Utility Fee Going Up Again Next Year

Time to raise the utility fees again. Recently they took the laundry off the utility fee and made it a $10 fee just to have the laundry, if you use it or not and some don't - they have it sent out instead, but they still pay. Almost all of us do use the laundry however.

Yup every year it seems to go up $5. There is little choice however, as the utility rates they pay out go up every few months it seems. There is the thing however, that with the service in our apartments, we literally can't use as much power as a more modern apartment would allow. As well we are all poor and don't tend to have a tone of stuff to plug in.

There is an installation fee that is kind of steep ($50) for the A.C. unit as well. I'm kind of sure this is to help offset the power they use. I'm actually thinking of not having it put in next year. I'd save the money for something else, and my body feels the heat less every year. This year I've had it on a grand total of 5 times. I don't think it's worth it for $50. I actually feel cold some days when it's 35C outside and the sun is blazing in my window. Might just sell the thing. My fan will do me 98% of the time.

If I remember I was paying about $75 a month 6 or 7 years ago in the other place I was in then, so this is not bad in comparison. I'm sure if I was still there it would be up to $110 by now. Being that I turn light off when I leave and I don't tend to use the oven all that much, I don't think I use a lot of power, so I am amazed at how much I was paying. Mom was forking out $90 a month if I can remember. But she had the TV on 18 hours a day, used the oven every day, and had every light in the apartment on most of the time. Then again utility rates have been nuts since 2005 or so. Back in the 90's I don't recall paying more than $50 a month and I used a hell of a lot more power then.

Oh well, the rent is affordable and I like all but one of the people on my floor and that one is unlikable. Here is the side story. She is in the hall between 5 and 10 times a day with company. They never go in her place and they tend to talk loud - so loud sometimes I have to turn up my TV or I can't pick out what they are saying (mostly a problem focusing on it). But when people use the garbage shoot, she gets pissy about it. I had to make 4 trips the other day on on the 2nd trip she was looking out her door frowning at me. Trip number 3 and she was out again and this time said "Jesus Christ." 4th trip I heard her on the phone, I think she literally called and complained about it LOL. The best part is, she is on occasion in the  hall at 1am.

In any event, expenses keep going up an income stays relatively the same. I'm on disability and the only time in 15 years they bumped up the pay was a $20 increase after inflation had me paying $70 more a month for food. So ya know - it's a token gesture to make it look like they care. Well, have a good one folks and keep smiling - they don't know what you are planning if you smile at them.