Over 100,000 gallons of buying power -- and growing.

Propane Club

237 Spruce Valley Drive

Justin, TX  76247-1568

 

For more info, email

The way propane should be purchased!
Home How It Works Propane Economics Join / Renew About Us Comments Our Providers Supplier Info

 

Discount  Propane

How it Works

 


 

Membership starts in September of each year and runs through the end of August, allowing you to buy at the negotiated rate for the year (a "cost plus" plan;  in addition, we usually get a lock-in from 9/1 through 3/31).

 

After the lock-in, or for members joining after the lock-in, you will be on a cost-plus basis through the end of August.  Savings vary, but are usually from 50 cents to $1 per gallon (that's $100 - $200 on a 200 gallon fill-up).  Renew by the deadline (typically, 8/31), and you'll be eligible for a lock-in for the next year.

 

If you own your tank, you can switch as soon as we process your application.  If you rent your tank, after we process your application the new provider will contact you about swapping rental tanks  (the owner of a tank is the only one who may fill it).

 


 

A non-member reported paying $4.38 a gallon in early 2008.  Members at the time were paying $1.50.  This isn't typical, but our savings have been the greatest when we get a lock-in.

(Savings for 200 gallons:  $576!)

 

Another reported $4.63 in January of 2010.  We were paying about $2.45 on a cost-plus basis.

(Savings for 200 gallons:  $436!)

 

Even without a lock-in, we are provided a quantity discount, so we're still saving money.

 

 

New members can join now and get a special $1.90 rate through 8/31/2007, and then get the $1.50 rate in September.  This special expires 8/31/2007.

Click to join or re-enroll now, or you may send us an e-mail for more information.

 

 

Our club:

 

Costs only $40 annually*

 

You may leave at any time (but why would you?)

 

Why it works:

  • Propane is usually lower in the summer when demand is extremely low, but can double in price during the peak winter months when most people need propane the most.
     

  • When market conditions allow (which is almost always), we negotiate to get a winter lock-in price each summer while the rates are low**, and choose the best provider for the upcoming winter.  They pre-buy our propane for the next year to lock-in our price.  That's why the enrollment period is such a short time -- they buy all our propane in the off-season.  (Don't you wish we could do that with gasoline?)  Even if we don't lock in, we use our buying power to negotiate a discount rate -- typically 50 cents to $1 below market.
     

  • You will pay the negotiated cost-plus rate from September 1st through the expiration period, typically the middle of August.  If you are on a lock-in, it expires 3/31, and then converts to cost-plus for the remainder of the club year (through 8/31).  (One of our members with a very large tank saved about $700 on a single fill-up of 900 gallons.)
     

  • A credit card must be on file to charge your fill-up, unless other arrangements are made.
     

  • We then negotiate again for the next year!

 

Conditions:

  • You must be in the service area of the propane company we choose each year.   See the map on the home page for details, and e-mail us if you have any questions about eligibility.
     

  • You must own your own tank or rent one from the provider we select (250 gallon minimum, 100 gallon minimum fill-up).   We will give priority each year to the current provider to try to keep our members who rent their tanks from having to change.  (If you own your own tank, you can fill-up from anyone you choose.  If your tank is rented, you must use the owner of the tank.)  Our provider will rent you a tank, and, if your tank is new enough, swap the fuel from the old tank to theirs.  There is no charge for the swapping of the tanks, just the fuel you buy to fill the new tank!
     

  • You need an estimate of the total gallons you used in the previous year.  This allows our provider to lock-in enough propane for us.
     

  • There is an annual membership fee (see membership forms) to cover the costs of maintaining our membership lists, this web site, advertising, and other expenses.  You may leave at any time.  You agree to notify us if you change your e-mail address.
     

  • Within 10 days of membership, cancel your "keep-full" agreement with your previous provider (if applicable) and contact your new provider to set-up deliveries.  We cannot switch your provider for you, as your previous provider would not accept a cancellation from us.  Failure to switch providers will result in cancellation of membership with no refund.  (We will remind you to do so when we send you a confirmation e-mail.)

