$187 electric bill for one month--What???

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  1. profile image0
    pgrundyposted 15 years ago

    Electricity has always been expensive where I live (SW Michigan) but I got our electric bill for this month and it was nearly $200. When we first moved in here two years ago we paid around $80-$90 and our house is small--1000 square feet, and we have a pellet stove, only use the washer once or twice a week, and turn off light when not in use blah blah blah. The utility is asking for a rate increase. I don't know what next--we start using candles???  The cost of all the most basic things is rising so fast.

    Is anyone seeing this anywhere else in the U.S.?

    I'm not sure what to do. I mean, we'll pay the bill of course, but this can't go on.

    1. Lady Guinevere profile image67
      Lady Guinevereposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      My daughter just got her gas bill and she didn't tell me how much it was but she said she nearly barfed when she saw how much it was.  She lives in Northwestern Virginia.  She is hardly ever home!

      1. profile image0
        pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        I just read a news article about Cleveland--the water company has hiked thousands of people's quarterly water bills from $40 to $60 up to $800 to $5000. One guy wasn't even home--he was in Florida, and he got a single quarter water bill for $5,000 and they threatened to shut off his service. So his neighbors pitched in and paid the bill so he'd have water--he was an elderly man. When people try to call the Cleveland water department they get a busy signal--they have 79 CSRs and 39 meter readers for 1.5 million households.

        1. Lady Guinevere profile image67
          Lady Guinevereposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          They do that here with the water bills.  Every single May and October they will double our bill saying we are using double the water or that we have a massive leak.  This last time I told my hubby to tell the to come out to my house and see if we have a leak that big--they never showed up.  It is bad when it is like that every single year.

    2. TKIMWRSVC profile image60
      TKIMWRSVCposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Chuckles
      Sorry to laugh, I got a hub about the cost of electricity actually.
      We run about 212$ for a 12 month average, last month was $190 in fact, so your bill sounds ok to me

      1. AEvans profile image73
        AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        Ours was $324.00 so I will take your bill anytime.smile

        1. TKIMWRSVC profile image60
          TKIMWRSVCposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          I would like to know what electric company you are with so I can spread sheet out what the bills run, compared to the companies here.

  2. LondonGirl profile image83
    LondonGirlposted 15 years ago

    that's huge! could there be a fault with your meter?

    We pay about £35 a month for electricity. That doesn't include hot water, heating, or the gas hob, but includes a dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, computers, lights, etc. About $55 to $60, perhaps?

  3. profile image0
    pgrundyposted 15 years ago

    Yes that sounds more sane to me--$50 or $60 a month--that's what I always paid in Indiana, sometimes less. Up here in MI we have wood pellet heat, lights, the stove & fridge, and the washer/dryer which we use lightly.

    I think I will call them. I'll get some CSR who's 20 and wants to shoot herself and can't help me at all but I think I'll do it anyway. This can't be right.

  4. Lady Guinevere profile image67
    Lady Guinevereposted 15 years ago

    Our Electric bill is on a budget plan where they take a whole years worth of bills and then the next year divide them all by 11 and that is our bill.  When we first moved in here it was like $60 a month now it is up to 100 a month.  Before that when we were not on the budget plan we would pay almost $300 for each month of December through Februrary.  We have a woodburning Fireplace.  Our electric is Dishwasher, Washer/Dryer and baseboard heat.  I am home all day.  Most days during the cold winter months I use the fireplace.  Baseboard is almost worthless here but it is high in cost to use..I am in the Eastern Panhandle of WV---35 miles north of my daugher who is in Northwestern Virginia.

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      So you think it is the baseboard heater? We did get an electric oil radiator plug in type heater for Christmas that we put in the bathroom. That heater gives off almost NO heat--geez if that cost us $70 to run for one month I'm gonna set it on fire, no kidding,

  5. LondonGirl profile image83
    LondonGirlposted 15 years ago

    could you switch to a new supplier?

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      No there's only the one. But something will have to change. My brain is working even as I write this. We got the pellet stove because we  could no longer afford heat--last winter heating oil cost us over $3,000 just for December through March and we were COLD. So we got the stove, and that is a lot cheaper. So far we've spent about $600 on pellets and that may get us through to spring, plus the stove itself was $1100---so we already are ahead the first year. Now the electric is going off the chart. We put in a vegetable garden and out water bill went from around $60 to $200, but that was surely the garden--still worth it I think. But it is getting very frustrating, all these basic expenses going off the chart unexpectedly.

