Author Topic: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.  (Read 5321 times)

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Offline asdf2231

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I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« on: February 23, 2009, 10:27:07 AM »
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x8547605

Quote
lildreamer316  (1000+ posts)        Mon Feb-23-09 08:57 AM
Original message
I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
Husband has been out of work since Sept. We raided an IRA I have; but we already put a huge dent in it and I can't take any more out witout collapsing it...and the money wouldn't get here soon enough anyway.

The electric company wants a $350 deposit and a $300 payment by Thursday to keep our power on.

Husband found a small job that started this weekend, but they won't pay him until the end of the month.

Electric will not take a payment plan because we've had so many before.
So, we're screwed.

I called about LIHEAP but so far am getting red tape. I think there may be an emergency fund but I'm not sure.

I have no idea what we're going to do..we do not have this money. AND I have a five year old in the house. No family close (three hours away), my friends all live in one bedroom apartments.

This absolutely and completely sucks.

I'll try to keep up with you guys until the cut me off. We have a laptop so I should be able to find a place to post from aftewards..wherever we are.

What do I do with my food in the freezer? We've been eating off that. I don't think I have a cooler big enough. I'ma see if I can hunt one down.

Well, wish us luck. I hope I can figure something out.
How about figuring out that you have to pay your bills on time. DUmbass.

Quote
lildreamer316  (1000+ posts)        Mon Feb-23-09 10:45 AM
Response to Original message
10. UPDATE!!! THANK YOU for all the kind replies!!
 Husband spend the last 40 some min. on the phone to the company (while I was working the cell on the advice of lovely DUers here); and got them to agree to a payment plan, with $300 starting next Monday. I think we can do that (he has a couple of bar gigs between now and then). It's going to be to be tight but I think we will make it.

I am still going to work on some of the resources that you all so generously provided.

I love you all, and thank you so much for your care and concern.
I am certain that a third share or a quarter share of whatever the hell they pay a 3rd rate garage band to perform at a bar is more than your husband could make at a real job, so KUDOS!
:thumbs:



 




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Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life...

Offline Carl

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2009, 10:51:41 AM »
How much could they owe and how did they get there?

Sounds like they knew they couldn`t pay yet still ran the A/C full bore or similar.

Offline Lord Undies

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2009, 10:57:16 AM »
How much could they owe and how did they get there?

Sounds like they knew they couldn`t pay yet still ran the A/C full bore or similar.

Power companies don't fool around.  Most of them send out a shut-off notice if the bill is ten days overdue.  It's the nature of the business. 

My guess is this Little Goon is late on a regular basis and the power company is tired of carrying the weight. 

Offline Carl

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2009, 11:05:53 AM »
Power companies don't fool around.  Most of them send out a shut-off notice if the bill is ten days overdue.  It's the nature of the business. 

My guess is this Little Goon is late on a regular basis and the power company is tired of carrying the weight. 

Going by the figures cited (probably untrue) they owe several hundred dollars.
It said they used some IRA (probably untrue) since Sept and as you say a power company isn`t going to give you a long time without dropping the hammer so it sounds like their bill is at least a couple hundred or more/month.
Is this typical for many places?

Offline thundley4

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2009, 11:06:47 AM »
This has got to be a bouncy.  Power companies don't require a deposit to be paid to keep the electricity from being shut off.  They require one for the initial "turning on" and if you've had the power shut off for non-payment.  I

Offline BlueStateSaint

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2009, 11:07:43 AM »
I didn't know performers in a gay sex show could make that kind of money.

:lmao: :rotf: :lmao: :rotf: :lmao: :rotf:

I very nearly sprayed the flat-screen at work with baked ziti when I read that.  H5!
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Offline Texacon

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2009, 11:10:01 AM »
Good thing it still had an internet connection .... otherwise it would have been turned off due to lack of information from the DUmmies.   :whatever:

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Offline Toastedturningtidelegs

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2009, 11:10:31 AM »
Quote
lildreamer316  (1000+ posts)        Mon Feb-23-09 08:57 AM
Original message
I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
Husband has been out of work since Sept. We raided an IRA I have; but we already put a huge dent in it and I can't take any more out witout collapsing it...and the money wouldn't get here soon enough anyway.

