Utilize your financial knowledge, give your answer or opinion to the input question or subject . Answer format is not limited.

Is a fixed-price natural gas or electricity contract likely to save money?
The answer to this question will vary considerably by state and how utilities are regulated in your area. In New York, ESCOs (Energy Supply Companies) are almost always a ripoff for consumers versus the old-style regulated utility (in NY the utility supply markups are tightly regulated, but ESCOs are less regulated).  You also need to really understand the marketplace rules for "locking in" a price. If you can lock in the July price for natural gas for a year, that rocks. There are other factors as well. But even then its a real bet, since weather and supply factors can have a dramatic effect on gas prices in the winter. IMO, the best bet is to run with the market rates and bank the efficiency improvements that you build into your home over time. Some utilities offer "budget plans" that smooth out your payments without interest -- I'd recommend that route if predictable bills are your goal.