      I feel like we will end up like pioneers. Wood fire. Candles. Home grown food. Geez.

  6. LondonGirl profile image83
    LondonGirlposted 15 years ago

    Sounds as if you are paying too much. We pay £350 a year for mains water and sewage / drainage, and about £60 to £70 a month combined for gas and electricity, on average (obviously, much more in the winter, when we have the heating on).

  7. knolyourself profile image60
    knolyourselfposted 15 years ago

    "We did get an electric oil radiator plug in type heater for Christmas that we put in the bathroom. That heater gives off almost NO heat--geez"
    We got three of those. They are great. Get quite warm. The brand is
    'Delonghi'. Sometimes have to some adjusting on the controls if you have em.

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Really? Ours looks like a regular radiator and is filled with oil. You plug it in, it heats the oil, and is supposed to give off heat, but it barely does anything. I wonder if why? Maybe we have it set up wrong or something.

  8. knolyourself profile image60
    knolyourselfposted 15 years ago

    Ours work great. Fact is I have my feet on one now, though don't have it turned on. But it is always there. If it has dials sometime you have to fool with them, although I have never understood them. Ond dial goes from one to five. That is easy. The other goes from one to 24. Don't understand that one, but sometimes moving it around gets it hotter.

  9. profile image0
    sandra rinckposted 15 years ago

    yeah a couple years back I was up in Washington for a while, my electricty bill, didn't have a dishwasher and just a few things, computer, tv, lights and dvd player and of course ps2, we paid not more than 20 bucks a month. 

    A few more months passed I get a bill, over 200 dollars.  I really couldn't believe my eyes and there was no arguing with the utility company either. booo.

    SanDiego, I use to pay about 35$ a month, same things apply but after some point it started creeping, next 37, next...40...then 47...50....then a couple months ago, 89! ??? 

    Then we applied for that care income thing sdge offers to people with low income, to save about 20%, still my bill last month 62$, we too switched out all the lights for green bulbs, use the dishwasher about 2 times a week take short showers etc..you know the deal....

  10. Mighty Mom profile image78
    Mighty Momposted 15 years ago

    Ouch! I'm so sorry to hear that your electric bill is giving you fits, PGrundy. I've experienced that sticker shock both with electric and gas suppliers and lived to tell about it. One thing I do know is they jack up the rates at "peak consumption" times which of course December (holiday lights) is gonna be one. I have found it worthwhile to actually go down to the electric company's headquarters and make my inquiries in person. Not sure if that is possible for you, tho. If nothing else has changed in your home, then the only reasonable explanation is they've jacked up the unit price. Evil, evil, greedy, greedy company.
    Bear in mind, too, that it wouldn't surprise me if electric companies are doing the same thing health insurance companies do. Charging good, paying customers for the growing number of customers who cannot pay. As more people find themselves jobless, they stretch out payments. And electric companies, like other creditors, want their money. If they find themselves facing uncollectible receivables... they do what every other company does. Raise the rates on everybody else.

    Meantime, I'm a bit puzzled that your new heater is not working. I'm a bit puzzled by the entire concept -- it's electricity that powers an oil heater? Why does that sound weird to me??
    Anyway, if you do decide to set it on fire, you know who to call for assistance. Our dear friend the firebug, Christoph:-)

  11. Mighty Mom profile image78
    Mighty Momposted 15 years ago

    Ouch! I'm so sorry to hear that your electric bill is giving you fits, PGrundy. I've experienced that sticker shock both with electric and gas suppliers and lived to tell about it. One thing I do know is they jack up the rates at "peak consumption" times which of course December (holiday lights) is gonna be one. I have found it worthwhile to actually go down to the electric company's headquarters and make my inquiries in person. Not sure if that is possible for you, tho. If nothing else has changed in your home, then the only reasonable explanation is they've jacked up the unit price. Evil, evil, greedy, greedy company.
    Bear in mind, too, that it wouldn't surprise me if electric companies are doing the same thing health insurance companies do. Charging good, paying customers for the growing number of customers who cannot pay. As more people find themselves jobless, they stretch out payments. And electric companies, like other creditors, want their money. If they find themselves facing uncollectible receivables... they do what every other company does. Raise the rates on everybody else.

