Crisp £ note lightbulb moment!

Crisp_£_note

RAS wrote: »

A few more thoughts

1. You need totally review your fuel usage. Check the temperature of any hot water cylinders. Go round the house and turn off all the stuff on stand by. Turn off the TV at the socket at night.

2. Join www. freecycle.org. Like e-bay but the stuff is fre. You might get clothing, kitchen gear etc.

When I spoke with Powergen yesterday I went through an energy efficiency check and confirmed everything I could be doing I am and I already have adequate insulation.

Already a member of my local FreeCycle, but find unless I have a lot to post as offer I dont get a chance at a request or wanted.

Ebay is another think I intend to get to gris with to turn all the junk into cash.

The only thing Powergen could suggest was to put foil behind the radiators to use the heat more effectively. They are sending a booklet out with advice which I will study and use.

Thanks

horsechestnut

As Monkeyboots said, join all the survey sites, not an instant solution, but will give you money/vouchers for later in the year.
Check the freebie thread; sometimes you get coupons with the freebie (see coupon thread). I have put all the money from my coupons in a pot and it has totalled £90 over the year - if I actually buy the item then I don't put any money in the pot!!
Don't forget Quidco for daily click and Pigsback, neither is wonderful but every little helps!! See threads.
As everyone is saying , gas & electric are too high. Plenty of energy saving tips on here.
Good luck.

joolsybools

Get rid of Sky as its a luxury not a necessity, you can borrow DVDs from friends/family etc. and charity shops/freecycle.

Think about reviewing your pet and contents insurance. Personally I never have insurance as I think its a rip off, but I am prepared to take the consequences of this.

Crisp_£_note

horsechestnut wrote: »

As Monkeyboots said, join all the survey sites, not an instant solution, but will give you money/vouchers for later in the year.
Check the freebie thread; sometimes you get coupons with the freebie (see coupon thread). I have put all the money from my coupons in a pot and it has totalled £90 over the year - if I actually buy the item then I don't put any money in the pot!!
Don't forget Quidco for daily click and Pigsback, neither is wonderful but every little helps!! See threads.
As everyone is saying , gas & electric are too high. Plenty of energy saving tips on here.
Good luck.

Thank you. I am a member of pinecone research which I do regular surveys for and regularly get books of £4 vouchers and other highstreet vouchers once in a while for larger surveys. I have also more recently been lucky enough to take part in tester trials (but of course I cant reveal what for) :cool:

I also used to be a member of mystery shopping but whenever they send their assignments through I am always too late

I have taken a look at some of these other survey sites but they all seem to want me to have to sign up for stuff I wouldnt usually want or join something I dont want to be a member of or outside the uk so when I come to register I am not able. All of which I end up with junkmail and spam from.

Are there not more like Pinecone where we answer simple questions of opinion?

Thanks

joolsybools

P.S. Well done for trying to deal with your debts. Your husband needs to take some responsilibty too though.

fascinated

HI Crisp £ Note.

Just wanted to say well done for trying to sort yourself out. With regard to the reclaiming, I wanted to share my experience and let you know how easy I found it. I have reclaimed twice on credit cards. Both times I have simply amended the template letter I found on this site.

The first company took quite a while to respond, and I was just on the brink of reporting them when they wrote with the refund and interest. The second company only needed the initial letter and I had the refund within a month.

Definitely worth doing - but remember to use any money you get refunded towards paying off your debts!

Good luck.

Fasci xx

Crisp_£_note

fascinated wrote: »

HI Crisp £ Note.

Just wanted to say well done for trying to sort yourself out. With regard to the reclaiming, I wanted to share my experience and let you know how easy I found it. I have reclaimed twice on credit cards. Both times I have simply amended the template letter I found on this site.

The first company took quite a while to respond, and I was just on the brink of reporting them when they wrote with the refund and interest. The second company only needed the initial letter and I had the refund within a month.

Definitely worth doing - but remember to use any money you get refunded towards paying off your debts!

Good luck.

Fasci xx

Thank you for the support

I am just afraid of putting the wrong figures in. If they are not what the Bank or Credit card people agree with then doesn't it makes my claim void meaning I have failed and I cant try again?

I read the notes on reclaiming but I still cant understand what I can and cant claim for as the bank I am claiming from has totally different words and I am getting so confused. I know its supposed to be easy but I just need someone who can sit down and do it with me and I have nobody I know who can or has claimed themselves. My maths is dreadful so I dont have the confidence to take the next step myself


Yes I have every intention in using the money to pay off some / all of my debts.

Thanks

Crisp_£_note

I have just received one of my credit card bills and I noticed they are charging me PPI at £5 a month the minimum payment is usually around £35 a month and this gets taken off the week after my payment due date (I always pay 7 working days early by internet transfer).

I dont think I am entitled to PPI as I am not working and on longterm IB and at the time of signing up I was self employed so it was miss-sold I beleive. So am definately going to look into it.

I recall spoke to 1 credit card around 6 months ago (I cut the cards up a year ago now and just concentrating on repaying the minimum payments and a few £ more if I have it each month) and I am sure they told me they couldnt cancel the PPI as it was compulsory and if I wasnted to cancel I would have to clear my ballance!

RAS

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

I have just received one of my credit card bills and I noticed they are charging me PPI at £5 a month the minimum payment is usually around £35 a month and this gets taken off the week after my payment due date (I always pay 7 working days early by internet transfer).

I dont think I am entitled to PPI as I am not working and on longterm IB and at the time of signing up I was self employed so it was miss-sold I beleive. So am definately going to look into it.

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

I recall spoke to 1 credit card around 6 months ago (I cut the cards up a year ago now and just concentrating on repaying the minimum payments and a few £ more if I have it each month) and I am sure they told me they couldnt cancel the PPI as it was compulsory and if I wasnted to cancel I would have to clear my ballance!

In which case you definately have a case for mis-selling. Compulsory PPI is forbidden. And since you are not in a position to benefit, it is also unacceptable under OFT guidelines.

Write and tell them yoyu want to cancell and want all PPI payements repaid plus 8% interest. mention your phone call.

They will deduct it from your outstanding debt but...

Fire_Fox

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

Thanks. I am in arrears with eon / Powergen. They say it is due to cancelled direct debits so have fallen behind with payments.
I have just been on the phone to Eon who have taken a look at the situation and have re set a new Direct Debit at £121. per month for combined fuel.

They said my monthly consumption is £38 Gas and £44 Electric so an average usage of £82. a month.

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

I think the bill is so high as we are repaying what we have built up. I am looking into the bills and trying to find out if there is any fault either by me or by eon in meter readings or by payments sent / taken. It will take me some time though as this goes back a year. Last January our combined payments were only £55 a month for both gas and electricity so I feel something has gone funny somewhere.

Nothing has gone wrong, energy prices have increased by up to 50% in the last couple of years. If last year's bills were based on estimated bills they may have been slightly out. When was the last time you used a price comparison site? Well worth checking regularly.

I understand that you are in arrears so your monthly DD is high, but your ongoing monthly consumption (in bold) is massive. Eon may well say your energy efficiency is fine - your figures tell a very different story. My energy DD was £25 last winter, less than half of your charges, and my flat is all electric which is more expensive.