Desperate, desperate situation with no help

Sparecashherewecome

I'm sorry that you are in such a situation. Can you sing? This might sound really silly but I had a lady ring the door the night with a baby in her arms Carol singing. I put a pound in her makeshift tub without even asking if it was for her or charity. 5 doors and 5 pounds sounds like it would really help right now.

Are there any local charities that would done crisis loans eg Barnardos as you have a small child x

RAS

sacha28 wrote: »

On Monday I ran out of gas (emergency credit gone too) despite my topping up a grand total of £100 since 25/11:eek: I never knew we could use so much gas in less than a month, bearing in mind that half of our radiators are switched off and the heating is used for 2 hours in the morning, 2 hours in the evening. We don't switch it on any other time as we simply cannot afford it.

Looking at your previous posts, you have had a pre-payment meter put in fairly recently and are paying the outstanding bill as well?

Pre-payment costs per unit are far higher than the normal rate and if you have added debt to the account as well, you could be paying a massive premum per unit.

Please read you meter, go back to BG and ask them how much the standard rate is per unit on pre-payment, how much you are currently paying and how long before the meter reverts to the standard rate?

With respect to bubs, as long as you wrap him up warm, he will survive.

Do you have food that you can use cold (chocolate desert mixed with milk, rusks, cheese etc)?

patchwork_cat

Can you borrow an electric fire and heat one room? Why does your salary vary - I understand yours will vary due to night shifts, but your OH's don't do they? You seem depressed, but see this as a wake up call and a positive not a negative you are no doubt on good money between you, I estimate £20K more than my family!

Sparecashherewecome

Sacha 28 doesn't have the electricity to run one. Do you have family that you could stay even for a night or two over Xmas. This would mean you wouldn't have to heat your home for a few days. I'm sorry that you don't have someone to help you out....... Good advice is great but I'm sending a virtual shoulder to have a lean on..... It's crap isn't it x

sacha28

RAS wrote: »

Looking at your previous posts, you have had a pre-payment meter put in fairly recently and are paying the outstanding bill as well?

Pre-payment costs per unit are far higher than the normal rate and if you have added debt to the account as well, you could be paying a massive premum per unit.

Please read you meter, go back to BG and ask them how much the standard rate is per unit on pre-payment, how much you are currently paying and how long before the meter reverts to the standard rate?

With respect to bubs, as long as you wrap him up warm, he will survive.

Do you have food that you can use cold (chocolate desert mixed with milk, rusks, cheese etc)?

You are absolutely right with this, although the final bill was, IMO, minimal (less than £100). I spoke to BG on Monday and they told me that there was nothing they could do as the meter was set correctly (we spent nearly an hour on the phone going through it all whilst my ds had a nap). One thing I never realised, and I am pretty sure I was told it isn't the case, is that there is a 26p a day standing charge :eek: that takes almost £2 per week off of my balance. I am horrified at this. So yes, with the £1.82 per week and £3.60 per week debt that makes over £20pm being taken off my balance.

WOW, LBM!!!!!!! Jeeze, that's terrible :eek:

I asked BG if they could stop taking money off the meter for the debt as it is now below £50 and I could pay the remaining balance on Monday. Apparently this isn't possible

Balls, electric has just run out

RAS

sacha28 wrote: »

One thing I never realised, and I am pretty sure I was told it isn't the case, is that there is a 26p a day standing charge :eek: that takes almost £2 per week off of my balance. I am horrified at this. So yes, with the £1.82 per week and £3.60 per week debt that makes over £20pm being taken off my balance.

WOW, LBM!!!!!!! Jeeze, that's terrible :eek:

Assuming you core data is correct, actually £23.31 per calendar month and higher if they add VAT to the charges.

Which explains why you ran out of credit.

sacha28

Sparecashherewecome wrote: »

Sacha 28 doesn't have the electricity to run one. Do you have family that you could stay even for a night or two over Xmas. This would mean you wouldn't have to heat your home for a few days. I'm sorry that you don't have someone to help you out....... Good advice is great but I'm sending a virtual shoulder to have a lean on..... It's crap isn't it x

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the virtual shoulder. I may be there for some time!!

As for being on good money? We earn about £26000 between us. Our nursery fees for the pleasure of being self (in)sufficient are £500pm. Our council tax is almost treble what it should be as it took our local council 12 weeks to produce a bill (due to a backlog, which is our fault obviously!!) and refused any type of payment as this would 'confuse things' :eek:

Our car insurance monthly payment doubled as we dared to move part way through our policy and apparently our new postcode is more of a risk, despite being in a nicer area of our hometown.

Looking at things long term, when my son starts school we will be £500pm better off. Come April we will be nearly £200pm better off as our council tax will be back to normal. Swings in roundabouts I guess.

retepetsir

Can you post up your SOA?

patchwork_cat

sacha28 wrote: »

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the virtual shoulder. I may be there for some time!!

As for being on good money? We earn about £26000 between us. Our nursery fees for the pleasure of being self (in)sufficient are £500pm. Our council tax is almost treble what it should be as it took our local council 12 weeks to produce a bill (due to a backlog, which is our fault obviously!!) and refused any type of payment as this would 'confuse things' :eek:

Our car insurance monthly payment doubled as we dared to move part way through our policy and apparently our new postcode is more of a risk, despite being in a nicer area of our hometown.

Looking at things long term, when my son starts school we will be £500pm better off. Come April we will be nearly £200pm better off as our council tax will be back to normal. Swings in roundabouts I guess.

£26 K between you, but you are an A&E nurse which is band 5 and you should be at 28 on nearly that on your own? (insert confused smiley). You must both be on about minimum wage.

almamatters1985

Hi Patchwork Cat - Band 5 NHS starts at 21k so if the OP has only just qualified or works part-time etc the £26k her & partner earn between them could well be correct (I'm sure she knows what she's earning!)

Sasha - I work for an NHS Trust too and I got paid today. Again, I'm sure you know when you get paid but are you sure its not today? Some Trusts might have decided to pay staff on Monday rather than today though which seems a ridiculous decision IMHO!