The electric company wants a $350 deposit and a $300 payment by Thursday to keep our power on.

Husband found a small job that started this weekend, but they won't pay him until the end of the month.

Electric will not take a payment plan because we've had so many before.
So, we're screwed.

I called about LIHEAP but so far am getting red tape. I think there may be an emergency fund but I'm not sure.

I have no idea what we're going to do..we do not have this money. AND I have a five year old in the house. No family close (three hours away), my friends all live in one bedroom apartments.

This absolutely and completely sucks.

I'll try to keep up with you guys until the cut me off. We have a laptop so I should be able to find a place to post from aftewards..wherever we are.

What do I do with my food in the freezer? We've been eating off that. I don't think I have a cooler big enough. I'ma see if I can hunt one down.

Well, wish us luck. I hope I can figure something out.
The only way the power company wouldn't except arrangements is if you've made arrangements in the past and not fulfilled them! Has it ever occurred to this dummie to shut the damn cable and internet down then pay the power company? :whatever:
Call me "Asshole" One more time!

Offline Chris_

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2009, 11:12:32 AM »
Power companies don't fool around.  Most of them send out a shut-off notice if the bill is ten days overdue.  It's the nature of the business. 

My guess is this Little Goon is late on a regular basis and the power company is tired of carrying the weight. 

You must be in a different part of the universe than I am, milord.  

We have Exel Energy providing both power and natural gas, and at times when I've been laid off, we've stacked up 2-3 months worth of billing cycles in the Past Due column on occasion, before they start sending disconnect notices.


Even when we've stacked up a couple of months of past due amounts though, I've never seen a $300 - $600 utility bill (gas and electric included).
« Last Edit: February 23, 2009, 11:15:05 AM by DefiantSix »
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Offline Lord Undies

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2009, 11:13:07 AM »
Going by the figures cited (probably untrue) they owe several hundred dollars.
It said they used some IRA (probably untrue) since Sept and as you say a power company isn`t going to give you a long time without dropping the hammer so it sounds like their bill is at least a couple hundred or more/month.
Is this typical for many places?

If my bill is less than $200.00, I'm thrilled.  I got a $600.00 bill in August of '07.  It doesn't take long to send a lot of money.  

Offline AllosaursRus

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2009, 11:34:14 AM »
My bill in the winter runs $250-$300! I live in N. Idaho and we frequently get below zero temps for weeks in a row. As I have electric heat, it's pretty easy to run the bill up.

Also if you have a child in the house up here they cannot turn your power off. I've never heard of the power company not taking a payment plan, no matter how much you've ****ed up before.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2009, 11:40:03 AM »
Summer time, even with running the A/C, we rarely break a hundred a month for utilities.  In winter, when we go through more gas - using the gas fireplace in addition to the furnace - it runs in the neighborhood of $150 or so per month.

The bill that really fluctuates seasonally on me is the water bill.  We usually run about $90 a month in the summer, and about $30 a month in the winter.
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline Odin's Hand

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2009, 12:02:26 PM »
Quote
I called about LIHEAP but so far am getting red tape.

It is hilarious that big-gubmint bureaucracy is compounding the situation of this retard freezing. You voted for this type of ideology, asshole. You get to reap the harvest...
« Last Edit: February 23, 2009, 12:06:02 PM by Odin's Hand »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2009, 12:09:28 PM »
Wait a second!!!! 

1) Isn't this sort of nonsense supposed to have stopped on January 20th???? His Most Merciful Our New Fuhrer is supposed to pay all debts, public and private.

2) In the absence of 1), why aren't the compassionate lefties -- a few who own multiple houses and who claim to have high 5 and 6 figure incomes -- chipping in to help out????  Soul Energy generates not a joule of power.  Where is your Care, DUmmies? Where is your HUMANITY?  You must be EEEVVVVILLL if you don't voluntarily do what you would have the government do at the point of a gun -- transfer funds from those who have to those who need!!
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline DumbAss Tanker

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2009, 12:16:47 PM »
Going by the figures cited (probably untrue) they owe several hundred dollars.
It said they used some IRA (probably untrue) since Sept and as you say a power company isn`t going to give you a long time without dropping the hammer so it sounds like their bill is at least a couple hundred or more/month.
Is this typical for many places?

