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How does Renewable Energy Get Distributed and What are REC’s?

What does it mean to get green energy?

Your choice of an energy company impacts the environment and your community. If you are like us and want to reduce your carbon footprint, you realize the importance of green electricity. When you sign up with an electric company that provides 100% renewable energy, your electric payment finances the production of more renewable energy that is generated by wind and solar power farms. Your electric company purchases energy from wind and solar farms as a renewable electricity certificate (REC) on your behalf.

We get it, green, clean renewable energy doesn’t sound reliable, and you need reliability – but this is not true. Power from renewable sources IS reliable. Renewable energy does NOT stop flowing if the wind is not blowing or there is an overcast and the sun doesn’t come out. When you decide to go green by choosing green electricity you don’t have to install solar panels either. All you need to do is sign up with Pogo. Pogo Energy is a power company that utilizes and distributes clean electricity to you. To sweeten the experience of going green, Pogo does not require you to sign a contract or pay a hefty deposit. Pogo helps you reduce your carbon footprint and all you need to do is click that green enroll button below to switch.

NERD ALERT: How does Pogo help reduce my carbon footprint?

Pogo purchases enough renewable energy certificates (RECs) equivalent to your electricity usage at home. Each REC represents the production of about 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy. Buying RECs counterbalances the production of power from fossil fuels. For example, if you use 2000kWh of power in your home, Pogo Energy purchases RECs in an amount equivalent to 2000kWh to counteract the 2000kWh you used at home (aka your carbon footprint).  

How do you get green energy in Texas?

Let’s back up a second and give a quick recap on the almighty power grid. The Texas power grid distributes all the power generated by different energy sources across Texas. Energy in the power grid is all mixed together, as in there’s no separate power grid for fossil fuel-only energy or only renewable energy. Then, it’s sent to the state utility transmission companies (the TDUs) which are responsible for physically connecting the power to your home (FYI, when your power goes out, it’s the TDU responsibility to turn it back on – not Pogo). Retail electricity providers (like Pogo) sell the electricity. However, TDUs only turn the power on in your home after you sign up with your chosen electricity provider. That’s how you get your electricity, and that’s why you see a transmission or TDU energy charge on your electric bill each month.  

If it’s all mixed together, then how does Pogo provide 100% clean energy?

Power companies purchase the energy from power generator companies. In our case, Pogo Energy only purchases renewable electricity certificates (RECs) from wind and solar power farms. The quantity of RECs purchased by Pogo is equivalent to the amount of kilowatt hours (kWh) you use to power your home. This means that Pogo essentially purchases these RECs on your behalf and unlike the other guys, it’s at no additional or marked-up cost to you. The money used to purchase the RECs in turn supports the continuation of renewable energy generation by the wind and solar power that Pogo purchases. So, you can be sure every electron that doesn’t come from a wind or solar farm is purchased as a carbon offset through Pogo Energy.

When you choose a lights company that provides green energy you are supporting the generation of more renewable energy. The more people choose electric companies that serve 100% renewable energy creates higher demand for companies generating wind and solar power. That’s how your choice in electric company can make a positive impact on the environment.

With Pogo Energy, you can do this all while saving money because Pogo won’t charge you extra to make a positive impact on the environment. <Insert callout box here> Ready to reduce your carbon footprint? Go green to save green. CHECK MY RATES

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Reduce Energy Consumption- Switch Incandescent Light Bulbs to LED Light Bulbs

Being energy efficient is hot topic. More and more families want to do their part to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint. Many think that reducing your carbon footprint means going green and using 100% renewable energy. Truth is you can save money even if you cant go green with solar energy. (btw- Pogo only provides 100% renewable energy to our customers, I guess you can say that we are your Green Energy Option).

None the less, there are a lot of things you can do to reduce the amount of electricity you consume, which also help reduce the amount you pay for electricity. We aren’t talking about re-insulating your home or doing other pricey updates because let’s face it, most people can’t take on things like replacing all their home appliance or upgrading their windows (at least not all at once). The good news is, you don’t have to. Reducing your energy consumption and saving money can be done with a change that is so easy that a monkey could do it.  

The change we are talking about is switching from incandescent light bulbs to energy efficient LED light bulbs. This simple switch makes a big difference, and helps you in your quest to be energy efficient and reduce your energy consumption . But we don’t want you to take our word for it. The truth of the savings is in the math, and we are here to explain that math so you can see how much money you could be saving and will save by replacing old light bulbs with LED light bulbs.

Understanding Reducing Energy Consumption

Let’s start small with replacing one typical A-10 Incandescent light bulb with a typical LED light bulb. To make things easy to keep track of, we made spiffy charts for you to reference. 

For the Cost of electricity per kwh we are using $0.11 and how long the light is on per week- 70 hours  (Just in case you were wondering how we came up with what we came up with.

Switching 1 Incandescent Light Bulb with 1 LED Light Bulb

By switching 1 light bulb here is the savings and math  

Net savings per hour– $0.01 

Net savings per week– $0.43 

Net savings per month– $1.88 

Net savings per year– $22.57 

But let’s face it- no one replaces 1 light bulb if they are switching with the purpose of saving. So let’s do the math for replacing all the light bulbs in your home. I went from room to room in my house and counted a total of 48 light bulbs. To make the math easier, let’s round up to 50. If you were to replace 50 light bulbs, the savings becomes more impactful. Keeping the same run time, and same cost per kwh and check out what your potential savings could be! 

Switching 50 Incandescent Light Bulb with LED Light Bulbs

You might be wondering how this is even possible? Let us explain. Even though an LED bulb costs considerably more than an incandescent bulb, the LED bulb lasts 15,000 hours compared to the 1,000 hours that an incandescent bulb lasts. So to put it in perspective, spending $3.50 on 15,000 hours when you purchase an LED bulb is the same as buying 15 incandescent bulbs to reach 15,000 hours, which means that you are spending $15 for the same amount of run time. When you then factor in the amount of wattage that each bulb uses, 60watts vs 9watts, the savings increases especially when you consider that this decrease is for 50 bulbs.

The truth in your energy savings

Bottom line is, switching out your incandescent light bulbs for energy saving LED Lights will not make you a millionaire, but it will save you money. When you make other changes on top of switching out light bulbs, like upgrading to Energy Efficient appliances, or switching your electric service provider and/or plan to one that you can actually understand and track your electric usage, you will see a reduction in your energy usage and reap the rewards. (by reward we mean giving less money to your electric company). 

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The Difference in Electricity Pricing

We all want to save money on our energy bills. Sick of opening your bill at the end of the month and nearly fainting when you see how much you owe? Tired of feeling like your energy company is ripping you off? Hey, we can’t blame you for wanting cheap electricity.

But hold on just a second. Cheap electricity isn’t a very straightforward term. See, if you’re paying a lot on your energy bills, it’s not because of the electricity you’re getting. It’s because of the company that you’re giving your money to.

Is cheap electricity worse than expensive electricity?

Absolutely not! It all comes from the same place and on the same grid. Otherwise, it’s exactly the same thing. Your lights won’t flicker if you opt for the so-called cheap electricity.

Why is some electricity expensive?

Ever see how many hidden fees there are on your bill? Things added to the bottom line that have nothing to do with your usage or rates? Yeah, Texans pay way too many hidden fees, and they can effectively jack up your bill.

If anything, you’re paying more because the companies care far more about their profit margins than they do about you.

So, I shouldn’t just choose the cheapest rate for electricity, then? In an ideal world, yeah, you’d just pick the cheapest rate. That would rock, right? But that’s not how it works.

Unfortunately, advertised rates are rarely what you’ll actually end up paying. Between that laundry list of hidden fees, crazy deposits to start service and higher rates at certain hours (see: ‘free nights and weekends’ plans, your electricity will be anything but cheap.

Sooooo… What you’re saying is, cheap electricity doesn’t exist? Not necessarily!

Don’t call us cheap, but if you go with Pogo, odds are you’ll be saving a ton of money on your energy costs. For one, we have no hidden fees… ever! We also have no deposit with our prepaid electricity plan. Say goodbye to disconnect fees, reconnect fees, connection fees, hidden rate spikes, low balance fees and customer service headaches that you’ve experienced with the other guys.

Basically… the only reason why you don’t already have cheap electricity is because you’re dealing with the other guys’ B.S. You know, Bill Shock! And the other definition, too.

