Getting help with paying your Electric Bill
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Electric Bills
I am not writing this to sell anything, or to profit from it, but this week while working at the Electric Company, I saw a girl come in with a young baby and her power was turned off due to non pay. She was crying but rules prevented us from reconnecting her without her paying the high bill. Could we of been taking her whole pay check that she was going to use for food or gas? I don't know. But it prompted me to write and tell you there may be help available for you.
With the higher prices of gas everything is rising. Electric companies are looking a raising their prices 10%-18% or more at the first chance they get. Many people on a fixed income are the ones having the hardest time. And everyone is having problems budgeting with the new higher costs.
Your electric bill. It can be fairly high if you use air conditioning or heat depending on where you live. It can vary month to month drastically.But there are some ways that you can save on your power bill and prevent disconnection if you are unable to pay for it.
Since working at the Electric Company, I have seen bills vary in great degree. I also learned of different agencies that will help you if you have problems paying your electric bill. Usually if you are facing disconnection of your service you can get help from these agencies. Each one has different requirements so you will need to check with them if you need help.
Read on if you have problems paying your bill, prevent disconnection of your service by trying all your options before the disconnection date.
Agencies that will help
Salvation Army: The Salvation Army will sometimes pay your past due bill to prevent you from being disconnected from electric. Almost every town has a Salvation Army that will help. They will not send you the money, but instead will make the arrangements with the Electric Company to pay the bill to prevent disconnection of services. Sometimes you will have to have a disconnect notice before they will get involved. Usually when you get the disconnection notice you will have 10 days from the date of the notice before they will disconnect you.
Local Churches: Local Churches will sometimes help out and pay the past due payment just like the Salvation Army. Calling local Churches will answer your questions.
Other Resources in your town: Calling the local Department of Social Services will give you other places that may pay your bill.
The Electric Company itself: Yes.... They know what agencies in the community willing to pay bills to prevent disconnection. After all they are the ones that will collect the money so they know who helps out. Sometimes they will have places that you never even thought of. They know who you could contact.
Things you can do to Prevent Disconnection
Ok you got your disconnection notice for electric. You have no money before that date, what can you do?
First call the Electric Company - Ask what is the latest possible date that you can pay it. Sometimes you can get an extension on the bill. Paying it later than the date they give you. They may have a limit on how many times a year you can get extensions but if you are having problems, use these when you need to.
Maybe your bill is too high to pay in one month, ask if you can make payments on the bill over several months. If the Customer service representative says a flat out NO, ask to speak the supervisor or the manager to plead your case. They have the ability to sometimes extend the bills with certain circumstances.
Always call if you know you can't pay the bill. This will prevent your services from being disconnected and then it will cost you more to get them turned back on. The electric company has options that they can work out a payment plan for you.
Situations - Medical reasons
If someone in your home is dependent on electric for medical reasons, ALWAYS let the Electric Company know this. There may be laws in your state that will prevent them from disconnecting your services. You may have to have a doctor's statement but it will at least help with the electric company services.
Do you have a family member that may be able to pay the bill in case you can't? You can ask if they can send a copy of deliquent notices to another place also alerting them. Or if you have elderly parents, you can call the electric company as ask to have a notice sent to you if they are at risk of being disconnected for service.
The Budget Plan
Most Electric Companies have a budget plan that will give you equal monthly payments for your bill. This is great if you are on a budget and this will help you out budgeting throughout the month.
How the budget is determined: Usually they take the last 12 months of service and get the average. If you haven't lived there for 12 months, they may take the previous resident's bill and get the average. This may not even be close to your monthly usage.
Things you need to be aware of: If you use more than the budget amount, this will be due at one lump sum at the end of the term. (usually a year). If you see that you are using more services than you are budgeted for - try to pay more during the year to prevent this large bill. You could be disconnected if you don't pay this lump sum at the end of the year.
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How to use less Electric
There are several ways you can use less electric. I see people in apartments living right next to each other that have a huge difference in bills. One wastes electric, one conserves.
Hot Water Tank: Add a timer to your tank to shut it off when no one is home, then to turn it back on before you will need the water.
Turn off appliances when not in use. Unplug what you can. Using power strips you can turn off many things at one flick of a switch. Turning off your computer it will still use power. Turn off your computer than hit the power switch on the power strip to stop electric going to it.
Unplug things you don't use all the time. You may use your coffeepot once a day, but keep it plugged in all day with the time flashing using power that you don't need. Sure it may be just one appliance but if you have several appliances doing that it will add up.
