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05mommy09
Family of 5!
Member since 5/05 15364 total posts
Name:
<3 Mommy <3
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LIPA- Budget billing
When I moved out my mom told me budget billing was a necessity.. So I signed up... I never have had a problem, (although sometimes I think my bill is a little high considering we have a 2 bdrm apt. and we both are not home during the day...)
A friend of mines DH and like entire family works for LIPA- and refuse to do budget billing, the swear its a rip off/scam...As soon as she heard I had it- she said that her DH and family strongly suggest I get off it...
I thought it was odd, and was just wondering what others opinions were 
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Posted 3/10/07 12:57 PM  |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
did they say why it was a scam? I have it and would like to know why!
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:00 PM |
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05mommy09
Family of 5!
Member since 5/05 15364 total posts
Name:
<3 Mommy <3
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
did they say why it was a scam? I have it and would like to know why!
I didnt get into it..
but her FIL has been with them for 30+ years and has never been on a budget plan...
Thats gotta say something dosent it?
*Im gonna assume- she is implying the overestimate your bills, and you end up paying more that you really should
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:02 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Posted by Princessmaris
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
did they say why it was a scam? I have it and would like to know why!
I didnt get into it..
but her FIL has been with them for 30+ years and has never been on a budget plan...
Thats gotta say something dosent it?
*Im gonna assume- she is implying the overestimate your bills, and you end up paying more that you really should
unless you read the meter yourself every month and call it in, they can "scam" you if you pay as you go as well.
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:03 PM |
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05mommy09
Family of 5!
Member since 5/05 15364 total posts
Name:
<3 Mommy <3
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
Posted by Princessmaris
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
did they say why it was a scam? I have it and would like to know why!
I didnt get into it..
but her FIL has been with them for 30+ years and has never been on a budget plan...
Thats gotta say something dosent it?
*Im gonna assume- she is implying the overestimate your bills, and you end up paying more that you really should
unless you read the meter yourself every month and call it in, they can "scam" you if you pay as you go as well.
This is true- I guess im gonna ask her...
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:04 PM |
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Maathy317
Grammie's Little Man
Member since 2/06 3235 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
How is it a scam? If you pay too much during the year, they adjust it at the end. I've been doing this for years and wouldn't switch. I'd rather have a set amount to pay each month than be surprised by a large bill.
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:04 PM |
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05mommy09
Family of 5!
Member since 5/05 15364 total posts
Name:
<3 Mommy <3
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Posted by Maathy317
How is it a scam? If you pay too much during the year, they adjust it at the end. I've been doing this for years and wouldn't switch. I'd rather have a set amount to pay each month than be surprised by a large bill.
See my 1st few months here- I paid less in the summer, with AC running in the afternoons/nights (not on budget billing) than I did in the fall on buget billing????
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:10 PM |
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leighla
Support Cancer Research
Member since 5/05 16353 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
When I looked at what we spent last year versus what the budget billing was offering, the budget billing option was over $100 more per year.
I think budget billing is best if you need to have fixed expenses so you know how much you need to have every month.
But if you are okay with the unknown and slight fluctuations, it's better to be charged by use.
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:12 PM |
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Karen
Just chillin'!!
Member since 1/06 9690 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Posted by leighla
When I looked at what we spent last year versus what the budget billing was offering, the budget billing option was over $100 more per year.
They over budget us all the time. It's not a big deal - they just adjust your 12th payment to reflect that. We usually end up paying a very small amount month 12 because they over-estimated our usage all year.
It all works out in the end, it's just personal perference. I like knowing exactly how much my LIPA bill is going to be each month (especially with central a/c in the summer).
Message edited 3/10/2007 1:16:15 PM.
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:15 PM |
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CunningOne
***
Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
Name:
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
We do not have the budget billing.... It's not that we think its a scam, but I will tell you that both Keyspan and LIPA bill you each month based on estimates, until they get an actual reading (I assume its every 2-3 months based on our bills). Well, no one EVER came to do an actual reading at our house because they can't get to the gas meter, its in our yard behind a 6' tall locked fence. And one bill seemed really high, and DH notices it says actual reading How did they get that reading? So we called and gave them the real reading and we were credited more than $600!  Their estimates of our reading were always so much higher than our actual usage.