Either way, you’ve been paying for B.S. – and you shouldn’t have to. That’s why we’re here!

Wait, did you say prepaid?

Good eye! Yes, we did, but don’t fret – we’re different than the prepaid providers you’ve heard so much about. We don’t supplement our revenue with hidden fees, instead, we give you a fair deal and promise to be fully transparent.

How else can Pogo help me save money? Rates (and fees) are only part of the picture. The other part is your usage, something that the other guys won’t tell you about until your bill comes in. With Pogo, you’re in control. We send daily text alerts showing you how much electricity you’re using, which helps you save energy and save money at the same time!

Reducing your rates and cutting out fees is the closest thing to cheap electricity that you’ll find.

Anything else I should know?

Well, in addition to providing the proverbial cheap electricity (that’s actually the same electricity, just with ethical business practices), our energy is 100% clean and comes from renewable sources. You won’t just be saving money, you’ll be saving the world. We think that’s pretty neat.

How do I start? You can get started for as little as $20, and your first three days are on the house! No catch, no annual contracts, no more regretting your thermostat settings. Sure, cheap electricity may be a bit of a misnomer, but with Pogo, you can save up to $398 per year with our auto prepaid electricity option.*

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How Much Electricity Do Christmas Lights Use

Decorating your home and Christmas tree with lights has become a tradition for many Texas families. Depending on the type of lights you use as well as how many strings of lights you are putting up determine how much your electricity usage increase will be over the month of December. To help you stay within budget we are going to break down the cost of having Christmas lights, and when you are a Pogo pay as you go electricity customer, you can remain in control of your usage and spend this holiday season by making adjustments based on your daily usage.

The Real Savings Between Incandescent and LED Lights

The most common types of Christmas lights used today are; Incandescent Lights and LED Lights. If you are like me, you are big time into recycling and reusing what you can. Unfortunately recycling old incandescent lights may not be saving you money in the long run (or short run). Let’s say that you are Ebenezer Scrooge and only put up one string of lights. One 100-count string of incandescent mini lights runs at 40 watts. One 70-count string of LEDs run approximately 4.8 watts total. What this means is that reusing incandescent lights can cost you 90 times more than LEDs in the form of your electric usage and increase in the amount that you see on your electric bill.

Manage Your Electric Bill Increase

Most people use more than one string of lights to show their Christmas spirit. Looking at a typical household that uses about 10 strings of lights, and maybe some random Christmas decorations will spend anywhere from $10.00 to $15.00 over the course of a month if using incandescent mini lights. That same household would spend $1.50 to $2.50 with the same amount of LED lights. If you are like one of Pogo Energy’s, Christmas obsessed employees who’s house can be seen glowing from outer space, the savings is even more dramatic. She uses 7 strands of icicle lights, 4 strings of lights to cover the fence in her front yard, 2 strings on the porch, 25 strings to wrap the trees in her front yard, 10 strings draped from the branches, 5 strings to outline flower beds, 4 strings to outline the roof of her house, a big blowup Santa and light up candy canes, (we are planning an intervention). With incandescent lights, her electric cost over the course of a month would increase anywhere from $250.00 to $305.00. The same amount of LED lights would cost her $35.00 to $42.00 over the course of the month.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that incandescent lights will cost you far more year after year when compared to the cost of LED lights. All we are trying to say is that Christmas lights are awesome! But decorating using Christmas lights can end up costing you more than you bargain for if you aren’t smart about it. Stay in control this holiday season by knowing the truth about how much your lights cost in increased usage.

Happy Holiday’s from everyone at Pogo Energy!

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Energy Savings-Myth vs Fact

Ready for your mind to be blown? We debunked 15 myths about energy usage and savings to help you through this winter and beyond.

Myth: “Plugging in device designed for higher voltages (i.e. 240V) uses more electricity than a device designed for lower voltage (i.e. 120V).” Fact: “The voltage does not impact how much electricity is used. Instead, watts are what count. The output of a device’s power (the volts), is converted to the amount of wattage (electricity), needed to make the device work, therefore no additional electricity is used.

Myth: “When I turn something off, it’s off and not using any electricity.” Fact: Not all devices or appliances actually power off when you turn them off. If you turn off a device or appliance but keep it plugged in, it may still be using electricity either in a sleep mode or standby mode. If you don’t need it to be plugged in, unplug devices to ensure they are off, and not using electricity.

    Myth: “Using space heaters instead of my central heating system will reduce my energy bill.” Fact: This is not always true for everyone. If a portable heater is powered on for long hours or even all day, it can be more expensive than turning on the central heating in your home. However, using a portable heater in one or two rooms of your home for a short period can save money on your electric bill. Remember space heaters can be dangerous – never keep one turned on while you’re sleeping.

It Does Not Take More Energy To Turn Lights On and Off

Myth: “It’s better just to leave the lights, heater or AC, computer, etc. powered on because it uses less energy than turning them on/off each time.” Fact: Not every electrical device requires a huge burst of power when you turn it on. Only a few electronics actually use a bit more power to turn on, but the difference is so slight that you’re actually using more energy by keeping electric devices constantly powered on.

Your Lighting Choice Does Make A Difference

Myth: “Energy efficient light bulbs won’t make a big difference on your electric bill.” Fact: Energy efficient LED light bulbs WILL save you money! In fact, incandescent light bulbs use more than 4 times the amount of energy for the same brightness as LED light bulbs. For outside, consider using solar lights when you are just looking for a small amount of light to illuminate a path.

Myth: “Halogen lighting is super energy efficient.” Fact: Halogen lights require transformers that use extra energy even when the light is off. While Halogen lights do use less energy than incandescent lights, the winner really is fluorescent lighting, which is three times more efficient than Halogen lighting.

Myth: “Setting the thermostat significantly higher or lower will heat up or cool down your home faster.” Fact: No matter what temperature you set your thermostat at, your furnace or boiler will work equally as hard and fast to meet that goal. The only difference achieved by setting the temperature to a higher degree is that the system will work for a longer period of time, therefore using more energy. The same applies to air conditioners when set to a lower temperature than desired. Another downfall of setting the heat higher is that eventually the air conditioner may kick on to cool the room back down to your actual desired temperature.

Myth: “Hand washing dishes instead of running the dishwasher saves energy.” Fact: All the hot water used while hand washing a load of dishes can actually use more energy than a dishwasher cycle. Remember, it takes energy to heat water to get hot water. Thankfully most dishwashers now have energy-efficiency settings to help reduce the amount of (hot) water and energy used when it runs too.

  Is Your Charger Using Energy When You Aren’t Charging Anything?

Myth: “Electronic chargers can stay plugged into the wall all the time because they only use energy when charging a device.” Fact: This is only true for some chargers – but not all. In fact, most chargers that remain plugged into the wall use “vampire power” when a device isn’t attached for charging. A good way to spot this is if your charger is warm to the touch, which is why it’s better to just unplug chargers when not in use.

  Myth: “Computers left in sleep mode overnight saves more energy than shutting it down.” Fact: Your computer uses more energy to stay in sleep mode for long periods of time (like overnight) because it has to maintain constant readiness to turn on at a moment’s notice. Instead, the amount of energy needed to start up after shutting down your computer typically uses less energy, and therefore can contribute to lowering your energy bill.

  Myth: “Energy efficiency products increase the initial cost of a house.” Fact: It’s true that a lot of energy efficiency products are expensive but, in many cases, there is actually no or even less initial cost. It’s usually the premium efficiency products that cost more, but that’s likely due to the products’ features or warranty, for example, and not a higher cost for efficiency, specifically.  

Myth: “Buying an energy-efficient air conditioners and/or heating systems will automatically reduce your energy usage.” Fact: Actually, these systems only work if installed correctly – and surprisingly that is not always the case. Make sure yours is installed properly, for these systems could be using more energy only for you to benefit from two thirds of the heated or cooled air actually produced!

  Myth: “Duct tape is great for preventing heating system air leaks and sealing ducts.” Fact: Unfortunately, even duct tape isn’t a match for those dusty, dirty surfaces around a heating system. Try Mastic tape instead, which can be more durable than duct tape in these situations.

Fix Your Faucets! Save Water and Use Less Electricity!

