Yo no tengo dinero, y estoy muy pobre.

[pseudo_vegan]

I have about $150 in ComCast bills... (ISP)

Nearly $200 in energy bills... (This I still can't figure out how)

And...I'm freaking out. I have "money" to pay them but...that's about it. I'm surviving but I'm scared. I just don't even know how I have two bills, both for almost $100/piece in energy...plus I haven't received either in the mail and my online bill-viewing thing won't work!

*sigh*

I need to learn to let go...

:nigel: C.

[rincaro]

Don't panic. Do something.

Comcast you might be screwed. But the energy company will probably work with you. Is the $200 way out of line with your normal bills? Even for this time of year? Then call and politely inquire about having your meter re-read as you weren't expecting such a large bill. Also, see if you can work out a payment plan. When I was on my own in Ohio, they had a winter thing. They would take my back balance and spread it out over six months. You had to stick to the agreement pretty strictly but it gave me breathing room. Just be nice and ask for help!

[cymbeline]

Don't panic. Do something.

Comcast you might be screwed. But the energy company will probably work with you. Is the $200 way out of line with your normal bills? Even for this time of year? Then call and politely inquire about having your meter re-read as you weren't expecting such a large bill. Also, see if you can work out a payment plan. When I was on my own in Ohio, they had a winter thing. They would take my back balance and spread it out over six months. You had to stick to the agreement pretty strictly but it gave me breathing room. Just be nice and ask for help!

That's a good suggestion to see if the energy company might pro-rate (or whatever it is called) you through to the summer months. As rincaro said, many companies do this naturally. I also like the thought -- don't panic, don't freak.

Remember homemade bean burritos are your friends; muy bueno. Make mucho and freeze them. Once when I was in your situation I ate them every night for over a month. Just a suggestion.

I'm sorry. Looks like you are going to have to roll with the punches on this one. You'll make it, though.
:yes:

Come back to frugal forum and vent if that helps. Looks like it's not even half price thrift shop time for you, but you'lll make it without writing bad checks.

[kirkjobsluder]

Yeah, I'm in this situation a few times a year. (Winter really drives the utility bills up.) Here is what you do.

Call them up. Explain your situation. Make them an offer, "I can't pay the full amount with this paycheck, but I can pay $50 now, and catch up the middle of next month."

Most utility companies are more than happy to make arrangements if you pay part of the bill in good faith.

[SystmDwnGrl2]

Some states have emergency heat assistance too. I don't know any links or anything though.

[bstutzma]

If money is tight, I'd cancel the comcast altogether. Cable is nice, but not necessary. Food is. Heat is.

[pseudo_vegan]

If money is tight, I'd cancel the comcast altogether. Cable is nice, but not necessary. Food is. Heat is.

That's very true...and like someone else said, it's not *quite* half-price thrift store time...but should I decide to hook it up again, it's more expensive...though this bill I think I got fed a line of crap b/c ALL I DID WAS TRANSFER it and the d00d on the phone told me there was a $30 installation fee (for something that took 5 minutes and that I could have done myself!) but on the bill it was $50!! :grr:

So maybe I misheard him...I should probably call them...but then they'd just ignore me and try to get me to buy Cable (TV...I just pay for cable internet right now b/c I don't want a TV)... :gun:

:nigel: Thanks, y'all.

[lewburg]

The electric company where I live lets us use a "budget plan", so my bill is the same amt. of money every month throughout the whole year. They average it out, so that it's not really high one month and really low another. It works out. Maybe yours will do this too?

[zoebird]

if comcast is your isp, perhaps you should consider net zero or a local isp company. we're with a local, and our total, yearly isp bill is $220. we pay in four installments. If we went with net zero regular it's $10/mo or $120 a year. If we go with net zero high speed it would be $15/mo or $180 a year. The only other cost would be if long distance charges apply due to not having a local dialup number.

So, we're checking to see if there is a local number. If not, we'll stay with our current ISP. If so, then we may switch to the high speed to decrease the costs. Also, in speaking generally with net zero, we've also learned that if you pay quarterly, you do pay less per month, which could save even more money.

we don't have cable. it's not really a necessary thing to have, so you can cancel that part. Or, call the cable company. My sister had digital cable but couldn't afford the bill. She told them that she'd have to cancel. THey transfered her to the 'digital customer retention department' where they gave her a deal on the cable--digital cable for the price of regular cable. Her monthly bill went from $70/month to $40/month. That's a big savings--if you *must* have cable.

Good luck!

[bstutzma]

I used netzero for years, pretty good people working at that company. I don't have cable. The main way to stay ahead is to have as few monthly bills as possible. Cell phone. Cable. Internet. These are all pretty much brand new things that EVERYONE is shelling over $100 a month for? That adds up pretty fast. Get rid of the TV bill and you won't even miss it - we don't. Don't buy unnecessary things, like the new jeans, or sunglasses. Don't go out to eat very often. Live within your means and you will start to save up, and THEN you'll be able to do fun things. My hubbie and I started with nothing, stayed living at a really reasonable level, and now we're planning a trip to Europe (way more exciting to me than a few years worth of MTV.)

[Coney]

Wow. I can feel your "freakin' out" from here. I've gotten bills like that before that seem to slam into your face and you don't know what to do about it. I've bounced the rent check a couple times, and there's no worse feeling.

The energy bill--is it all electric? I'm gonna suggest you get lower watt bulbs, make sure you turn off ALL unused lights in your house (do you have a house or apartment?), make sure you don't leave your computer on overnight, turn off all unused appliances...just look around for little ways to keep from sucking electricity into the house.
Use candles, they put off nice light at night and cost nothing.
If you bake (I'm guessing you have an electric stove) do it all on one day, while the oven's still warm.
This is a small one, but useful: When you're rinsing out the sink, or soaking a pan, run cold water only. That way you're not using electricity to heat water that doesn't need to be hot.

As for the Comcast bill, I agree with everyone else here, cut out the cable, and look for a cheaper internet connection. You can always watch movies instead of flipping stations on cable if you need something to watch. There are tons of alternatives out there for affordable internet. Earthlink often has introductory offers, as do other companies. Look for a local ISP, they may be even cheaper.

Good luck, you could always roll your coins if you're strapped for cash...