Heating costs will hit Midwest hard (as much as $1,600 for winter months)

[sabra]

http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S11097.html?cat=1

Heating costs will hit Midwest hard

WASHINGTON (AP) - Heating bills are headed through the roof, expected to average 50 percent higher this winter for homes that use natural gas. People in parts of the Midwest are likely to pay even more - as much as $1,600 for the winter months if the weather is especially bad.

Utility officials said Tuesday they expect to have plenty of natural gas despite disruptions from two hurricanes. But the utilities have been paying substantially more for the fuel they have been putting in storage, and are likely to face even higher costs this winter.

Those fuel costs account for about 70 percent of what a residential customer pays, although that varies among gas utilities.

How high retail heating costs will be is likely to depend as much on the cold as anything else, with utilities forced to buy more of the expensive gas if demand increases.

This might be my last winter in Chicago...

[cassiepriam]

1. $1600 a month. I'm doomed.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. It doesn't say $1600/month, but $1600/winter is bad enough.

I live in Minnesota, in a 100-year old house. It's gonna be cold, drafty and expensive.

[sabra]

3. my bad, read it wrong. I edited the title. thanks.

stay warm up there...

[Qanisqineq]

4. that is not right

People should be able to afford to keep their home warm. I don't care who you voted for, it is not right that people have to suffer like that. Most of my family lives in North Dakota and Minnesota, how the hell will people afford to heat their house when it is -25 degrees with a -60 degree windchill?

:grr:

[Skittles]

9. I think I am going to be helping with my cousin

he and his wife live in Peterson and I know they are already struggling....he won't ask but I will offer

[Qanisqineq]

11. I just think about all the struggling farmers up there

I grew up on a farm in ND and we weren't rich but we were never struggling like many of my friends' families. The movie "Country" with Jessica Lange always makes me tear up because I knew people who were battling to keep their farm. If you can barely keep your farm then how are you going to pay for outrageous heating bills? What if hail wiped out all your wheat? What if there was a drought or too much rain? No income and now you have to find money to keep warm. Terrible.

[Skittles]

13. terrible, what has been done to farmers

just awful....I was a GI brat but all my my grandparents and uncles were farmers - I sympathize

[SillyGoose]

5. I'm very worried about the coming winter for the people who live in cold

climates. How on earth is a struggling family or elderly person who depends on social security supposed to absorb $1600/month in heating costs?

[Extend a Hand]

6. yeah, the old and the poor

will really suffer. My mom lives in FL, and she just got her hurricane adjusted homeowners insurance (from the 2004 season) and new tax assessments. Insurance had doubled and property taxes up 25%. She lives on a fixed income so huge increases are really difficult. :(

[SillyGoose]

20. The elderly, others on fixed incomes and the poor

are going to be really hurt by the increases in basic necessities all over. Everywhere you turn there's another rate hike or price increase. I'm really concerned about those in cold climates who won't be able to afford heat.

I'm in FL, too, (a transplanted New Yorker) and am thankful our winters are mild so heating costs are not an issue but electric rates are climbing in addition to the increases you mentioned. I don't know how people are going to do it. Its too much to absorb everything when salaries don't keep pace with increases or when someone like your mom lives on a fixed income.

[maxrandb]

22. Thank God!

At least gays can't get married :sarcasm:

Maybe the fundies can burn their bibles to stay warm.

I despise what they've done to this country. And they asked; "how much damage could he possibly do in 5 years?"

[thinkingwoman]

7. watch what's left of the economy tank

That money has to come from somewhere. Americans live paycheck to paycheck and if they're paying an extra $1600 this winter that will have to come from somewhere.

I predict fewer movies, less eating out, fewer and less expensive presents (especially for xmas), and far less discretionary spending across the board.

Retail and Entertainment corporations will take a beating.

Hope W's corporate backers enjoy watching their profits fall.

Worst.
"President".
Ever.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. Look at the bright side.

The Petro-Corporations will probably break the $100 billion profit barrier.

:party:


Got heat?

[Sal Minella]

8. They drowned a bunch of us, now they're going to freeze a bunch

of us. And if the food stamp program is being cut back, starvation will take care of a lot of us. The ones who protest will be rounded up and shot, I presume.

So it's getting narrowed down to Republicans, pretty much, isn't it.

[Kindigger]

10. Lovely

Last winter I didn't turn my heat on until a day in December. I couldn't stand it anymore! It was 10 above, but the wind was blowing 40 mph making the windchill something like -20.

I'd been making it through for two months by wearing layer upon layer. I actually had to plan trips to the bathroom in advance. I wore GLOVES while typing on my keyboard. I had ice on the inside of the bedroom window. If I wanted to see out I used a plastic car window scraper.

I turned the heat on that day to 55 degrees. I counted the hours in cans of soup....how many cans of soup did this hour of heat cost me?

The woman at the utility company hassled me all winter. Everytime I went in to pay my bill she wanted to shake the chit out of me..."turn your heat up!" I told her I couldn't do that because I didn't want to have to go up to Community Action in April, and ask for money for what I couldn't pay. SHE called them without me knowing, and told them to give me money for the remainder without me having to appear in person. :blush:

Oh well, it's better than the place I used to live. In the CO mountains I rented a two story, 150 year old house. It only had a fireplace, and every morning I broke the ice in the toilet with an ice pick. :crazy:

[Delphinus]

12. Heavens!

You can't do that! I don't mean to chide, but remember that old adage of "pride goeth before a fall"? I know it's hard to ask for help but, dang, you'll wind up dead!

[wryter2000]

14. OMG

This is a disaster. How many people are going to die because of this and * not sending help with heating bills?

[Angry Girl]

15. $$$-Saving Heating Suggestions thread here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=255&topic_id=2125&mesg_id=2125

[alfredo]

16. Listen to this from Marketplace

And wonder how much of the increase is Katrina or greed.


http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2005/10/11/PM200510117.html

Be sure to send this to everyone on your mailing list.

[alcuno]

17. I'm in Chicago. There is NO way people will be able to pay these bills.

Last winter there were endless stories on the local news about people who couldn't afford the natural gas bills. Now they are talking about a 100% increase. Things are going to get bad around here.

[Kittycat]

21. Outrageous here last year, I'm afraid of this year!!!

Thank god we just sold our house! We lived in an 1897 Victorian. Beautifully restored, but almost completely un-insulated. Our new house will be ready on Halloween... It's our treat, I'll leave the trick far behind ;)

[ninkasi]

18. I live north of Houston, between Spring and Conroe

It's unlikely we would die, even without turning on any heat in the winter, but damn, this is OUTRAGEOUS. The repukes are talking about more tax cuts for the wealthy...their greed, and their complete disregard for life outside the womb is beyond disgusting, it is criminal.

They can cry their phony tears about the poor aborted fetuses, but why give birth to a child who will freeze to death if the mother can't afford heat? Do they give any thought to that? No, they don't. As long as they are raking in money, and gays can't marry, they are willing for the rest of us to endure any hardship. Subhuman cretins...my loathing grows daily.

I wish groups would go to Planned Parenthood clinics, where the loony-tunes picket, and get them to sign documents agreeing to fund medical care, food, and utility bills for mothers who can't afford to have kids. If they are sincere, surely they will agree. Oh, sorry, I forgot...their concern stops the minute the head passes through the birth canal.