Myth: “Leaky faucets are NBD (no big deal).”   Fact: In fact, they ARE a big deal. Did you know that one faucet leaking two drops per second wastes about 200 gallons in a month? And you can imagine the additional consequences if that leaky faucet happens to be hot water… (see tip #8)

  Myth: “Pay as you go costs more.” Fact: Pay as you go energy service can actually save you money, and Pogo Energy helps you do that by sending you a daily text message! Switch to Pogo Energy and start your days by knowing how much energy you’ve used, how much you spent, and how much is left in your account so you can add more to your account when you need to.

Pay as you go literally helps you keep track of how much electricity you use, and with Pogo we take pay as you go electricity one step further and send daily texts. Our daily text messages make it easy for you to track your energy usage and see how much you are saving.

Plus, Pogo Energy customers always get monthly Rewards dollars ($25 every month) which are redeemable at thousands of retailers, restaurants, entertainment and more!

As a bonus we’ll debunk one more energy saving myth: “switching electric companies is hard work and a hassle” – FALSE! Fact: Switching could not be easier when you switch to Pogo Energy. Sign up in 60 seconds on our website and we’ll do the rest, including the break-up convo with your old provider (don’t worry, Pogo’s got your back!).  

So, what are you waiting for?? Switch to Pogo Energy today!

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How To Save Money On Your Electric Bill During the Winter Months

It’s officially sweata weatha! Time to turn up the thermostat, cozy up in your favorite cotton/cashmere/fleece/soft fabric sweater while sitting on the couch sipping a venti pumpkin spice latte with extra whip (is it really a PSL without extra whip?), and begin the search for what to treat yourself to next with your Pogo Rewards. Am i right?

Since we’re all likely to be spending more  time at home this winter than ever before , there is a strong probability that you will be using more electricity than you normally would. We know that the last thing you want to worry about is a high electricity bill and the bill shock that overcomes us as we look at the amount due.

As always, Pogo’s got your back and we’ve gathered some of our favorite tips to help reduce your electric usage and save you money, so you can relax and enjoy sweata weatha.

Tip #1 – If you’re leaving home for more than 4 hours, lower your thermostat to 68 degrees – UNLESS you have pets, consider setting it to 73 degrees at least.

Tip #2 – Turn the ceiling fans on low and switch the fan direction to blow air up (button up/blades turning clockwise). This forces warm and cool air to mix in the room (so hot air doesn’t rise and stay there) keeping the room at a steady temperature. On average, ceiling fans only use 60 watts whereas central AC units can use up to 3,500 watts of energy – fewer watts, lower energy bill. Don’t forget to turn the ceiling fans off when you leave your home for continued savings.

Tip #3 – Did you know that heat gain and heat loss through windows are responsible for 25%–30% of residential heating and cooling energy use?” Stop the breeze by insulating your windows to keep hot air inside your home during the winter.

Tip #4 – When baking in the oven, check the status of the food through the oven window instead of opening the oven door, if you can. By opening the oven door, you decrease the temperature inside the oven by 25 degrees, which in turn extends the total cook time.

Tip #5 – Keep the shades, blinds and drapes open and let the sunshine help to warm your home. Let the sun help you save, and let the sunshine in!

Tip #6 – Adjust the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and then insulate the hot water heater to help reduce energy usage by about 10-15%. While keeping your thermostat at 120 degrees will save you money, it also reduces scalding and slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your heater and pipes.

Tip #7 – Save hot water for yourself and do not wash your laundry on Hot or Warm, choose the cold cycle so that your hot water heater isn’t trying to supply your washer with hot water. Also, if you are a creature of habit, and take showers around the same time each day, put your hot water heater on a timer. Installing a timer to turn off your heater during the times you do not need hot water will help conserve energy.

Do yourself a favor before sweata weatha becomes a Texas winter and switch to Pogo Energy today! Follow our 7 tips to save money on electricity in cold weather, and you can spend winter cozied up, ordering in and watching your favorite series – powered by 100% clean energy.  

 Want more ways to save money and reduce your electric usage? Check out 3 Ways to Cut Your Energy Bill.

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Hurricane Preparedness Tips

What’s this, a 100% (well, 90%) serious blog post from Pogo Energy? Yup – listen up y’all, we’re here to talk to you about hurricane preparation. 

Hurricane season runs through the end of November, and so far this one has been a doozy. So far, 2020 has seen 23 named storms, with eight of those reaching hurricane status – that’s already five more named storms than last year and two more hurricanes, with more than two months to go.

   As y’all know, parts of East Texas have been hit hard by tropical storms and hurricanes in recent years. Hurricane Harvey in particular brought record rain levels, unprecedented flooding and over $125 billion of damage, according to one estimate. 

  While models for storm paths can be unpredictable, everyone can do their part by making sure they are as prepared as possible for mother nature. Not all of the advice you’ll see out there is super practical (replacing your roof, installing high-impact windows, etc.) so we’ll try to keep this as actionable and universal as we can.

Without further ado;

  Make Sure You Are Prepared Incase of A Hurricane or another Storm

1. Get waterproof containers for important belongings 

Water damage is no joke. Anything valuable – whether it’s an expensive electronic device like a laptop or something sentimentally valuable like a photo album – should go into a big ol’ waterproof plastic tub. You should be able to find these pretty easily at your local hardware store. Just make sure to store it in a high place, just to be extra safe! 

    2. Copies of important documents (license, birth certificate, social security, etc).

Do you enjoy standing in lines or sitting on hold for hours on end? No? Well then, you should do everything you can to make sure you never lose an important document! 

  3. Bottled water

So, this is the one that everyone will rush to stock up on. Trust us, we’d love to just stock up on Kool-Aid Blasters® and call it a day, but you’ll need to brush your teeth and whatnot – plus obviously water is super healthy and stuff.

    4. Nonperishable food items

This one is the obvious one, but here’s a caveat: make sure you can actually eat whatever’s in the container. For example, if you’re stocking up on canned goods… make sure you keep the can opener in your emergency kit. Sounds obvious but the last thing you’d want is to have food you can’t open. 

    5. Purchase portable USB charging banks 

If you’re like us, you have DOZENS of these lying around. The trick is charging all of them – but once you do, you won’t have to worry about your phone running out of juice. Also, plenty of these have USB-C support – great for a Nintendo Switch (but obviously your phone is waaaay more important in an emergency).

    6. Personal hygiene products 

Ever go on a trip just to realize that you don’t have a toothbrush, and the ones that the hotel front desk sells are like $5? Well getting stranded at your house without power or clean water and not being able to get to your toothbrush is a thousand times worse. 

  7. First aid kit 

Pretty straightforward here. Wounds aren’t fun. But not having a first aid kit to treat a wound, well that can be a nightmare.

  8. A light source that isn’t your phone

Flashlights, electric lanterns, even unscented candles can do the trick for this one. The last thing you want to do is burn through your phone’s battery using its flashlight! 

  9. A few changes of clothes 

Sweatpants, gym shorts, tank tops, etc. – doesn’t have to be fancy, should be functional and comfortable. 

  10. Books and board games

Hey, you gotta pass the time somehow, right? If you have roommates, a few games of Cards Against Humanity should help you pass the time. 

  11. Get refills on your prescriptions

 Again, super obvious, but super important.

  12. Set aside food for your pets

They’re family too, y’all! And family members need to eat. 

    13. Unplug all electronic items and put them as high up as you can 

Routers, video game systems, etc. – put that up in a high place where potential flood waters can’t get to it. Also in this category, but not electronic (unless you live in the future): area rugs! Roll those suckers up and put them on top of something. 

  For those home owners out there, we have some additional tips for y’all. Mostly because we realized that our list of tips ended at 13, and we aren’t sure if 13 is gonna be lucky for us or not. 

  14. Bring all patio furniture and outdoor decor inside 

That potted plant you got last week, or the wind chime you got from the Secret Santa at work last Christmas- well, bring those items in along with chairs and trash cans and anything else that you don’t want flying through the air. If you’ve got space inside, that’s where your stuff should be. 

    15. Shutter or board up your windows 

This advice is more for homeowners than renters, but if you’re renting make sure you yell at your landlord until they shore up your windows somehow. 

    16. Install a heavy-duty deadbolt on your front door

Again, more for homeowners, but a weak deadbolt is no match for hurricane-force winds that can throw heavy objects around. 

