Learning to walk before I run

try_harder

We are all being played ,never more so than over the last two years

savingholmes

I am grateful for £150 but don't want the £200 loan either

badmemory

It is actually quite a good way of giving the energy companies that still survive quite a lot of money over & above the original £200 a household (they think).  Just think they will be charging all us existing households £40 per year for 5 years, but they are also going to be charging any NEW households £40 a year.  Those are all going to be a free bonus for the energy cos.  They are going to be pig sick if none of the kids can afford to leave home.  Personally I feel like warning those kids not to leave home on principle.

earthgirl2

Will there be an option to not take the loan? Do we have to have it? I'm concerned it will mean I have to stay with the energy company that inherited me after my last one collapsed.

Ed, I only have one cat, from a feral cat. We quickly had to move the litter tray outside, and then get rid of it!

badmemory

There is no option but to take the loan.

QueenJess

earthgirl2 said:

Will there be an option to not take the loan? Do we have to have it? I'm concerned it will mean I have to stay with the energy company that inherited me after my last one collapsed.

Ed, I only have one cat, from a feral cat. We quickly had to move the litter tray outside, and then get rid of it!

Don’t worry, it’s not a real loan per se. Everyone with every company gets £200 credit in October. Then £40 a year gets added to the standing charge (which already includes other policy charges like green initiatives) for the next 5 years for every single company. Doesn’t stop you switching.

badmemory

& even better someone who hasn't even had the "loan" gets to pay it back too.  So for every new household that is formed in the next 5 years will pay that too.  Nice little windfall for the energy cos or should I say yet another nice windfall.

Aimingforthegoodlife

Hi Ed, congrats on the baby news! I have enjoyed reading your diary, all the input from various knowledgeable folks has been amazing, but also loved how you have thrown yourself at it! I am burying my head in the sand re: energy, cant bear to think about it! Also someone here who has 0% debt so doesnt feel the need to concentrate on paying that down first!haha. All the best!

Alchemilla

Hey Ed, dropping in to wish you a happy week.

edinburgher

@Alchemilla - thanks for that - it has been an interesting week so far!

The weekend was lovely - managed a beery rugby game, but not too beery, so no hangover the next day. Our trip down South (well, as far South as the North East) was largely fab, although the drive down was absolutely terrifying (snow and incredibly poor visibility until we were 90 minutes out of Glasgow). Got to spend QT with a sibling and their children and it was lovely, the perfect end to our February break. Whitley Bay Premier Inn was one of the nicest ones I've stayed in and was an absolute bargain. I wasn't entirely impressed by DD waking us up at 06:00 on the Monday morning, but getting to go for a walk with her along the seafront as the sun rose was genuinely magical

Back to reality and work does not feel like it has been going very well. As well as a hearty dose of imposter syndrome, I've made a few silly mistakes and my boss has obviously felt the need to pick up after me on these occasions. I find this a bit embarrassing as it's not what I'm used to (normally a safe pair of hands). Workload continues to be grim and I'm really struggling to motivate myself beyond the obvious monetary thoughts. I wouldn't say that I've clocked out, but I am starting to feel a little bit like I subliminally have a toe out the door. Responding to complaints for part of my living certainly isn't what I want to be doing long term...

We also lost the rag with the architect at the start of the week, as they had taken over 3 weeks to read the comments made by building control and submit their own follow up queries. I sent a quite curt email highlighting our disappointment and that we expected the pace to increase as we risked losing builders. Despite completely failing to address these points of complaint, all outstanding work was miraculously finished two days later! That might not sound that impressive, but I asked them to apply for a building warrant last October   Crossness aside, we're chalking that up as a win and have sent all documents back to the 2-3 builders who a) showed any interest in the work and b) weren't obviously dodgy.

I feel frazzled!