Free Lightbulbs Not So Free

[jack_tors]

This kind of thing angers me greatly. False advertisements and hidden fees, just what people need more of in life. Part of me wants to go smash these things on the floor of the First Energy main offices in protest.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2009/10/firstenergy_light_bulbs.html

Dont get me wrong, I am for improving the environment, recycling, and using less energy but let me make my decisions on what to use and how I spend my money. I know its only $7.20 but its the principal of the whole thing.

[Ziner]

I refuse to buy those kind of bulbs until I can find some made in the US. I still find the old kind made in the US. If I am not mistaken it is actually the Wal-mart brand.

[Stu]

The utility will charge average users 60 cents a month extra on their electric bills for the next three years -- $21.60 all together. That covers the cost of the bulbs ($3.50 each), their delivery and the delivery of the power consumers would have used if they didn't have them.

WHAT THE FUCK?

They are charging for the energy that you would have used, if you still had regular bulbs. So basically First Energy is providing less energy to consumers and charging them the same amount.

[FUDU]

This is a joke.

First off they are forcing you to do something nobody should be forced to do.

Second, what he said above about the charges.

Third, I'd bet money that some where down the road they will have to extend the time frame of the charges. 3 years my ass.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

FWIW; I use the Phillips LE bulbs at home and they're well worth it.

[jfiling]

FWIW; I use the Phillips LE bulbs at home and they're well worth it.

Sure, but you chose to do that.

I bet FirstEnergy is planning on making a bunch of money off of this from people who drop their "free" bulbs, or just toss them away, or otherwise never use them.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

FWIW; I use the Phillips LE bulbs at home and they're well worth it.

Sure, but you chose to do that.

I bet FirstEnergy is planning on making a bunch of money off of this from people who drop their "free" bulbs, or just toss them away, or otherwise never use them.

You're probably right, I have no idea, i've never used First Energy. I'm just saying the LE bulbs are good and worth buying.

[Stu]

thank god someone has some common sense:

http://www.cantonrep.com/business/x5930 ... -criticism

[FUDU]

This reminds me a little of the rental car gas fill up crap that they used to pull (not sure if they still do). Those companies used to charge between $6-$9 a gallon if they had to fill up the tank if you chose not to as part of the rental agreement. $6-$9 a gallon when the price of a gallon of gas was $1.50.

Part of their argument was well we have to pay an employee to go gas the car up, which takes time etc... It takes 3 minutes to fill up a tank, and they had the gas pumps at their facility.

[jfiling]

This reminds me a little of the rental car gas fill up crap that they used to pull (not sure if they still do). Those companies used to charge between $6-$9 a gallon if they had to fill up the tank if you chose not to as part of the rental agreement. $6-$9 a gallon when the price of a gallon of gas was $1.50.

Part of their argument was well we have to pay an employee to go gas the car up, which takes time etc... It takes 3 minutes to fill up a tank, and they had the gas pumps at their facility.

I hate that, and always fill the car up at the last gas station before I return it.

The only guess I have that could possibly justify it is that they have to pay a higher wholesale price for the gas, because they buy a lot less, which makes it less profitable for the distributor to fill up their underground tank than for a place like Speedway. I wonder how long gas stays good underground, and if that's part of the reason as well. Regardless, it's still a rip-off that can usually be avoided.

[Stu]

This reminds me a little of the rental car gas fill up crap that they used to pull (not sure if they still do). Those companies used to charge between $6-$9 a gallon if they had to fill up the tank if you chose not to as part of the rental agreement. $6-$9 a gallon when the price of a gallon of gas was $1.50.

Part of their argument was well we have to pay an employee to go gas the car up, which takes time etc... It takes 3 minutes to fill up a tank, and they had the gas pumps at their facility.

not similar at all, because with a rental car, you have the option to fill the car up yourself. with First Energy, you cannot refuse the light bulbs or their cost.