Texas summers can be long and hot, while winters can be unpredictable. As temperatures change, your energy usage can too, which can result in higher electricity bills. For example, Texas summer daytime temperatures, depending on where you live, are often in the mid to upper 90s, typically rising to sustained 100-degree days and our lows are in the mid-70s. That’s a whole lot of heat!

Your cooling and heating systems during the summer and winter months can account for 50% or more of your electricity bills. Even if you haven't changed your thermostat setting, significant swings in outside temperature may cause your A/C and heater to run longer and harder, which leads to an increase in electricity usage and cost. Here's a summer example:

• If it’s 88 degrees outside and 78 degrees inside, your cooling system will come on but not stay on
  too long because there is only a 10-degree difference.
• If it’s 108 degrees outside and 78 degrees inside, your cooling system will come on more often and
  stay on much longer to help make up for that 30-degree difference.

• Raise your thermostat by 2 degrees in the summer and lower it in the winter to reduce your usage
  by up to 20%. Try adjusting it higher or lower when you leave home to save even more.
• In the summer, set your ceiling fans to run counterclockwise, keeping the warm air higher. Turn them
  off when you leave and save up to 8% on cooling costs.

In addition to extreme outside temperatures, the days in your billing cycle could have an impact on your bill. A normal bill cycle can range between 28-32 calendar days depending on your Transmission and Distribution Utility (TDU), so you may have extra days in your billing cycle – and higher usage – from one month to the next. The meter read schedules are set by the TDUs.

TXU Energy offers many convenient payment options, including:

• Through MyAccount: Simply log into your MyAccount and select the Make a Payment option.
• Over the phone: Contact us.
• In person: Enter your ZIP Code into our Payment Center Locator to find an authorized payment
  center near you to make a real-time payment on your account.
• Through your bank's bill-pay site: If you use your bank's bill-pay site, your bank will send us an
  electronic check (ACH) to pay your bill. Please contact your bank for expected payment delivery
  dates and details of their payment options.
• By mail: Send a check and the remittance coupon at the bottom of your bill to TXU Energy,
  PO Box 650700, Dallas, TX 75265-0700. For faster processing, be sure to write your account number
  on your check and use the envelope provided with your bill.

It's a program that helps you smooth out seasonal highs and lows in your monthly electricity bills, so you have more predictable monthly payments. There's no fee to participate in Average Monthly Billing.

This program doesn't change the total amount you pay annually. You'll pay exactly the same as you would without the program – the difference is that your payments become more consistent month-to-month, so it's easier to manage your budget.