It varies a lot from place to place, not just with what sort of appliance and HVAC setup you have, but also with how your utility generates electricity, what they have to pay for what they roll in from the grid over thatm and how much other overhead they have to cover.  If the DUmmie is from a cooler spot and a heavily-electric household (Heat especially), the $300 is by no means an untoward monthly bill.
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Offline Carl

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2009, 12:19:23 PM »
It varies a lot from place to place, not just with what sort of appliance and HVAC setup you have, but also with how your utility generates electricity, what they have to pay for what they roll in from the grid over thatm and how much other overhead they have to cover.  If the DUmmie is from a cooler spot and a heavily-electric household (Heat especially), the $300 is by no means an untoward monthly bill.

Mine runs between 65 and 100 dollars/month but I use very little electricity so was curious what would be typical and how that might relate.

Offline Ree

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2009, 03:10:07 PM »
But why a deposit to keep the power on?
In Tennessee. I came down here to get warm,froze my arse off since I got here..
Just my luck... ;-P

Offline Chris_

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2009, 03:12:53 PM »
But why a deposit to keep the power on?

I know that when you bounced a check with City of Mesa's Public utility, they made you pay a deposit in order to keep the juice on.  Maybe that's what's going on here?
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Offline rich_t

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2009, 03:16:34 PM »
Amazing....

Can't pay the electirc bill, but can still afford internet access and a cell phone.

 :bird: :loser:
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Offline djones520

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2009, 03:20:41 PM »
She can come up with $50 a month to pay the internet bill though.   ::)
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Offline Texacon

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #20 on: February 23, 2009, 03:22:07 PM »
DUmmies have convinced themselves that cell phones and internet connection are necessities.  It won't be long and they will be calling them rights that should be funded by those of us who work.

KC
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*Stolen

Offline RobJohnson

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #21 on: February 23, 2009, 03:23:16 PM »
But why a deposit to keep the power on?

Maybe if it ended up being shut off, they would need the prior bill paid, plus a new deposit?

Most places cant shut you off during the winter, but winter is about over.

Sounds like they just extended the $300 payment until Monday, not really a payment plan.

Sounds like the guy is taking any type of work he can find, I will give him credit for that.  :cheersmate:
« Last Edit: February 23, 2009, 03:27:00 PM by RobJohnson »

Offline LC EFA

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #22 on: February 23, 2009, 03:24:51 PM »
You must be in a different part of the universe than I am, milord.  

We have Exel Energy providing both power and natural gas, and at times when I've been laid off, we've stacked up 2-3 months worth of billing cycles in the Past Due column on occasion, before they start sending disconnect notices.


Even when we've stacked up a couple of months of past due amounts though, I've never seen a $300 - $600 utility bill (gas and electric included).

I get quarterly bills for electricity. The last one ran to over $300 for the first time ever. This is with one AC running 24/7 and an electric hot water system that doesn't run on an off-peak circuit.

Offline Texacon

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #23 on: February 23, 2009, 03:28:57 PM »
Maybe if it ended up being shut off, they would need the prior bill paid, plus a new deposit?

Most places cant shut you off during the winter, but winter is about over.

Sounds like the guy is taking any type of work he can find, I will give him credit for that.  :cheersmate:

The question would be; When did it start looking for any type of work?  Couldn't find something since SEPTEMBER?  I don't believe that for a minute unless it was the drug test it was worried about.

KC
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Offline asdf2231

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Re: I think my electricity is going to get turned off. I'm scared.
« Reply #24 on: February 23, 2009, 03:39:38 PM »
She can come up with $50 a month to pay the internet bill though.   ::)

Well YEAH!

Her shiftless hosebond has to keep updating his unemployment status to get the checks they were paying him to sit around on his ass to collect SOMEHOW doesn't he?

Why do you hate America?

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Build a man a fire and he will be warm for awhile.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life...