Meanwhile, we just had our Gas shut off...
You know, this is just par for the course for me and my ilk, so don't cry any tears for me. Believe me, I cry enough all by myself. And this isn't the fault of the Gas co....maybe the fault of the congress because they were the ones who reduced funding and hence the HEAP program was cancelled in my county...maybe that's their fault. But other than that, it's really just another day in the life of scraping by, when it really isn't that hard to get a month behind on one or two bills, when fuel for the car is purchased by coins and singles, never more than $10 at a time...where things like child support could mean the difference between having an easter or a christmas... silly poor people stuff like that.
I am struggling to remain positive. beating the bushes for extra work etc and asking friends if I can do housekeepi9ng etc...
meanwhile trying to get solid in online school, which is new and hopefully will lead to something better.
meanwhile being a mom and helping my kids stay smart and sane in this messed up world
meanwhile just eeeking out a life.
good thing there's no snow in the forecast, we have an electric stove and can boil water for baths i guess.
but I can't get them to turn it back on till I pay a lousy $27 (and after that is another $100 that will be overdue next month)
and I don't get paid till the 3rd
whatever, just thanks for letting me rant
= new reply since forum marked as read
California used to have a law about turning off utilities to the needy. Maybe they still do. I did find this website that has information about utility assistance.
http://www.utilitybillassistance.com/html/california_utility_bill_assist.html
I wish I could help more, but I'm sort of in similar circumstances myself although I'm certainly better off than you. I hope you get your gas back soon.
I live in Michigan, where Winter has taken hold for an extended stay this season. Unfortunately, I ran out of heating oil. I have enough to get more delivered, but the minimum delivery is 150 gallons. So I have been picking up five gallons a day at my local country store (which stocks #2 fuel oil) in an approved can. I have to drive the six miles to the store, but it saves enough cash so that I can afford a delivery when I get my next SocSec payment.
I would have bought the oil in February, but I'm two years behind in property taxes and had to save up for that. I would have pre-bought heating oil, but it took me seven months to save for a new car. New only to me, it's 17 years old but in great shape -- four cylinder Volvos are wonderfully reliable (they don't make them anymore).
The Department of Human Services on occasion has helped me with heating oil. But this is Michigan where no winter heat in these modern times can kill you, or at best make you hurting very badly. The frozen pipes alone would put the hurt on anybody.
Hang in there, my friend. Do what you can do to get through it. I went on SocSec two-plus years ago. Before that I was living off food stamps and the help from friends and family. I also did odd jobs and sold some stuff that has some value.
I know I am grateful for the lapse in Sierra weather and spring is upon us. And while I am dealing with my own plight and the in-house politics associated with it (BF and I taking stock of our entire life plan and motives because this shit is scary...and we want to move in officially together but we have to be able to SURVIVE, ugh)...
What really gets me is the percentage of the population that has NO CLUE how this feels inside. The stress will kill you......or drive you to drink 
We suffer from a chronic disease, called poverty. Sorry, there's no health coverage for that either.
Hang in there yourself, keep the fires burnin, keep safe.
I think you'll always find a sympathetic ear here. There may even be some good advice, sometimes.
At least we already know how to cry on each others shoulders. 
Keep on keeping on, my friend. Do what you can, but don't be distressed.
Keep posting here and let us know how things are going.
the BF came home with the $30... and even though I *do* have a paypal acct, can't access the funds because I don't have a bank account. The last time something like this happened, I had to ask my 20 yr old son to pull it out of HIS bank acct! stupid society, thinks EVERYONE has basic banking or credit! 
