I hate these bills...you never can really read them. I just about sh*t when my gas and electric bill was $340...for one person...with no lights on and the heat set at 55. This was after estimating my bill and not taking an actual reading in the past 8 months. I didn't pay the bill...and when it came with the next month, that month was $150 and the amount past due had mysteriously gone from $340 down to $250. I figure if I don't pay it for the next three months, maybe it will disappear altogether.
Rob I called them and complained about some things that the meter reader had been doing, I had spoken to him about it. I think this was his way of exacting revenge. He had been mostly guessing amounts, then he went to my parents house and threatened to double their bill if they didnt trim their hedge. They had just moved there so it wasnt neglect on their part, but my dad tried to trim the hedge and fell off the ladder. They assured me that is not their policy to threaten. But I said as long as the meter guy was saying it and he was making threats while being employed by them, he did represent them.. Needless to say, I got a lot of adjustments, my folks got an apology and we got a different meter reader. They went back several months and he had been misreading and I was being over charged.
Nic, I don't know:) Bridget, it was a shocker to me! Thank you for commenting. I would have taken it further if they hadn't immediately handled it. But they were really nice about. Fear does that to public utilties!Thanks Sandra
tomi, I was just offering my hearfelt suggestions to one of my closest friends. Well fine, if you want to run the microwave 24 hours a day then it's okay with me. oh, BTW, one more comment like the one above and i'm afraid you gonna get flagged for adult content.
My goodness tomi, what kind of appliances these days still run on battery power. I'll bet you got some kind of big mega watt rechargable system for them. That's probably what's using all the current. Ever thought of taking a day off?
My goodness no. I'm working on reducing the size of my green footprint.
I just hope this doesn't turn into some kind of addiction where you start selling things to purchase more kilowatt hours to run those mystery appliances.
Mark as soon as I phoned and gave my name, they knew who I was. They had caught the bill and it was never supposed to be mailed. I think recieving an electric bill over $7,000 put me in a state of shock for a time.
Ron, I can't beleive you actually said "my goodness" to me. I've told you, I'm into the barter system :) Tit for tat, now run with that one, Mr Jolly Green Giant.
My goodness! Now I'm blushing, either that or this damn flannel is throwing me into a heat stroke. Did you mean fair trade or far trade? As I remember you dont like to commute(lawn care article)
Doria, there is that one moment of what the, then panic, then anger, and finally the action hormones kick in. This time is was the reason-with-them and not the homicidal hormones :)
I would have had a heart attack if I opened a bill that large. It was bad enough when I got one for almost $1,000 on my first bill here. We had some straightening out to do ourselves. Thank goodness they adjusted it for you without a problem. Now they just have to take care of your meter reader.
Jennifer, I didn't feel guilty at all turning him end. I was really upset about my dad falling like that, he was 76 at the time, plus all those months of me being overcharged.
Hey There everybody! Just got home , slipped out of and into comfy stuff and have catchi' up. I was wondering what is the name of th electric company there? Sad to say but our by-state area is getting hit really hard with rate hikes. Everyone is fighting it tho, but in the meantime, it is nothing for a small buisiness in one state to get a $1,500.00 bill, after paying maybe 4oo.oo to 500.00. Our local utility co. got "hit" hard via some really nasty storms, they were not Ready to repair the damage and millions around here went with out power and heat , some for up to three weeks. While of course they show record profits, they wa, wa about cost and claim they need the money to "trim the trees'. No more iced wires. AND Previously, one of the most kick -a rivers for floats, pure water, not to mention several scenic attractions, (very necessary for a small town to survive as it brings in lots of tourists that we get to say "howdy Y"all" to while they look at us and wonder if we are really good-looking in-breds or not, (just kidding we are sooo nice to them, after all they come from the LAND OF INDOOR PLUMBING! Anyway , a damn they are responsible for broke and sent 30 billion gallons of water down our mts. and knocked a rangers house flat off the foundation in the middle of the night, sent him , his family, 2 terrified children and the wife on the most horrlible adventure of their lives. They were sound asleep in one fo the most beautiful parks we have. Well! It was on the news as the TAUM SAULK Damn break, The Park is JOhnson Shut-INs, and the river , MY river,BLack river was infiltrated with everything that type of rushing water could send downstream for miles. This entire area was literally covered in mud and debris. The big GUy works in strange ways, for had this happened in summer the death toll would have reached way up there. You may be able to pull shots up from KMOV4.com St. Louis to view the shots of the area. Perhaps they, the power companies are affiliated.? You will have to go to the archives to really see the destruction. So with all the lawsuits and the costs, all-most everyone figures the rate hikes here are due to this and the storms of these past few years. Of course they should have been ready, they make tons of money but we all know the drill. I have some pictures of my own but can't get them on yet along with some articles, but I do live in a town with a Main Street similiar to Bob Seegar's. It is about I-2 miles long , but we love it. I would most definitly arm my self with a lot of info, and get that sucker back in line! Want me to send you some candles sweetie? Yeah, you look bad, but I see something???? Ellen B.
