posted on February 2, 2001 07:23:43 PM new
Anyone gotten a heating bill lately? I'm petrified. Mine run from the 15th through to the 14th. My last one was $236 (about twice as high as it's ever been). Well, the people in town whose bills run from the 1st through to the end of the month have started getting their most recent bills. My mother-in-law (retired, basically lives on social security) got a heating bill of $585!!! Another friend got one of $677!!
posted on February 2, 2001 07:27:38 PM new
I live in the San Fracisco East Bay. Normal power bill used to run $85-$125. Just got the current bill today - $325. Owwwwwww!
posted on February 2, 2001 08:14:31 PM new
My parents are retired farmers living in Alberta. They still own the farm but now live in town. They have the land rented out during the summer but it sits idle most of the winter. Anyway, they still keep the heat on in the house and various farm buildings to prevent damage from freezing water lines, etc...
They use natural gas and the provincial government just approved a price increase of up to 50%. The increase should be present on the next bill. Their last bill was $1300, not sure how they are going to manage the bill once the price increase takes place...
posted on February 3, 2001 05:33:40 AM new
My grandma, also living alone and on social security got her bill for $398.
My sister's grandma-in-law had a stroke and had to be put in a home so her in-laws have been taking care of her home. They lowered the heat down to 50. They got the bill and it was $170!! With NOBODY living there and the heat turned down. Ridiculous.
posted on February 3, 2001 05:54:35 AM new
My last bill was $232, about $100 more than it's ever been. I paid $160 of it, and am wondering how high the next one is going to be. I think the gas company here gives you until April or May to have your account caught up, and you have to pay at least 1/3 of the total each month.
There is assistance for low income, your gas company should be able to tell you how to apply.
Don't even ask me what it is costing me in gas to run my '85 Astro van. I don't run around near as much as I used to.
posted on February 3, 2001 06:06:24 AM new
Meya...you live in Ohio? I do and I don't know if you heard about this or not...whoever the gods are that pass new laws around here have passed a "law" that the gas co. in Ohio CANNOT turn anyone's gas off during the winter months (because of these high gas bills). My Dec. bill was $230.00 (just my hubby & I here) and Jan. was $275.00. They will get $100.00 a month from me till it is paid off.
posted on February 3, 2001 06:15:24 AM new
Hi Nana...yes, we're in Northern Ohio. I'm just thankful that we can pay the bill, there are many who just don't have that kind of money each month. We live on one income, but we don't have to struggle to get by. The little bit I may make on eBay helps with school lunches and pocket money, not much else.
Our local paper did some interviews back when the first high bills came out. Many folks had to decide what to do without in order to pay even a partial payment.
I saw the news story about the gas company not being able to shut you off. At least the state took care of that.
Actually, for the size of our home, after hearing how high some bills were, I think we did ok. We live in an older 2 story, 4 bedrooms, living room, family room, dining room, 2 1/2 baths, and an attic with not much insulation.
posted on February 3, 2001 06:32:41 AM new
Meya, Northern Ohio here also (well a little south of Cleveland) and your home sounds like mine minus one bedroom. Yes, I too am thankful to be able to pay these bills, just not all at once lol.
posted on February 3, 2001 07:47:36 AM new
That is interesting - but what happens about April? If you have not paid by the next heating season will they turn you back on?
Or will they require a big deposit or some such tactic next fall?
