And now a word about my electric bill...

My electric bill is fixed at $75 per month, on a budget plan that doesn't fluctuate through the year. Last year it was at $85 and I built up about $120 of credit - so they dropped me to $75 per month, I skipped a month of payment, and all was well. I seem to have blown through that extra $25 though, considering that this summer was pretty hot here and we had the (not very efficient) air conditioning going all the time. (We did get better results after the landlord came out for the umpteenth time, and found the actual culprit - a water-soaked filter that had fallen down and was basically completely blocking an intake.) I wonder how much electricity we spent when the AC was on constantly because of that little bugger?

The budget plan was removed in July (so I only was supposed to pay $27 that month even though we had a $148 bill, because of the $120 credit I built up, but by the time I got the bill I had sent $85 anyway) and put back in August (when I only paid $17.49 after all the credits, despite a $166 bill).

Then in September I paid $75, on a $167 bill, and this month, $75 on a $130 bill.. after they receive my $75 this month I will still be in hock $237. Hopefully things will even out over the winter.