What would you do? (kind of depressing thread sorry)

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silhouettes
silhouettes Posts: 517 Member
in Chit-Chat
I know I have been posting depressing threads lately! I have had it rough this past few weeks.. and you guys have been here with support so I have another question for you. My husband only gets 32 hours right now and I can't find a job, so we are stretched thin on money. We count every penny for food, bills, ect. The max we can pay for water is $50, $60 if we cut down on food for a week.

This month I got a $95 water bill, because of a leak. We had an adjustment last month because of ANOTHER leak.. we weren't aware we had two until we got a $80 water bill LAST month. We had to borrow the money from my parents to pay that.. but now we are getting a $95 one. My parents can't afford to help us again... they just got property taxes back and have to pay those. As I said above I can't pay that much!

They won't give me a second adjustment and chances are they MIGHT turn it off if I don't pay the full amount.

Now I have a little saved back for my dogs pills for the next 3 months. If he doesn't get his pills he might die.. he has an enlarged hearth with an adnormal beat and he has fainting spells 1-2 times a month.

So I am faced with the impossible choice to pay the water bill and not have it turned off or keeping my dog alive.

I can't believe the water company can be so cold hearted that they wouldn't work with me in my situation. There is no choice for me. I won't let my baby die. He is like a child to me. I have had him 9 years and I would rather go without water for awhile than risk his death.

I just can't comprehend how they could even ask me to make this choice.. you can't just poop out money! It's not like we have been behind before.. it's not like we aren't trying!

I just wanted to rant somewhere... And see what you guys would do in my situation, like I said it's no choice for me. I won't risk my babies life.... and maybe tomorrow when I go talk to them again I can convince them to work with me and pay payments... but tonight I need some encouragement and kind words and advice, this is making me sick and I can't sleep because of it.
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Replies

  • mallorybriann
    mallorybriann Posts: 1,380 Member
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    Have you tried local charities and churches?
    I know around here they have places that will help you with bills/rent and such when they are close to being shut off...
    I would give that a try.
    If the water company knows that a charity is paying, they won't shut you off.
    Good luck :(:(
  • UneJolieFemme
    UneJolieFemme Posts: 86 Member
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    Im so sorry this is happening to you :(

    I wouldn't normally suggest this but, is there another bill maybe you could give a little less this month to cover in full the water bill ?
  • strapple
    strapple Posts: 353 Member
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    cant you speak with your vet about a payment plan? explain your situation. he might be much more understanding than the water company
  • lnosgood
    lnosgood Posts: 92
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    Most water companies wont turn you off as long as you pay a partial payment on the bill. I know here in Wichita, Ks I can pay $20 on a $60 bill and they wont shut me off. But I dont know how it is where you live. You might also check into getting state help from your local SRS office. I've been there and it's hard... I was with out a job for a year before I was able to find something here. With 3 airplane mfg plants centered here in Wichita and all of them laying off last year there was NO jobs.. not even fast food available. So i feel your pain!
  • 01Nick
    01Nick Posts: 3
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    That sux.
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
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    I would have to go without water. Or I would kite and pay my visa bill and then pay my water bill with my visa. Or I would ask my dad for a small loan. I wouldn't lose my pet.
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
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    Can you sell something?
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Most utility companies won't turn off service until two or three months of complete non-payment. Every company I have ever dealt with will keep your service running if you make partial payments, and that's without even making special arrangements with them. Talk to them again tomorrow, ask to talk to a manager or supervisor or someone in charge, explain your situation again, cry if you have to, especially if you are there in person.
  • fullofhope
    fullofhope Posts: 78 Member
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    check to see if there is a United Way branch in your area. They help alot of different people. Catholic charities help everyone, not just Catholics. I hope you can work things out, you have come so far. Don't let these bumps in the road send you down the wrong path.
  • Callmecj
    Callmecj Posts: 2
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    My dad has told me in the past that if you send in a payment with what you can pay then often they will accept it, if they see you are sending them Some money at least they are getting something... i cant garentee that it would work but he has been a creditor before so you might give it a shot... i am sorry this is happening hang in there!
  • silhouettes
    silhouettes Posts: 517 Member
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    cant you speak with your vet about a payment plan? explain your situation. he might be much more understanding than the water company

    The vet has a strict pay up front policy unless it's an emergancy and typically that's only for operations.

    As for bills I can wait on.. maybe.. I am waiting to see what the gas/electricity will be.. I don't think I can come up with all of it with the savings this month but maybe part of it.

    I am getting assistance on my gas bill... but I didn't know you could get assistance on your water bill.. I will make some calls tomorrow and see if I can figure anything out. We tried to get foodstamps but they won't give them to us... they said my husband makes to much which really doesn't make sense since he's only 32 hours....

    I hope your right about not turning them off.. we will have at least $50 to pay on it.. I'll tell them that.

    I tried talking to my parents Church once before when my husband was younger.. 17 and he didn't have a home and we needed help getting him set up in in apartment and they refused to help! Since then I have avoided Churchs.. I know not all of them are like that... but it was a bad experience I don't like asking for help and to be brushed off like that really hurt.. but anyways what's not the issue here, lol.
  • KeepOnMoving
    KeepOnMoving Posts: 383 Member
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    I would ask your dog's Vet about discount drugs for your dog. Tell him your in a grave financial situation and maybe he or she can help out. If not, check with another vet about discounted medicine for your dog's condition.

    If your dog is 9 years old (63 years old in dog's age) maybe he is mature enough to understand that you and your husband will live longer than him (just being an animal.) Dogs are truly loyal and if they could possibly understand the situation, they would want to risk their lives for their master. That is just how dogs are. That is why they are my favorite animal out of all animals.

