All I want to do is pay my gas and electricity like I used to!

I used to be able to go up town and pay in the shop, over the counter, you know with money.

Now I have to post a cheque or arrange for them to get the money directly out of my bank!

Trouble is, I can’t see the money going anywhere, I’ve never had it in my hand or my purse so I don’t really know what I’ve got. Oh yes I get letters from the bank saying where I’ve spent money, but its hard remembering the where and when’s.

They say they will collect it on such and such a date, so I have to make sure I have money in the account. Well when I had it in my purse I could put it away each week in a tin and save, now its all put together.

The insurance man used to come each week along with the window cleaner and the milkman, they all had there little tin where I put the money aside, I knew where I was then, what I had left in my purse was MINE, now I don’t know where I am!

I got into a little bit of trouble last month, I got overdrawn by £5, they charged me £35 for doing it and then further charges until the account was straight again! Well it wasn’t my fault, I thought – no I was certain I had money in – but no, they showed me lots of papers and did lots of sums, well my next weeks pension went without me even seeing it.

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So I am sat here thinking about how to pay the gas and electric, I want to pay with money like I used to, so I know where I am. They said I could have a new meter and I put a card in, I just go down to the shop and put some money on it and put it in and there you are, just like my tin!

Or so I thought, my son went mad, he showed me how much more I had to pay for the gas and electric, but I said I haven’t used it so why are the charging me more? Anyway that got scrubbed, and now I’m back to square one.

My son says, just pay it with direct debit, but it’s not right is it.

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I have lots of papers from different gas and electric, some gas saying they can give me electric and electric saying they can give me gas, all saying they are cheaper than anyone else, but are they?

I don’t understand, the gas and electric all come down the same pipe/wire so how can one charge me more than another?

And then there is the bank, another lot of bits of paper, mandates, guarantees, but for what? It was a lot better just going to the shop and paying over the counter!

Doesn’t get any better, you know sat here looking at it all.

There is another pile of papers over there, on the side table, something from the council with my rates, and water rates, and community charge and this and that, I could cry!

Anyway a nice man said he would come and sort it all out for me, that was another mistake according to my son. Who was he, where was he from, well I don’t know – I have a letter somewhere telling me a bit about it, but I couldn’t put my hands on it at the time. So the man was coming at 2, and so was my son.
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Well that’s all over, the man was from something called age concern, and even my son was happy with how it went, so I’m happy as well – well I think I am, I still don’t know how much I have or where its going.

My son said he would write me up a budget planner, to show where all the money goes and when.

I’d still prefer to have it in my purse, so I could see it, put bits I owe to one side, it was a lot better going up town to the shop to pay the gas and electric.

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When I want some money I go to that ‘hole in the wall’ put this card in and press a few buttons and there it is, that’s good, until I found that again I spent more than what I thought was in.

Well my son has sorted me out, again, he gives me some cash each week, bit like when I used to give him pocket money. And I can spend that how I like, just like my purse! Except last week he didn’t give me as much, said the cost of gas and electric has gone up so they have put the monthly charge up!

But I didn’t know, I haven’t used anymore, certainly not the amount I am paying now.

I wish I could pay my bills at the shop like I used to