Just remember that the person that is sent to disconnect you has bills of their own and it is the last thing that they want to do. They have families too but they are just doing their job to pay those bills. When you go to the store you pay for what you walk out with. It just happens that you pay Alliant after the fact. The people that will be disconnected right away are those that are repeat offenders and those that blew off their bill all winter. It is true that they will work with you if you just call them but they won't if you're a habitual offender and if you have gone all winter without explaining your situation.

To avoid "bumps" in costs for your power bill, use their budget plan. It works great! I pay the same thing every month irregardless of the weather. I watch it build up in the summer and draw down in the winter. Occasionally they change my plan. Recently, they adjusted it down by $28 per month. I don't have to worry about saving for the winter during the summer, I just pay one flat rate all year. They do the math and the hard part for you. No big surprises!

I set up a payment plan and was able to do as I pledged with the first installment. We will see with this upcoming second payment; I might end up $36 short and face the consequences. One thing I have done since making the agreement is lower my heat to 62 to 64 degrees and sit with just one light on most evenings. When it gets too cold and I've already got on two shirts, a sweater, sweat pants, and socks and shoes, I crawl into bed and cover up with one sheet, two blankets and two bedspreads (minus the shoes). I can hardly roll over with all this covering, but I also get to bed a lot earlier each night and lowered by monthly bill by about 40 percent. Oh, how I crave the days when I can open my windows and let in a warm breeze ...

The first month you missed paying the bill is when you should have been contacting Alliant. We live with a cooler house and adjust by putting on more clothes or when sitting around watching tv we grab an afgan. I, myself think a cooler house is a healthy house throughout the winter. In the summer it has to be unbearable before we turn on the air. We use our ceiling fans and open the windows. I know there are people who have illnesses that require a warmer house or a cooler home, but there people who are just blatantly negligent when it comes to paying their bills. Those are the people who Alliant should shut off. Others with good excuses should be given a workable solution to their plight.
We have a 2600 sq foot home and our heat and lights have not gone over 250 this winter. Part of this is putting in some cheap insulation. Which is a tax break for us. Otherwise, I am sure it is the way we live a bit more conservative. Good luck to you all on Wednesday.

buy a gas powered generator if you don't want to pay the power company. Or maybe, turn off some lights, and lower the heat a little. Please. Everyone has higher power bills because of the utility raises, but guess what? You still have to pay it.

medical reasons dont even fase them. they want their money! they want it now and to heck if u have been paying them what u can all along. do it their way or else!

well, staceyu2, my last 2 bills were a total of a little over a thousand dollars,for a 1100 square foot house. we have medical equipmnt to run for my father. now payment arrangements. hahahaha, a joke. i offered half of that, they said they wanted 750, so no they are not easy to work with. they only make arrangements to suit them. they dont care if you eat,drink, pay your rent, or get your medicine. they are like the cable company they are money hungry hogs. as far as getting energy assistance, the meager amount they send, when they get all that funding, is usually not enough and by the time they get your utilities are allready off. then they want it all to turn it back on. so, for all you alliant customers including myself, i guess we all mite be sitting in the dark. oh well! oh, for reference i have a very good payment history with them. they actually ask me if i couldnt borrow the money from someone, i told them no they needed it to pay their utility bill. lol

I had to call to make "payment arrangements". I told the person what I could afford and they told me it was not enough and was not a "payment plan" so I would still face being shut off. When I told them that's all I could afford I was referred to Alliant's Customer Service Plus (whatever that is) and had to state my monthly budget down to the last lint-covered dime in my pocket and was then told I'd be called back "within the week" to discuss my options. I sure hope that counted as me trying to set up a payment plan... it's still chilly and I don't want my power cut off!

The people at Alliant's customer service are helpful, however, the payment arrangement system isn't. They ask what will work for you and when you do offer a reasonable payment plan, they say no and so the arrangement in reality is what they want. So to say that Alliant will work with you is false. More hardship is created just trying to meet the arrangments and future payment plan. I am quite frugal with the heating and electricity usage but Alliant Energy's rates just keep going up and up. And those increases happen often and are always justified to us...all of which I am tired of. I do pay my bills and do not live lavishly. Due to an unforseen emergency, I had to make a choice to hold off paying a few utility bills. Alliant's payment arrangement system is not helpful. I believe the company thinks the only thing we have to pay is the utility bill and that all of our money should go to them.

You can bet that if you haven't paid your bill since October and haven't returned a phone call to make arrangements that Alliant is not as apt to work with you, why should they? Every effort to contact the customer before disconnecting power has been made by PSC ruling so it amazes me how surprised people are when it happens. You know you haven't paid your bill. And, when it does happen, it's not the fault of the person standing at your meter so let them do their job because it's nothing personal against you; it's their job.

I agree whybesad. Just pay the bills. If you make an attempt, there is more of a chance that they will work with you in the beginning, but you HAVE to keep up with your payment arrangements. I personally know a couple of people that made arrangements and didn't follow thru and now Alliant is not as eager to offer arrangements. I for one get tired of the "you owe me" attitude. Just pay your bills, if you cannot afford it, maybe you should re-think your financial situation and make changes to fix it. It really is not that hard. Life sometimes gets tough, but you have to continue to live it to the best of your ability and definately within your means.

Just pay them in the winter what you can. They will work with you. They would rather get something out of you than nothing at all. A lot of people just blow off the bills for the winter and then they start screaming when it comes time to shut off the power to their houses. They are unwilling to pay during the winter. But are shocked when they get disconnected.

yes...I agree that Alliant is very difficult to work with to make payment arrangements. but it's not a particular income group they are difficult to work with. low and middle income folks have the same problems in that regard. high income folks shouldn't have to worry about this issue.

funny we tried last year and they said no to all our suggestions on how we could pay them.

now what- if you have a "very good payment history", your account would be paid in full and therefore- you would have no need to make an arrangement.

wow..great that it all worked out so well for you stacey!! i for one..have a very good payment history w/them..try again!

Not true at all..
I am on a fixed income, and hav fallen behind ( like a lot of people) on paying my bill, It was a choice between food and Medications or paying utilities, and of course, I Chose food and meds, so with a 2 month utility bill hanging over my head, I called Alliant and discussed my options with them, and gave them MY repayment plan, and they aggreed, with no questioned asked.. Just call them, (I guess the reason you all had issues with them is the past history with them! ! ! ) Just call them

you can make arrangements as long as it is the arrangements they want. if u have a plan and it does not go along with what they want you to pay forget it!!

danias..u took the words right out of my mouth!!..thank you! they were unwilling to work with people at the beginning of winter to advoid this from happening!

even low-income folks are going to be shut off. at least that is what happened last year.

Wow thats a lie they are not willing to work with you unless your low income if your middle income get ready to be shut off!!