    Meantime, I'm a bit puzzled that your new heater is not working. I'm a bit puzzled by the entire concept -- it's electricity that powers an oil heater? Why does that sound weird to me??
    Anyway, if you do decide to set it on fire, you know who to call for assistance. Our dear friend the firebug, Christoph:-)

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      MM--I find that concept puzzling too! It LOOKS like a heater, but...

      Lita & Sandra-- I think utility companies around here really are experiencing problems. My eldest daughter, who lives in Indiana about 75 miles south of here, keeps having run ins with the gas company. I've read about the practice of suddenly tacking on deposits in other cities, and also that some cities and billing for service in advance of providing it. I think it was a utility in CA that was doing that.

      Last winter, an elderly woman froze to death in her small home when her heat was shut off by the  gas company. They taped a disconnect notice to her door but it was winter, so it blew off, and when they disconnected she didn't tell a soul, just froze to death. The same winter, a homeless person froze to death on the courthouse steps. She was a former college professors and had fallen victim to a mental illness which put her on the streets. It was her second or third year on the streets and they found her body lying in full view on the court house steps in the morning.

      Sometimes I feel like I'm living in a freakin' Dickens novel. This sh#t has got to stop.

      1. profile image0
        Leta Sposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        Pam-
        This is what is cool about the internet!  We can now tell by chatting with others if it is some vast conspiracy, lol--but info. helps with knowledge.  Truthfully.

        Very interestingly, that is exactly what happened to us just recently.  We were away, forgot to pay the bill.  They usually send out notices through e-mail, but mysteriously, I never received the utility bill.  There was no noticed taped to the door, even though they usually do it.  So our electric was turned off for a day--how pleasant.

        1. LondonGirl profile image83
          LondonGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Do they not need a court order to disconnect you?

  12. profile image0
    Leta Sposted 15 years ago

    Pam-
    I believe the utility companies (at least here highly 'privatized' and for-profit industries) are also feeling the economic crunch, and grasping at what they can.

    Don't feel bad!  Our bills run up to $400 during the winter--especially bad this year!  This house was built in 1865, and although we heat primarily with firewood ($20 per cord), we also have space heaters to help out.  If those are left on, they really suck up the electric.

    Also, out of the blue, they have decided to tack on a 'security deposit' onto our bill.  We have been here for 4 years, no issue.  WTF?

    1. Lady Guinevere profile image67
      Lady Guinevereposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      $20 a cord!!!  You got it good!  A cord of wood here is $140-160.
      I like my wood burning fireplace and I wrote a hub about it and why you should have one.  When they tried to sell us a fireplace they also told us to get a pellet stove, but the pellet stove uses electric to get it started.  We didn't want any electric to start it so we got a woodburning one.  You do know that you can put a fireplace insert and it does increse the heat.  My father has one and it gets quite warm in their house which is 2 story with the fireplace in the lower level.

    2. profile image0
      sandra rinckposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      same in sd.ca. with sdge.  how much were you charged for the deposit.  We, or at least I was charged, 80somthing, plus a 15$ to establish electricty another 15$ for gas.

  13. profile image0
    Leta Sposted 15 years ago

    Sandra-  From the looks of it, the deposit was $250.  ?  Interesting.

    Lady Guin-- Well, I don't use the space heaters all the time.  But my other half, ahem, does keep his little ambient heater on relatively constantly in his office room so his feet or something are not cold.

    And yes, we live a couple miles from a lumber yard.  We buy the wood very very cheaply.  Lucky on that...  This house is a historical landmark, so we can't do just 'anything' to it.  We do have an insert in the fireplace, yes.  (?)  We put the fireplace in ourselves.  Is that what you mean?

    1. Lady Guinevere profile image67
      Lady Guinevereposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I understand about the landmark.  It must be bautiful  Do you have a Hub about the house?  I would love to see it.

      There is a firebox that sits inside the fireplace, but if your fireplace is the old brick kind I am not sure you can put one in that.

    2. LondonGirl profile image83
      LondonGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Is that like Listed Building status - you need permission to alter it?

