Hurricane Sandy

Well..

We have weathered the storm literally. This storm was much worse than we all excepted. In the New Jersey/New York area we are used to a lot of false alarms so we often have a false sense of security when it comes to these things. Many people have lost their lives, cars, homes, children, and pets during this storm and although I have endured hardship as a result, i am grateful to be alive.

We were without power for almost six days and it was really tough taking care of basic needs. However, we made it work and were still thankful to at least had heat, which many did/do not at this time. We did think that our house would catch fire. We had a blown transformer and a downed wire right by our house. We lost our refrigerated food which was a lot and as an FYI to anyone who needs to apply for any assistance from FEMA just know that they take into account your income which I think is wrong because all of our ATMs are down and we cannot get any money out of the bank (although we didn't have any in the bank at the time anyway). We are just barely staying afloat as it is and this did create a huge financial hardship on us but the gov did not care. Despite the President saying that the red tape would be cut, my story was different. We were immediately told after applying that we were not eligible for help.

Some of this is purely speculation since I have no one to call and talk to about it or ask for help (the helpline keeps saying to call back due to call volume). Thank goodness we have a few cans of veggies/beans and rice left that may last us another two days. Our Governor has rationed the gas and we are required to go on specific days for gas according to our license plates. It doesn't matter much to us anyway because our tank is empty and the gas stations a few blocks away have been closed since the storm. We even called AAA but they cannot help because of the gas shortage. We have a few bucks left (literally a few) and hopefully that will give my husband enough gas to get to work on Monday (IF we can find a gas station here in town to get our tank filled). Luckily we have a family member that may be able to get him there if he is not able to get to a station (and wait in line  2.5 to 4 hours to get gas).

This is the first time that we have been through something like this and I wish I could say that I feel secure. However, we received nothing to help. There were two shelters or so here in town but getting to them is another story. Also, we figured that we were fine since we had heat the whole time and that space is better  left serving families who were cold at night.

Hopefully we never have to go through anything like this again (or any other families especially those who were hardest-hit along the coast). If we do, we will prepare ten times as hard since obviously help is not an option for those who actually work but do not own a home (eligibility is likely based upon income and property damage such as a home).

I hope this post finds everyone well and safe. If you are in a disaster area, please remember to steer clear of downed lines, puddles (could have a downed line touching it) and visibly-weakened trees.

And the saga continues..

This past Saturday, I went down to the basement to wash clothes. I figured everything was fine because my husband replaced the hose. He tested it out and everything was fine. However, after already putting the clothes in the washer, my husband realized that the dryer had been tampered with. Okay, at first we were being cordial and giving this guy the benefit of the doubt (although he is the only one with access to the basement besides us). The hose was one thing, but this is another!

Now he is messing with the landlord's property so we had to call and get her up here. She was shocked that this happened and as clueless as we were because normally, the guy is so super nice! However, he must be bipolar or something. The landlord made arrangements with the people on the other side of the building until either she gets the dryer fixed or buys a used one. We didn't want to pester her because we know that she is strapped for cash. At another one of her rental properties in New Jersey, all of her copper pipes were stolen, causing thousands in damage (quite typical  NJ).

This place is absolutely Hell and we need to find a better place to be! Some people move to this area because of a job relocation. If you value your life, don't do it! If it is imperative that you come here, go to the suburbs and make sure that you get a house that is not right on top of another..but I honestly,  believe that New Jersey can be a death sentence. it slowly sucks the life out of you until there is nothing left. Well, that is enough of my ramblings and I promise you that I will get back to a more positive tone as soon as possible.

Robbery!

Okay,

By now you are probably getting the idea that I am trying to steer people away from New Jersey. I understand your thinking but it isn't completely accurate. There are so many sites, shows, and programs that paint this pretty picture of this state. However, do they tell you that we have one of the highest car insurance rates nationwide? What about utilities?

Since we moved into a place that is about one-third of the size of our last place, we thought that our utility bill would be lower. We just got our bill. we are paying roughly the same for our 1b/1ba as we were for our 3b/2ba with central air, which also ran on gas. The local utility company here PSE&G robbed us yet again (had this issue way back in another place)! When I called to inquire about the bill, the representative told me that I should not compare two completely different places. I asked him how else could he explain that the bills are the same between the two places. Our gas portion alone was over $100 (electric was $50) when we barely used the heat last month because it was getting warmer at the time. We barely cook and have only used the gas dryer three times.

I asked them to check and see if there was something wrong with the meter. The representative was very rude and told me that there was nothing wrong with the meter and that they would not send anyone to check it! I asked to speak to his manager. I received a call back from the manager today and he told me that they would send an investigator. This is all I asked in the first place but instead of the guy obliging me, he was rude and dismissive. I will let you know how it goes when they send the investigator out but this company has been known to shaft people again and again. Look them up on the Consumer Affairs website and you will see tons of people with complaints against them.

There are also sites about people just driving through this state to get to another one and end up with a ticket! Look through something other than rose-colored glasses if and when you research this state. Due diligence is key! There are so many who come here and get stuck under false dreams.