Use more Natural Light: Open the blinds and curtains when the sun is out, during the hottest part of the day you will want to keep them closed, but in the evenings you can open them and add a few more minutes of daylight inside and less need for the lights.
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Valuable information for people in need! I hope your Hub helps someone keep a utility service. :)
need help paying a$2 210 electric bill I live alone and pay $650.00 monthly for rent and it takes 83.00 a week for gas and seldom have money to buy food please help
It appears to be too late for me I was disconnected 6 days ago and no one has any funds,that were just listed! I'm imaginig I'll never have services again everyday I call the electric co. it goes up around $20 whats going on.I'm raising a 16year old on disability oon 1,040.00 a month. The rent is $650,no father or child support in the picture.
i'm trying to get some help to pay my electric bill so i have electricity for my kids. I have two kids and seriuosly need help as soon as possible.
when you get this please email- me as soon as you get this or when you have a chance
iam trying to find out where i can get help for my daughters electric bill she gas a son with cancer and also has 2 other children and my grandson has a machine that needs to stay on
Linda, have you called your electric companies to speak to them about power-saving plans?
I have several shut off notice. I have been calling different agencies to get help with paying my electric bill, but no agency seem to have any money. I find that very hard to believe. Every time I look up they are building new stores or 300,000 homes. How can a whole city be so broke when we pay tax on everything we buy. I need help with this electric bill because all of my bill are larger than my pay check.
Have you heard of a new electric company called AMA Nations? They are taking advantage of the deregulation of electricity. This could be good or bad...
I have a step daughter with 2 kids and her electric was high this month for december like everyone was, I think we are paying for the speed way in lights, they turned her power off and she is here with us now and our budget is tight as most are.
My best friend lives at 2731 A Miami, st. louis mo 63118, and the turned off his electric today. He needs help real bad please help us if you can 314-600-3999
Unfortunately, I've already gotten an extension from my electric company, and they gave me payments to make that were still ridiculously high so I was unable to make them and they told me then that if I failed to make the payments, I couldnt get any other extensions or payment plans, just found out earlier today that my girlfriend is pregnant and I can't find a job. Boy I tell you what, the idea of just going out in the woods and living off fish and squirrels sounds like the most reasonable thing to do sometimes.
MY BILL IS OVER 8000 PAST DUE AND ITS OFF I CANT EVEN BEGAIN TO WONDER HOW TO GET IT BACK ON. THIS MEANS NO HOT WATER NO STOVE NO LIGHTS NO PHONE NO FRIDGE
SO IF YOU OWE LESS THAN THIS YOUR LUCKY DONT GIVE UP HANG IN THERE AND SOMTHING WILL HAPPEN DONT IT ALLWAYS
what a very informative article. i hope your hub may be able to help others have a very trustworthy system with regards to utilities billing.
nice job.
Any helpful resources in midland Texas I'm two days away from having my baby and had to take off work a while back because my pregnancy was high risk. If anything please email me @ ryanlee214@live.com thank you looking for rental and utility assistance
I lost my job 2 years ago, and my unemployment stopped in May. I have been struggling to pay my electric, gas phone & rent. I fell behind on my CAP program @ Peco, and they WILL NOT EXTEND MY PLAN!!! I have a mentally Ill son, and he receives SSI. His income is the only income in the household, and he gets that monthly, and on the first. ALL I NEED IS AN EXTENSION UNTIL THEN... AND THEY WILL NOT EVEN GIVE ME THAT OR A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE!!! i contacted the PUC, and they would not help either... what's wrong with our society? what ever happened to empathy and concern for our less fortunate?
Single mom 2 kids I need to pay passed do amount in 4 day s of $680.00 please help!
Please if someone can help murillomagaly@yahoo.com I can't be with out power I have two kids! God bless!
