To be at the end of my bastard tether today?! C**ting British Gas!

[JazzieJeff]

That's it. I fucking give up. This has been a really shit week. And today, to-fucking-day is the icing on the bastard cake.

I came home, after a pretty shitty day it has to be said, of doing favours for someone else, to find a bill from British Gas for £226 for the quarter, a bill from EDF saying they're upping the direct debit and a council tax bill saying we owed them the rest of the year's amount because we we are a day late with the payment. First time it's ever been late. I know I should set up a direct debit, I'll get onto that but seriously???? Is there any need to send people letters that say 'if you are late again, you will lose your right to pay by instalments'. Just fuck off. I have a 4 month old DS. I'm fucking tired. I've had enough of being ripped off by these bastards and 'being grateful it's not worse'.

I know I'm being a bit unreasonable, but fgs, I am sick of being seen off by these rip off merchants. I think I have a right to be treated like an adult too when I accidentally miss a payment, not written a letter that makes me sound like im being scoulded like a naughty child.

I'm sick of us being on our own too, with no support from my parents or mil. I just wanted to tell someone. I feel really lonely today. Thanks for listening xx

Sorry to hear that.

That gas bill really isnt too bad... :)

Its horrible to get unexpected/ high bills. Check with council tax re having to pay whole bill - sometimes they relent - will make you feel like naughty school girl though. We have just had HUGE car bill - probably paying out more than the old banger is worth- really put us under pressure. Also our last gas bill very nasty shock and we too have massively increased direct debit. It is hard not to let it get you down. I am sure we are not alone in feeling financial pressure. Have you any friend to talk to? Being on your own with a baby is tough going when you are probably tired as well as angry and down. Hope your week gets easier. xx

I've got my DH but he works ft. I have to go back to work ft too and the pressure is on to find a decent daycare option. I feel so angry paying sins fool for the privilege of watching my son grow up. I didn't think I'd feel that way. I do feel like I'm failing him, and was even thinking about giving up or going pt; but all this has definately put an end to that little pipe dream. If we had any high bills in that situation, we'd be totally, totally ballsed.

Then comes a letter from my mil saying when are we going to bring ds to meet her? Her benefit won't stretch that far my parents just don't give a fuck. God, I'm so ANGRY!!!

I understand why you are feeling so stressed. You have too much to think about at the moment and everything overwhelming you. Just step back a bit today.. you need to calm down for your own sanity. Easier said than done I know and I am crap at following my own advice! It is totally normal to get cold feet about going back to work. How much maternity leave have you got left? Hopefully enough for you to be able to talk to your dh about all options re work/not working/part time/ child care etc. this evening??

Hiya JazzieJeff

Tell me about it. When did gas become more expensive than clouds of gold? Plus I had a £200 repair to the boiler yesterday, just so it can use even more gas.

Btw, February's council tax payment would have been your next-to-last payment anyway because March is the last payment month, and the new council tax year starts all over again on April 1st. So even if the Council says, 'Give it all to us now', it still has to give you a reasonable time to pay it (10-30 days usually), by which time you'd have been paying it anyway, if you see what I mean. Direct Debits for council tax can be useful, because most councils want to take it in 10 installments, and then you get two 'council tax free' months in Feb and March. If it's really a bummer for you to pay this off, drop a line to your Council - Head of Revenues and Benefits - and ask for some extra time to pay. Keep a copy. Have a glass of wine.

Remember - all official letters demanding money were written by a man called Dean In Accounts, who wears Lynx Africa and thinks that Jeremy Clarkson is The Man.

And have another glass of that lovely wine.

Rant away! It sounds like a stressful day.

Was it done by a guestimate or meter reading? We had a £450 bill from EDF which nearly caused both of us to faint and throw up simultaneously, but it was a guestimated bill and the actual bill in the end was £45. Worth checking.

But yes, coming on MN and swearing and ranting is a great way to relieve the tension a bit

Rant away, hope it makes you feel a little better.

And btw you are not letting your ds down by going back to work!

He will BE FINE,

And now you need a glass of wine and/or chocolate bar

I don't know, how do you check? Bollocks, I've rang up and paid all three because we've got road tax to do next month and I didn't want to have to deal with all of it in one pay packet. We are a bit out of pocket and may have to dive into savings to keep everything on the straight and narrow. But ffs!

MIL the lazy bitch has had the audacity to contact us to ask when we are bringing DS up to meet her (she lives in Liverpool, we live in Cornwall) because get benefit don't stretch to it and she's saving for her third wedding to her latest boyfriend next month. She also sent us her new address so we know where to send the wedding gift to. I swear to God, I will rip her lips off and feed them to that good for nothing son of a bitch she's marrying.

benefit wont stretch to it. Sorry.

It might say on the bill itself whether or not it is an estimate, or just call them and ask.

If it was, and it's over, they should normally give you credit for the amount that was overpaid which will give you some breathing space for next quarter's bill.

Just tell MIL you're not keen to travel that far with such a small baby. Some people ... pffft

Thanks abs I'll check. The woman at EDF did sound surprised when I said I wanted to pay the outstanding balance that our direct debit hadn't covered...

DH told MIL we didn't want to travel with such a young baby and she replied 'oh but you'll be coming to the wedding though won't you?' dh says probably not to which she says 'well I don't see why, it's not like you can't afford it'

The bloody Council, too. We were late with a payment once and they are so bloody self-righteous and start drubbing and threatening and I don't know what all. We live near Exeter. Remember the snow? All of a sudden no one can collect rubbish. For weeks. Weeks and weeks. Some places had rubbish bags in the road for 6 weeks. And then they threaten you for being a day late with your CT.

You ahve every reason to be completely peed off.

Bastards at British Gas have just announced profits too

I know jux same here. It's got me so angry, how dare they write to me in that tone; 'you will lose your right to pay by installments?' another bullshit tax that the authorities managed to get along just fine without before the Thatcher years.

I would try and complain to the council. I had some success today. I had late fees on my credit card bill last month because the payment only cleared 12hrs before the payment deadline. I had the late fee refunded today :).

tbh i dnt pay the bit im in debit by, your direct debit over the summer would have evened it out x