"You get a call from someone who says they’re calling from your utility company, telling you your bill is overdue, and if you don’t pay up, your power will be shut off. And you guessed it they want the money fast, usually through untraceable payment cards or a wire transfer. Scammers are skilled in the art of persuasion, and may sound very convincing. They may also become intimidating or threatening."

Tell them you'll go to the BANK and pay it, or your online bank account. Wire transfer? Never. Intimidating or threatening? Never. They'll work out a payment plan, and they'll be gracious while doing it.

Besides, isn't it illegal to shut off electricity in the winter?
People here will immediately freeze to death.

ed11563 wrote:

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weltschmerz wrote:

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"You get a call from someone who says they’re calling from your utility company, telling you your bill is overdue, and if you don’t pay up, your power will be shut off. And you guessed it they want the money fast, usually through untraceable payment cards or a wire transfer. Scammers are skilled in the art of persuasion, and may sound very convincing. They may also become intimidating or threatening."

Tell them you'll go to the BANK and pay it, or your online bank account. Wire transfer? Never. Intimidating or threatening? Never. They'll work out a payment plan, and they'll be gracious while doing it.

Besides, isn't it illegal to shut off electricity in the winter?
People here will immediately freeze to death.

---

Pretty much. People would freeze here too, or use space heaters or charcoal grills, and die from carbon monoxide. 

 

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 If they don't pay their bill--it shouldn't be.

DH got a call the other day, saying "call this number IMMEDIATELY or an arrest warrant will be put out on you because you haven't paid your parking tickets - IN NEW YORK CITY!!!!!" DH has never driven in NYC! He and I just laughed as we hung up on this scammer!

My parents sent $500 to a scammer awhile back. Guy called and said my son was in a Mexican prison for running drugs and needed a lawyer. Of course, my dumb mother didn't bother calling me. Instead she just wired the money to the number the guy told her. The next day they called back and asked for $1500. At that point she called me. My son was sitting right next to me. It's become a joke in our family about his drug running days.

huskerbb wrote:

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ed11563 wrote:

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weltschmerz wrote:

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"You get a call from someone who says they’re calling from your utility company, telling you your bill is overdue, and if you don’t pay up, your power will be shut off. And you guessed it they want the money fast, usually through untraceable payment cards or a wire transfer. Scammers are skilled in the art of persuasion, and may sound very convincing. They may also become intimidating or threatening."

Tell them you'll go to the BANK and pay it, or your online bank account. Wire transfer? Never. Intimidating or threatening? Never. They'll work out a payment plan, and they'll be gracious while doing it.

Besides, isn't it illegal to shut off electricity in the winter?
People here will immediately freeze to death.

---

Pretty much. People would freeze here too, or use space heaters or charcoal grills, and die from carbon monoxide. 

 

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 If they don't pay their bill--it shouldn't be.

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If you don't pay your phone bill, you're not going to DIE.

If you don't pay your cable bill, you're not going to DIE. 

If you don't pay your rent or parking tickets on time, you're not going to DIE.

If you don't pay your school taxes, you're not going to DIE.

If you don't pay your credit card bill, you're not going to DIE.

If you don't pay your electric bill and the heat is cut off, you WILL die.

I guess you're OK with people freezing to death. I'm not surprised.

Here there are agencies to help with heating bills in the winter.

flan

I don't answer my phone if I don't recognize the number. Impossible to scam me if you can't reach me. Really it has nothing to do with scammers I just don't want to be bothered by annoying calls.

Tangerine wrote:

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ed11563 wrote:

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huskerbb wrote:

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 Why should the utility companies be forced to give away their product for free?  It's not their fault people don't pay their bills. 

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Because they are regulated monopolies, guaranteed profits by law. They set their rates to provide a certain annual return on their capital investment, after ALL expenses.

Including writing off bills they will never collect.

 

 

Our local electric company wasted -- deliberately wasted -- SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS on a nuclear plant that generated electricity for a few seconds before being mothballed.

That was long enough to justify adding the SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS to their base on which they are guaranteed a return.

So we are paying 23 cents per kilowatt hour, more than anywhere else except in Alaska. (Consolidated Edison in Manhattan comes very close, with their own nuclear boondoggles.)

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 Holy moly! We pay 11 cents per hour. 

---

Heck, I shop for no more than a six month contract at a time.

I'm paying 3.1 cents per Kilowatt hour. 

I'll have to shop again in April.

 

I just looked at my bill again. 3.1 cents for the energy charge. If you add in the delivery charge, we paid 8.8 cents per kWh.

-- Edited by Fort Worth Mom on Thursday 18th of February 2016 01:11:52 PM

Fort Worth Mom wrote:

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Tangerine wrote:

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ed11563 wrote:

---

huskerbb wrote:

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 Why should the utility companies be forced to give away their product for free?  It's not their fault people don't pay their bills. 

---

Because they are regulated monopolies, guaranteed profits by law. They set their rates to provide a certain annual return on their capital investment, after ALL expenses.

Including writing off bills they will never collect.

