Remember the old man who froze to death?

[moribundman]

The utilities company shut his electricity and/or gas off after he repeatedly failed to pay his bills. Please do not start a discussion about if he had it coming or if he was a victim. We already went through that in a previous thread.

My reason for posting is a note I received along with my gas and electricity bill this month. The note says that PG&E now has a Third-Party-Notification Service, a telephone hotline, via which everybody can make sure that another person's gas and electricity bill is covered in the event they fail to pay. That's certainly a service to consider if you have elderly relatives or friends who live by themselves.

 

[salesrep]

Better yet have a mirrored email acct for your kin and friends.

 

[Kestas]

It's about time. I can't imagine a utility company NOT offering this service. Actually, I thought they had this service all along.

I'm dealing with elder care issues with my widowed mother. She was at least a month behind on her gas bill this winter, which I promptly took care of when I found out.

I try to intercept the mail as much as I can. When I do find bills, I now request a change in address so future bills can go to my house, and get prompt attention.

If this turns into an elder care thread, I'll probably have more to say.

 

[Cutehumor]

I don't think the old man knew anyone. Would you pay your neighbor's $300 electric bill?

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
I don't think the old man knew anyone. Would you pay your neighbor's $300 electric bill?


Maybe not personally, but I'd manage to throw something in the kitty of a local church ..and I'd definitely call (or the pastor of the church call) the utility to inform them of the situation.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
I don't think the old man knew anyone. Would you pay your neighbor's $300 electric bill?


Yes. I've learned recently to not tithe to church. The bible verse says "put it in the store house so that no man lacks..." Well, I'm tired of paying for the building's electric bills, pastor's iPhones, and more programs that don't affect anyone. The spirit of it all is to make sure "no man has lack" NOT to keep the storehouse all prim & proper. I'll give my money to those who have the need, so they don't fall thru the cracks.

So after the last 6 months or so of getting my eyes open to all that, I'd just go pay the dude's electric bill if I had the money, or has Gary said, help be part of the solution. This way he wouldn't lack.

 

[simple_gifts]

Quote:

Would you pay your neighbor's $300 electric bill?


Given the correct circumstances (veteran etc), not a problem.

Dish TV with premium channels in use, no.

 

[uc50ic4more]

It'd probably be a good idea for communities to set up a database of some sort that keeps up with elderly, disabled and otherwise underprivileged folks who could benefit from help occasionally. May it could be called the Bills, Incoming Taken Over Group?

 

[Nickdfresh]

Um, money wasn't the problem. I believe he left behind some bucks actually...

I think a [censored] electric/gas company was the problem...

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh
Um, money wasn't the problem. I believe he left behind some bucks actually...

I think a [censored] electric/gas company was the problem...


As I said in my original post, we've already discussed this in a previous thread. No need to start discussing the topic anew, because that guy's pushing daisies by now.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
I don't think the old man knew anyone. Would you pay your neighbor's $300 electric bill?

If you read the story, that problem was not HAVING the money to pay the bill, but this person needed help getting his money TO the utility company.

Unless you've involved yourself with elder care at some time, you wouldn't understand how this can be a problem for many elder people.