      1. profile image0
        Leta Sposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        Well, AZ is weird.  And this town is weirder.  But yes.  My partner is an architectural designer, so we don't really have an issue--and have made some improvements that have been OK thus far...

    3. profile image0
      sandra rinckposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      You know, I did a double check.  Mine was actually 140 split into two payments of 70.  sad

  14. LondonGirl profile image83
    LondonGirlposted 15 years ago

    AZ?

    In the UK, there are 3 types of listed building, Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II. Broadly speaking, with Grade II you need permission to change the outside or structure, with Grade II* you need permission to change just about anything, and with Grade I, the real headaches begin.

    Pretty much all property built in 1750 or before is listed, and some later places, too.

  15. profile image0
    Leta Sposted 15 years ago

    Then house was built in 1865.  It is of stone, and is the oldest structure in this town (I never say for privacy's sake) in Northern Arizona.  We have a sign outside our door--historical landmark, etc.,' home of such and such, big wig senator and major player in this county.'  People come by and gawk...  It is a cool house.

    I do not specifically know what we can and cannot do.  Matt (my partner) would know more about that, since it is his profession.  I, as the writer, however, am always considering writing a novel about the builder and the house, as the place is rich in stories.

    I would write a hub, but then ?  People would know exactly where I am.  May do a bl & wh photo hub, tho, smile.

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      That would be a great hub--but I know what you mean about revealing where you are, exactly. I probably already give out too much info, but I don't spend very much time worrying about it. Maybe I should. lol!

      I've thought about putting up some video documentary type clips about our house just because it's funny, not special. It was built around 1940 (as far as we know) and looks a bit like a lake cottage. We are on an acre, so it's all very rustic and (to my mind) charming, but to the north of us is one of those snooty mini-mansion plat subdivisions, so it's like White People Land versus Loser Land.

      We fenced the yard in for our dog, and every single one of them had to come out and let us know they feel they are entitled to more of our property than they have (they staked it themselves when we moved in, so there was no argument but they each had to come out anyway and complain) and they also let us know they feel their homes look nicer, they are aggrieved at having to look at ours, it distresses and alarms them. They didn't move in to a chi chi subdivision so they could look at normal people out their back windows.

      Apparently this has been going on since way before we moved in, so it isn't personal, but it IS pretty obnoxious and kind of funny. The former owners of our house were approached by a representative of White People Land's neighborhood association about selling their house so White People Land could annex it as land and tear the structure down.

      When we first moved in some people were our BarBQ-ing in their yard over there so we waved, and they just glared at us, didn't wave back.You' d think we were from Gitmo or something, living in a hut, but the house is cute. It's just not 4000 square feet.

      So I thought it would be funny to do a video essay, but as you say, then everyone would know exactly where I am and Hannibal Lecter could stop by or something.

  16. LondonGirl profile image83
    LondonGirlposted 15 years ago

    sounds like an absolutely gorgeous house (if not, from a UK perspective, particularly old!)

    My Chambers, where I work, was built in 1780, my flat's in a pretty new block (1910s) and my parents' house is 1320s.

    1. profile image0
      Leta Sposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      LOL, Londongirl!

      I actually somewhat knew this would be your perspective.  My ex was from the ancient land of Georgia--Colchis, the land of the Golden Fleece, lol.  He couldn't believe we Americans would celebrate a history that young!  But we do--makes us feel rooted, I would imagine.

      And yes, I love old houses--lots of character--even if some completely modern amenities at times can be lacking.

      1. LondonGirl profile image83
        LondonGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        Some of those amenities are over-rated (-:

  17. countrywomen profile image59
    countrywomenposted 15 years ago

    Some economist on TV was mentioning that we have deflation but even my electric bill was $82 usually between 55 to 65$ and that too for a small one bedroom single occupant apartment (I do laundry once a week). Thank God at least the Gas prices are low.

  18. profile image0
    Leta Sposted 15 years ago

    LG-

    Oh, heck NO.  Not here.  The utilities are privately owned companies.  For fun and entertainment, you might want to view the documentary Enron:  The Smartest Guys in the Room.

    So in England they need a court order, huh?

