Robbed at the gas pump, now it's the propane company's turn

[durablend]

We've been on the budget plan with our propane company (heating and cooking) for the last couple of years. As most of you know, budget billing is where the company calculates how much you use for the past year, throws in an added factor to cover for increases, and usually divides by 12 to come up with a monthly payment that stays the same year round. We live in a mobile home, so we really don't use that much (350 gallons or so annually, a little more if winter is REALLY cold), so we're usually talking in the $800-900 annual range (give or take, depending on current prices). Since we're fairly low income, we also get the LIHEAP grant the state offers annually, so that helps out. Last couple of years, they've had us on an $85/month payment, and surprisingly, we have a surplus (ie THEY'RE in the hole) of around $767 as of the end of this month.

Sounds good, or so I think until I get the letter in today's mail. As of next month, they're jacking our monthly payment up to $98:wtf: They have over $750 of our money (that they aren't paying a cent of interest on), and they still claim it isn't enough?!?! :wtf: again. Even assuming propane were to shoot up 50+% to over $4.00 a gallon (which I DOUBT), they're still running us on a sizeable surplus for no reason (aside from their getting free use of my money). And you want to talk about "robber barrons"?!?

Here's another little tidbit which I didn't know until a few years back--the LESS you use, the MORE you pay for it...seems they can't upset big business by making them PAY for what they use, so they screw over the consumer by sticking them with the bag if they DARE conserve it. AIN'T THAT SWEET! :puke:

[acmavm]

1. Same thing with natural gas. I will be screwed this winter. And I won't

be alone.