Our gas in MI is deregulated this April so next winter our condo association will raise the association fee I am sure. At least a large building is very effecient to heat.
posted on February 3, 2001 09:24:55 AM new
gravid - "That is interesting - but what happens about April? If you have not paid by the next heating season will they turn you back on?" Well....they cannot turn it off in the first place....catch up will take place when warmer weather starts. Not sure about other states.
posted on February 3, 2001 12:23:39 PM new
Well my Dec/Jan bill was 150 which was about twice my usual. Turned the thermostat down about 3 degrees, and next month when the bill came it was for only 27. Dont understand how that happened but i am happy.
posted on February 3, 2001 02:11:14 PM new
Last time this thread came up, I suggested contacting your gas company about setting up a budget or even averaged billing. If you can't pay your entire bill at one time, then that is the way to do it, to avoid getting shut off, or having you turned over to collections. It only makes sense.
posted on February 3, 2001 02:46:17 PM new
Rosibud, I have been married 35 yrs and have had to deal with the utility companies for all those years. I think I know what to do, but thanks. In Ohio, as long as you are making some kind of payments you won't get turned into collections and whether you can make monthly payments or not, they cannot turn off the gas, which is a god-send to the hundreds (many hundreds) of ppl that just lost their jobs in this state.
posted on February 3, 2001 03:24:10 PM new
After my aunt got her gas bill she called and asked about the budget. They told her it would be $175 a month. What?! That is a budget? I can't imagine paying that much in the summer time! No thanks!
posted on February 3, 2001 03:53:59 PM new
nanastuff ~ You're welcome. In the meantime, please remember that not ALL states are like Ohio. What laws are in place in Ohio are certainly not in place in other states, unless it is a federal law. Because many utility companies DO turn unpaid amounts, including rollovers, into collections, on a daily basis. It is not wise to take it upon yourself to pay X amount, and take it for granted that the utility will be nice w/out contacting the utility and having a "preapproval" for the budget that you are setting up. That was my point. Your idea and solution would be perfect, if all utilities were run those those in Ohio, but they're not.
posted on February 3, 2001 04:09:18 PM new
kiki2 ~ budget billing is typically where they spread your payments out over 3-4 months. Averaged is where they spread them out over the 12 month period. Budget billing would have high bills, such as what you're describing. Average billing would be considerably less. The only way the amount quoted would be that high, on average billing, is if she used an incredibly high amount of gas during the entire 12 months.
posted on February 3, 2001 09:07:48 PM new
rosiebud....again, ty. I was not talking about the rest of the country (if you would re-read the thread). You are making more of this than I stated. Meya and I were talking about Ohio. Gas bills are VERY high; I do believe what kiki2 said and no it does not have to be an incredible amount of gas. You are giving sound advise, but most of us REALLY do know what to do and need no judgements. No one here has really asked for any advice; we are just conversing about a mutual problem.
And BTW... in Ohio, BUDGET billing is spread over a 12 month period....never heard of "average billing".
[ edited by nanastuff on Feb 3, 2001 09:16 PM ]
posted on February 4, 2001 09:50:44 AM new
nanastuff ~ first of all, I was not aware that everyone involved in this thread, resided in ohio. Secondly, my original post did not address you, specifically.. it was for general information purposes. The information that I gave is good in all 50 states, not just one. So please do not feel that I intruded upon yours and Meya's conversation or addressed you specifically with my first post, because that was not the case. Thirdly, you may know what you're doing, but not everyone has had 35 years of experience with utility companies. Some auction users (ie: auction watch users and lurkers) are young and just starting out and do not have all the experience that you have and may not know that their utilities have different programs for different needs.
No one here has really asked for any advice; we are just conversing about a mutual problem.
Granted, no one did ask for advice, but there was a lot of it being thrown around before I originally posted (ie: how to pay your bills and shut off dates, etc), therefore the post that I made was not out of line, with everything else that was being said in this tread.
BTW: In parts of Arizona, California there was only averaged billing (re: a 12 month period) which is what it's called in those particular parts of those states. In Arkansas, Louisanna, parts of Oklahoma, and Missouri, there are both Budget and Average Billings (as defined in my earlier post). Once again, each state is different...... and more accurately, each natural energy company is different and since, sometimes, states can have 2-3 (or more) 'gas' companies within them, each will have a different policy.
[ edited by rosiebud on Feb 4, 2001 11:07 AM ]