    1. LondonGirl profile image83
      LondonGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      They are privately-owned here, too, but to disconnect, they need to send an officer to court to swear on the facts, and disclose information about attempts to collect, the number of people, ages, etc. The cases (short, 10 - 15 mins max) are heard in the Magistrates' Court.

      Since 2004, there has been an indrusty-wide policy not to disconnect households which include a "vulnerable person". This is defined as, "‘A customer is vulnerable if, for reasons of age,  health, disability or severe financial insecurity, they are unable to safeguard their personal welfare or the personal welfare of other members of the household.’"

      For all domestic customers, there is a policy of what to do before a warrant:

      • Eight attempts to contact through correspondence
      • Two attempts to contact by telephone
      • Two attempts to contact by personal visit to the property
      • One attempt to contact by visit to court
      • A final attempt to contact before a warrant is executed

      I think water can't be disconnected to domestic customers at all.


      Telephones, on the other hand, don't need a warrant, I think.

      1. profile image0
        Leta Sposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        I think this is the 'grown up' mode I keep harping about in political and/or finance forums.  smile

        1. LondonGirl profile image83
          LondonGirlposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Hmmmm. Am I being got at? Boring? Dull? Off-topic?

  19. profile image0
    pgrundyposted 15 years ago

    Wow, well I guess I should suck it up, huh?

    I've never paid this much, so it seems  like a lot. But yeah, compared to $325 it's not so bad!

    I never feel better when I play that game though, I just feel guilty. Once my daughter (who was about 8 at the time) heard that expression, "I felt bad because I had no shoes, and then I met a man who had no feet." And she said in total innocence, "I don't get it Mom--if he has no feet, he doesn't NEED shoes!"

    That's kind of how "it could be worse" makes me feel. I must stew in X amount of self-pity before moving on. I can't help it. big_smile

  20. Jerilee Wei profile image69
    Jerilee Weiposted 15 years ago

    We'll trade you bills any day too!  Our actual electric portion this month was $333.87  This bill will be one of the lower ones for the year, since we reside in Florida, where running the heater is a couple of weeks a year thing.  I won't even talk about what it runs in the summer because it gives me chest pains.

    $40.11 of this bill was in the form of fees and asssessments tacked onto the bill, that have zero to do with our usage of electricity. 

    $80.00 of it are in the form of a monthly fee to increase our electric's security deposit.  We've never been late, and paid up front, two months of estimated usage before we could even get electricity.  However, their letter announcing this new additional security deposit (split over several months) is due to so many people moving out-of-state without paying their bill's.  Somehow, apparently the rest of us get to ante up extra because we might do the same?

    Here, they bundle all of your utility bill's together.  So in addition to the $333.87 electric usage, our water, trash pick up, and sanitation bill is due to the same company on the same ticket.  Don't pay one, you get all of them shut off. 

    Don't have to worry about being late on your bill, since shut off occurs within 5 days after the due date. 

    The kicker is that in October they shut their offices down.  You can no longer go in to talk to anyone in person.  This is supposed to save them a half million dollars a year and put many local people out of work.  Now, you can alert them to problems via the Internet or call that lovely number that a computer answers.

    The best part?  You get to pay your bill at the local AMSCOT.  Don't worry, their little letter says, you are not being charged a fee until next June, for standing in line with those seeking pay day loans, etc.  They are happy to report, that they are picking up the fee for us.  Never mind that it is surely our money that pays that fee.

    This past week, they announced that they are going to have to raise rates by 25%.

    They are right up there on my hit parade list of favorite business entities -- such as the phone companies, satellite dish networks, and cable companies.  All of them, are now billing everyone in advance for two months, due immediately upon receipt. 

    Both of them charged hefty fees for installation, and when you cancel their services because of poor performance -- they want you to climb up a ladder, uninstall the equipment, and mail it back to them.   Before they have time to receive their equipment -- they zap your bank account without notice for that equipment. 

    In my single parent daughter's case, this was virtually all of her two week paycheck.  Their reply when she complained?  We'll refund your money, as soon as the returned equipment is entered into our computer system -- in about 60 days! 

    Her mistake was paying her bill by check each month before she changed to other providers, and somehow in their mind this gave them permission to make an authorized withdrawal of anything they felt she owed. 

    New cable company had all services down for over 24 hours this week.  When called, they could only offer to "call" back to schedule an appointment in a few days.  Telling this was unacceptable, they told us -- That's not our problem. 

