I just saw on the news that people are losing their electricity

We have nearly been in that situation I don't know how many times. Our power bill in the winters can get over $1000 a month! Who can afford that? We had to use our tax rebates to pay it off a few weeks ago or we'd be shut off. There is a program here through social services that will pay part of your power bill during the winter if you get a shut off notice. We went to them when we owed $1500 and they only paid $400 of it. Ouch! Something should be done, because for the lower income families,the power bill is more expensive than the rent or mortgage and few people have that kind of money. We are taking steps during this summer to ensure we never see a $1000 bill again. We plan on buying a lot of electric heaters to save on gas use and we are hoping to replace a few windows to stop the drafts.

I am not far off from loosing mine neither. Gas just moved up to $3.69 a gallon here in my area. I have tons of appointment between my boys and I. I am in poor health and can't work, it is getting harder and harder to make bills. My biggest worry would be loosing the fridge and freezer when the power gets cut off. Oh, and also my well because I don't have city water. I have a generator, but won't be able to afford to put the gas in to keep it on for the fridge and the freezer. Such is life I guess. At least it is not wintertime, but it is still getting cool out, but then again, I don't have oil to work the furnuse anyways. I don't know what I am going to do about that next winter. I couldn't hardly afford it this past winter. Assistance programs can only give you x amount of gallons, and that doesn't last all winter, even with it turned up just enough so you don't turn blue.

Many people live less than paycheck by paycheck.But they continue on with hopes and dreams.As the cost of living increases and wages remain low(especially for many hourly wage earners),people have to cut back their finances somewhere or continue to fall behind.No wonder so many people are burdened with increasing stress problems.As you said;it is not just the gas prices.That is just one of the sympotms of a very sick economy.

and its just gonna get harder. because the government does not care. they have money and that is all that matters. they are not thinking about all the children and low income familys that are struggling day to day to make ends meat. if they were they would raise minimum wage higher than it already is.

These are the very things that are essential to this next election. The candidate who addresses and wants to tackle these issues, is the one we should vote for. Too many good people, trying to make it work, are getting nothing, while many bad people who exploit everything, are getting the best. Some day, this has got to give. This will not help our society...it will only make things harder...

This is awful but not suprising to me. I am originally from Maine and these kinds of things happen a lot. I have a friend who lost her electricity and did the same thing as this woman you speak of. what's worse is what happens when the cold weather comes again? Most of these people are not going to be able to come up with the money to get their old bill paid off and the power companies generally will not turn it back on until the old bill is paid. So what happens to these people this coming winter?

the grim realities are ahead of us. due to inflation all round the world and price rise, many people can't just afford thing sin day to day life. its making their life really hard.

This is definitely a really sad thing that is happening, but sadly it's just going to get worse and worse. There needs to be a better option for single parents, a sliding scale fee for child care, and maybe people could start taking second part time jobs, or doing a little something on the side to help get more cash. At least over the summer they won't have to worry about paying a huge electric bill. This is where keeping everything turned off as much as possible comes in handy.

I have noticed the changes in Australia over the past 10 years with the utilities companies. Here... they will cut you off... no matter what. And Telecom used to send a quarter bill... but as the bills got larger and people got in trouble... it now send a monthly bill to everyone in order to minimize the risk. Utilities are no different to any other business. They need their money. For my part... I would have thought that it is more important to pay your electricity bill than putting gas in your car... or paying for child care. You can find alternative for those two. But there are very little alternatives for electricity. Maybe she should also find ways to reduce her electricity consumption.

At time goes on there will be a lot more that just electricty that will be lost from Prices of living and everything else going up. There will me alot of things that will start to affect the people of the us and the hip people in charge will not be able to do anything about it. You will see what i'm talking about. He next president will have hell to pay trying to get thing on track.

It is really sad that there are lots of people who really can't afford to buy certain things as well as paying their bills. It happened to one of our neigbhor's as well, and it is really not good. I hope it will not happen to us.

I am truly sorry to hear this...I have been there, done that! Doesn't Ohio have a "budget billing" in place?...if they don't they sure as heck should...this would stop any and all shut offs. Also, doesn't the state help people with this type of problem?...maybe these people don't know where to go...I have two jobs that pay well but still I am on a budget which means that I only have to pay a fraction of what my bill is...of course the electric company will get all their money, but with time, I am also on a budget billing plan with oil and have been for the last 18 years!! It's great, especially in the winter months and whatwith the price of oil nowadays :-(...to fill my tank it costs over $300.00 but I pay $78.00 monthly and this way I always have oil when needed and I don't have to worry about my girls being in the cold!! Doesn't Ohio have Community Centers that help people? Does Ohio have a WIC (women infants and children) program? Or a local welfare office? They should be able to help also. It is ridiculous that this single mom has to suffer with her child...Please if you know her let her know that there has to be some kind of program in place so that she can get the help she requires. ~G~