Wednesday, January 07, 2009

I take it back

The people at KCP&L are stupid, too.

I called them last fall, because I had a huge credit because of budget billing, it had been a full calendar year, and I skipped a bill.
Even with a "credit," you can't skip bills, I found out by calling (when the statement was all screaming "past due").

I listened to the customer service person explain that the power company never just liquidates your credit surplus — even though it's the customer's money, that the power company is pretty much holding without paying interest — that, at best, it might be redistributed back each month throughout the next year.

(I didn't get all curious and ask about what happened if the customers suddenly died … I don't see a "redistribution of surplus credits to heirs department" being at a power company, do you?)

So, the December bill was still $95 (the budget based on the 500 people who must have lived here before we did …), and this month, it's only $36. Pretty big-old difference, I should say.

I don't trust them. What good is a budget if it's always changing?

I guess in 2010, it will round out to about $70?

Stupid.

No, this is not going into my "what I'm thankful for" pile: "Having a ridiculously small electric bill when I'm receiving ridiculously small amounts of income." No.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Level pay is very handy for many households, but, for me I pay as I go thus avoiding giving KCPL interest free money ever. Plus unexpected variations in monthly amounts due to bad meter reading (computers screw up too) or stupid application of rate adjustments, show up immediately. Just my 2. 5 cents worth.

kcmeesha said...

ditto, it's a scam. I am the keeper of my money until I decide to pay. No automatic withdrawals either.

hearmysong said...

unless you're like me and forget to pay... then the convenience is unbeatable.

and the even billing is nice when you're on a very fixed income.

just _my_ 2.5 cents.

Tony said...

Killer first line!!!

Applecart T. said...

ok, so I'M clearly the stupid one, but home"ownership" makes people paranoid about money. budgets are supposed to prevent disaster. they don't. long live credit cards.