    Oh, what a pandora's box topic you have opened?  I know we're not the only ones and we won't freeze to death here in the south, but I fear for others less able financially to cope.  Something's got to give in this.

    1. TKIMWRSVC profile image60
      TKIMWRSVCposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Where did you see Lakeland Electric is going up rate wise?

  21. Jerilee Wei profile image69
    Jerilee Weiposted 15 years ago

    Online in one of the local papers, not the Ledger (which is only fit for lining a bird cage).  I'll check to see if I bookmarked it.  It was about a week ago and I saw something else about this possibility about three weeks ago elsewhere.

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Jerilee--I've read about what you describe before. You are right, at least here they are not doing that yet, and $187 is way less than $333, but what worries me is that once it gets past a certain dollar amount, the bill might as well be $1 million because if you don't have the money you don't have the money. That means that at some point, lots of people here just won't have electricity or safe heat or running water.

      To me, this looks like systemic meltdown.It really does look to me like we are very close to losing the most basic public services and very soon too.

      As I said, the unemployment offices here in MI are in a state of crisis. They are so swamped people are driving half a day to stand in line for over 6 hours to complete a five minute application. There's a 1-800 number for that, but it is so swamped it's always down. No one can get through. And the state is out of money anyway. If MI doesn't get LOTS of federal help, there shortly won't be be unemployment checks to send.

      We've mostly been hearing about Wall Street and the DOW---but this stuff is what hits most ordinary people hard, and it's getting worse fast.

  22. Rochelle Frank profile image91
    Rochelle Frankposted 15 years ago

    We live in a wooded area. The climate is relatively mild though we do get a little snow in the winter and a few weeks of hot weather in mid summer.
    Our electric bill averaged out to be about $150 a month throughout the whole of last year. That's about  $30 per month from last year. We also use propane for cooking, water heater, dryer and some house heat which add another $50 per month. We use our wood stove for most of our heat in the winter.

    Haven't bought any wood for a long time, since there always seems to be a tree that needs to be taken out somewhere on the property.

    Since we have a well, we do not pay for water.(Though electricity powers the pump.) When we lived in the city we also paid for street sweeping, sanitation and trash pick up.  Now we have a septic system, and haul our own trash to the landfill.   I have learned to reduce the amount of trash I have by composting and recycling, so we pay minimal dumping charges.

  23. profile image0
    Leta Sposted 15 years ago

    London Girl:
    Oh, no!  I just got into it with 'the other lawyer' on another forum thread about how we need grown-up governance; not what has passed for it in the last 8 years here in the USA.

    Utilities were part of the discussion--at least for those who read the article Kerryg provided.

    See the tax on corporation thread....

  24. LondonGirl profile image83
    LondonGirlposted 15 years ago

    Ah, with you now. Sorry!

  25. Jerilee Wei profile image69
    Jerilee Weiposted 15 years ago

    Pam, you are right about the unemployment situation.  When my husband had a heart attack on his OTR trucking job in Racine, Wisconsin in November, it resulted in him filing for unemployment.  He's been fit to return to work for weeks.  However, his doctors don't want him going to all 48 states anymore, so needs to seek employment in Florida. 

    Florida's system is so overwhelmed that we even tried calling 100 times in one day and never got through.  In two months, he's have not been able to get through on the phone.  There is no place to go as unemployment is serviced by an outside company with only a mail drop address. 

    Applied online, and was supposed to get a determination of eligibility within 10 days.  Thirty-six days later he gets one, that basically says to call them as they have questions.  The number is the same one they don't answer.  Got a second letter yesterday, saying he's been denied because he didn't call them.  He now has twenty days from the date of the letter to appeal, again the same phone number.

    Don't expect he'll ever see a check, and he's crazy mad over that, as he's never been unemployed (even after retirement) in over 40 years. 

    What scares me is the knowledge that if this is what unemployment in Florida is for him, others less able to cope are in the same boat.  Maybe that's why we're now seeing the homeless here not begging for money, but for food.  Yesterday, a man and his wife, near senior citizens asking for food outside of McDonalds -- it just makes you sick.

