Can a Month-to-Month Rate Save Money for Summer?
Outside of the heating season, our Georgia gas use drops. But is it enough for a month-to-month, or variable rate, natural gas plan to be the smart choice? Variable rates are typically much higher than fixed rates and change monthly. However, the lower your natural gas use is, the less that higher rate affects you. Plus, if you ride out the summer on a variable rate plan, you may snag a really cheap natural gas rate in the fall shoulder months. So, should you choose a fixed rate plan or a month-to-month for summer? Let’s find out.
Comparing Summer Costs for Fixed and Month-to-Month Plans
Looking at numbers from the GA PSC in 2025, we have a good idea what the average customer might see on their summer natural gas bill.
First of all, the PSC estimates an average therm usage per month in the summer of 23 therms. But some people will use a lot less than this if they don’t have large natural gas appliances. So, for low-use customer, we used an estimate of about 11.5 therms per month in summer. Based on rates from last year, the breakdown of total summer costs for fixed and variable month-to-month rates and for low and high use customers looks like this:
| Usage | Summer 2025 Total Variable Rate Cost | Summer 2025 Total Fixed Rate Cost |
| Low (11.5 therms/mo.) | $126.96 | $93.36 |
| High (23 therms/mo.) | $253.95 | $186.75 |
Now, last year’s rates were around 10¢ higher than many of our current natural gas supplier rates that you can lock in today. Plus, the price differences above only amount to a few dollars per month. Still, in any case, the month-to-month rate won’t most likely save you anything outright this summer. But… there’s actually more to consider.
What You Need to Know Before You Choose
Firstly, if you’re a low-use consumer in the summer, the variable rate might only cost you about $30 extra for the whole summer. So, depending on where natural gas prices go this summer, it might be worth it.
With this in mind, the EIA has lowered its projections for natural gas wholesale costs going into the rest of this year and next year. That means our natural gas rates could drop, too. Especially in low-demand shoulder months in the fall.
On the other hand, weather predictions indicate that we’re in for a long, hot summer. That doesn’t exactly bode well for cheap natural gas. Georgians rely on gas-fired generators to make electricity for cooling during hot spells.
If you’re a low-use month-to-month rate customer, it may be a good idea to hold out for a few months, you might see a rate drop in the fall. That way, cheaper fixed rates could save you a bundle on winter heating bills. But, if your natural gas usage is closer to the PSC average, it’s likely better to lock in a cheap fixed rate today. Whatever route you choose, get your next natural gas plan at https://www.georgiagassavings.com.