I am in the same situation, My electric has been shut off for 5 days now,I am at a local building getting internet, I have tried every program/ organization there is even churches and no one can help me, the electric company will not budge, they want the full amount, I also am a caretaker for my 15 year old daughter, along with electric, we are on well and septic so we have no water or toilets either,can anyone help us! I just dont know how much longer we can go on like this, plz email with any advice or help, thank you all so much! wenfue@aol.com
the state will pay part of my bill But I have to come up with most of the bill myself, I am working on getting disability but that has not yet come through I have a 17 year old at home and I can not find any help to pay my bill..
i really need help cause i have five kids and my lights are shut off and the bill is to high to pay off please help me
hi im a single mother of 4. im on a fixed income get paid once a month,i got cut off two days ago. i really need help.my kids ages r 8,10,15,12. im struggling just to make ends meet. i called all agenices but they dont have any money. two of my kids have diabetes. please help
Are there any companies or places that will help you pay OLD utility bills? I live in Wichita (3 years now) and owe a couple bills in Kansas City. I'm trying to move back to KC (home) but I can't until the bills are paid and I'm trying SO hard. I do have 4 kids. I don't know if anyone helps with OLD ones though?
My power was cut off today, 10.17.11. For the last two weeks I have been calling every agency that I could find. No luck. I called Delmarva (power co.) and they are just HEARTLESS. They care nothing about the kids, the inability to get dressed in the morning, the food going bad etc. I begged them, they just don't care. I am asking, out of desperation, for help from you. I am in a bad situation. I ask of you, please send any amount of help you can. I have a Paypal account that is still up. If you can, please go to Paypal and donate to email address jbarton32@comcast.net. Or just email me. Thank you for your help. I have internet at work. Thank you again.
I am so sorry John I am in the exact same situation with no agencies, no churches to help or anything. The light companies are heartless and all they want is their money they dont care about us living in the dark or being homeless. You can file for bankruptcy and that will clear up your large balance. I'm sorry
I've been without power for over a 100 days! These last nights have been miserable! I agree with the statement "heartless electric companies"! We went in 31.53 short on our bill and they wounld turn it on! Since it had been off for such a period the put our deposit against the bill, and it all has to be paid before they will turn it back on! But they sure do have all their fees racked up on there!
try calling a christain church or if you have kids the school, schools gets funds to help pay bills to keep the kids warm and they know of more places that can help, also nice little tid bit, Indiana state law, you can not have your power cut off from Dec, 1 through March 15. look it up and then go get your power back on, just remember to make sure you have it paid off before the 15th of March cause they can cut it off then. call around to your chruches and see what they can do, forget pride and ask for help!!!!
I am about to have my lights shut off because my bill got over $200. I have a daughter that will be 7 next week, and I am trying to get my disability. I was told the electric company cant shut us off during the months of Jan and Feb, but I am down for shut off any day. A lot of churches are tapped out this time of year, I don't qualify for some agencies " emergency criteria". Can anyone point me in the right direction? If so you can email me at bipolargrl@yahoo.com
Thank you and God Bless
Reading through all these posts is heart-wrenching. No doubt I will be receiving a shut off notice soon. I get one pretty much every month when I am about a week late making my payments. The thing is..in the winter time my bills reach $600 a month. Im not talking about a past due..Im talking every month my bill is between $500 and $600. The last two years is when the bills started to skyrocket. Man I even use a kerosene heater in the house and my bill for this month?,,,,$530.00. I have 4 children and Im a student..my husband is a seasonal worker so things are tight. I hope I find some relief soon..and I hope you all do too. Good luck.
My question is, WHY should people have to go through hell, just because electricity suppliers have become obscenely greedy?
Iam a mother of 6children 2grandchildren.single with no help I lost my job and its bein very hard since then iam now without lights .they took my deposit and put it on the bill to bring it rigth back at the same cost.I just cant see why they are so heartless to families thats having a rough time .please help 770-896-1229
Why is everyone asking for help on hubpages? The article lists resources available... More power to you though if you actually got help from someone who read the comment section.
i've had my electric shut off twice and have two outstanding bills gone to collections need to know if i'll ever be able to get electric turned in my new apartment.
My gas and electric is about to be shut off as well. I'm a single dad of 14 year old twin daughters that have had nothing but medical problems since they were born. They have marfan syndrome. I've lost count of the surgeries. Everything from bone reconstruction, multiple collasped lungs, and even disected aorta valve. Im blessed to still have them here, but now the bge bill is 4,600.00 and i have 10 days until power is shut off. i broke my back in 2007 so i can't work to earn the funds necessary to pay this bill. Any information or help would be greatly appreciated. abilnwilin@verizon.net. 443-469-0848
I'm very according to pay my bill but have no income but child support and get $10.oo a month and that all have at moment .Need help !!!! Please!!! my electric 1,177.18 and need for get on Housing Authority .......
cvaughn570 3 years ago
You put a lot od resources in this hub, some of which I did not know about.
Thank you,
Carol