Paying the Bills in Ukraine

We have alluded to the process of paying the bills in past blogs, but we thought it was time to give you all an in-depth and detailed post exclusively pertaining to this subject.

The bills that arrive each month are for electricity, gas, the elevator, phone (land line) and maintenance of the areas around the apartment buildings. Bills for garbage and water do not arrive each month, but need to be calculated monthly by the apartment owner/renter and paid just like the others. The -bills- are these white slips of paper pictured above. They are brought to our mailboxes by representatives from each department (gas company, phone company, etc...) every month. Speaking of mailboxes... our very secure-looking mailbox is pictured below.

There we are, #22. At least we have a working "door" on ours. The fact that we receive these delicate slips of paper in our box each month is really quite a miracle. We learned early on that when you have mail in your mailbox, take it out immediately, or someone else will. Needless to say, we check the mailbox multiple times a day because the post lady is not the only person who delivers things to our box and we never know when something will be inside.

So, by the 19th of each month, you need to gather and calculate your bills, grab some money (and your cutest child) and walk to the post office. You can also pay some bills at various banks and machines located throughout the city, but at the post office, they accept all bills and do not charge a processing fee. Our nearest post office, #9, is located on the ground floor of the building behind us: very convenient, but they do close everyday between 1-2pm for lunch. DO NOT arrive at 12:50pm with a handful of bills to pay. It will not happen.

This is the first of two secret photos I took inside the post office. I do not know for certain, but something tells me that the post ladies are NOT into posing for the camera. If they knew I took these pictures, they most likely would have asked me to delete them. Anyway, after you enter the post office (and if you are lucky enough to be first in line) ask the lady if you can pay your bills. She will always ask you to wait until she is ready. She may be doing other things like counting money, stamping papers, painting her nails or smoking a stogie. Your job is simply to wait until she is ready. Place your bills on the counter and wait. This is when having your cutest child with you (or one you pulled off the street) comes in handy. You will usually receive immediate service, have a most pleasant post lady who keeps cooing at your child and, if there is a long line, other customers will plead with you to go before them. Ukrainians love children (this is my personal opinion and does not express/represent the views of every Ukrainian in Ukraine).

 

When the post lady is ready, she takes your bills and begins processing them on her magic computer. A receipt (adhered with a glue stick) and an ink stamp goes on each bill to confirm that it has been processed through her computer and paid. At the end, she will tally up the total and you can pay her in cash. This process goes rather quickly, but while you are waiting you can always amuse yourself with looking at all of the interesting things you can buy at the post office. This is secret photo #2: What You Can Buy at the Post Office. Need sunflower oil for that cake you're making later? How about a box of chocolates or perhaps some seeds for your vegetable garden. Or maybe just the latest copy of your favorite magazine and a small packet of paprika.

If everything went according to plan, you will leave the post office with your bills looking like this.