Buckle up - it's going to be a bumpy ride!

GotNoRhythm

Oh dear - I've just spent ages writing a reply and when I clicked on send it got lost!!

Here's the abridged version (!)

I've been working at a school all week, but it's 60 miles away from where I live. The money is great (Well, it will be when I get paid!) and they've asked me to go back for all of next week. I'm just finding it so tiring with all the driving, then working on a night time, making notes on what the children have done and achieved so that their usual teacher knows what they have been up to in her absence.
She may be off for a further two weeks - I'm grateful for the work, but at the same time it is extremely tiring! I don't know whether to speak to my agency, or just wait and see how this week goes? I did three half-days and one full day there last week.
The other probem is that the class teacher hasn't left me any planning to follow - so I spent most of yesterday planning for this week. I won't get paid for the time I put in yesterday, but I need to have something planned so that I know what I'm doing with the kids this week!

GotNoRhythm

Blimey! I can't believe it's been so long since I was last on here! Well, nothing much has changed - I'm getting occasional work as a supply teacher, but now that the hols are well underway I have reverted back to my funeral job. Fun times! I had 2 weeks when I had no work at all, but am working full time this week, and it's only a 20min drive away so not too bad on fuel costs. Next week, though, I'm working about 20 miles away and for just 4 hours a day. I guess it's better than nothing though. There are simply no other jobs around at the moment.
August is always a tough month birthdays-wise, and my best friend (whose birthday is in a week's time) is about to give birth to her second child any time soon. I've been knitting - using up wool that I hace stashed away, so no additional expense there, and she's the type of person who really appreciates home-made stuff.
My other expensive headache this month is car insurance. I've trawled the web and found a quote £50 less than my renewal quote with M&S.
I'm seriously miffed with M&S - I've just finished paying off the loan I took out for my car (yey!) with help from my dad. I also have a credit card with them which has been clear for a few months now, but they won't let me transfer a balance onto it. They 'don't have any offers for me at the moment'. (Apparently this is M&S speak for 'screw you!' Polite, if unhelpful).Tempted to cancel the card - it's not much use as it is!!
I'm also wondering whether I can save anything on my car insurance - I may have to check out one of the other forums for advice. I always get fully comp, not sure I need all the extra bits though, like legal advice?? I have 9yrs+ protected no-claims, and my car is 8yrs old now and only worth £1600!! Ahhh, what to do??

tealady

Hi. When you do reinsure your car check via a cashbackwebsite 1st. And also juggle with your job description, if you put teacher it may give a different price to supply teacher. Just a thought

GotNoRhythm

tealady wrote: »

Hi. When you do reinsure your car check via a cashbackwebsite 1st. And also juggle with your job description, if you put teacher it may give a different price to supply teacher. Just a thought

Hi TeaLady! Thank you for those top tips - I'll go and check them out. I seem to have one of those cars that looks a bit souped up on paper - but actually barely does 0-60 at all!!

GotNoRhythm

Hurrah! I am back online and once again able to access the forum having completely forgotten my password! I have far too many passwords and only so much room in my brain to put stuff...
Quick update... I am STILL looking for that elusive teaching job, but still have faith that I'll find it. Soon.
I finally plucked up the courage to go to the CAB about my debts - it's early days yet, I've been told bancruptcy is the most likely option but I'm hoping to avoid this if I possibly can.
I bit the bullet and wrote to my credit card and loan companies explaining my situation. Some were more helpful and understanding than others! (M&S and MBNA were fab!). So now I've just got to somehow find the mettle to face reading through the information I was given at my CAB interview and decide how best to proceed.
It's still tough, though.

GeorgeUK

Hi GNR - not seen you for aaaaages.

What's the status with the debts now?
Have you been making token payments? Have you checked if the credit agreements are enforcable?

Welcome back

GotNoRhythm

Hi George
Yes, I'm making token payments and written to my 2 loan companies and my 4 credit cards explaining the situation and that I'm taking advice from CAB. They're talking about bankruptcy but I'm still reluctant to go down that route - or am I just a hopeless optimist that things will get better? It's so frustrating that I qualified as a teacher but am working in a rubbish job on a rubbish salary! I also still feel as though the more I'm being pushed into making a decision, the more reluctant I am to do anything about it (if that makes sense). I have no idea about whether the credit agreements are enforceable - I don't know what that means
There's just so much to take on board...

gemini12

I have just read your entire story and sympathise greatly with your job problems. It is awful when you are struggling with work (or lack of it) and debts.
Just a couple of thoughts. Have you thought about applying for full time teaching jobs out of your area. I know this would mean moving but would give you more security.

I dont know about where you live we have lots of care agencies desperate for people to work weekends and weekdays. You could work it so it didnt intefere with your teaching jobs. They care for all kinds of people - not just the elderly. I did it before I was ill and loved it.

Good luck with everything. Keep writing I will watch out for you.:)

GeorgeUK

Well, as you are not in 'steady' employment, the first thing i would do is check your paperwork to see if you are paying payment protection insurance (PPI). You may be paying for something that is of no use to you and could therefore be reclaimed as missold.

If the credit agreements are not properly executed however (meaning that not all the required terms are on the agreement or something else is wrong), this means that if the agreement was made before 6th April 2007 they may not be able to enforce the debt. There would be a default on your credit file, but without a properly executed agreement they would only be able to ask you to pay it back. Even a court should not enforce this as section 127 part 3 of the consumer credit act 1974 says that the court should not enforce an agreement if it is not properly executed (with all the required terms).

Definately worth looking into if you are not worried about your credit record and should look at if before considering bankruptcy.

I'm not fully up to date on this any more, but there are templates and other sources that will keep you right.

GotNoRhythm

Hi Gemini12, thank you for your kind words. Yes, it is frustrating not having a secure job, especially as the teaching course is so hard and I did it in the faith that it would improve my job prospects! I hadn't thought of other types of care jobs - I must look into that, thank you!

I had a call from one of my cards today, trying to browbeat me into dealing with them directly rather than going through Citizen's Advice. I told them I'd already agreed to CAB speaking to them on my behalf (I haven't yet, but I just wanted to get the guy off the phone!!) but I think I want to get a 2nd opinion before I go ahead with CAB. The thing I hate most is the sense of not knowing where everything is leading. Things are fine when you keep making your repayments, but as soon as you start struggling they hit you with jargon and threats Makes me laugh though, when they go through you like a ddose of salts then end by saying, 'it was great speaking with you. Have a great evening!' Yeah, thanks for that...

On the plus side - my funeral job is full time at the moment - until they get new staff to cover, as one of the admin girls has left. It's not teachinng (not by any stretch of the imagination!) but at least it's work.