I need help so badly

RAS

LittleMissSkint wrote: »

I will try scan my leccy bill. It baffles me, it seems to be basing an awful lot on a huge estimate for a seven month period.

When I finally got round to submitting readings, both my leccie and gas bills were hugely overpaid. I got a full quarter's "free" gas and it is going to be at least 9 months before I have to pay the leccie again.

That then feeds into lower future estimates.

And I have got better at submitting readings. The recent gas one was a mere 15 units less than the estimate for last quarter, so again a "free quarter".

hattiefats

Hey Just wanted to say it takes guts to post on here and face up to your debts. Took me months of burying my head in the sand before I bit the bullet and overhauled my finances. I hope you get the advice you need and everything works out.
Take care

LittleMissSkint

RAS wrote: »

When I finally got round to submitting readings, both my leccie and gas bills were hugely overpaid. I got a full quarter's "free" gas and it is going to be at least 9 months before I have to pay the leccie again.

That then feeds into lower future estimates.

And I have got better at submitting readings. The recent gas one was a mere 15 units less than the estimate for last quarter, so again a "free quarter".

I can't scan it in as it is a PDF on my PC - I don't get paper bills! I'll try somehow to put it in here though. I paid monthly by DD for a long time until I got hit with this huge bill. The I had to make a payment arrangement to pay a set amount each month. Or they were going to cut me off.

consultant31

WASHER wrote: »

You must get child benefit and child tax credits? Are these in your SOA?

WASHER.x.

LittleMissSkint has stated twice that the Cb is used for little extras (or food when no other money left).

LittleMiss - if the gas and electric bills are higher than you think they should be, it's just possible that the meter is faulty. You can ask for it to be checked.

WASHER

consultant31 wrote: »

LittleMissSkint has stated twice that the Cb is used for little extras (or food when no other money left).

That may be the case, but it needs to go on to the SOA, and with £500 shopping budget I would have thought that would have been enough for the little extras over a month.

I'm not having a go at the OP, but without a true SOA, she doesn't have the true and full extent of her financial affairs.

LittleMissSkint

WASHER wrote: »

That may be the case, but it needs to go on to the SOA, and with £500 shopping budget I would have thought that would have been enough for the little extras over a month.

I'm not having a go at the OP, but without a true SOA, she doesn't have the true and full extent of her financial affairs.

This is a full SOA of my partners financial affairs. The guy at CCCS said to keep mine entirely seperate as all the debts are his. The CHB is paid to me, therefore is not income to my other half. This is what CCCS reccommended to us.

LittleMissSkint

Regarding my leccy, this is the huge bill I received. Pre this bill I had no massive payments, this is what put my account into massive arrears. Since this bill the costs are far more normal - I use roughly £60 of Elec and £15 of gas per month.

This is the amount you have spent on electricty from 29-Sep-08 to 26-May-2009 £1053.46



LECCY:
29/09/08
79450 ESTIMATE

30/03/09
85086 ESTIMATE
5636kWh
first 364@ 15.250p £55.51
next 5272 @ 14.040p £740

30/03/09
85086 - ESTIMATE

26/05/08 86661 ESTIMATE
1575kWh
first 113 @ 14p £16.08
next 1462 @ 13p £191.52
Total cost: £1003

My average usage is apparently 1819KwH every 4 months. Which amounts to £252. There must be something I am not understanding.

gfplux

Hello littlemissSkint.
Well done for being brave enough to post your problems here.

You have already been given lots of good advise, now the trick is to act on them now, not next week.
You should list all the things you need to do and get on to reducing the list.

Mortgage. To understand this you have to remember that a repayment mortgage is that every month you pay a figure that includes interest and a small amount of the capital. So you are slowly repaying it.
Some time this can be changed to Interest only. This will reduce the total you pay but of course is not paying anything off the loan.
This can be a useful thing to do for a couple of years as it free's up a little more cash to throw at your other debts.
You should phone your mortgage company and ask. As you have been in arrears I am not sure whether that will be against you or will indicate that you are in need of help from them.

Do you get child benefit/tax credit. If not is that a special rule for Scotland.

Does your other half fully realise the big mess that you are in. Does he feel the same way about sorting it out.

You can print out your leccy bill then scan it back in to post it here. (I think)

Start a spending diary TODAY to find out exactly where your money goes. That knowledge will shock you but also give you power. You only need a pen and paper.


Good Luck

LittleMissSkint

gfplux wrote: »

Hello littlemissSkint.
Well done for being brave enough to post your problems here.

You have already been given lots of good advise, now the trick is to act on them now, not next week.
You should list all the things you need to do and get on to reducing the list.

Mortgage. To understand this you have to remember that a repayment mortgage is that every month you pay a figure that includes interest and a small amount of the capital. So you are slowly repaying it.
Some time this can be changed to Interest only. This will reduce the total you pay but of course is not paying anything off the loan.
This can be a useful thing to do for a couple of years as it free's up a little more cash to throw at your other debts.
You should phone your mortgage company and ask. As you have been in arrears I am not sure whether that will be against you or will indicate that you are in need of help from them.

Do you get child benefit/tax credit. If not is that a special rule for Scotland.

Does your other half fully realise the big mess that you are in. Does he feel the same way about sorting it out.

You can print out your leccy bill then scan it back in to post it here. (I think)

Start a spending diary TODAY to find out exactly where your money goes. That knowledge will shock you but also give you power. You only need a pen and paper.


Good Luck

Thank you, I will find out about the mortgage tomorrow.

I get child Benefit, but CCCS advised that we only use other halfs income - as they are only his debts.

He wants to sort them out too yes, but he is a bury the head in the sand type and I can't do it anymore, it is time to take action.

I can't print it, I have no ink nor the funds to buy any.

The spending diary is a good idea though, like you say I am sure it will be an eye opener.

WASHER

Go and take an actual reading for the leccy, and we will get someone to work out how much you owe, you may be due a refund.