add funds before anything shuts off.

The Math That Matters

An average Texas home runs about $150/month on prepaid — roughly $5/day. In peak summer, that can jump to $8-$10/day.

If you can cut your usage by even 15-20% using the tips above, that’s $20-$30 back in your pocket each month. On a tight budget, that’s groceries.

Prepaid lights work best when you treat them like a budget — check it often, make small adjustments, and stay ahead of it.

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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).