Holy taxes Batman.

I wonder if people are really in tune with the amount of money goes towards government taxation and general fees beyond what we actually buy each month. I know most people complain about the money taken from their paychecks each month, and perhaps sales tax is a nuisance for them, too. Overall, I think people just accept it as a part of life and move on, content to have “taxes” be just another topic to blah blah blah about.

Now that I am financially crippled to the point where, if I was a horse, I’d have to be shot for free, I am trying to get my hands around budgeting and money management. As I list my monthly bills and overdue amounts in a spreadsheet, I am taking note of the taxes and fees levied every month. To quote the Duke, it is re-goddamndiculous.

From my cable/internet/telephone bill – Telephone processing fee, Cable sales tax, Gross earnings, FCC user fee, Telephone sales tax, E911 access fee, State telephony relay charge,Federal excise tax, Telephone state sales tax, Regulatory cost fee,  and Federal universal service fund, totaling 13.32 each month. That is  abusive. Multiply that by how many people have cable/telephone/internet service and imagine where all of that money is going. Can you hear the proverbial flush?

How about my cell phone? Not as bad, but it is just one service. There is the Fed universal service charge again, Regulatory charge, Administrative charge, CT telecom relay surcharge, E911 fee, and State sales tax fee.

I checked my electric and gas bills too. I cannot even tell what I am getting charged for. After the Generation service charge, there is a Transmission charge, Distr Cust Service Charge, Distr charge per kwh, CTA charge per kwh, FMCC Delivery charge, and Combined public benefits charge (combining 3 charges into 1).  I won’t even put a number here, it makes me weep.

Then there is the gas company. This one is a real stone kicker. I have natural gas service for cooking only, because electric stoves are for kittens with milk mustaches.  The charge for the gas each month is about $7, but the bill is $23 because of fees, taxes, and a customer service charge of $15 each month. $15! Are you really doing that to me without asking? I mean, son of God almighty, that is just insanity. My mistake – the insanity is that I pay it, because the only choice I have is to fire up the camping stove or cook over the fire pit to be sure my venison steaks are worthy of theistic sacrifice.

So it goes.