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Yes there's definitely a gap between what we are seeing on the national news and on cable news and what is actually going on. Our local news and local paper has been good about telling the truth about the unemployment compensation mess, but just this morning we were watching a news show that was on before "Meet the Press" (we like to watch Meet the Press), and they were doing a feature on how 13 of the 15 best places to work in the U.S. are actually hiring. That's great, except you look at them and they're hiring highly specialized tech people and attorneys and getting slammed with resumes even for those jobs. The implication of the piece was, "There's still great jobs out there folks!"

      Um, no. No there aren't. There is a Casino up here that's been trying to open for ten years. They finally got the go ahead to build and are hoping to be up and running by 2010. Right now all that is there is a cornfield. So they said they would start accepting applications at their website and the very next day the site crashed. They have so many apps they don't even have the capability of going through them and now their site keeps crashing from all the folks in Michigan wanting a job there, any job.

      My partner Bill is also a truck driver but he drives locally. His barn shut down in November--he had three days to decide whether to take the buyout or go to a barn in another city. He took the job, not the buyout, because he's 57--he has five years before his earliest shot at retirement and the buy-out would get us there. Now he works 13-16 hours a day, 3 to four hours of it is a commute. He drives north to another city, picks up his truck, then they send him down here where he drive 12 or 13 hours around town, then he drives the truck north, then comes home. Out of 25 guys, six got to keep their jobs, the rest were let go, and now they're laying off again. We don't know if the company will last five years.

  26. AEvans profile image73
    AEvansposted 15 years ago

    Interesting I have never rented a property nor have I ever vandalized property, listen Cyber Stalker you are a nut and you do realize stalking if caught is prison time? You have filled my mailbox and have been reported, your threats will put you behind bars and I do not know who you are , and do not care to know as the proper authorities have already been notified. smile

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      ??????

      Were you replying to Happy Duck? Or did this post to the wrong thread by mistake?

      1. AEvans profile image73
        AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        I was replying to the Psycho that has been flagged he loaded me email and has been following me around, I don't understand why fruitcakes roam the earth but Lucky me , I have one out of the blue. smile

        1. profile image0
          pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Yikes! I've been getting more weird "I wanna IM you for love" emails through HubPages lately. I just delete them but it's kind of creepy. Usually they're from some other country. Ur so nice. Ur so kind. Letz get married. That kinda weirdness.

          1. AEvans profile image73
            AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            Thank God for Maddie and Larry and all of HP he is off of here and our police department did not take likely as I sent every e-mail he sent to them, he was saying he was a Sheriff, an Investigator etc. He started to mock me when I contacted the police department, he threatened to snatch our son and I ended up with a migraine and stressed out last night. I also contacted his e-mail provider as well and blocked him on all of my e-mails , I am strong so I am not going to run from him, I am going to hit it dead on as nobody should have to deal with this at all. What is really creepy was his bio said, I am looking for that one special person and it was me.sad
            I thank HP for coming to the rescue and helping !!smile

  27. knolyourself profile image60
    knolyourselfposted 15 years ago

    "Letz get married. That kinda weirdness."
    Maybe you need to remove your picture. These types are usually so superficial that without the picture, they may not be able to realate. Just a thought.

  28. profile image0
    pgrundyposted 15 years ago

    I've thought of that. If it continues I will. I refer freelance clients to HP though and I do think it helps if they see a real person and not an avatar. But I think you are right--it also brings some unwanted attention sometimes.

  29. LondonGirl profile image83
    LondonGirlposted 15 years ago

    Hey PG - 100 score!

    1. profile image0
      pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Whoo hoo! big_smile

  30. profile image0
    pgrundyposted 15 years ago

    Being stalked is just way more upsetting than most people realize unless they've experienced it. I'm so sorry that happened to you.

    1. AEvans profile image73
      AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks bunches and it is a horrible experience the only thing a person can do is keep on moving, and I am trying to do this one day at a time. I am a fighter and will fight to the bitter end. I cannot believe there are so many nuts in this world. sad

  31. ocbill profile image54
    ocbillposted 15 years ago

    probably the city pulled one underneath your nose.
    Maybe it was on during peak hours?
    Maybe the frig needs to be replaced. They are known to guzzle energy.
    Maybe the meter was misread. it's not uncommon for people to make errors nowadays and apologize later AFTER you paid.

 
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