The summer is here, it is time to stay cool and save some money. Here are some tips on how to save some money on your gas and electricity cost.

These energy saving tips will help you become more energy efficient and save some money on your gas and electric bills.

We just receive our Rogers bills and we notice we are now paying over $100 per month for our high speed internet service with Rogers. Our current high speed internet package with Rogers is Express, which should cost $46.99 per month without tax, except we usually pass our monthly bandwidth usage.

Our maximum internet usage is 60 GB per month with the Express plan from Rogers. If we use more than 60 GB per month we’ll have to pay $2 for every 1 GB we use with a maximum overcharge cap at $25 dollars. So our high speed internet cost is $46.99 (Express package) + $25 (over usage cap) + $3 (modem rental) = $74.99 + apx. 15% tax = apx. $86.24 per month.

Differences between variable rate and fixed rate

You can buy natural gas & electricity for your home or business as variable rate, fixed-rate or even prepaid.

Fixed rate – The fixed rate gas & electricity are sold by energy retailers. The fixed rate is a gamble because no one knows if the price of natural gas or electricity will go up or down. However, the fix rate contract gives you the benefit of knowing your gas and electricity costs are set for that period. If price rise above your contract price, you benefit.

Also fixed rate are unregulated, which mean the energy retailers can charge whatever they want for your natural gas and electricity.

Variable rate – The variable rate for natural gas and electricity are regulated. It comes from your utility supplier, such as Enbridge in Ontario or Nicor in Illinois. They can only profit from the delivery cost. The price of variable rate is determined by supply and demand, just like the fluctuation price on gasoline we use to fuel our cars.

Amherstburg resident Pearl Gorgerat and her husband Gord want to warn area residents to be careful when they sign with energy management companies. Gorgerat estimates they lose $40-50 each month because of the contract they signed in 2004 and mistakenly renewed recently.

What is Superior Energy?

Superior Energy is natural gas and electricity supplier operating in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. Superior Energy offers “Price Protection Plan”, or another word a fixed-rate gas and electricity plan. It is an unregulated energy retailer, which means it can charge you whatever they want for natural gas and electricity.

Do you know what industries get the most consumer complaints in Ontario throughout 2009?

Well, the Ontario government released their yearly “top 10″ most consumer complaints report at the Ministry of Consumer Services’ website. See the page here.

Each year the Ontario government will release this to the public and in 2009 the top 10 most consumer complaints are:

On July 22, 2010 – Direct Energy a natural gas and electricity supplier is offering their first prepaid electricity plan. This new service will allow anyone with good or bad credit to sign-up with Direct Energy’s new plan.

The current prepaid rate for electricity is 10.8 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is cheaper than other prepaid electricity plans but higher if you have good credit.

With the new digital meter, which updates the current electricity usage of your home, Direct Energy will use it to accurately measure the amount of electricity used. When the prepaid customers max-out their balance, the electricity will automatically cut off. The customer will be able to add more money and with new payment the electricity will be turn back on within a few hours.

Did you know for the past three years since 2007, gas and electricity retailers made the “top 10 list” of all consumer complaints in Ontario? The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) receive about 100-150 complaints each week for the past three years.

Many consumer complaints against gas and electricity retailers were from door-to-door sale, high cancelation fee, misleading, deceptive marketing, and contract issue.

On December 8, 2009, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure from the McGuinty Government proposed new protections for gas and electricity consumers. This consumer act is called “PROPOSED ENERGY CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT( ECPA), 2009″.

If you live in Canada or US, there are two methods on how you can buy natural gas and electricity for your home or business.

One method is to buy natural gas and electricity from your local utility (regulated) at variable price, the other method is to buy fixed-rate (unregulated) natural and electricity from a retailer.

The variable price is dictated by supply and demand, it goes up and down depending on the market. Just like the price on gasoline we use to fuel our cars.
[Utility supplier (variable)] –> [You]

The second method is fixed-rate by locking-in your gas and electricity prices. The fixed-rate and the term are set in the contract. This type of contract gives you the benefit of knowing your energy costs are set for that period of time. If prices rise above your contract price, you benefit.
[Utility supplier (variable)] –> [Retailer(Fixed-rate)] –> [You]

Enbridge is now offering up to $250 dollars in rebates for Ontario residents to switch their home heating and water heating to natural gas before September 30, 2010.

Ontario residents can take advantage of the three following rebates when switching their natural gas supplier to Enbridge starting from June 15, 2010 through September 30, 2010 by buying, renting and installing: