Gloomy SOA

c-m

Here is my gloomy statement of affairs. No way out of it but for employment and fast. I regularly apply for a good number of positions each week and check-in with my recruitment consultants but nothing has come up yet.

Income
Contribution JSA £262

Household

Rent - £280

Council tax - £80
Electricity - £42
Internet - £15
Phone - £20

Credit cards/overdrafts
Barclaycard £420 (£350limit) £8
Natwest £2100 (£18000limit) £48
HSBC £500 - £5
Mastercard £200 - £8

Total bills £506

Living
Food - £152
Activities - £56
Transport - £17
Social - £108 :eek:

Total - £333

Total outgoings £ 839 per month
Net monthly £-577

completelyspent

Hello,

Are you not entitled to housing benefit and do you have to pay council tax when you're unemployed?
Is the food for one? That can be cut down. It goes without saying that spending that much on socialising when you're unemployed is unaffordable..

Ames

c-m wrote: »

Here is my gloomy statement of affairs. No way out of it but for employment and fast. I regularly apply for a good number of positions each week and check-in with my recruitment consultants but nothing has come up yet.

Income
Contribution JSA £262

Household

Rent - £280 check out housing benefit

Council tax - £80 check out council tax benefit
Electricity - £42 make sure you turn lights off, have energy saving bulbs etc.
Internet - £15
Phone - £20

Credit cards/overdrafts
Barclaycard £420 (£350limit) £8 Pay £1 a month to these if you're on benefits.
Natwest £2100 (£18000limit) £48
HSBC £500 - £5
Mastercard £200 - £8

Total bills £506

Living
Food - £152 a bit high, check out money saving old style.
Activities - £56 what's this for? You can't really afford anything right now.
Transport - £17
Social - £108 :eek: You already know this is far too high, you just can't afford to be sociable till you get a job.

Total - £333

Total outgoings £ 839 per month
Net monthly £-577

Just a few thoughts from me.

I don't know much about applying for jobs, but have you put your cv on the jobs websites, and checked with temping agencies for the time being?

c-m

I moved in with a girlfriend in July its a £560 one bed flat. We have always been quite seperate and finances are always separate. We broke up after a short time and sleep separately.

I applied for housing benefit but was told as i live with a partner they can pay. I appealed the decision as I do not live with a partner, defined as "living together with someone as if you are married".

I have not yet heard from the appeal, but have had to sell my transport to pay the rent last month, the month before I sold my mobile phone.

The activities budget cover my fees to the community sports club that I run and £6 per week for my MMA training.

I have decided to give up drinking, so that social budget is now artificially high.

My electricity is the cheapest around. The whole flat is electric, everything is turned off even the heating. With me in the house all day then costs are higher than if I was employed.

I am with 4 different employment agencies and regularly call them to apply for new positions and ask about temp work. they are not particularly helpful.

I spend £25 last week on shopping at morrisons, that with a planned list of meals, but it needed topping up by £10 for extras like milk, bread, washing up liquid.

All those costs are for me only, though the ex will be sharing the elecritiry once form next month (changed suppliers and she paid the last bill)

saffronflowers

Christmas in approaching and I have seen many shops that are recruiting for the busy xmas period - so my advice is go for it, it is easier to find work when in work

SFx