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • silhouettes
    silhouettes Posts: 517 Member
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    Can you sell something?

    I have been trying to sell stuff on ebay for awhile now... stuff I don't really need.. but nothing sells and the local pawn shop won't give you anything for it.. it's not worth it.
  • brittanyscherich
    brittanyscherich Posts: 355 Member
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    I would no doubt buy the medicine. Have you tried going to a food bank or even your local church? I grew up pretty poor (under poverty line) and all my mom had to do was say the word and my pastor would come over to our apartment with tons of food. And every Thankgiving/Christmas, he brought us over a turkey/ham. See if you can qualify for food stamps or some kind of government help. Perhaps you could file for unemployment? It sucks depending on the government, but when you have no options, it may be your last chance. But the dog for sure. He's your baby.
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
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    That's terrible. Your vet is more likely to work out a payment plan with you than the water company - ask them if you can give a credit card number as security that you'll pay for the medications the following month. Or if worst comes to worst, sell some of your extra personal items on sites like craigslist, kijiji, etc. It adds up !

    Edit: I didnt see that my suggestions had already been suggested. Sorry :(
  • silhouettes
    silhouettes Posts: 517 Member
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    I would no doubt buy the medicine. Have you tried going to a food bank or even your local church? I grew up pretty poor (under poverty line) and all my mom had to do was say the word and my pastor would come over to our apartment with tons of food. And every Thankgiving/Christmas, he brought us over a turkey/ham. See if you can qualify for food stamps or some kind of government help. Perhaps you could file for unemployment? It sucks depending on the government, but when you have no options, it may be your last chance. But the dog for sure. He's your baby.

    See this is a big problem, because I can't file for unemployment it's been to long since I worked.. since I have hardly any experience no one will hire me.. to may ppl wanting a job they have their pick it seems :(. And like I said above they won't give us foodstamps.. I tried twice.. it makes no sense to me!
  • brittanyscherich
    brittanyscherich Posts: 355 Member
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    If your dog is 9 years old (63 years old in dog's age) maybe he is mature enough to understand that you and your husband will live longer than him (just being an animal.) Dogs are truly loyal and if they could possibly understand the situation, they would want to risk their lives for their master. That is just how dogs are. That is why they are my favorite animal out of all animals.

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:

    Dogs totally risk their lives to protect their master... but for water? That's just... so not moral! At least to me.
  • charding40
    charding40 Posts: 45
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    i would definately talk to both the water company and the vet and see if maybe just one of them would have a heart and accept payments, hopefully they will see that you are trying in vain to hold everything together! i know how bad the economy sucks ive been there, we live in ont canada and when GM had their big fall out my hubby lost his job and then couldnt find work anywhere! took him18 full months before another car builder (who actually supplies GM) hired him! in that time i worked as much as i could i had utiltities turned on and off and had 2 young children to look after as well, but in the end we ended up losing our house to the bank, our credit has been destroyed etc., but we are sllloooowwwwlllyyy climbing back out of the hole! i sooo feel where you are coming from hon i really really do......i hate seeing honest hardworking decent people down on their luck and big power companies (such as the water board) flipping their over paid noses up at you ! take care it will get better :)
  • BunnybeeJG
    BunnybeeJG Posts: 344 Member
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    a couple years ago, I lived with my mother and sister.

    My mom, the primary bread winner... got fired from her job and all of a sudden I had to pay for little bills... my grandmother helped with our rent for a while, and then my mother got another job.
    for a few months.
    Things got too hard, my sister's job was a seasonal job and it ended which again left me the only working person in the house. We tried...but eventually we moved into a smaller apartment.
    one by one everything fell apart even more..
    I would give my mom any money I had and couldn't pay my own bills because I don't make money.. I don't even make 10,000 a year... not even close... I was in the red a lot.
    our electric got shut off, we had no food... it was really cold there was no hot water and we would go to the charities like redcross to try to get food... food that was close to or just spoiled that the grocery stores had discarded.
    Then we got evicted and my mom and sister got sent back to chicago, and I'm here with my grandparents... they help me ... but i feel bad every day... like i'm taking advantage letting her feed me and keep a roof over my head. She tells me every day that when my grandfather retires that they wont have money to help me with groceries and blah blah.. but she doesn't understand I've lived with a lot less most of my life...many times coming close to being homeless.. It doesn't make it any better now when jobs are ... impossible to get... my job at a bookstore is even on its way out I know... I think the company will survive at least another year but... and I've had no luck finding anything else... even where there are openings... so dont feel bad about not finding a job... I've realized that for every one position that's open now theres like a thousand people applying for it... keep trying... you can do it all this will make you appreciate even more when you get back on your feet. Its just bad... but people survived the great depression... and in a way that gives me some hope that all of us who have nothing... will be okay.


    I think that things will get better...I hope they do for you I don't wish any of that on anyone... and btw... no worries about the depressing posts... vent... get it out.. i know you can't keep it inside.. and sometimes... venting it to a stranger is better than keeping it in... hell even better than talking to a friend about it sometimes.:heart: i'm here if you need a friend.
  • silhouettes
    silhouettes Posts: 517 Member
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    If your dog is 9 years old (63 years old in dog's age) maybe he is mature enough to understand that you and your husband will live longer than him (just being an animal.) Dogs are truly loyal and if they could possibly understand the situation, they would want to risk their lives for their master. That is just how dogs are. That is why they are my favorite animal out of all animals.

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:

    Dogs totally risk their lives to protect their master... but for water? That's just... so not moral! At least to me.

    I agree.

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