PRE-, PAN-, and POST- payment for goods and energy`

[Reedtb2@cs.com]

In a message dated 3/29/01 8:43:07 AM Mountain Standard Time, rwalt@gocpc.com
writes:

Dear All:

Most of us are used to paying for goods before we use them...  clothes,
food,
entertainment etc. This PREpayment is the norm in a world of occasional
welshers and deadbeats.

Sometimes for large ticket, long lasting items like houses and cars it
makes
sense to pay while using them - the PANpayment scheme.  (For a while it
made
sense to postpone payment of  6% on a house when the stock market was
paying
20%/yr.  Now not so sure....)

However, in the U.S. utility and telephone has always been POSTpayment,
since
no one knew exactly how much they would use a month.  So, to the cost of
these services add the bookkeeping and bill collecting.   

However, in many countries energy costs are increased 50-100% because
people
aren't used to paying "up front" and are used to avoiding payment where
possible.  So, ultimately, those who do pay can wind up paying 50-100% more
postpayment than the service would cost if prepaid.   

Now comes telephone prepayment cards - a great invention for millions of
people.  If you want to use it, buy as much as you need, but probably you
won't waste it.   

                                                     ~~~~~

I work with a company, Community Power Corporation (CPC) that has developed
a
prepayment energy meter.  Decide how many kWh you need next week and buy it
on an electonic chip at the local grocery store or utility office.  When it
starts running out, get more or turn off a few lights.  PREpaying is
probably
an energy saving strategy in the long run.   

Maybe PREpay would help the Californians to reduce their energy appetites?

Yours for a better world...            TOM REED

---

• To: <Reedtb2@cs.com>
• Subject: RE: PRE-, PAN-, and POST- payment for goods and energy`
• From: "Robb Walt" <rwalt@gocpc.com>
• Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 08:43:22 -0700
• Importance: Normal
• In-Reply-To: <43.122d2d8b.27e6113a@cs.com>

Tom,

 

Discussed with Art,  no problem!

 

Robb

-----Original Message-----
From: Reedtb2@cs.com [mailto:Reedtb2@cs.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2001 6:25 AM
To: rwalt@gocpc.com; Artsolar@aol.com
Subject: PRE-, PAN-, and POST- payment for goods and energy`

Dear Robb and Art:

I'd like to send this to the Crest sites. OK?  Improvements?     TOM

Dear All:

Most of us are used to paying for goods before we use them...  clothes, food,
entertainment etc. This PREpayment is the norm in a world of occasional
welshers and deadbeats.

Sometimes for large ticket, long lasting items like houses and cars it makes
sense to pay while using them - the PANpayment scheme.  (For a while it made
sense to postpone payment of  6% on a house when the stock market was paying
20%/yr.  Now not so sure....)

However, in the U.S. utility and telephone has always been POSTpayment, since
no one knew exactly how much they would use a month.  So, to the cost of
these services add the bookkeeping and bill collecting.  

However, in many countries energy costs are increased 50-100% because people
aren't used to paying "up front" and are used to avoiding payment where
possible.  So, ultimately, those who do pay can wind up paying 50-100% more
postpayment than the service would cost if prepaid.  

Now comes telephone prepayment cards - a great invention for millions of
people.  If you want to use it, buy as much as you need, but probably you
won't waste it.  

                                                      ~~~~~

I work with a company, Community Power Corporation (CPC) that has developed a
prepayment energy meter.  Decide how many kWh you need next week and buy it
on an electonic chip at the local grocery store or utility office.  When it
starts running out, get more or turn off a few lights.  PREpaying is probably
an energy saving strategy in the long run.  

Maybe PREpay would help the Californians to reduce their energy appetites?

Yours for a better world...            TOM REED

---

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