Scary Times.

I know everything has gone up. With some of the things I felt, ‘in control.’ With food, I carried on buying reduced food, even though, that too has gone up. There has been some, reduced ‘gems’ though.

Last year, the government, gave each household something like £63 a month towards the bills to help with gas and electric.  I was told by my provider of electric and gas, “You can pay less a month, and that way you can still pay us what we want, because of the government’s help.” I rang my provider up and said, “No, I don’t want to pay less, I want to pay my usual direct debit plus the money the Government is giving us.” That way I figured, I would be ahead and kept out of debt. So, my direct debit stayed the same, I was happy with that.

For some strange reason, having paid my money each month by direct debit and the money from the Government, I was informed, “Your bill is behind, and it is £535,” I was Shocked! How was that possible? My daughter Meghan was sitting next to me, when I was on the phone to them, I paid the bill of £535 as I wanted to not be in the red with them, but that’s a lot of money to give out in one go! The moment I put the phone down, Meghan said, “I have just paid that bill for you Mum, I have returned the money into your account.” I was chuffed to bits and gave her a big hug, and said, “Thank you Meg.”

I was telling the family, “Turn off the telly at night, by the mains, and turn off lights when you are not in the rooms.” For us, over the years our telly was always on stand-by. So, it took a bit of getting used to, and most of the time, when I came down in the morning, it was still on stand-by! It began to annoy me, and eventually I would say to the others, “It is costing me £5 a night.” That price might seem extreme, but it is not.

Today I had an email from my provider, “We recommend you put up your monthly direct debit bill to £200 a month.” They went on, “You don’t need to do anything, we will automatically, take that out next month.” I Don’t think SO! They went on, “If you don’t put up your direct debit to £200 a month, we predict, your bill will fall behind and be “£1,250 this time next year.” Scare tactics. But it worked, it unnerved me.  

I told my family on our group chat, “I’m not paying the £500 and I’m Not putting up the direct debit to £200 a month!” I have told them, “The bailiffs will have to come, they will have to take me to court or Jail!”

Later, when I was a bit calmer, Paul said, “We will have to turn the hot water off, and only put the switch on, when we need a bath.” I also added, maybe I could put up the direct debit to £150 a month,” But Paul said, “We would still be in the red with them.” For I had told the family, “I am going to cancel my direct debit, so that they don’t take out the amount they want to, when they want to.” I said to Paul, “If I put up the direct debit now to £200, then in a few months’ time they will say, “It needs to go up to £300 a month.”

How will it all end?

I have bought a kettle that whistles, so that energy is not wasted, at first, we all used it, and turned it off when it boiled, but one family member now refuses’ to let it whistles but leaves the whistle up, so it boils away, wasting energy and Money!  

HOW will it all end?