It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

SuziQ

elizabunny wrote: »

So I personally, will do as my DH & MIL always say and trust in God because God is Good. (Not wishing to inflict my personal beliefs on anyone here, as we are all free to believe, or not believe in whatever we wish). But I personally, do believe in guardian angels and think that everyone has someone watching over them and helping them through difficult times

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Agree with you totally elizabunny! :A
It never fails to amaze me that He always comes up with JUST what I need just when I need it! Never too much-I don't believe I was ever meant to be rich in monetary terms-but He knows EXACTLY what we need! I have just finished reading 'The Shack' and am so filled with His goodness at the moment!

We have a major hurdle this week whcih involves a court case which could cost me my house. I am learning that I have to hand things over to Him-because I can't sort things in my own strength. He is an AMAZING God!

ceridwen

cw18 wrote: »

Just catching up on the posts since Friday -- I've been on "baby sitting" duties all weekend, as DD has been away visiting friends (and out for a birthday, so couldn't take the girls this time)


To be fair, the rules for Mortgage Assistance that are running at the moment mean I could receive up to £12,160 per year to help with interest (£200k @ 6.08%), but if I claimed rent I would only be allowed a touch over £5100pa -- so home owners really aren't that badly done by. (And before they doubled the level of mortage they'd help with, I'd still have been better off with over £6k for that)

But then....rent is payable immediately - without the umpteen weeks' wait that those on a mortgage have to wait before their mortgage interest comes into payment. Also - those in rented accommodation have maintenance and buildings insurance included in the rent - whereas home-owners don't seem to get that few £ extra benefit to cover maintenance/insurance costs that they used to. We were given our maintenance/insurance money in the past I do know - but neither of us could find a trace of this payment any more the other day - so guess that means thats another cut in benefit the DWP has made and homeowners having to find money for extra bills out of their £60.50 that someone in rented accommodation wouldnt have to find.

Cinny91

I've just made that 'Keep Calm and Carry On' logo my work desktop background. I feel horrible for all those loosing jobs, but I'm so thankful I have a stable job and get to sit in a lovely warm office for 9 hours on a monday before going home and donning the dressing gown. My parents got a shocking gas and electric bill for this quarter. Electric heaters are gone from the bedrooms (not that I really used mine) lights off ect ect. I still got the rollocking from my parents along with my brother and sister and had to bite my tongue as I was the one who complained when they put the heating on in early november - was quite enjoying snuggling up at nights! - trying to convince them to get curtains up at doors, draft excluders and so on. :rolleyes:

Although I have managed to turn my mother - she's cancelled sky, switched internet provider (O2 @ £7.50 unlimited) She's always loved OS cooking, using my great grandma's recipes, just happy to see she's taken in what I've been rambling on about. It's nice to be heard!

I hope everyone on here is okay today, keep positive ladies!

*edit* Peter Jones is on Radio1 talking about the recession. It's quite nice to hear people talking frankly about it, rather than the sugarcoated or scare mongering infomation the normal news gives us. I think he's on each day this week?

cw18

The wait for mortgage help is now only 13 weeks, so in the first year I'd get a maximum of £9,120. Before the rule changes I believe the wait was 39 weeks, so would only have got £1520 - which I accept is a long way down from rent.

I also accept that I would still have had to pay for buildings insurance, repayment vehicles and maintainance, but at the end of the day I'd have a property that is MINE.

I actually think that the reduction in the waiting period was the best move they could make - and hav always (personally) been suprised that they would pay so more for Mortgage Assistance than they do for rent. Would seem fairer to me to pay the same rates from day 1, but with a small increase to 'home owners' to cover the buildings insurance (which I wasn't aware they used to pay) - and have a 'pot' that can be applied to for 'essential' maintainance (though I suspect this would be subject to being able to prove the work wasn't needed before the claim for Assistance was made - otherwise someone could neglect their property/cancel planned work if they knew they were about to be in a position where they were going to have to claim benefits).

In my case, the most I would ever have got in Morgage Assistance is about £5107pa - as my mortgage was well under the old upper limit - so I was pretty much level with what I'd have got in rent..... But this has never swayed my thinking on this one, as I've only just worked that figure out -- and was surprised to realise it calculated so closely to rent

*moggins*

I wasn't even aware the period for mortgage assistance had been lowered so thanks for that, I still thought it was 9 months!

It really does strike me as silly though as the figures just don't work out. If I lost my home through being unable to pay the mortgage and had to move into rented then it would cost the government £650 per month. My mortgage is only £300 so surely it works out cheaper to keep me in my own home?

ubamother

I don't really have an opinion on whether or not x y and z should be paid, but I can understand people having concerns about mortgages being paid for those who could, theoretically, end up privately-owning a property paid for by the taxman - I would make a guess that's how the Daily Mail would slant it anyway!! Mind you, I think was far more an issue when house prices were rising by the day.

I was interested in the idea of local councils taking potential repossessions into their ownership and the owners paying rent until they are able to take the house back - this way it seems to me the property could be maintained, people don't have to go through a terrible time moving at great cost to themselves and I suppose the tax payer and then housing benefit would by payable for the rent if necessary.

*moggins*

ubamother, it's only the mortgage interest that gets paid, not the capital so it's never a case that people would end up with houses paid for them by the taxman just that they can stay in homes without the risk of repossession. Unfortunately even waiting 13 weeks for their money is too much for some mortgage providers.

ubamother

pardon my ignorance please! but does this mean that those with endowment mortgages (do they still exist?) will be better off in the long run? I'm not asking from a judgemental point of view at all, just interested in how systems work. It is so sad that banks' short-sightedness can cause people so much grief and cost the bank itself so much more in the long-term.

[Deleted User]

I`m needing to follow my own advice now re anger. I am still hopping mad re tesco and the 60p they won`t refund me.:mad: I have had moral payback in that the (half price plus £5 voucher plus hopefully petrol coupon) delivery is arriving in a couple of hours but tesco madness is still inside me. I am not going to write the cause of my anger down and tear it up but I am going to write to their head office instead and then I will forget about it when I have posted it.

goodbye tesco and good riddance

*moggins*

Sorry, d't know the answer to that one, perhaps someonee with more knowledge of the financial sector will be able to help us there?

I just find the whole system so stupid. I'm well aware that there may be people out there with huge mortgages and in houses bigger than they need and in those situations I can see how it would be galling to hear about things like that but in my case where we only have a house just big enough and with a smallish mortgage that the government would be willing to let me and my children lose our home and yet be happy to pay twice my mortgage to keep us in a privately rented house!