    17. Trim tree branches within 10 feet of your home 

Remember what we said about the potted plant above? Well a tree is just like a potted plant, only not in a pot and way bigger and you know what, at this point we’re just stating the obvious so let’s move on to…

    18. Clean out gutters  

Too much debris and water means flooded gutters, which means a ton of damage. Clean those bad boys out!

  Truth is- anything that you can do to prepare for severe weather is good, especially a storm as concerning as a hurricane. So take a minute to GET informed, GET what you need, so you are prepared when mother nature shows her nasty side. And if you are asked to GET OUT when the weather becomes too dangerous for you to sit through, please do so, because no matter what- we want you and your family to stay safe throughout hurricane season.

As your Prepaid Electric Provider– We are here for you through the sunshine and the storms.

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Surviving Staying Home During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Lately, every time we log onto our social channels, we see posts with graphics that are charting the spread of coronavirus along with the historical amount of unemployment claims. As we wait for good news we are bombarded with the worst-case scenario of where our country and economy are headed in the weeks and months to come.  

  (As the great Celine Dion so powerfully stated, “All By Myself, Don’t Wanna Be All By Myself… ANYMORE…”) But since we have little choice in the matter, let us share some thoughts and insight into who we are, as individuals and as a company. As anyone who follows us on social media can attest to, we are often described as being an ‘eccentric group’ that is full of ‘personality‘. Like the rest of the nation, our sanity is being tried as we settle into the wonderful world of social distancing.  

Whether you’re on the front lines helping patients fight coronavirus in the ICU, working at a grocery store to ensure that people can still get groceries or even if you’re just practicing social distancing, we all need to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19.  

We started Pogo Energy because we have never found an electric company that we *liked* – and we wanted to change that. We did not set out to be “the best”. We set out to be different, honest, and transparent. We want to be the perfect company for your needs – whether you are just in it for a(n electric) hook-up or a long-term light solution.  

All of that led us to this: 

No hidden fees (they are dumb and bad!)  

No long-term contracts (also dumb and bad!)  

No deposit (bad and dumb!!)  

No BS (meaning Bill Shock, but also meaning exactly what you think it means)  

We are fans of keeping it real, so it made sense to build a company that strives to do the same. We are not in the price gauging or fee exploiting business; we are in the “helping out the people in our community” business.  

  Our goal is – has been –and will always be, to bring empathy and fairness to an industry that has been lacking in such qualities for far too long.  

  We know everyone is freaking out, so we figured we would take a little stress off the top and give you a little something, something that covers, Everything You Need To Know To Survive the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

  How to keep your energy usage in check to make sure your keep your electric affordable:

Googling “energy saving tips” will usually lead to things like “get new windows” or “install a smart thermostat” – those things work in the long run, but they’re useless for those of us who are renting and/or don’t have funds available to invest in expensive upgrades at the moment. Y’all know this already, but the easiest way to reduce your bill is to reduce your usage. That is why we send you daily text alerts – so you know exactly how much electricity you’re using each day.  

Here are a few simple tips to reduce your electric usage;

Simplify your wardrobe – pick out a few outfits that you can wash in the cold cycle since that uses less energy than warm or hot laundry loads. 

Make sure every load of laundry is a full load of laundry.  

Pick one or two “meeting only” formal shirts, wear them on video conference calls only, then hang them right back up. They won’t get *that* dirty from an hour or two of use. Nobody will know if you wear the same two shirts for a couple of weeks. Maybe throw on the occasional sweater to throw them off the scent.  

This is a wonderful time to keep your windows open!  

Try to avoid using the oven if your A/C is on – it’ll heat your living space, making your A/C work overtime.  

Make sure you only leave kitchen vents and bathroom vents running when you need them to run. They suck out air- which means that cool air that you have paid for, is leaving.  

Unplug. If a devise does not need to be plugged into an outlet or turned on, unplug it, or turn it off.  

Check into window film for your home windows. Home window film reduces heat, helps maintain inside temperatures, blocks UV rays and is cheaper than replacing your windows. 

Not to mention- with window film installed, you can keep the lights off during the day and let natural light shine through and help your overall mood.  

Want even more tips to help save money on your electric bill? Check out our blog and we give more tips and tricks to reduce your energy consumption.

How to stay social while practicing social distancing and staying in isolation:  

  We all miss our happy hours, gym buddies and small talk at the office. For many, the toughest part of COVID-19 has been social distancing and isolation. If you’re a social butterfly, you may want to consider trying one of these suggestions to keep you as close to sane as you were before COVID-19: 

Phone conversations, you know an actual conversation (not text messaging) with family and friends to keep you feeling connected. 

Sharing surveys and “challenges” on Instagram and Facebook and tagging your friends 

If you’re working from home, coordinate video lunch breaks  

Start a book club and a Discord channel or group text to discuss  

Venture outside and take a walk. (don’t forget to adhere to the social distancing guidelines).  

Don’t feel pressured to be productive: 

  “I could do this job from home, and I’d have so much time to do more personal projects!” 

  Odds are, you’ve said this to yourself at some point over the last few months before any of this stuff happened. And if you’re like us, you have discovered that you are not as productive as you thought you would be. Sure, maybe you’re getting all of your work done, but the dishes and laundry are piling up, or you keep seeing all of your friends sharing Instagram workout challenge but you can’t muster up the energy to match them. Don’t worry about it.  

We’re all going through an unprecedented, ongoing traumatic event. You may be feeling anxious- maybe a little lost or even overwhelmed with all the changes and restrictions, but do not worry – it doesn’t mean that you’re failing. Try to find something to be happy about, thankful for and something to find joy in every day and focus on that for a bit.

Consider a new hobby, video games, a board game with the kids, or cleaning out the closet to feel productive and accomplished. Find time for happiness and find time for you. 

  (side note-please refrain from any hobby having to do with toilet paper–that stuff is in short supply for some of us).  

    To the essential personnel:  

Keep in mind, this won’t last forever, and even if what we once considered to be our normal is left in the past, we are here for you, today, tomorrow and for as long as you need us. Pogo Energy thanks all of those on the front line. To every grocery store employee, pharmacist, doctor, nurse, veterinarian, and supply distributor, you are appreciated.  

  From our family to yours- Stay home- Stay safe, and we hope that you are staying sane. 

The post Surviving Staying Home During the Covid-19 Pandemic appeared first on Pogo Energy.

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Summer Fling or Soulmate? Why Pogo Has Prepaid Options For All Commitment Levels

Commitment is a funny thing. A bad breakup can leave you wanting to give the finger to your ex. Especially if that ex happens to be your energy company.

Sure, some people want commitment more than anything (looking at you, Luke P. from The Bachelorette…) but for most people nowadays, it’s something that’s a bit scary. We get that! Still, whether you’re terrified of commitment or a Stage 5 clinger, we’ve got something for you.

That’s more than other Texas energy companies can say – between long-term contracts, cancellation fees and misleading marketing, they do everything they can to force commitment. If we had to draw a parallel to The Bachelorette – and, to be clear, we definitely don’t have to – they’d be up there with Luke P and Cam.

Pro tip: Never be Cam. Cam is the worst.

Sure, Cam and Luke P. both look fine on the surface, but if you had to commit to them long-term before even seeing all those red flags, how miserable would you be after even just a month? Once you get past the looks (which can be misleading!), you’ll discover hidden fees and shady business practices. Talk about baggage!

That’s why we’re more than happy to start things out casual. Load up your account with just $20 – no startup fees, no strings attached! – and you’re off and running with prepaid energy. Just take 60 seconds to sign up online, make your first charge up and boom, we’re hooking up…

…your electricity on the same day. Get your mind out of the gutter!

Either way, we’re fine starting this thing off real casual. Don’t like us? No hard feelings – we’ll never charge a cancellation fee. Good luck finding a better energy company – spoiler: you won’t – we’re not going to try to force a connection that’s not there. You’re more than welcome to come back, though!

We’ve had plenty of customers go from casual fling to a soulmate-level relationship, too. We have hundreds of customer reviews and our *average* is five stars. Do you think anyone’s giving Cam five stars?

Nope. Again, Cam is the worst.

