Ouch! Gas And Other Inflation Related Pain.

[jingle.boy]

Uggg. $137 to put 3/4 of a tank in my truck yesterday.

Just went over the border to gas up, and saved about $40 by doing so.  Ya'll are such whiners. 

[TAC]

Uggg. $137 to put 3/4 of a tank in my truck yesterday.

Just went over the border to gas up, and saved about $40 by doing so.  Ya'll are such whiners. 

So wait.. you're taking some of our gas supply?

[ReaperKK]

I don't drive much, so I only get as little as I need.  $12-15 a week.

My commute is 40 miles each way. :'(

When I lived in Florida I had a commute of 40 miles one way and it was horrible.

[jingle.boy]

Uggg. $137 to put 3/4 of a tank in my truck yesterday.

Just went over the border to gas up, and saved about $40 by doing so.  Ya'll are such whiners. 

So wait.. you're taking some of our gas supply?

If you drive to Buffalo for gas, then yes.

[gmillerdrake]

I don't drive much, so I only get as little as I need.  $12-15 a week.

My commute is 40 miles each way. :'(

When I lived in Florida I had a commute of 40 miles one way and it was horrible.

I’m 49 miles one way…..98 a day…..

Thankfully it’s not forever…..just until this project is built and turned over at the end of 23’.

[lonestar]

I don't drive much, so I only get as little as I need.  $12-15 a week.

My commute is 40 miles each way. :'(

When I lived in Florida I had a commute of 40 miles one way and it was horrible.

I’m 49 miles one way…..98 a day…..

Thankfully it’s not forever…..just until this project is built and turned over at the end of 23’.

At least your gas is a buck cheaper than mine.

[gmillerdrake]

I don't drive much, so I only get as little as I need.  $12-15 a week.

My commute is 40 miles each way. :'(

When I lived in Florida I had a commute of 40 miles one way and it was horrible.

I’m 49 miles one way…..98 a day…..

Thankfully it’s not forever…..just until this project is built and turned over at the end of 23’.

At least your gas is a buck cheaper than mine.

Yeah….I mean…..it is what it is. In the grand scheme of things it’s not a big deal.

[lonestar]

I don't drive much, so I only get as little as I need.  $12-15 a week.

My commute is 40 miles each way. :'(

When I lived in Florida I had a commute of 40 miles one way and it was horrible.

I’m 49 miles one way…..98 a day…..

Thankfully it’s not forever…..just until this project is built and turned over at the end of 23’.

At least your gas is a buck cheaper than mine.

Yeah….I mean…..it is what it is. In the grand scheme of things it’s not a big deal.

I hear ya... It's kind of expected to bitch about it, but in reality my income has spiked way higher than inflation, our company is in the brink of huge expansion, and life is pretty chill overall. We got issues? Sure. Does it own my hourly existence? Nah...

[gmillerdrake]

I don't drive much, so I only get as little as I need.  $12-15 a week.

My commute is 40 miles each way. :'(

When I lived in Florida I had a commute of 40 miles one way and it was horrible.

I’m 49 miles one way…..98 a day…..

Thankfully it’s not forever…..just until this project is built and turned over at the end of 23’.

At least your gas is a buck cheaper than mine.

Yeah….I mean…..it is what it is. In the grand scheme of things it’s not a big deal.

I hear ya... It's kind of expected to bitch about it, but in reality my income has spiked way higher than inflation, our company is in the brink of huge expansion, and life is pretty chill overall. We got issues? Sure. Does it own my hourly existence? Nah...

It’d be pretty easy to complain about this all….the inflation….gas prices etc etc. Everything is costing more and it does ‘suck’ big time.

But I flip a handle and clean water comes out as we eat our three squares a day plus snacks….under the nice secure roof we’re living under…so….I know and appreciate how blessed we are. It’d serve people good to take a step back and take inventory of everything we have compared to what others may not have

Not trying to be all zen and crap in this thread and pretend I haven’t complained about what’s going down these days…..but in lieu of seeing Bills Father pass and just things in my life lately…..I recently took a step back and forced myself to really take stock of some things.

[King Postwhore]

My electric company announced in August their rates go from 10.699 cents to 22.566 cents.


It's highway robbery man.  This is bullshit.

[El Barto]

My electric company announced in August their rates go from 10.699 cents to 22.566 cents.


It's highway robbery man.  This is bullshit.