 

 

Our local electric company wasted -- deliberately wasted -- SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS on a nuclear plant that generated electricity for a few seconds before being mothballed.

That was long enough to justify adding the SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS to their base on which they are guaranteed a return.

So we are paying 23 cents per kilowatt hour, more than anywhere else except in Alaska. (Consolidated Edison in Manhattan comes very close, with their own nuclear boondoggles.)

---

 Holy moly! We pay 11 cents per hour. 

---

Heck, I shop for no more than a six month contract at a time.

I'm paying 3.1 cents per Kilowatt hour. 

I'll have to shop again in April.

 

I just looked at my bill again. 3.1 cents for the energy charge. If you add in the delivery charge, we paid 8.8 cents per kWh.

-- Edited by Fort Worth Mom on Thursday 18th of February 2016 01:11:52 PM

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 Holy moly again! We have some shopping to do! Thanks!

I'll tell DH to try that. We have a bunch of crazy companies here. Not sure I'd want to use them all.

weltschmerz wrote:

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Fort Worth Mom wrote:

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Nobody Just Nobody wrote:

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What FWM said. Our electric bills on our small home were reaching the $500/month mark. When DH got laid off he did some research. Holy cow we were paying an astronomical rate. Now our electric bills are around $175-200/month. Huge difference. We could even get the two biggest bills a year free but we haven't filed the paperwork yet. We need to.

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Yikes! NJN, I think you could still do better.

My last electric bill was $83.

Go to :  http://powertochose.org/

Put in your zip code and take a look.

Just an idea.

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Do you heat with electricity? 

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No, we heat with gas.

I think NJN is all electric.

That would make a difference.

My gas bill in the Winter is $150-$200, depending on how cold it is. (We've been mild this year.) 

Fort Worth Mom wrote:

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weltschmerz wrote:

---

Fort Worth Mom wrote:

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Nobody Just Nobody wrote:

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What FWM said. Our electric bills on our small home were reaching the $500/month mark. When DH got laid off he did some research. Holy cow we were paying an astronomical rate. Now our electric bills are around $175-200/month. Huge difference. We could even get the two biggest bills a year free but we haven't filed the paperwork yet. We need to.

---

Yikes! NJN, I think you could still do better.

My last electric bill was $83.

Go to :  http://powertochose.org/

Put in your zip code and take a look.

Just an idea.

---

Do you heat with electricity? 

---

No, we heat with gas.

I think NJN is all electric.

That would make a difference.

My gas bill in the Winter is $150-$200, depending on how cold it is. (We've been mild this year.) 

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 Well, there you go! That's why your bill is so much lower.

Fort Worth Mom wrote:

---

Tangerine wrote:

---

ed11563 wrote:

---

huskerbb wrote:

---

 Why should the utility companies be forced to give away their product for free?  It's not their fault people don't pay their bills. 

---

Because they are regulated monopolies, guaranteed profits by law. They set their rates to provide a certain annual return on their capital investment, after ALL expenses.

Including writing off bills they will never collect.

 

 

Our local electric company wasted -- deliberately wasted -- SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS on a nuclear plant that generated electricity for a few seconds before being mothballed.

That was long enough to justify adding the SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS to their base on which they are guaranteed a return.

So we are paying 23 cents per kilowatt hour, more than anywhere else except in Alaska. (Consolidated Edison in Manhattan comes very close, with their own nuclear boondoggles.)

---

 Holy moly! We pay 11 cents per hour. 

---

Heck, I shop for no more than a six month contract at a time.

I'm paying 3.1 cents per Kilowatt hour. 

I'll have to shop again in April.

 

I just looked at my bill again. 3.1 cents for the energy charge. If you add in the delivery charge, we paid 8.8 cents per kWh.

-- Edited by Fort Worth Mom on Thursday 18th of February 2016 01:11:52 PM

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Wow, you have more than one place to buy electricity????? 

 

 

 

5.68 per kilowatt hour here.

Ohfour wrote:

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We dont have a choice for water/electricity/gas, but all three together are less than $200 a month. That includes trash and recycle pick up, cut brush removal, and large item pickup every other week...

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I suspect that you aren't paying for as many corrupt government officials as we are. 

Or a seven billion dollar boondoggle. (Google "Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant")

 

ed11563 wrote:

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Fort Worth Mom wrote:

---

Tangerine wrote:

---

ed11563 wrote:

---

huskerbb wrote:

---

 Why should the utility companies be forced to give away their product for free?  It's not their fault people don't pay their bills. 

---

Because they are regulated monopolies, guaranteed profits by law. They set their rates to provide a certain annual return on their capital investment, after ALL expenses.

Including writing off bills they will never collect.

 

 

Our local electric company wasted -- deliberately wasted -- SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS on a nuclear plant that generated electricity for a few seconds before being mothballed.

That was long enough to justify adding the SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS to their base on which they are guaranteed a return.

So we are paying 23 cents per kilowatt hour, more than anywhere else except in Alaska. (Consolidated Edison in Manhattan comes very close, with their own nuclear boondoggles.)

