why does it always happen all at once

lvu

I found this board a year ago but my lightbulb moment was only a few months ago when I joined the forum did the snowball and begun to make a difference to my debt. So far everything has been going really well, but today I just wanna scream.

I tried switching the gas and electric as the bills recently doubled, the gas went fine but npower said I owed them £279.00 for electric, my bills had been direct debit £35 a month, they now say a year later that it should have been £66 a month and i have to pay the excess before i can switch, so now i have to pay the extra money each month while i sort the money for the back payment, which I have just managed (thank god) but why couldn't thay have written to months ago to say there was going to be a shortfall.

Then i found out that my car is falling apart and wont make it through the MOT, luckily my mum has given me her old car, but as it's nicer and newer than the rust buckets i usually drive my insurance is going up £32 a month!!! I've spent the last hour on the phone trying to find out alll the details of my previous claims so i can look at switching insurers but they keep transfering me to the wwrong departments and no-one can give me an answer!!!

I know my problems are minor compared to some but today i feel very downhearted and need to share, thanks for listening(reading).

smudgemanc26

I know what you mean i have the same kinda problems just started my own moaning thread off myself as i too am feeling very depressed today.

I have a debit balance on my gas and electric and no they have just put my monthly payment up to cover it so i cant switch or find anything cheaper because i owe them. It just seems like a vicious circle.

The only thing i can do is send ((hugs)) and say your not on your own. Hopefully something nice will happen to us both soon x

oscar52

Why not ask the power companies what their last reading is for you? I f you have been having estimated bills, it could be your paying for gas/electric you havnt used as yet (recently happened here)

lvu

Thanks for the suggestion I'll def do it, its all just so confusing on the bill you get, first your charged for so many units at this price and the rest at another price, your direct debit is their guestimation of what they think you will use and then they multiply it by the year you were born add on the number of cats the woman next door has and that seems to equal what you owe. ok so maybe the odd flight of fancy in there, but its just soooo annoying. Why can't they just send a letter saying 'you left your tv on standby all last week you owe another tenner'.

Thanks for the hug smugemanc, at least we know now that vigilance can prevent this, once we finish our back payments. heres one back ((hug)).

They shoudl teach how to understand bills in home ec at school, much more usefull than baking!

fuzzgun19

lvu wrote: »

Then i found out that my car is falling apart and wont make it through the MOT, luckily my mum has given me her old car, but as it's nicer and newer than the rust buckets i usually drive my insurance is going up £32 a month!!! I've spent the last hour on the phone trying to find out alll the details of my previous claims so i can look at switching insurers but they keep transfering me to the wwrong departments and no-one can give me an answer!!!

Just a thought regarding the car insurance, maybe you could get it by going through quidco, and get cashback?

Prudential are offering £100 cashback at the moment...

http://www.quidco.com/finance/life-auto/

smudgemanc26

lvu wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestion I'll def do it, its all just so confusing on the bill you get, first your charged for so many units at this price and the rest at another price, your direct debit is their guestimation of what they think you will use and then they multiply it by the year you were born add on the number of cats the woman next door has and that seems to equal what you owe. ok so maybe the odd flight of fancy in there, but its just soooo annoying. Why can't they just send a letter saying 'you left your tv on standby all last week you owe another tenner'.

Thanks for the hug smugemanc, at least we know now that vigilance can prevent this, once we finish our back payments. heres one back ((hug)).

They shoudl teach how to understand bills in home ec at school, much more usefull than baking!

I agree once i pay them back im going to try and change for a cheaper provider. Its true about the bills though i dont understand them one bit for all i know i could be paying my neighbours share and still not no it!

I think tonight i will take readings from both meters and ring them up. Knowing my luck though they'll say oh you owe us more than we thought:mad: !