Saturday, January 22, 2011

Power Bill $200

I knew rates had increased with the power company. I knew the trailer park people told me their bill was astonishingly high. But I put that aside in my mind until I found out my bill for the month--a whopping bill, close to $200. When this is combined with the 7% increase in water/sewer rates and gas price increases now at $3.19 per gallon, how is one to survive?

I called the power company. The woman was apologetic over the increases but there's nothing that can be done.

How do they get away with raising rates so high?

I tried to call my brother but no answer. I left him a message stating I can't afford to live here any longer.

It's true. I've been struggling here for ages and now it seems impossible to go on.

I can't pay the bill. I told the power company that and that I can't sustain living here, but cannot afford to move elsewhere either and I have all these cats.

I already wash dishes and most laundry in cold water. I already take a shower only every other day. What else do I do? I'm sure something is malfunctioning probably the furnace or hot water heater, which is very old. For now, the hot water is getting shut off. My clothes can wash in cold water. I can take cold showers. I can do without lights and use flashlights and battery powered lights. The TV is on a power strip that is shut down when the TV isn't on. Same with the computer. I just tossed the second phone, that useless mobile that rings in the background when I'm talking. It too took power.

I will no longer use the dryer. It's hard, because I don't have many clothes and they take forever to hang dry. FOOOOREEEVER. And towels, you can forget about towels ever drying in here. I have to get the bill cut down. I can't do anything about the duct system which may be leaking heat under the house, or the furnace if it isn't working efficiently. That's beyond my league.

I will borrow to pay this bill and hopefully next month, by severely limiting power use, I can get back somewhat financially. But I can't live here much longer because I cannot afford the place. I don't know what to do. The power company isn't going to ever lower rates. They don't do that. Water/sewer rates are not going to magically decrease either here.

I can't imagine how people are suffering right now, with the basic services massive price increases then the gas prices going up too. It's enough to knock people like me off the cliff. Doesn't take much when you live right on the edge in the first place.

Greed is an ugly thing. It hurts people.

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