---

 Holy moly! We pay 11 cents per hour. 

---

Heck, I shop for no more than a six month contract at a time.

I'm paying 3.1 cents per Kilowatt hour. 

I'll have to shop again in April.

 

I just looked at my bill again. 3.1 cents for the energy charge. If you add in the delivery charge, we paid 8.8 cents per kWh.

-- Edited by Fort Worth Mom on Thursday 18th of February 2016 01:11:52 PM

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Wow, you have more than one place to buy electricity????? 

 

 

 

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We only have one choice, but I can see why. Hydro Quebec built all the hydroelectric dams in Quebec, at the cost of billions and billions, so we have to buy all our electricity from them. Something like 99% of our power is from hydroelectricity. A bit of solar.

Where would other companies get their electricity FROM? Coal? We don't do coal.

I hate electric heat.

flan

flan327 wrote:

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I hate electric heat.

flan

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Why? It generally only costs about 8 times as much as gas heat per BTU.

 

All the other heating systems do require electricity to run their controls and either pumps or blowers.

I can run my gas heating system from my backup batteries through a power failure of probably 4 days, if I have to.

I see you live in the Northeast, ed.
Yes, we sell quite a bit of power to the northeastern USA. We have more than we know what to do with.
It's not like you run out of kinetic energy. That water just keeps roaring over the dams.

Nobody Just Nobody wrote:

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flan327 wrote:

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I hate electric heat.

flan

---

 It's so dry in the house all the time.

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My humidifier bit the dust. I hang up a few wet towels around the house. Works like a charm.

I no longer shock the cat when I pet him. 

weltschmerz wrote:

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Nobody Just Nobody wrote:

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flan327 wrote:

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I hate electric heat.

flan

---

 It's so dry in the house all the time.

---

My humidifier bit the dust. I hang up a few wet towels around the house. Works like a charm.

I no longer shock the cat when I pet him. 

---

 DH shocks the dogs on a daily basis.

Nobody Just Nobody wrote:

---

weltschmerz wrote:

---

Nobody Just Nobody wrote:

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flan327 wrote:

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I hate electric heat.

flan

---

 It's so dry in the house all the time.

---

My humidifier bit the dust. I hang up a few wet towels around the house. Works like a charm.

I no longer shock the cat when I pet him. 

---

 DH shocks the dogs on a daily basis.

---

Try the wet towel thing. Or jeans, Something heavy. It really does work.

My son has a piece of complicated electronic equipment in his room. It stopped working. He looked it up, and they said it could be due to static electricity. Wet towel in the room worked wonders, and it's working fine now.

ed11563 wrote:

---

huskerbb wrote:

---

 Why should the utility companies be forced to give away their product for free?  It's not their fault people don't pay their bills. 

---

Because they are regulated monopolies, guaranteed profits by law. They set their rates to provide a certain annual return on their capital investment, after ALL expenses.

Including writing off bills they will never collect.

 

 

Our local electric company wasted -- deliberately wasted -- SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS on a nuclear plant that generated electricity for a few seconds before being mothballed.

That was long enough to justify adding the SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS to their base on which they are guaranteed a return.

So we are paying 23 cents per kilowatt hour, more than anywhere else except in Alaska. (Consolidated Edison in Manhattan comes very close, with their own nuclear boondoggles.)

---

 That's BS, ed.  Where do you think they get the money to cover what they "write off"????  From the money tree?

 

No.  They get it from other ratepayers--raising rates for all responsible people who do pay their bills. 

ed11563 wrote:

---

huskerbb wrote:

---

ed11563 wrote:

---

huskerbb wrote:

---

 Why should the utility companies be forced to give away their product for free?  It's not their fault people don't pay their bills. 

---

Because they are regulated monopolies, guaranteed profits by law. They set their rates to provide a certain annual return on their capital investment, after ALL expenses.

Including writing off bills they will never collect.

 

 

Our local electric company wasted -- deliberately wasted -- SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS on a nuclear plant that generated electricity for a few seconds before being mothballed.

That was long enough to justify adding the SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS to their base on which they are guaranteed a return.

So we are paying 23 cents per kilowatt hour, more than anywhere else except in Alaska. (Consolidated Edison in Manhattan comes very close, with their own nuclear boondoggles.)

---

 That's BS, ed.  Where do you think they get the money to cover what they "write off"????  From the money tree?

 

No.  They get it from other ratepayers--raising rates for all responsible people who do pay their bills. 

---

OF COURSE all the money comes from the ratepayers. And then, of course, there are the taxpayers, who pay for everything else. 

I'm just still pissed that the ratepayers wound up paying for the cost-over runs on the $650million Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant.

Let's see, $650 million grew to $4.5 BILLION, plus interest ... current total $7 BILLION and counting. It really should have come out of the pockets of the stock holders, who would then have fired all the members of the Board of Directors, for allowing this outrageous stupidity.

 

 

 

 

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 Whatever--but that has nothing to do with this.  

 

I don't see how this is such a difficult concept.  If you want a good or service in our society--you have to pay for it.