With the cost of living continuing to rise, it comes as no surprise that 67% of Americans are worried about how to afford expenses such as food, housing, bills, and health care.
In the past few years, most of us have been trying to find ways to cut back on general costs and save a few dollars here and there to make life a little easier and a little less wasteful.
TikToker CJ (@calihollywood) recently shared a video on the platform about how her electric bill is suspiciously high.
Speaking to the camera in a classic TikTok "story time" video, she explained that she was initially shocked after finding out her electric bill was costing approximately $4,000 a month. After ringing the electric company to find out why, she was told that her apartment was being charged as a commercial building.
She then goes on to explain that the company came to check her apartment out and, the following month, her bill dropped to $0. But the problem wasn't actually solved. Continuing the story, CJ explained that the next month her bill totaled $9,000.
"That's f****** crazy. That doesn't seem right," she said when recounting what she thought when she opened the shocking bill.
@calihollywood #greenscreen and i thought i was broke before lmfao #MadeWithKeurigContest #HausLabsFoundation #foryoupage ♬ Cumbia Buena - Grupo La Cumbia
Unfortunately, it was right — and it all came down to the outdated building.
"We're using about five times the amount of electric that we should be using," she explains, adding that the high usage was a result of bad wiring and the apartment not being weatherized properly.
Faulty electrical wiring and excessive energy consumption is an easy fix — after all, the wiring just needs to be updated by a professional electrician. But in this case, the landlord hasn't bothered to make the fix, according to the TikToker.
Excessive electricity use puts pressure on our Earth's resources. According to The Global Footprint Network, humans currently use 74% more resources than what our planet can remake, which is greatly contributing to the overheating of our planet and harming our communities.
Not only that, but it's a drain on tenants' money. Spending $9,000 on electricity is not an option for most people, including this TikTok user.
"I have to either file for bankruptcy or cough up $9,000", said @calihollywood.
Other TikTok users were also shocked to see the bill and encouraged the original poster to act.
"I'd be sending that bill straight to my landlord via certified mail," said one.
Another added: "Contact a lawyer and discuss a suit against your landlord if they don't want to work with you on this."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