Why do we have all of those five star ratings? Simple: because we do everything we can to be the best energy company out there. Between our pledge to only provide 100% clean energy, our lack of hidden fees (which other prepaid energy companies make a ton of money on), our daily text alerts, Pogo Rewards, amazing customer support and nonstop Whataburger references on social media, we’d basically get every rose on an all-energy company version of The Bachelorette.

Still on the fence? Again, that’s fine! But we want to give this thing a go, so let us be your summer fling – and if things don’t go well, we won’t guilt you into staying around.

The post Summer Fling or Soulmate? Why Pogo Has Prepaid Options For All Commitment Levels appeared first on Pogo Energy.

This article originally appeared at http://bit.ly/2FkYsfC

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Three Big Ways To Cut Your Energy Bill

Mysteries can be fun! Who didn’t love watching Scooby-Doo (even the live action one, which surprisingly holds up!) back in the day, or trying to figure out who your secret admirer was (because you totally had one, they just went to another school in Canada or something), or trying to guess what flavor the white Airheads were?

Yeah, never mind, the live action Scooby Doo does NOT hold up well.

“Why is my energy bill so high?” is not one of those fun mysteries. Mostly because there is no fun answer – like the white mystery Airheads, where every answer is fun! – instead typically boiling down to “you used too much energy” or “your rates are too high” or “there are a ton of hidden fees in here.”

If you don’t know what to look for in an energy company, you’re probably getting a bad deal on your energy bill, whether it’s hidden fees, high rates, misleading advertising or just generally high usage. Luckily, your friendly neighborhood energy company/charismatic blog presence Pogo Energy is here to save the day! Here’s some actual advice on how to lower your energy bill.

1: Reduce Your Usage There’s no shortage of different tips out there for reducing your energy usage, ranging from “yeah, I could do that” (unplugging things you’re not using!) to “who do you think I am, Scrooge McDuck?” (outfitting your home with solar panels).

Meanwhile, we’re scrounging up all the loose change in our car in the Whataburger drive-thru.

With that in mind, though, lower overall usage will almost always lead to lower bills. The one exception would probably be if you fall into one of those scam “free nights and weekends” plans and your usage all falls during the daytime. But we digress.

The one big thing you can do to save money on your energy bill is by doing all the small things that play into reducing your energy usage. Like these!

Instead of blasting the heat or air conditioning, open windows when it’s nice outside! Not only does it save you energy and give you a nice little breeze, but it’s scientifically proven to improve your mood!

As mentioned above, unplug things you’re not using! It may not seem like much, but unplugging idle devices can save as much as $200 per year in many cases.

Turn off your lights, too! Leaving lights on when you’re not in the room is wasteful and takes up a big chunk of your energy bill.

Wash your clothes on cold! You should probably be doing this anyways, since it can extend the life of your clothes, but it also uses a lot less energy and can save you roughly $60 per year. That’s $5 per month, which is basically “yeah I know guac is extra” cashflow.

Change your light bulbs! There’s some up-front investment here, obviously, but you’ll make that back and then some, to the tune of $200 of savings per year.

Invest in a smart thermostat! Brands like Nest and Ecobee are very popular, and while there’s also an up-front cost for these, they can help you save money on your energy bill in the long run, roughly $140 per year.

If you do all of those things (and you’re great, so why not?), that all adds up to $600 of energy savings per year – and that’s without having a good estimate on the impact of opening windows or turning off lights.

2: Switch to Pogo Switching to Pogo Energy is one of the easiest things you’ll ever do – seriously, it takes five minutes – and it’ll save you $387 per year on your energy bills.

Our pay-as-you-go electricity model puts you in charge, and our daily text alerts can let you know when you’re being wasteful or using too much energy. But beyond that, there’s another huge way we can save you money compared to the other guys: we don’t have any hidden fees – or connect/disconnect fees!

TFW someone asks us if we have hidden fees.

Texans already pay way too many hidden fees each year, and the Power To Choose site isn’t doing enough to halt that practice. Our Pogo Promise is that we’ll never engage in those practices. No hidden fees ever. Other guys will charge you all kinds of fees – connection fees, disconnection fees, low balance fees, reconnection fees, “today is Tuesday” fees, “you posted an Instagram photo of latte art” fees, pretty much anything they can think of.

That means that, with the other guys, you’re not just paying for your usage – you’re paying for their whims and rules, too. Beyond that, you’re probably paying to hurt the environment. That’s why, in addition to never charging hidden fees, we’re committed to only providing 100% sustainable energy.

Plus, unlike going with one of the other guys (which you shouldn’t do) or buying a bunch of LED bulbs (which you probably should!), there’s no upfront cost with us. No deposit, just load up your account and get started. We’ll even give you the first three days for free!

If that somehow isn’t enough to convince you, we’re also introducing Pogo Rewards! Our customers get Reward Dollars every month and daily gift card giveaways, putting even more money in your pocket instead of going to some energy executive with seven vacation houses.

3: Do BOTH of those things Okay, so this isn’t really *another* thing, but the logic here works, right? If you reduce your usage, you’ll save money. If you switch to Pogo, you’ll save money. If you reduce your usage AND switch to Pogo, you’ll save even more money.

Adding together the $600 per year from reducing your usage and the $387 per year from our rates, you’re looking at *frantically pounds calculator keys* $900 per year, which is pretty darn good.

But here’s the kicker: reducing your energy usage is even easier when you’re with Pogo Energy. Our daily text alerts and pay-as-you-go setup will let you know if you’re using more energy than you planned on. Plus, you get the peace of mind of knowing that you’ll never get charged a hidden fee.

Roll with us, and you’ll never have another bad surprise from your energy company. Just good surprises in your bank account. It’s a no-brainer, right?

The post Three Big Ways To Cut Your Energy Bill appeared first on Pogo Energy.

This article originally appeared at http://bit.ly/2WvAvvO

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How To Save The World With Pogo Energy

We’re in the endgame now.

Or, rather, America is just a few short weeks away from the release of Avengers: Endgame, in which they will once again take on the Mad Titan Thanos. Last time we saw Thanos, he did to the universe what we do for Texans’ energy bills (i.e. cutting it down to size), drawing the ire of the Avengers (and the support of one subreddit) in the process.

In the last movie, Avengers: Infinity War, the Avengers were unable to stop Thanos. The one fatal flaw of their plan, though: they didn’t call us.

You heard it here first, folks, we weren’t invited to the last session of Avenger-ing. Neither were Hawkeye, Valykrie or Ant Man, so at least we weren’t the only ones. Still, had they called us, we’re sure Thanos wouldn’t be hanging out on his farm right now.

“But you’re just an energy company,” you may be saying, “how could you stand a chance against that giant purple guy?”

Here’s how: we’d actually reason with Thanos.

Anyone who follows us on social media knows that we’re lovers, not fighters. We’re not saying we’d beat Thanos into submission through sheer force (after all, dude went toe-to-toe with the Hulk and walked away unscathed) – but we could reason with him!

See, Thanos’ motivation (in the movie, not the comics) was that the galaxy’s resources were being depleted by a rising population, destroying planets and causing starvation. Hey, he’s not wrong! Climate change is a real thing, and we’re doing our best to fight it, too. We’re just going about our fight differently.

Thanos is clearly a glass half-empty guy – or more accurately, a universe-half-empty guy – so his solution was a bit, uh, out there. Of course destroying half the universe will lead to less energy consumption, pollution and waste. That’s common sense.

With respect to drastically cutting carbon emissions and pollution we’re on the same page as Thanos here. But there’s an easier way to do this that still allows Texans to enjoy Whataburger while also saving the galaxy.

Dude, there’s an easier way.

The Infinity Stones have, well, infinite power (more on that later!), so that got us thinking of a few less murder-y solutions to Thanos’ problem. And each of them only really requires one of the stones!

Power Stone: Hey, it’s a source of completely sustainable, renewable energy. Maybe try using it for that? Here on Earth, at least, we could use it to power our entire electrical grid, instead of burning coal!

Space Stone: This seems really useful, too! Instead of dumping dirty energy waste into our rivers and streams or using landfills for other waste, we could teleport it to a planet that doesn’t support life, right? That’d free up a ton of space!

Mind Stone: Maybe our personal favorite solution: use the mind stone on greedy energy executives who stand in the way of climate change solutions! The mind stone convinced Hawkeye to turn on the Avengers back in the first movie, so we could definitely use it to convince the people at the top to invest in renewable and sustainable energy!