Ellen, Empire Electric. Rumor has it, they are known for the highest rates in Missouri. Welcome to gather :) I was reading about the dam breaking. Wow!
Hi! Tomi,Thanks for the welcome! Iv' met such great people. I love the personalities. As I learn more I hope to inundate everyone with my wild humor. I hope you can log onto KMOV4.com, and get into their archives. The pics tell some of it. The rangers children were so little, I can't imagine! LIke a Tsunami in the Ozarks. I'll try to check on Empire, Think they are Striking Back? Friend Ellen B.
Yikes! I've had the occasional shock like that... try a several hundred dollar phone bill for calls to Egypt when there is nobody I know even living or travelling in the region never mind some one I would call and spend that much time on the phone with...
Ron:) the appliances I use the most run on batteries. But thanks for the suggestion ... ... so temptingly 'out there' and rife with possibilities...:D
Thanks Ellen, I wish Empire would strike out. They are not so nice if the tables are turned! Kathleen, That would shock me too, specially since I have a block on my phone to prevent any long distance phone calls. Every place I call from my house is long distance except for people in this town and one town 6 miles north. The bigger town where everyone does business is long distance from here. I got a cell phone since it is cheaper in the long run than paying long distance bills from the landline.
According to some cultures, it is not an addiction, but a medical necessity, Its much less healthy to not, than it is to suffer the embarrassment of oh so helpful friends. In other words, feeling constricted is unhealthy, embarrassment I have discovered I can live with, especially since meeting you, Mr Helper. Your OSS
You're lucky you didn't have the DEA, FDA, FBI, and the rest of the Alphabet soup as well as the local drug enforcement commandos kicking in your door to look for a less-than-legal crop! An utility bill like that usually sets off all the alarms!
Tomi, I love it when I read an article and enjoy all of the comments that follow it. If I had gotten a bill like that, the comments in this article would be the thing to keep me from plotting some horrible act against the electric company. Your articles seem to inspire people to write funny comments without losing sight of an event that was serious. The exchanges between you and Ron B. were delightful.
When the electricity goes out in your area, I bet you are one of the few people who is ever prepared for it. Appliances that run on batteries or on both electricity and batteries are good things to have around the house, especially in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane.
Edward, I'm glad you enjoyed it, I had fun with it also. You're right Ron and I do have a certain dialogue that crops out in many of the comment threads. He is a good friend and we have fun with our verbal duels. Especially when I usually win. I keep plenty of batteries, I like to be prepared for any event:) I was one happy camper last winter when our power was out for a week during an icestorm.
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usted it, but I never knew what had happened.
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Comments: 67
How long until the last day of triple points?
Bridget, it was a shocker to me! Thank you for commenting.
I would have taken it further if they hadn't immediately handled it. But they were really nice about. Fear does that to public utilties!Thanks Sandra
oh, BTW, one more comment like the one above and i'm afraid you gonna get flagged for adult content.
But you're close Karen, I almost fainted. Thanks for your comment.
Yes, Ron, I freely admit I am. And You?
I just hope this doesn't turn into some kind of addiction where you start selling things to purchase more kilowatt hours to run those mystery appliances.
I really better leave that comment alone
I think you can figure out the rest.
These comments have been as entertaining as your article. Oh...and I'm all for adhering to Rob's rule of thumb: Don't pay and it'll go away.
Ron:) the appliances I use the most run on batteries. But thanks for the suggestion ...
... so temptingly 'out there' and rife with possibilities...:D
Kathleen, That would shock me too, specially since I have a block on my phone to prevent any long distance phone calls. Every place I call from my house is long distance except for people in this town and one town 6 miles north. The bigger town where everyone does business is long distance from here. I got a cell phone since it is cheaper in the long run than paying long distance bills from the landline.
Yes Kathryn, they adjuststed that bill and went back several months and made adjustments too.
Yep, Michelle and that's exactly what I told them! Thanks for your comment.
Libra on the scorpio cusp? I'm just a dyed-in-the-wool Libra.
When the electricity goes out in your area, I bet you are one of the few people who is ever prepared for it. Appliances that run on batteries or on both electricity and batteries are good things to have around the house, especially in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane.
You're right Ron and I do have a certain dialogue that crops out in many of the comment threads. He is a good friend and we have fun with our verbal duels. Especially when I usually win.
I keep plenty of batteries, I like to be prepared for any event:) I was one happy camper last winter when our power was out for a week during an icestorm.