It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

anguk

Violetta wrote: »

Evie-it depends on your area but some Lidls are selling a £29 sewing machine just basic but maybe a more experienced sewer could advise if this is worth getting?

I got a Lervia sewing machine from Lidl about a year or so ago and it looks exactly the same as that one. It's actually a very good machine considering the price with blind hem foot, zipper foot, buttonhole & button foot, it's also got loads of different stitch patterns. It's quite sturdy too and can do what any other machine can.

It looks like it's the Lervia KH400 model and you can download the manual if you want to see what it does:
http://safemanuals.com/user-guide-instructions-owner-manual/LERVIA/KH4000%20AUTOMATIC%20FREE-ARM%20SEWING%20MACHINE-_E

2cats1kid

Primrose wrote: »

Regarding self-employment I think part of the reason why so few people try is that we've become a consumer society where we are accustomed to going out and buying whatever service/product we need rather than thinking of providing it ourselves. Also, the education service does a rather poor job of helping pupils understand how they could take more responsibility for marketing their skills and services and providing the business & marketing administrations skills which would get them off the ground. If every school were forced to to set up "real live businesses" in which all pupils participated, so that they could understand the functions of enterprise, ( manufacturing, selling, marketing, accounting, competition, etc) pupils might be better equipped to have the courage to try. There are all kinds of enterprises schools could get involved in - cake making, jam making, car valeting/washing, to help in this process. I suspect part of the problem, apart froma crowded school curriculum, is that most teachers have never had personal experience of working in industry, so are not well versed in the entrepreneurial process. It's a great pity. If ever this country is to thrive again, we need all these young Bill Gates, Richard |Bransons, etc to start generating new enterprises.

Actually I must jump in and say this already exists in the shape of http://www.young-enterprise.org.uk/pub/

My daughter's school participates in this and every year the 6th form run a business properly formed with treasurer, marketing person etc. and promote their product. There are young enterprise fairs where they can sell their products to people attending the fair, and seminars etc. I can't remember a year for ages when at least one of the members of the board of DD's school's company hasn't been given an award by the local group. No matter what the school event, the company have a stall there. In recent years they have sold bath and beauty products, hand made jewellery, recycled fabric and buttons and stuff into shopping bags etc. and any number of other things. DD is really looking forward to this and hoping she can participate.

pagangirl

Hi folks - just found this today - in NetTO' instore from Thurs 19th Feb - 4 pack Princes Chopped Tomatoes (400g) 99p - thats 25p a can' - if you got a NetTO shop near you, go stock up coz tomatoes ain't gettin any cheaper.

Sorry to hear of all bad news - big hugs to all who need them, heck, big hugs to all !!!

Penelope_Penguin

2cats1kid wrote: »

Actually I must jump in and say this already exists in the shape of http://www.young-enterprise.org.uk/pub/

My daughter's school participates in this and every year the 6th form run a business properly formed with treasurer, marketing person etc. and promote their product.

I was treaturer in a Young Enterprise company 30 years ago :j DD and DS have each done it recently, too.

Penny. x

fletch3163

Well, it looks like you lot were my Happy Valentine's Day date today:p I've been given peace and quiet to catch up the 15 pages I was behind, although I've had to save no fewer than 5 things to my favourites to visit when I've time. It's always my downfall on here. My nose gets the better of me and I need to see what's going on and what you all say to look at.

I'm so sorry to all of you facing uncertain times. We had redundancies and paycuts in September/October so hopefully we can weather the storm. Am 10% lighter in the pocket but better 90% of something than 100% of nothing I say

DdraigGoch

Hugs to all that need them - particularly re the work situations.

A few pages back someone asked about cooking on a woodfired stove. Frankly, it's not a lot different to cooking on electric, but you just can't control the temperature as well. A good thing to look for at the recycling/charity shops are CAST IRON METAL trivets. Please do not use anything else, it isn't worth the danger. These can help by enabling one to lower the temperature of the cooking by lifting the pan off the stove top but still keeping it warm. Remember that stoves can get very fiercely hot, and try to remember NOT to stand in front of the door all the time - legs get singed quite quickly [voice - and jeans! - of experience ....] Other than that, just don't wander off. If you do, even though the fire seems to be just gently snoozing, it's almost bound to ensure that whatever you're cooking welds itself to the saucepan and you've got the smell of a charnel house smogging up the front room [don't ask how I know .... ;-) ]

Hope that helps and sorry for the long post

wigglebeena

cw18 wrote: »

As someone who is seriously considering becoming self-employed in the next year, I have to admit that after looking into it I actually have more concerns than ever.

I didn't realise (until a couple of months ago) that if you're self-employed and the 'business' (in my case child-minding) collapses you don't have the same rights to state benefits as an employee...... I knew sick pay was an issue, but it appears there's a lot of other differences too

What's the sitch re: working tax credits? I take it you mean a total collapse and ceasing trading, rather than not bringing in enough to pay the bills? In that case are there no non-contribution-based benefits?

(Yes, I'm S/E and ought to know these things! I've got as far as having a pack for WTC lying in a pile of paperwork: not as far as reading it... I have a real aversion to making a claim after hearing of friends' trials and adventures claiming for family tax credit).

cw18

WTC is only payable if you work a requisite number of hours and your income is below certain levels.

As a single parent I qualify as long as I work 16 hours a week, but I'm not sure how much of a salary is too much as I haven't got that far through the calculations (or done enough playing with the Tax Credits on-line calculator ) - but you can claim if self-employed with the requisite hours and below the pre-determined levels.

If I have to give up minding (ie. the business collapses), then I wouldn't be working -- so no more WTC.

liloandstitch

Hi, sorry to jump in on this thread, I have been lurking for ages!

As self employed you claim WTC the same, based on previous years incomes, but the ability to get it totally wrong is huge cos you are so far behind in working out your income! And obviously if you underestimate your income and you have received the extra bit (under £15000) you have to pay it back. And we all know how good the govt are on yjese things!!! They screwed mine up so much I will not get any tax credit til my son is 11 -!!

On the sick pay front, if you pay your national insurance contributions - by dd or quarterly by cheque, you get the contribution based benefits - Stat Maternity pay, and ESA the new sick pay. But if you claim the sick pay, you have to fill in a really detailed questionnaire on your illness, and agree to submit to work interviews, just to get £60 per week!!!! I have been diagnosed with cancer, and they are still making me jump through hoops for £60. As my hubby works, I cannot claim any means tested benefits, so am appx £600 short per month in money, still paying out for my car which I need purely for work, and not even sure if I will still have a contract in 3 months time, and paying out over £40 per visit to the hospital in train fares. You can buy yourself insurance to cover this, but tbh this is prob really expensive.

The moral of my story is to be careful what you get yourself into, as the help that you will get if you are unable to work through illness is negligable. I have also heard that you cannot claim job seekers for ages as well, but as I havent tried I cannot tell you.

I will disappear back to lurkdom, but just wanted to warn you guys of the pitfalls if you did go the s/e route

Lilo

competitionscafe

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