Utility Payment Cards?

[Huffpot]

Hi all
After all the bills arriving at once aggghhh and wondering how we're going to pay them I was wondering if anyone knows if payment cards are a good option to spread the costs?

DP is self employed and still relatively new at it so feels like we've just been paying out lump sums and constantly broke.

Thanks!

[IncognitoIsMyFavouriteWord]

you don't have to have pay as you go meters to still pay as you go ifykwim.

I pay my gas and electric each week on a card but still submit normal meter readings online.

Its easy and I never feel I have to restrict my self just in case it runs out.

Sometimes I use less sometimes I less but still pay the same and always end up in credit so when I go away I don't pay anything

[IncognitoIsMyFavouriteWord]

hmm I maybe your DD

[Talkinpeace]

prepayment meters are MUCH more expensive per unit than normal ones
avoid if you POSSIBLY can.
learn to wear jumpers and thermal socks and turn the heating down and off between 9pm and 6am

[Talkinpeace]

thesecondcoming
there is nothing to stop you paying your bill monthly
or even by standing order weekly and then the balance by direct debit : to make the most of discounts ...

[Talkinpeace]

not sure - and my boys who have done it will be asleep so I cannot text them
talk to your provider in the morning

[threebats]

thesecondcoming They tried to pull this one on me - I refused to pay up and kicked off to a huge degree - eventually after nagging the complete shite out of them, they did it free of charge.
If anybody in your house gets disability payments and/or you have a young child (double check on the that one) and/or you have a vulnerable person in the house, asthma or something - they will do it for free but you have got to push and push and push. Took me 6 months to get it done here, I was relentless, think they sent somebody out in the end just so I would shut the hell up!

[MatureUniStudent]

I have just found out from Southern Electric who do my gas, that if you are on benefits then you could be entitled to a £130 heating payment. So I have just got one for my gas. Eon, who is rubbish, have fobbed me off left right and centre, and their phone calls are not free, so I have had to leave it for the moment.

Also, my boiler is broken, and there is a new government scheme to replace the whole system so your boiler is more efficient. If you are poor enough (welcome to my world) you qualify to have the whole system replaced. I could have wept when I heard that, as my boiler will not switch off the heating so the energy we are using is phenominal.

Lastly, I have a payment card where each Tuesday (benefit day) I make a payment. It means it is managable for me. Steer clear of prepayment meters, as they charge much more for the electricty/gas than if you had the payment card. I am on the lowest tariff with both suppliers with my payment cards.