     

  • While you are encouraged to share the good news of the Propane Club with your friends, the lock-in price is confidential, and anyone revealing it to a propane company will have their membership cancelled (with no refund) and be permanently banned from the club.
     

  • While we now have a "will-call program, the default is "keep-full," where our provider fills your tank whenever they are in your area.  While the "keep-full" program is extremely convenient, you should always know how much propane is in your tank, especially during the high-usage winter months.  If you are running low (20% in summer, 30% in winter), you should call your provider so you don't run out.
     

  • After signing-up for the club, your name and address will be provided to our current propane provider.  It is your responsibility to establish an account with that provider, as you will pay them directly.  You are purchasing propane from the provider, not us.  However, if you accidentally get charged the regular amount (it occasionally happens -- they're only human), we will be happy to assist in getting your bill corrected.
     

  • Membership procedures, transfers, and rules are determined by a mutual agreement between us and our providers.  Most are explained here, but we cannot detail all the intricate details on a website, so other conditions may apply.
     

  • Provide authorization to our provider for us to have access to your account.  This will allow us to contact our provider on your behalf.
     

  • Payment must be made by a credit card on file with the provider, unless you make other arrangements with them.
     

  • You must have a valid e-mail address.  No, we're not harvesting e-mail addresses, and we don't share them with anyone but our service provider.  It's simply expensive and time consuming to mail updates and renewal reminders.
     

  • If your property is locked by gate or key, you are required to provide the provider with a key or code to that gate.
     

  • If you have dogs or other animals that appear unfriendly to the driver, you may be required to leash them for deliveries.  If you would like a call from the driver before they arrive so you may meet them, they'll be glad to accommodate that request ... just contact our supplier.
     

  • You agree we may use your name and/or company name in advertising.

     

Cancellation:

 

As the club has grown from our origin (all of whom were friends who joined together to save money on propane), we've experienced the inevitable -- 2 or 3 individuals who want to get the benefits of the club without joining us.  We won't go into details on how they did it, but we're changing the policy to prevent it.  99% of us enjoy the savings provided by the club;  we're not going to let 2 or 3 mess us up.  Therefore, the following policies have been adopted:

 

  • You may stop deliveries at any time by notifying your provider and the club.
     

  • You may cancel your membership and get a refund under the following conditions:
     

    • This is valid ONLY for persons who joined or renewed without having the lock-in amount available to them and are displeased with the amount after being notified of same.  It does NOT apply if the member knew the lock-in amount at time of joining / renewal, nor for members purchasing during the "cost-plus" time.  It is not available after purchasing propane at the club rate.
       

    • Refund request must be mailed to the address above and postmarked within (a) 10 calendar days of notification of the lock-in rate for the year (usually provided by mid-September), or (b) October 1st, whichever comes first.  (For new members after 8/31, joining for the current season, the date will be 10 days after membership date, if a lock-in is available after 8/31.  Normally, it is not.)  The lock-in rate is sent via e-mail, and we are not responsible for e-mails that do not make it to your inbox.  If you have not received lock-in info by mid-September (10 days for new members as per above), contact us to determine the lock-in rate. 
       

    • Include your name and address, and state you acknowledge the cancellation restrictions.
       

    • Members (and their household) canceling will not be allowed membership back into the club.
       

    • Members who do not renew (but do not cancel) will be not be allowed to re-join for 3 years.
       


 

What's the catch?

 

There is none, except for a few "conditions" we follow (above).  Amazingly, some people don't sign up because it seems too good to be true.  However, if you read through the plan, you'll see it makes sense for our provider (guaranteed business) as well as the members (substantial savings).

 

The only way you could lose?  If you just don't use propane.  Or, if prices dropped during the winter, which is unlikely.  Even though it hasn't happened, our members tell us they'd rather pay a few cents more per gallon and know what they'll pay instead of being at the mercy of a runaway market.  (That has yet to happen.)

