 My electric bill came in the mail yesterday. $420 for a 2 bedroom/2 bath 12 x 60 mobile home! Normally I love the number 420, I get giddy just thinking about it, but to find it on my electric bill - that was downright obscene.
For the last few months I've been complaining about my bill to our neighbors. They all have an electric bill down in the $200 range. I've insulated, saved power, turned off every light that was not in use and even been cooking outside on the grill.
Something isn't right.
Today in the mail came a notice from Georgia Power saying that my bill was estimated because the meter was not visible. I am to trim my bush before the next meter reading on October 3, 2007. There's only one major problem. There isn't a bush anywhere near my meter.
Something definitely isn't right.
So I called them this afternoon to explain my concerns. I work in McMansions that have lower electric bills and this doesn't make sense. The customer service representative gave me a ton of possibilities.
1) "Mobile Homes aren't insulated". (I can't buy this because we personally gutted this place, put up insulation and new floors, ceiling, walls and windows. It's airtight.)
2) "Using Air Conditioning." (Oh, now why didn't I consider that? How silly of me. NOT. Half of my neighbors also have AC and have it set to Arctic and still have lower monthly bills.)
3) "This bill was estimated." (Yes and about that? There isn't a bush near my meter.) "It says specifically here that you do and it must be trimmed." (No bush. A blade of grass maybe. Five feet below the meter. Otherwise the meter is in full view at any angle.)
Lastly she told me something that almost blew me out of my seat. Electric rates are DOUBLE from June 1st to August 31st. In other words I may have used just as many kilowatt hours air conditioning and running my home back in May when my bill was $210. However, this bill falls in a period of DOUBLE rates and is now $420. September's bill will fall back to the normal single rate.
I understand the laws of economics. That supply and demand set the price and that in the summertime - electric is in greater demand. But to DOUBLE the rate? No wonder the elderly on fixed incomes are being found dead in their homes during a heat wave. Someone should put a meter on the Power Company to regulate them. We have no other choice in provider and they can get away with this? All the while they've been nickel and dime'ing the normal flat rate every three months or so.
Sounds like there really is bush in the way that needs trimming. It's time we start seeing the power companies for who they really are. I'm about ready to pull the plug on them.Labels: Do You Have Issues? |
So much for the theory that the cost of living in the South is cheaper.
I could have choked when I read this! My monthly bill averages at 215.00 a month on the monthly "budget plan", so I do not know the real dollar amount per se. But even if it was doubled, I live in a 2200 square foot house!
Man, what a rip off. At this point I would plant a HUGE thorny plant smack dab in fromt of the meter just in retaliation!