For one thing, shop around. Up until now I've always signed on for 3 month terms to get introductory rates. That might not matter now, though. Down here the renewal rate I've been offered is better than the introductory rates, but it's still double what I've been paying. Also, don't know if they play these games up there, but the actual price for the renewal plan includes a rebate that you only get if you stay within a certain amount of usage. You kind of have to estimate what your monthly usage will be, and if you're wrong you'll pay a ton more. I'm not bad at that, but they still have ways of bending you over. It goes by billing period, rather than month, and they make those up as they go along. 29 days, 27, 32, 28, 28, 28, 34 days. By throwing in one that's surprsingly short or long they're bound to catch you over or under your block. But hey, at least Texas isn't lumped in with the rest of you losers. 

For my part, I'm shopping for a new pad right now, and electricity prices are one of the biggest factors. I'm pretty much only looking at places with window unit ACs now because central air will be prohibitively expensive. I don't want to pay to cool 1300 square feet when I'm really only concerned about two areas for specific periods of time.

[King Postwhore]

The other 2 I could use is going up as well.  They haven't given their pricing yet.  More than double is what really irks me.


Though EB, I remember your issues (2 or 3 years ago?) in the winter with the power crisis.  That was nuts.

[El Barto]

The other 2 I could use is going up as well. They haven't given their pricing yet.  More than double is what really irks me.


Though EB, I remember your issues (2 or 3 years ago?) in the winter with the power crisis.  That was nuts.

Maybe that's one area where we do beat you guys. The Public Utility Commission runs a website that all electricity companies list their rate plans on. It's one-stop shopping and the new plans are constantly updated. The downside is that while you have only 3 providers, by the sound of it, we have hundreds. Rather than fostering competition, though, it just helps to muddy the waters. One guy in his garage probably owns 5 of them "competing" with himself, and providing different ways to confuse the consumer.

[King Postwhore]

I remember even in the early 2000's there was no competition. 

[lonestar]

Wait... You guys have a shop around option? Here the only option is whether PG&E fucks you dry or does a courtesy spit on it.

[El Barto]

Wait... You guys have a shop around option? Here the only option is whether PG&E fucks you dry or does a courtesy spit on it.

Yes and no. Like I said, anybody can start their own energy company here. All you're doing is buying wholesale and selling retail. Wholesale fluctuates constantly, so you're estimating supply and demand to sell at a fixed rate. Of course it's a no lose investment because if you blunder the whole thing, like last March, the state will bail you out, like right now. While this might sound like healthy competition, it's really not. For one thing, you're just incorporating a middle man who'll jack up the price before it gets to you. More importantly, though, is that the myriad energy companies down here are all owned by the same investors. Different names. Different plans. Different (but identical) websites. In the end they're just there to confuse you into thinking that one is better than another. Preying on stupid consumers is a hallmark of capitalism, after all. You ever stand in an aisle trying to decipher if 6 mega rolls is better than 8 double rolls or 12 normal rolls?

So, yeah, we've got plenty of choices that all lead back to exactly the same place.

That having been said, the one thing we get that does help is that every plan has to have a single page facts sheet explaining how the pricing works. These are helpful.  Electricity Facts Label

[cramx3]

I get mail often for me to change my supplier of energy, but it uses the same infrastructure.  I was and still am confused how that is profitable when they use the same power lines.  Either way, it always seemed like a scam.  Especially when someone actually starts trying to sell you on it at your door or via phone. 

[Snow Dog]

Here the only option is whether PG&E fucks you dry or does a courtesy spit on it.

Or sets your house on fire...

[orcus116]

At least one scam energy company has been making the rounds near me since my local company has royally screwed up and is now being audited by the state. Apparently the trick they use is to ask to see your bill to "check for bogus charges" but they inside get a picture of your account number and sign you up for their service even if you refuse their offer. It's really scummy.

[lonestar]

Here the only option is whether PG&E fucks you dry or does a courtesy spit on it.

Or sets your house on fire...

And then in the ensuing criminal lawsuit over the 89 guilty manslaughter convictions and resulting billions upon billions of dollars in fines, they raise their rates so their stockholders don't lose money.


It's good to be a monopoly with basically no oversight.

[Cool Chris]

Maybe I am ignorant or it is just a regional thing... but I have never been aware of the possibility of shopping for an energy provider. For as long as I have been handling my own bills I was operating on the belief that there was one provider for each utility in my area.

[El Barto]

Maybe I am ignorant or it is just a regional thing... but I have never been aware of the possibility of shopping for an energy provider. For as long as I have been handling my own bills I was operating on the belief that there was one provider for each utility in my area.

Out of curiosity, does your one provider have different plans to offer? You sign up for a hitch, or is it simply month to month?

[Cool Chris]

Maybe I am ignorant or it is just a regional thing... but I have never been aware of the possibility of shopping for an energy provider. For as long as I have been handling my own bills I was operating on the belief that there was one provider for each utility in my area.

Out of curiosity, does your one provider have different plans to offer? You sign up for a hitch, or is it simply month to month?