 

(If you save 50 cents per gallon, the first 80 gallons will pay your membership fee!  We've seen savings from 30 cents to $2.88 per gallon, depending upon the season.)

 

 

Lock-in

 

The lock-in is determined by each of the propane companies we use, not us.  It's very simple:  If they feel they can lock-in and save us all money, they do.  If not, they don't.  We typically receive a lock-in rate in mid-September.

 

You'll notice, unlike pre-buy plans, we have no pre-pay.  We decided to go the "lock" route because most people can't afford to pay for an entire year's propane up-front.  When the propane company locks in, their supplier charges them about 20 cents a gallon.  So, if we're paying $2.00, the lock-in at the same rate would cost us $2.20.

 

That's great when propane goes to $3 - $4, as it has in the past, and we're locked-in at a lower price.  But, if the market conditions are unstable, they don't want to lock-in at $2.00 and then not have the price increase, or, even worse, have it drop.

 

If the price stayed the same, we'd be paying a 20 cent premium for the lock, which would be absurd.  If the price drops, the gas is even more expensive.

 

Therefore, in extreme market conditions, we may not get a lock-in.  This has happened only once during the history of the club.

 

 


 

Click here to join!

  


 

* Single address, price subject to change without notice.

 

** A "lock-in" is established when market conditions allow;  otherwise, a cost-plus plan will be implemented.  We have never failed to get a lock-in with Poor Boys LP Gas, LLC, as our provider.

 

 

Nor

Copyright © 2007  and

  

Save on discount propane in all or portions of Dallas County, Ellis County, Hill County, Johnson County, and Tarrant County, including Abbott (76621),  Aledo (76008), Alma (75119), Alvarado (76009), Aquilla (76622), Avalon (76623), Axtell (76624), Bardwell (75101), Barry (75102),  Bellaire Park North (76132), Bellmead (76705), Ben Hur (76642), Benbrook (75100-76199), Blum (76627), Brandon (76628), Briar Oaks (76028), Burleson (76028, 76097), Bynum (76631), Carl's Corner (76670), Cayote, Cedar Hill (75104, 75106), Celina (75009), Chalk Mountain (76649), Cleburne (76031, 76033), Clifton (76634), Corsicana (75109, 75110, 75151), Cottonwood (75158), Covington (76636), Cross Timber (76028), Crowley (76036), Decordova, Edgecliff Village, Ennis (75119, 75120), Ferris (75125), Forreston, Fort Worth / Ft. Worth (southern), Frost (76641), Garrett (75119), Gholson (76705), Glen Rose (76043), Godley (76044), Granbury (76048, 76049), Grandview (76050), Hillsboro (76645), Hubbard (76648), Hulen Bend, Hulen Heights (76107), Hutchins (75141), Italy (76651), Itasca (76055), Joshua (76058), Keene (76059), Kopperl (76652), Lacy-Lakeview (76705), Lancaster (75134, 75146), Leroy (76654), Long Branch (75167), Malone (76660), Mansfield (76063), Maypearl (76064), Meadows West, Meridian (76665), Mertens (76666), Midlothian (76065), Milford (76670), Mira Vista, Morgan (76671), Mt. Calm (76673), Nemo (76070), Oak Leaf (75154), Ovilla (75154), Palmer (75152), Panther Heights, The Parks of Deer Creek (76140), Pecan Hill (75165), Pecan Plantation (76049), Penelope (76676), Poolville (75119), Rainbow, Red Oak (75154), Rendon (76140), Rio Vista (76093), Ross (76684), Rosser (76487), Scurry, Telico (75120), Venus (76084), Walnut Springs (76690), Waxahachie (75165, 75167), West (76691), Whitney (76692), Wilmer (75172), Wilmer-Hutchins, and vicinity.  Our provider is Poor Boys LP Gas, LLC.  We are no longer associated with HILCO Propane or Ferrellgas.  HILCO is a registered trademark of HILCO Electric Cooperative, Inc. and/or HILCO United Services.