Stuck in a 1 bedroom flat - is there anything we can do?

robpw2

can i suggest you post a statement of affairs either on this post or probably best in the dfw forum , then let people have a look at ways to save you money so that your able to not worry rather than barely surviving , you would be suprised at how a fresh look at your finances can help.

you could apply for pt work in evenings or child minder work if you want to be a sahm ,

i know the flat situation is difficult one at the moment but , it will hopefully get better and if you can weather the storm you will be rewarded ,

huntersc

I think you need to clam down, relax and realise all isn't as bad as it seems. Take a deep breath.

Right. Your flat is probably worth less than you paid for it. That doesn't matter. You have just under a year until your fixed rate ends. At that point your payments will probably be reduced when you go onto standard variable. So leave the property on the market, you never know you might get a buyer, and hold out until next year. There's no pressing reason to leave right at this minute.

The main thing is that you don't have any major debts. Whatever you do, don't create any. Spend your time reducing your mortgage as much as you can.

I really think it's a question of holding out because things will get better.

carolt

Not quite true - your flat price will virtually certainly lose a couple of thousand pounds or more every month - if you do want to sell, you should do it NOW - lower to a realistic price and get shot.
But as I suggested earlier, not even sure if you would be allowed to sel in negative equity without paying off the negative equity.

Re your income, both your salaries seem low for your proximity to London.

What did you do when you were working, if you don't mind me asking? We might be able to point you to opprtunities using your skills/experience?

I started my own business after my son was born because I needed to earn but couldn't find work with hours to suit, doing what I had done previously only self-employed.

I don't make that much but at least I get to keep every penny I make and only work the hours that suit me.

As I work from home, if my kids are sick or whatever, I just work round them. So do try and 'think outside the box'. There are always ways to serve a need somewhere and make money, you just have to be open to slightly less conventional ways to do it.

london-x

Just shove me two pennies worth in here.

There is a part-time Creche assistant going in XpectHealth gym (braintree) at the moment - Child care & money. Might be worth you looking into !

I'll shut up now

Essexgirl81

Hi Carolt,

Well, since leaving school in 1997 i've had various jobs mostly involving retail or office temping.

My last two jobs were the better of the bunch as I managed to get on-the-job training as a Pharmacy Technician at Martindales in Brentwood which turned out to be the best paid job I ever had!!

Just after I got married I moved to a different job in the same company (for less money) and became a Documentation Officer which basically meant generating scientific/official documents for the rest of the company (within a team - not on my own!!!). After a while I began to hone my expertise on creating analytical documents for the QC/Chemistry department so I learned quite a lot in a short space of time!! Not bad for someone who hated Chemistry at school and didn't even go to uni

Anyway, the most I ever earned was around the £14,500 mark although the exact same job a GSK etc was worth at least £18,000. But I was happy enough working in Romford with a great group of people. I used to think 'better the devil you know' but maybe I should have been more pro-active back then.

I don't mind working in retail again but I do miss the job I had. I can't get any work as a Pharmacy Tech. because I don't have an NVQ and it has now become the minimum requirement. I have considered doing the course as it is still offered as Chelmsford College but I don't have anyone to look after my daughter. I asked if they ran the course in the evenings but they said no.

If you're wondering why i'm soooo stuck for childcare i'll tell you: my in-laws live 3 miles away but refuse to look after our daughter for any amount of time. The last time my husband and I went out and had some time together (for our wedding anniversary) was in August and we had to take the baby to my mum's in St Albans for the night then come back to Essex because hubby wanted to take me out to dinner in Chelmsford (using some of his bonus money). It was surreal to even eat let alone sleep without our daughter!!!! :eek:

The other reason we can't ask his mum & dad to watch our little one is because they accuse us of wasting money if we say that we might like to go out to the cinema or something just us a couple. So, we don't go anywhere - not even at the weekends with the baby. If they find out we get 'told off'....it's so ridiculous. Every time we visit my mum we get accused of moving there!!!!

Anyway, i'm not from this area so I don't have any friends here (except old workmates who are in the Romford and Southend areas). I gave up my car last year so I do rely on people coming to visit me i'm afraid. To say that sometimes I feel a bit isolated is an understatement!! I like where we live, I really do, but not the circumstances. I have tried to make new friends here but they all live in the houses and I get the pitied looks because of my situation and I can't stand that. Even when I was pregnant I had the midwives constantly asking me 'ooo, what are you going to do?' Made my heart sink every time I can tell you A lot of people assume that because you live on a 'Garden Village' that you're rolling in it or something...deffo not the case!! :rotfl:

PolishBigSpender

Why do people in the United Kingdom persist in having children that they can barely afford to support? Getting pregnant when living in a one bedroomed flat with no prospect of moving to a bigger flat is irresponsible at best, and terrible at worst.

london-x

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Why do people in the United Kingdom persist in having children that they can barely afford to support? Getting pregnant when living in a one bedroomed flat with no prospect of moving to a bigger flat is irresponsible at best, and terrible at worst.

Constructive - No
helpful - No
any signs of human decency - No

What is the point in this post. You want to kick someone whilst they are down? Give me a bit I'll try and find you a kitten to stamp on if that makes you feel good.

PolishBigSpender

Perhaps it might serve as a timely warning to other people that having children in such an environment is not good for anyone - the parents, the child or indeed people reading this forum.

DCFC79

Essexgirl81 wrote: »

The other reason we can't ask his mum & dad to watch our little one is because they accuse us of wasting money if we say that we might like to go out to the cinema or something just us a couple. So, we don't go anywhere - not even at the weekends with the baby. If they find out we get 'told off'....it's so ridiculous. Every time we visit my mum we get accused of moving there!!!!

well you need to either lie to them about what your doing if you ask them to look after the little one or you tell them that your old enough to do what you want and if they dont want to spend time with your little 1 then fine you wont ask them anymore or you just ask them anymore to look after the little 1

london-x

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Perhaps it might serve as a timely warning to other people that having children in such an environment is not good for anyone - the parents, the child or indeed people reading this forum.

Agreed.

But the woman is asking for help and some guidance. Showing some compassion won't kill you, and also remembering she is reading this having opened herself up to strangers. Being berated isn't conducive to someone who is finding things difficult (financial or otherwise).

I apologise if I was offensive, but please show some consideration and a perhaps a modicum of respect to the woman. She acknowledges she's in difficulty. That's a first step.

Incidentally, your opening sentence in your original post is offensive. You might want to consider tact when writing on a UK based web board. Verbally attacking the collective citizens of the UK, and calling yourself PolishBigSpender isn't going to win you points.