Reality Stone: The easiest solution actually involves the reality stone! It allows the wielder to manipulate matter, so… we could just turn any pollution into fertile farmland. Or to undo deforestation (so… reforestation?) or bring back extinct species (except the velociraptors… wait that’s a different movie)!

Time Stone: Oh, yeah, the time stone exists! Could just use that to reverse the effects of all pollution and climate change. Seems like a no-brainer.

Soul Stone: We’re not sure what the soul stone does in the movies. It looks cool, though! So maybe Thanos can just make it into a necklace or something.

That’s a plan that not even Star Lord could screw up. Instead of snapping his fingers to eliminate half of the life in the universe, Thanos could use it to address all the causes of climate change. Thanos instantly becomes a hero, and doesn’t have to worry about the Avengers, well, avenging themselves.

Speaking of things that are as easy as snapping your fingers… it’s time for some humble bragging. Switching to Pogo Energy is easy – it takes less than a minute! – and even if you can’t suit up next to Captain America, you can take solace in knowing that you’re saving the world by supporting 100% clean energy. That may not make you an Avenger, but it does make you a superhero.

And the best part? You don’t even have to get off your couch! While Captain America is out there doing bicep curls with Toyota Corollas, you can just hang out, track you energy usage every day and save money.

Yeahhhh can’t help you with that, Cap

Using clean energy on its own probably makes you a more useful Avenger than Hawkeye. And War Machine’s environmental impact can’t be good (we should talk with him about that).

Groot, on the other hand, is perpetually cool with us.

We are Groot. We are Pogo Energy. Come save the world with us.  

The post How To Save The World With Pogo Energy appeared first on Pogo Energy.

This article originally appeared at http://bit.ly/2IiO0r4

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4 Things Electric Companies Don’t Want You To Know

Sometimes, it’s just better not to know. Ever look up how hot dogs are made? If not – and trust us on this one – don’t do it. Your summer cookouts will never be the same again.

When it comes to your electric bill, though, keeping yourself in the dark isn’t the right move. Figuring out how much money you could have saved after years of dealing with greedy energy companies will have you feeling like our pal Gob Bluth.

See, the big guys don’t want you to know everything. It’s hard to get excited about your electric bill (unless you’re one of our customers), and that’s not lost on those companies. Between their long-winded contracts with hidden fees and obscure clauses, misleading advertising and a laundry list of rules and stipulations, it can be hard to know exactly what you’re paying for – and it’s a chore to actually figure it out.

Who wants to spend an afternoon digging into their electric company’s contract, or hours on the phone trying to dispute a fee? For burned-out millennials – scratch that, for everyone – it’s probably easier to just shut all that out and go out for tacos instead. Hey, we don’t blame you, we love tacos.

But ask yourself honestly, are you getting a good deal on your electricity? Do you even know what a good deal is? What’s a good kilowatt-hour rate? What companies have the fewest fees? (We do!) How much does it cost to get out of your current contract?

If you know those answers off the top of your head, hey, you’re probably one of those people who watches Jeopardy and aces most of the questions.

Okay, you got us, they’re called *answers* since you reply in the form of a question. What is: our bad?

So, just for the sake of education, here are all of the things that electric companies don’t want you to know.

It’s really, really hard to leave your contract

Watching Better Call Saul doesn’t make you a lawyer. When it comes to your energy bill, even Slippin’ Jimmy probably couldn’t figure out all of the different rules and clauses attached to it.

One of the most common ones is related to the contract itself. Not happy with your energy company’s service? Tough crap, according to them, you’re stuck in it unless you want to pay a huge cancellation fee. Luckily, the PUC prevents companies from auto-renewing contracts, but if your contract expires and you don’t cancel, they’ll still bill you on a month-to-month basis.

What kind of company wants to keep customers that are clearly unhappy with their services? Ones that prioritize profits over people, that’s who. It’s like if you had a bad experience at a restaurant, and instead of getting a gift card or having your meal comped, they charged *you* extra for not enjoying it.

You know what’s better than getting stuck in an electric contract? Well, most things, but the best thing is to not get into a long-term contract at all. We don’t do those, and if you’re not happy with us, you’re free to leave any time. No strings attached.

How much energy you’re actually using

No matter what your rate is, the best way to save money on electricity is to reduce your usage. The problem is that with most (nearly all, actually) energy companies, you don’t find out how much energy you used until the end of the month.

On track for a way bigger bill than normal? Hey, don’t expect your energy company to warn you. Remember, these guys have built-in profit margins *per kilowatt*. Basically, it’s in their best interest that you leave all your lights on around the clock.

Instead of waiting to find out how much energy you used, why not get daily updates on how much you’re *using*? Our daily text alerts let you know if you’re using more energy than usual. Need to tighten your belt one month? You’ll be able to see those savings in real-time.

Knowledge is power, folks.

They get away with sketchy stuff – and are trying to get away with even more

So, in most states (aka every state that’s not Texas, the greatest state on the planet), energy companies get away with all kinds of shenanigans by default. Our deregulated energy means that consumers actually have the power to choose their energy provider, whereas other states are monopolistic and consumers have just one choice, varying by where they live.

Companies in those states get away with everything from price gouging to a mountain of hidden fees buried deep in contracts thanks to a complete lack of choice. There’s no competition, so those companies don’t have any motivation to do what’s right for their customers.

That’s… well, not right. But hey, it’s not Texas.

Here in Texas, though, you’d think the Public Utilities Commission would call out and punish companies who engage in unethical or unfair marketing practices, right? Well, it’s tough for the market to choose when these guys trying to game the system go unpunished.

It’s not that the energy companies don’t get caught doing those things listed above – they definitely do – they just don’t get punished for it. It’s far more egregious for gas companies than electric ones, but it still happens in the electric sector.

What happens when these companies do get fined? They lobby the state to get rid of the PowerToChoose site entirely, arguing that customers are somehow better off in the dark.

Rather than delivering better (and more honest) service – and earning their customers’ trust – these companies want to skirt any oversight and keep their customers in the dark.

If these guys really were the best option out there, wouldn’t they want people to see that on the PowerToChoose site? Wanting to shut down the site, as a few of the big guys do (we won’t name names, but Dave Lieber will!) speaks volumes about how bad they are.

That there are better options out there

These guys lock you into long-term contracts, bombard you with fees, jack up your rates, keep you in the dark regarding your usage, give you the customer service run-around, lobby the state to give you less of a choice, skirt around oversight and are just generally awful.

Believe it or not, there is a better and greener option – like Pogo Energy!

Most electric companies don’t have your best interest in mind, or aren’t interested in giving you a fair deal. A select few, like us, wanted to see what happened if we brought ethics and new ideas into the electricity sector.

What other electricity company promises no hidden fees while also helping you reduce your usage? When’s the last time you knew your energy choices were helping the planet? We’re here to help you go totally green by giving you 100% clean energy. Ever hear of an energy company giving you a free three-day trial, and never having a cancellation fee?

People go through tough times, and odds are, your current energy company isn’t exactly understanding if you fall short on a payment. With Pogo, we’ll never disconnect you on nights or weekends, and if you need some more time, we’ll give you a zero interest payment plan.

Also, we sometimes tweet about how much we love Whataburger. The other guys don’t do that. So grab a honey butter chicken biscuit in one hand and take the 60 seconds to sign up on your mobile phone with your other hand.  

The post 4 Things Electric Companies Don’t Want You To Know appeared first on Pogo Energy.

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Cheap Electricity Doesn’t Mean Bad Electricity

Looking for cheap electricity? Hey, good for you, more people should! Unfortunately, it’s almost as tough to find as it is to define – despite all of the advertisements out there promising low rates – but hey, you’ve come to the right place for both of those answers!

First, yes, we have cheap electricity – but don’t call us “cheap”, please. We certainly provide energy at a lower cost to you than a lot of the other guys, because we know that in our modern world, electricity is a necessity, and shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Why do some electric plans on the Power To Choose site cost less, though? For that, let’s go to our Marketplace Fairness Correspondent*, Caelynn from ABC’s The Bachelor. Hey Caelynn, is cheap electricity different than expensive electricity, or the same?

