To be fecking LIVID at my energy provider??

[AlmostAHipster]

So I'm struggling to make ends meet, as a lone parent with two kids still at home (one has just gone to uni). I do all the bargainy things like couponning and stalking money saving forums for glitches and discounts but it's getting rougher to keep afloat - as most people will agree. So today I had to cancel some direct debits to the charities I support and a few insurance premiums - I'm just going to have to risk it and I've been going through all of my other essential expenditure to see where I can shave some shekels.

I've been vaguely aware for a few months that my gas and electricity monthly debits were too high at £160 (!), having shot up from £60 but I stupidly put it down to our household being lavish with having hot water and not turning lights off!

So I've just registered online and am bloody gobsmacked that my account is £500 in credit!!

I'm so cross! I know Winter Is Coming, but surely it's sodding immoral for them to take so much money like this? I'll be ringing them to sort this out so that they refund at least some of it so I can feed my children so they haven't got a leg to stand on, have they?

Or am I being naive?

Check on line with the comparison sites to make sure that you have a good deal. Remember to input your actual usage not what you pay.. I stupidly did a deal over the phone. Thought yea great, fab savings. I was sooo getting robbed, and if I hadn't checked I would have been paying over a grand a year more than a rival company. Yes prices are going up, of course, its nearing winter after all lol, but not all of them are greedy feckers.

Isn't it funny how the energy companies like us to build up a credit during the summer to help us in the winter so we don't have to worry.

Utter tosh!

Why don't they let us build up a deficit in winter and pay it off over the summer? It would mean the same bill to us.

Ah yes I remember, its so we effectivley pay in advance for our fuel while they pay for teh energy in the bulk wholesale market 30 days in arrears and they get to use the money we pay in advance for free to finance their business instead of having to borrow it and pay interest.