Table 1.

Economic Energy Insecurity- Definition, related codes and exemplary quotes.

Dimension	Related codes	Exemplary quotes
Economic energy insecurity  Definition:  Financial hardship associated with the cost of  energy relative to income and other expenses.	Poverty, material hardship and tenuous employment	We’re definitely not making ends meet between the price of food, the gas is killing us, just the normal day [things] … It’s hard to keep up. At the time I was working part-time and I just couldn’t give them anything. I know sooner or later they’d probably be taking me to court for non-payment but it’s sad because even then I could never get no help also for my high gas bills. If I had access to a job or a little bit more money it would be so much easier to pay these bills and stuff, you know, ‘cause I don’t like owing anybody anything. I’m playing catch-up with my light bill because like I said, for two years, I wasn’t really working. When I moved here my light bill was I think 800, almost 1000 dollars. So shortly after I moved here, I went back to my real job. Then I got laid-off in January but I went back to work in February. It’s just playing catch-up If I go back to work he says that I will lose the food stamps. We’ll lose the fuel assistance, and he feels like we really won’t be any better off. So I feel like it’s a catch-22.
	Energy-specific financial hardship	I’m having a hard time keeping up with the utilities. It’s just really throwing me over the edge financially. The only difficulty we have is the lights. Other than that, we make it. It’s just been high, high, high! And it’s like when you pay all the bills, they let you know you’re gonna get another light bill … It’s like it’s not going anywhere. My electric bill has gone way out of whack. I mean, I have a 700 dollar electric bill. The bill is at $7000.00. I told the representative to do a payment plan that is no more than $60.00, because I honestly can’t pay any more than $60.00 plus the regular bill. It’s too much for me.
	Priorities and trade-offs	If I had to choose between paying my rent, paying my utilities, and feeding my children, I’d feed my children and I’d worry about that later. But I do. My rent’s always paid. He’ll tell you. My rent’s right there. Because I figure, at least I’ve got a roof over their head, you know. I have difficulty paying the utilities. Sometimes I have to pay one and then pay the other. I’ma always pay my rent ‘cause I’m not trying to be out there on the [street] you know what I’m sayin’. It’s either pay the electricity bill or do what I gotta do for my kids and to be honest with you I’d rather just turn all this stuff off.
	Seasonal variations	The bills vary by season. For example, summertime gas is slightly lower than electricity and then you know, wintertime gas is much, much higher – extremely higher than electricity. As for summertime, electricity is obviously higher because of air-conditioning. It’s so hot and we live on the third floor. It is burning hot. It is extremely hot.
	Billing issues	Sometimes your gas bill you get charged twice on your gas bill. You get charged a gas supply charge and a delivery charge. So that’s what gets you. They had to give my niece $2000 back ‘cause they overcharged her. She was paying for [her neighbors too].
	Landlord improprieties	I never took any landlords to court though I should’ve one time because this landlord was using my electricity to clean out his units and ran me a bill for almost $9000. When I wasn’t home, I was at school, he’s using my socket from outside.
	Discontinued service due to non-payment	Well the light just came as a new bill for $120.00. Earlier it was disconnected because the account went up to $3000.
		I have difficulty paying the utilities, sometimes I have to pay one and then pay the other. They threatened to shut off my gas and I was like, ‘Listen, I can’t do it. I only get one check.’ I can’t afford it, you know what I’m sayin’. I got the rent, lights, gas and everything but it’s just me …