[*Note: She doesn’t work for us, it was just the first GIF that popped up when we typed ‘same’]

Thank you, Caelynn from ABC’s The Bachelor!

So, will your lights flicker if I choose a “cheap electric company”? Absolutely not.

Will your grandma’s chili recipe take longer to bring up to a simmer on your electric stove? Dude, no, but share that recipe with us.

Is the electricity different in any way? Nope!

See, we all get our power from the same Transmission and Distribution Utilities (TDUs) across Texas. You have the power to choose how much you pay, and how you pay for it. So “cheap lights” doesn’t mean lower quality.

In other instances, yeah, going cheap isn’t a great idea. How do you feel after picking Taco Bell over Torchy’s or Chipotle? Not great!

Love you, Torchy’s! Send us free tacos please!

Sometime we have to buy some  cheap shoes, and they just don’t last as long and they’re not as comfortable. And let’s skip past that time you saved some money one-ply toilet paper. You see where we’re going with this, folks, and “cheap” can get pretty ugly.

What about with utilities? Good luck streaming the best show on Netflix (spoiler alert: it’s Jeopardy! reruns) on the cheapest internet plan. Skimping on your cable TV package (or skipping it altogether) might not be a huge deal if you have your friend’s HBO Go password. But don’t you hate getting cheap (and bad) internet service. After all, Game of Thrones is coming back soon, and we can’t wait to see if [REDACTED SPOILER] finally kills [REDACTED SPOILER].

We’d just be happy with more screen time for the direwolves, to be honest.

Electricity is a different story, though, because of *what* makes it expensive. Why do the big guys charge more? Do they have some kind of special VIP electrical grid with a velvet rope, sparklers and bottle service? Nope. Is it artisanal, hand-crafted electricity? Nope.

Obviously, if there was some kind of VIP section, we would’ve been on the guest list.

The difference isn’t the electrons themselves – it’s the companies peddling it. They pretend that their plans are the cheapest, then lock you into a long-term contract and make their profits off of all the hidden fees they didn’t tell you about. You shouldn’t need a law degree to save on your energy bills – electricity is a necessity! – but with some of these contracts, that’s the only way.

Contracts and fees aren’t the only shady practices these companies engage in. That “free nights and weekends” plan you signed up for is probably a scam, too.

And energy companies with higher rates don’t have much reason behind that. Do they charge more because of their customer service? Ha, good one. You’ve called your electric company with a billing questionThat usually ends with their customers doing this.

(Of course, if you do want good customer service… well, click here)

So, even if a company claims that they have the lowest rate, you can bet they’ll make up for it with fees. And… if a company has a high rate, you’re not really getting anything extra for that money.

Want actual cheap electricity? Here’s how: find a better energy company. Like us!

You won’t find any hidden fees here, not because they’re hidden *really* well, it’s because we don’t have any to begin with. Same goes for things like deposits, credit checks, annual contracts, snakes, etc.

What we do have, though, is a ton of extremely satisfied customers, low rates, full transparency, excellent service, 100% clean energy, fresh baked cookies (just kidding on that one – we wish!) and a burning desire to change the electricity game in Texas. In other words, you could pick us on price alone, but there are so many other reasons to switch.

Speaking of paying less, you know the best way to do that? Actually being aware of your usage in real-time! Our pay-as-you-go model (also known as prepaid electricity, but without all the dirty tricks that many prepaid providers pull) includes daily text alerts telling you how much energy you’re using. Putting you in control helps you reduce your usage, which means reducing your bill no matter what your rate is.

Looking for cheap electricity? Hey, it doesn’t get any cheaper than free – and we’ll cover your first three days at no cost to you and no strings attached. Don’t like us? No worries – you can cancel any time – but we’re confident that won’t happen.

Between helping you cut your usage, not charging you hidden fees and not locking you into a long contract, we think we’ve got the perfect recipe for *actual* cheap electricity.

The post Cheap Electricity Doesn’t Mean Bad Electricity appeared first on Pogo Energy.

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Are You a Follower or a Trend Setter?

You’re pretty hip, right? You tried out a new taco spot before any of your friends. You saw that hilarious tweet before it went viral. You listened to Chance the Rapper back in his mixtape days – way before he was winning Grammys.

Still, as you age gracefully into your mid-20’s (or late 20’s… or if you just turned 29 again), staying ahead of trends gets even harder. Your life is busy now! You’re not as plugged in, you don’t really *get* this whole Soundcloud Rap thing and while you definitely won’t tell anyone, you got a bit hungry after seeing an Applebee’s commercial last week.

Listen, we’re not saying that you peaked a few years back or anything, but maaaaaaybe you’ve lost your fastball. Your recommendation used to really mean something, right? Well, we can help you recover some of that hipster cred, and save you plenty of taco money in the process.

Here’s the secret – and stick with us here, because it sounds pretty wild: pay as you go power.  More commonly called ‘prepaid energy’ (which we scoff at), it actually rocks, as long as it’s done the right way. Paying as you go means no hidden fees, no BS (bill shock) and full transparency. You know, the way we expect things to work.

Discovering prepaid energy is like when you dealt with crummy lunch options near your office until one day, you stumbled upon an great pho place tucked away in an alley. What do you mean, this has been here the whole time while I’ve been suffering? Making a discovery like that is great on its own – but when it replaces something you’re sick of anyways, that makes it even better, right?

Odds are, you (and your friends) are getting ripped off by one of the big guys – and getting shocked by sky-high bills at the end of each month. That ‘free nights and weekends’ plan you signed up for? Buddy, it’s a scam.

Once you try pay-as-you-go power, you’ll kick yourself for not knowing about this sooner, and you’ll be the first to tell all your friends about it. More money in your pockets means more margaritas for you and your crew, right?

Not sold on prepaid electricity just yet? Hey, we get it; most other prepaid companies trick and scam you just like the big guys. That’s why Pogo Energy exists: to do something right, and do it the right way. Here are some more reasons why you should give it a chance (not the rapper).

Wait why is this here? We said *not* the rapper. Does anyone proof these things?

Pogo Puts You In Charge Raise your hand if you’ve ever had to adjust your budget after getting an energy bill, and missed out on a great night out with your friends. Unless your parents are oil barons, it’s probably something you’ve experienced. Well, with prepaid electricity, you know – and control – how much energy you’re using every day.

Worried about spending too much on energy? Our daily alerts let you know how much energy you’re using as you’re using it – not a month later, when it’s too late to make adjustments to your energy consumption – so you can make some adjustments to your usage.

Hate it when all of your bills hit at once? Never worry about that again. Our pay-as-you-go model means you make payments at your own pace, depending on your financial ability and budget. No more wondering how you’ll get to pay day!  

No Deposit, No B.S. There’s no sugar-coating it: signing up for a new energy company usually suuuuuuuuuuucks. You pay a huge deposit and fees way before getting that wildly unpredictable (and likely way-too-high) bill after the first month.

Why pay twice (and too much!) for that first month of energy? Want no deposit electricity? With Pogo, there’s no deposit and no invasive credit checks. You just enroll on our site, charge up your account with as little as $20 and boom, your power will be on later that day.

Connection fees? Nope.

Disconnection fees? Nah, son.

Reconnection fees? See above.

Low balance fees? Never. Why are these even a thing?

Spiders? Don’t have those, either.

Snakes? We’re afraid of ‘em, don’t judge.

In summary:

The only thing that we can’t help with is the crushing weight of your parents’ expectations, but if it helps, we’re not gonna judge you for anything.

No Contract Have a fear of commitment? Hey, no judgment here.

Here at Pogo Energy, we don’t require you to sign your life away with a long-term contract. We’re pretty darn confident that you’ll be satisfied with your service (after all, our customers love us), but if you don’t, it sure doesn’t help anyone to lock you into a long-term deal. That’s how the big guys make money, and it’s not fair.

Save Money Again, a dollar saved is a dollar you can put towards tacos. With Pogo, your rate will be 20% cheaper than conventional billing power companies – plus we break down your usage and, as mentioned above, send you daily updates.

So, in addition to our lower rates, we’ll help you keep your usage low, which doubles up your savings! Go ahead, add that guac, champ.

100% Clean Can’t shake the feeling of existential dread that comes with knowing that your money is going towards a company that is making everything worse for everyone? You know, like flying on Delta?