I honestly have no idea. When we moved in to this house I signed up with what I thought were the providers for the area (electric, gas, trash, water/sewer), I get my bills every month, and pay them. I've never given a thought to the possibility of different plans.

[El Barto]

Maybe I am ignorant or it is just a regional thing... but I have never been aware of the possibility of shopping for an energy provider. For as long as I have been handling my own bills I was operating on the belief that there was one provider for each utility in my area.

Out of curiosity, does your one provider have different plans to offer? You sign up for a hitch, or is it simply month to month?

I honestly have no idea. When we moved in to this house I signed up with what I thought were the providers for the area (electric, gas, trash, water/sewer), I get my bills every month, and pay them. I've never given a thought to the possibility of different plans.

I hope financing cars is the wife's purview. 

A tiny bit of half-assed research suggests that in many states the individual cities do what our "energy companies" do. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for worse. There's no competition whatsoever, so shut up and eat your pine cone, but they're also not beholden to shareholders. What you pay for electricity is a wee bit higher than what I've been paying the last few years and a fuckton lower than what I'll be paying when my contract expires next month. It's damn near a third of what RJ's sorry ass is enduring right now.

[Cool Chris]

You're a funny guy 

This is my county. Seems pretty cut and dry what pine cones I am to masticate. 

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/5307/Utilities

[Chino]

Inflation combined with returning the the office has completely worn me down financially. I'm spending almost $400 a month now on gas. Prior to returning to the office, I wasn't barely sniffing $100. I haven't bought anything hobby related in months. If I had to venture a guess, between the costs associated with working in the office, fuel, utilities, and groceries, I have $500-$600 less disposable income per month than I did at this point last year. Living solo also doesn't help matters any in the food department. Eating out costs a small fortune now, but I struggle to grocery shop for home cooking without tons of food going bad because I can only eat so much.

/rant

[ReaperKK]

Maybe I am ignorant or it is just a regional thing... but I have never been aware of the possibility of shopping for an energy provider. For as long as I have been handling my own bills I was operating on the belief that there was one provider for each utility in my area.

That's how it is here, and back when I lived in Florida. We have Duke energy and that's it for power. I get my bill month to month or if you'd like you can sign up through a service through Duke where they average your energy usage and give you a flat rate monthly, which they'll give you refunds if use less than projected.

It's wild to me that you guys would have different energy providers. With the exception of TV/Internet you only have one utility choice here.

[jingle.boy]

Ah… the joys of regulated industries. Both energy and electric are governed by independent, gov’t run Boards (Provincial jurisdiction). Water is managed municipally, but still governed/regulated at that level.

[lonestar]

Ah… the joys of regulated industries. Both energy and electric are governed by independent, gov’t run Boards (Provincial jurisdiction). Water is managed municipally, but still governed/regulated at that level.

California has the PUC, an independent commission that is supposed to regulate our utilities. Unfortunately they're in the pocket of those same companies, and basically greenlight anything they propose to do. It's disgusting.

[Dublagent66]

[hunnus2000]

In today's environment, it's not the government living too well, it's the corporations living too well. One has to answer the question, how can the oil and gas companies realize 300% profit in the first quarter of this year alone???

What about Abbott industries trying to implement a stock buyback? And they own 40% of the formula market share!!!

I think we're a victim of price gouging every time I look around. 

[El Barto]

Who cares what the RINO thinks anyway.

[Dublagent66]

In today's environment, it's not the government living too well, it's the corporations living too well. One has to answer the question, how can the oil and gas companies realize 300% profit in the first quarter of this year alone???

What about Abbott industries trying to implement a stock buyback? And they own 40% of the formula market share!!!

I think we're a victim of price gouging every time I look around. 

And for some unknown reason you seem to think that corporations and government aren't in bed together?  You're gonna have to come up with something better than that.

[hunnus2000]

In today's environment, it's not the government living too well, it's the corporations living too well. One has to answer the question, how can the oil and gas companies realize 300% profit in the first quarter of this year alone???

What about Abbott industries trying to implement a stock buyback? And they own 40% of the formula market share!!!

I think we're a victim of price gouging every time I look around. 

And for some unknown reason you seem to think that corporations and government aren't in bed together?  You're gonna have to come up with something better than that.

And you could come up with a better retort to my comment. I understand that our government has sold out to corporate greed but our government is not in the business of making baby formula nor are they in the business of producing oil and gas of which the US is the leading exporter of this product. Yeah - the Saudis can produce more oil but our oil companies have the ability to produce more gas dropping the price but they say naw, we're doing just fine.

Maybe there should be a government takeover of the oil industry!!

[XJDenton]

Don't make me tap the P/R sign fellas.