What I would suggest, if you keep the budgeted billing, call then every few months and give them an ACTUAL reading from the meter... It definitely saved us a lot of money, but I am not sure how it works if your on the budget-billing.
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| Posted 3/10/07 1:38 PM |
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Blu-ize
Plan B is Now Plan A
Member since 7/05 32475 total posts
Name:
Susan
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Don't have budget billing and I'm fine with that. They read every few months and it never fluctates that much with us. In the summer it's higher and in the winter it's lower.
I would rather pay the bill as it comes.
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| Posted 3/10/07 2:06 PM |
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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
You should make sure you're getting actual readings. We just enrolled in budget billing with Keyspan and based on last years bills we are going to end up overpaying by $700, but we'll get it back. We're still going to get the bill every month that shows how much we used and the current charges, so I don't really see how it could be a scam.
We have an actual reading for electric every month and gas every 2 months.
Message edited 3/10/2007 3:26:25 PM.
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| Posted 3/10/07 3:25 PM |
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05mommy09
Family of 5!
Member since 5/05 15364 total posts
Name:
<3 Mommy <3
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Scam wasnt the correct word I shouldve used...
I guess what Im trying to figure out is if it really pays off....
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| Posted 3/10/07 7:18 PM |
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BaroqueMama
Chase is one!
Member since 5/05 27530 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Posted by Princessmaris
Scam wasnt the correct word I shouldve used...
I guess what Im trying to figure out is if it really pays off....
It does, because at the end of the year, if you overpaid, the money goes towards any remaining balance you have. Although, I don't know what happens if you overpaid on balanced billing, but don't have a balance at the end of the year. That's the only thing I would wonder about. We go on balanced billing for the summer, but come off it for the winter.
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| Posted 3/10/07 7:24 PM |
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btrflygrl
me and baby #3!
Member since 5/05 12013 total posts
Name:
Shana
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
not in NY but we do budget billing and I feel it works for us. Evens things out for the year better than paying a little here and a lot there.
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| Posted 3/10/07 7:25 PM |
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05mommy09
Family of 5!
Member since 5/05 15364 total posts
Name:
<3 Mommy <3
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
Posted by prncssrachel
Posted by Princessmaris
Scam wasnt the correct word I shouldve used...
I guess what Im trying to figure out is if it really pays off....
It does, because at the end of the year, if you overpaid, the money goes towards any remaining balance you have. Although, I don't know what happens if you overpaid on balanced billing, but don't have a balance at the end of the year. That's the only thing I would wonder about. We go on balanced billing for the summer, but come off it for the winter.
This is exactly what I wonder- I feel like we over pay and yet still every year our budget goes up- or we owe money- I pay almost as much as my parents who have 4 people living in their large HOUSE- and 2 people are home using the electric ALL DAY LONG!
Im thinking I should do like you- on during summer off in the winter...
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| Posted 3/10/07 7:28 PM |
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btrflygrl
me and baby #3!
Member since 5/05 12013 total posts
Name:
Shana
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
you also have to look at HOW you set your thermostat....
a degree up or down makes a difference.
Maybe your t-stat is broken?
The temp of your water heater can affect your electric bill as well...if it's set at the highest temp, then it's using more electricityto heat the water and keep it warm when not in use.
A programmable thermostat is a good way to go...it keeps everything regulated.
It's also your personal comfort level....we don't mind being cool in the winter so we sleep at 62 or 63 and it's 66-68 during the day.
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| Posted 3/10/07 7:35 PM |
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hazeleyes33
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 13060 total posts
Name:
Ginger
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Re: LIPA- Budget billing
We have used balanced billing for 12 years and never had a problem. Our bill is $92/month and it went up $1/month after a summer of using our ac alot more than ever.
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| Posted 3/10/07 8:21 PM |
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