Well, those big energy companies are among the worst offenders when it comes to carbon pollution. Here at Pogo, we use only 100% renewable energy, which is just as reliable and effective as the energy you’re getting from the big guys, but without harming the environment.

We sure hope that’s something that matters to you – we’re trying to save the world, after all – but even if it’s not, it’s a cool bonus on top of all the savings!

Respect! In addition to everything above – the fair pricing, the transparency, the ethical practices – we also won’t ever, for any reason, turn off your power at night, on weekends, holidays or during extreme weather. Even if your balance goes negative, we won’t disconnect you.

Need a deferred payment plan? We offer one – and don’t have any fees, interest or credit checks associated. The only condition – and our nerdy lawyers made us put this in – is that you have to repay prior to terminating or switching service. But hey, we know you’re good for it.

On the fence about trying us? Have your first five days of energy on the house.

Go ahead, try us out. You’ll want to tell your friends about it. And hey, if everyone starts talking about how great Pogo Energy is next year, you’ll get to say you liked us before we were cool.

Just like that, you’ll have your fastball back.  

The post Are You a Follower or a Trend Setter? appeared first on Pogo Energy.

This article originally appeared at http://bit.ly/2Dz8gAH

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Why Prepaid Electricity Is Perfect For Texas Millennials (When Done Right)

Ugh, prepaid electricity, right?

Why would anyone want to know how much energy they’re actually using before they have to pay for it? It’s so much more fun to sit back, crank up the heat in your home and roll the dice to see just how much bill shock you can absorb this month.

That mindset is crazy, right? Well, odds are it’s exactly what you’ve been doing. Yeah, yeah, we know, prepaid electricity isn’t for you because prepaid energy companies suck. We’ve all heard about their their sky-high prices, hidden fees and dishonest rates. You’re wise to distrust them. They’ve earned it!

However, when done right, pay as you go power (aka prepaid electricity) can really rock! Despite what you’ve been conditioned to think, you can have cheap electricity, that’s 100% clean with no deposit, long-term contracts or hidden fees.

At Pogo Energy, we think it’s high time to kill an antiquated industry, and we believe there’s only one group we can call to help – or, in this case, send an Instagram DM to – millennials.

Millennials killed [blank] is the new Florida Man – you’re in charge of a fill-in-the-blank, choose-your-own adventure where the outcomes are equally unpredictable and hilarious. Napkins? See ya, we’re just using paper towels now. Applebee’s? Let’s find a local hole-in-the-wall instead. Extravagant diamond engagement rings? No thank you, we have student loans to pay off.

Headlines about millennials’ impact on now-antiquated industries read like obituaries, and each one leaves an impression that they’re acting as some sort of economic Thanos, stopping at nothing to destroy ridiculous and antiquated marketplaces.

Well, millennials, we’re here to help you find the rest of the Infinity Stones – so long as you put those greedy energy companies at the top of your list for the next ones to go.  

Those “Millennials kill traditional power companies” headlines are long overdue, but we’ve been brainwashed into thinking there’s only one way to get electricity: their way. It’s time to fight back, and the best battleground is the great state of Texas where deregulated energy has given you the ability to take control. Novel concepts like affordable energy, no BS (bill shock), treating customers right and transparency are finally within reach here in Texas.

When’s the last time you heard of an energy company treating someone right? (Pogo Energy notwithstanding, with our 4.9+ star reviews!) And at Pogo we’re committed to doing more than just treating our customers right, we treat our planet right, too, with 100% clean energy at no additional cost to you. According to Rice university researchers, Texas is one of the few places in the entire world(!) with enough wind and sun to sustainably power its entire grid. We want to be at the forefront of that, whereas the traditional energy giants (and the dishonest prepaid power companies, too) don’t – or if they do offer clean energy, they charge you a premium for helping to save the world.

That’s not right – and it shouldn’t be the norm. Millennials haven’t just been killing antiquated industries – they’ve been sending a message that confusing, unfair or exploitative business models aren’t going to be around much longer. Energy in Texas should be the next thing on the millennial hit list.

When done right, pay-as-you-go electricity (please don’t call us prepaid) is perfect for taking control away from the giant energy companies and giving it back to the people. For example, we send daily alerts and don’t have any hidden fees, so you always know what your bill is going to look like, and you have the power to come in under your budget by adjusting your energy habits before it’s too late.

Millennials’ spending power has become a threat to companies that don’t wish to adapt and treat their customers with respect – and our goal is to provide that in an industry that’s long been devoid of fairness.

It’s time to snap out of it! Ditch that preconceived notion of prepaid electricity and try Pogo. You’ll get transparency, a fair deal, excellent service and the satisfaction of knowing that your money isn’t propping up long-time CEOs of an antiquated and exploitative industry. If you, your friends, and your friends’ friends all snap out of it, well, those exploitative energy giants will feel a different kind of snap.

Added bonus: if you enroll now, we’ll throw in your first three days of electricity free, so there’s absolutely zero risk.

Long-term? On a bigger scale, with your help, we plan to reshape Texas and ensure that all energy companies – prepaid electricity or not – start acting ethically and sustainably. We could even blaze a trail to a sustainable grid – using Texas’s ample wind and solar potential.

But even if we don’t quite get there this year, we’re at least down to meet our millennial friends for lunch at some place that isn’t a soulless corporate chain with microwaved appetizers. Who’s up for some street tacos?

The post Why Prepaid Electricity Is Perfect For Texas Millennials (When Done Right) appeared first on Pogo Energy.

This article originally appeared at http://bit.ly/2FGulAh

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Finding Mr./Ms. Light

You’ve done your research–spent endless hours on websites looking for the best deal and posted on social media, asking friends for recommendations. Why does looking for a power company take more effort than finding a date (and it’s a lot less fun)?

  So, you finally found one you think works for you: no contract, no connect or disconnect fees, low rate, no deposit, and no late fees. On paper you’re a perfect match! You’re all ready to go and hit the “sign me up” button, but at the last minute, you realize it’s prepaid electricity. UGH! You weren’t looking for prepaid. You don’t know if prepaid is right for you. Sure they’re perfect for you and all… But now you’re back to square one on finding Mr./Ms. Light. But, wait…Are you?

  Think about what prepaid actually does for you: knowing what you’re getting yourself into  before you’re stuck with it. And now you start to realize everything that you prepay for already! You don’t get off of a plane and get a surprise bill. Just imagine. With everything airlines nickel and dime you for these days, they might hand you a bill with a surcharge for not going down in a fiery crash. Well, you did ask for ice and get up to use the bathroom.

  You prepay for concert tickets, your Starbucks order, your Toll Tag, your groceries, your gas. You pay for hundreds of products and services before you use, eat, enjoy or consume them. You do this almost everyday of your life. The reason you do this is that you know exactly what you are getting for your money.

  It’s the same with prepaid electricity–even better because you decide how much your bill is going to be. With Pogo Energy there are no deposits, no commitments, and no cancellation fees. So what’s the risk? Anything you don’t use if you cancel gets refunded back you you. What a concept! You only pay for what you use–no hidden fees, no disconnect charges, no joke.

  Get started for as little as $20 and recharge whenever you want. It’s actually better than when the dreaded electricity bill comes, and it’s never what you expect (and not in a good way). The bill shock is real. You realize that attractive rate that you thought you were getting was just a teaser, and after they’ve heaped on all of the hidden fees and charges, your perfect 10 went to a zero in a hurry. Why risk a blind date with your electricity bill, especially when they’re usually an expensive date too?

  Making that connection can be electric, figuratively and literally. Wouldn’t it be nice to know someone’s quirks and peccadilloes before spending a substantial amount of time and money before finding out that you aren’t a good match? This is why prepaid electricity is such a great match for so many people, there are no long term contracts, so if you aren’t a match you can just leave. There’s no expensive dinners either, $20 gets your electricity turned on. No awkward probing questions because there are no credit checks, and you never get rejected because everyone is guaranteed to get power turned on.

  Pogo Energy has more than a great personality. Sure, we’re 100% clean energy, no contract, no connect or disconnect fees, and we’re also prepaid, which is something you wanted all along but didn’t know it. Prepaid electricity means you decide what your bill is going to be and how often you’re going to pay it. Sound good? Ready to break up with your current provider? We thought so.

The post Finding Mr./Ms. Light appeared first on Pogo Energy.

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