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Bill Costs Man Pennies -- 52,662 Of Them
The Indy Channel ^
| March 8, 2007
Posted on 03/08/2007 8:05:12 AM PST by Abathar
CARTERVILLE, Illinois -- A southern Illinois man who's fed up with higher electric rates has come up with a way to show his displeasure while paying his bill.
Robert Hancock said his monthly power bill jumped nearly 200 percent -- to $526.62.
So he's going to send Ameren 52,662 pennies.
Hancock said he's worked things out with a local bank to get the coins and with the post office to mail the money.
It will cost about $50 extra for postage. But Hancock said that if he can cause Ameren a little inconvenience, it's worth it to him.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS:
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To: mysterio
Businesses are not obligated to accept payment in the form of pennies.
21
posted on
03/08/2007 8:16:42 AM PST
by
Keith in Iowa
(I hate Bill Maher.)
To: Abathar
Can they? Unless it's stated in the contract I don't think they can legally refuse currency because it happens to be in small denominations, the first time that is. Yes, they can. Bills are "legal tender" and must be accepted in any denomination (if you accept cash at all), but coins, while they have value, are not "legal tender".
22
posted on
03/08/2007 8:17:01 AM PST
by
kevkrom
(WARNING: The above post may contain sarcasm... if unsure, please remember to use all precautions)
To: L98Fiero
How exactly is being a jerk to some employees in an office, who have zero control over this matter, "good"? As long as they're getting paid by the hour....
Besides, they can just take it to a change machine.
23
posted on
03/08/2007 8:17:23 AM PST
by
JohnnyZ
("I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose" -- Mitt Romney, April 2002)
To: Abathar
Let me get this right, this guy is going through all the trouble of getting all those pennies, packaging and sending all those those pennies to express his ourage about his bill of $526.62 and now his bill will be $576.62?
Yeah, that'll teach 'em.
24
posted on
03/08/2007 8:17:33 AM PST
by
RetSignman
(DEMSM: "If you tell a big enough lie, frequently enough, it becomes the truth")
To: Keith in Iowa
Most states have statutes that allow a payee to refuse to accept a certain number of pennies as a cash payment.
To: L98Fiero
Furthermore, he spent an additional $50 on postage, and wasted countless hours just to pull this "stunt." It will not put out the electric company nearly as much.
Not only is he a jerk, but a stupid one at that. Not a good combination.
26
posted on
03/08/2007 8:18:59 AM PST
by
dfwgator
(The University of Florida - Championship U)
To: JohnnyZ
27
posted on
03/08/2007 8:19:40 AM PST
by
Keith in Iowa
(I hate Bill Maher.)
To: Abathar
The value of copper has sky-rocketed. Witness the theft of electrical cables.
He might make a profit if he melted them down...
28
posted on
03/08/2007 8:19:44 AM PST
by
GoldCountryRedneck
("There are no stupid questions. There are, however, many inquisitive idiots." - unknown)
To: RetSignman
*Snicker* I thought the same thing, he cut his nose off to spite his face.
29
posted on
03/08/2007 8:19:52 AM PST
by
Abathar
(Proudly catching hell for posting without reading the article since 2004)
To: L98Fiero
I'd have to know more about why his bill doubled.
I'm never rude to any workers. When they get my order wrong at McDonalds or something, I usually don't even take it back in.
What's really funny is that if they melted down the pennies, they'd actually have more value than what he owes on the bill. They should probably just take the money.
30
posted on
03/08/2007 8:20:41 AM PST
by
mysterio
To: Abathar
If you don't like you high electric bills, try doing something constructive about it. Try insulation, new windows, upgrade old equipment, etc.
Stop whining.
31
posted on
03/08/2007 8:21:15 AM PST
by
Politicalmom
("Always vote for principle...and your vote is never lost."-John Quincy Adams)
To: ContemptofCourt
The local McDonald's around the corner will not accept change for payment...i.e., you can't pay for your value meal with just change. The drunks that bring in their change for a meal always get po'd when the cashier won't take their money.""
Every so often, I have to clean out the change in my billfold or it will erput all over the car. I have never had a problem with doing so. The ladies at the post office love me. For some reason they are always low on change.
If someone at McDonald's gave me any trouble over it, I would leave the order on the counter and walk out.
To: Abathar
33
posted on
03/08/2007 8:21:54 AM PST
by
SIDENET
(Now selling carbon offsets. Get some today!)
To: GoldCountryRedneck
$10k fine if you get caught doing it. I guess pennies and nickles both are getting to the point of making it profitable to do it again.
34
posted on
03/08/2007 8:22:15 AM PST
by
Abathar
(Proudly catching hell for posting without reading the article since 2004)
To: brownsfan
I think there is some kind of ruling that pennies are not legal tender."
Pennies are just as much legal tender as any other US Mint issued items, either paper or coin.
To: SIDENET
Sounds like he just got one...
36
posted on
03/08/2007 8:23:28 AM PST
by
Abathar
(Proudly catching hell for posting without reading the article since 2004)
To: GoldCountryRedneck
The value of copper has sky-rocketed. Witness the theft of electrical cables. He might make a profit if he melted them down... If pennies were actually made of copper, you might have a point. ;)
37
posted on
03/08/2007 8:23:45 AM PST
by
kevkrom
(WARNING: The above post may contain sarcasm... if unsure, please remember to use all precautions)
To: JohnnyZ
"Fine. They can be out $526 then, as far as I'm concerned."
Then you'd be without electricity. Not an especially good idea in the winter time. Makes TV really boring too.
To: GoldCountryRedneck
Pennies are 97.6% zinc after 1982.
To: ridesthemiles
>>>Pennies are just as much legal tender as any other US Mint issued items, either paper or coin.
True, but businesses are not obligated to accept pennies as the sole form of payment.
40
posted on
03/08/2007 8:24:36 AM PST
by
Keith in Iowa
(I hate Bill Maher.)
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