Current Events > Is it possible to change when utility bills are due?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Sorry, an adulting question I've never had to bother to ask. For the first time in my life I've gone from being paid bi-weekly fridays to every week on Monday and the way that my gas, electric and internet are all front loaded in the first week of every month is torpedoing my book balancing. Is it possible to call these people up and spread out the billing cycle, or am I SOL when it comes to that? I've never even had to think about this before, and google gives me mixed answers.

I mean do you even have to pay on the 1st or can you just pay later? My electric bill usually comes on the 18th or so, but as long as it's paid before the next bill it's not considered late. With our previous electric company when we were renting you could just pay 2 bills every other month and it was NBD.

Otherwise you'd probably have to call to see if it can be moved.

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Bro you wouldn't believe how long it takes to reach my city's utility departments. I figured asking socially saves me an actual 3 hours on hold only to get snored at by a DMV tier employee.

...shouldn't it only take 1 month to fix this as long as you keep the money you need week to week?

Apodyopsist posted...

I mean do you even have to pay on the 1st or can you just pay later? My electric bill usually comes on the 18th or so, but as long as it's paid before the next bill it's not considered late. With our previous electric company when we were renting you could just pay 2 bills every other month and it was NBD.

Otherwise you'd probably have to call to see if it can be moved.

I get you, my last apartment in another state was chill like this. But right now? No. If I don't pay my internet bill in 24 hours, it turns off. If I don't pay my electric or gas on the date the bill is issued for (e.g: the 4th) they send a billion notices on the 5th, and slap you with late fees on the 6th.

thronedfire2 posted...

...shouldn't it only take 1 month to fix this as long as you keep the money you need week to week?

It's not as easy when you're paycheck to paycheck. :(

C-zom posted...

I get you, my last apartment in another state was chill like this. But right now? No. If I don't pay my internet bill in 24 hours, it turns off. If I don't pay my electric or gas on the date the bill is issued for (e.g: the 4th) they send a billion notices on the 5th, and slap you with late fees on the 6th.

oh they don't even give you a few weeks leeway? that's lame

if you can get in conctact with them they might be able to change the due dates, but it would also probably make the bill cost a little more than usual since you'll be adding 7+ days of use to it

C-zom posted...

I get you, my last apartment in another state was chill like this. But right now? No. If I don't pay my internet bill in 24 hours, it turns off. If I don't pay my electric or gas on the date the bill is issued for (e.g: the 4th) they send a billion notices on the 5th, and slap you with late fees on the 6th.

That's... Atypical. Ive lived in several cities and states and never encountered anything resembling that. Like, I have ComEd now, and it's basically how other dude described. I get the bill nearly a month before it's due.

A lot of utilities and such have the option to change pay dates online, I'd scrounge for that. Otherwise just call them, keep your phone handy and on speaker phone.

C-zom posted...

I get you, my last apartment in another state was chill like this. But right now? No. If I don't pay my internet bill in 24 hours, it turns off. If I don't pay my electric or gas on the date the bill is issued for (e.g: the 4th) they send a billion notices on the 5th, and slap you with late fees on the 6th.

You aren't just one month behind or ahead of where you think you are, are you? It seems odd that they'd shut you off that fast.

Sitcoms and cartoons have taught me that you can just toss bills over your shoulder while saying "bill" and never worry about them.

The only thing you can do is get a credit card specifically for bills and set it up do that the card pays the bills when they are due and you pay the card on the day you want to.

My gas bill is only like $1 late fee, so I just pay it like once every 3 months.