Freezing and poor - advice invited

loopy_lass

just a quick one, as i dont have time to read all the threads, but maybe, dare i say it, you would be better off if you both were on benefits for a short while.... sorry to say but you would get more help and not sink. Also you would get more help in finding other employment...

also, i know it sounds mad, but when i was poorer and in bedsit land, i use to walk to the hospital to keep warm in the wrvs canteen, get hot drinks for pence. .. spent time there with dd when very young, i also carried a small hot water bottle with me to keep me warm in the flat and outside... still do that!. of course the library was more visited during the summer months.

and could you manage to get you husband a push bike? would be easier than walking...

sorry if its all been said, just a quick one...

loops

Bettyboop

Please check message inbox. Have just sent you a PM.

All the best.

BB

rosered1963

lisa* wrote: »

I've been wondering the same, looking forward to hearing the answer.

Hi! we are newlyweds and he is 15 years younger than me!

rosered1963

loopy_lass wrote: »

just a quick one, as i dont have time to read all the threads, but maybe, dare i say it, you would be better off if you both were on benefits for a short while.... sorry to say but you would get more help and not sink. Also you would get more help in finding other employment...

also, i know it sounds mad, but when i was poorer and in bedsit land, i use to walk to the hospital to keep warm in the wrvs canteen, get hot drinks for pence. .. spent time there with dd when very young, i also carried a small hot water bottle with me to keep me warm in the flat and outside... still do that!. of course the library was more visited during the summer months.

and could you manage to get you husband a push bike? would be easier than walking...

sorry if its all been said, just a quick one...

loops

Hi Looyplass - thanks very much. I am going to do some voluntary work for an older people's charity, I have decided so will be out and about more. And thanks for all your tips

rosered1963

ailuro2 wrote: »

move your bed into the living room, get the open fire going, and make draught excluders etc. remember to allow fresh air into the room, though if you've a open fire.

Contact your landlord and tell him you can only afford to pay a nominal rent until you find work.

Maybe he has accounts or something you could do for him to make up some of the money??

Hi and thanks Ailuro2 - great advice. I have moved the bed into one of the living rooms where there is a fireplace the only one), and asked the landlord if he can help us get the chimney and fireback fixed so we can use it ( We were told it was not usable originally). He has agreed! Thanks for your help

rosered1963

nadnad wrote: »

£150 pm month on oil is a lot. £90 on electric is huge too. I'm not having a go. What size is the house? I know that you love it, and the land lord, but is it worth having pneumonia and going bankrupt just because you love the house? I don't think so. I know you don't want to - but if you speak to your land lord and tell him whats happening, he may OFFER to let you reduce the rent for a while til you get back on your feet. Other than that I really think you have no choice but to find somewhere else.

Just thought - are you paying your oil by direct debit? Has the price been that much for a while? because it has dropped greatly from 6 months ago, maybe you've been overpaying?

Another option of course is to close all the rooms up bar your living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom and heat only those. - Do you have a fire in the living room? If you're in the country can you gather up wood to burn? or buy it cheaply from someone? a fire heats an old house better than radiators do.

Is there no other work you can do? Just for a wee while?

If you've got pneumonia can you actually work? would the doctor not just sign you off sick? - can you get benefits that way?

Hi Nadnad - you have given me a lot to think about here. Our last oil bill was £271 for 500 litres. I will look into getting a better price elsewhere. Obviously, we have run out now, but this would normally last us 5 weeks with thermostat in hall set at 50 degrees and heating on for 6 hours a day. (also it heats the water). I have always thought this is a poor show. The problem is the old boiler (no - not me - the other one) and that the fabric of the building, eg windows, brickwork etc) is in such a poor state. There is only so much you can do with someone else's property when you are a tenant. Other people have pointed out on this thread that it was ok when we were both earning, but now that I'm not, it is a bit stupid trying to hang on. I will give myself 7 weeks to find some employment - that will be crunch time for us to decide. Thanks again

rosered1963

JoJoB wrote: »

Due to health reasons is there a chance you may be high on the list for a council or housing association place? A letter from your doctor re the pneumonia may go a long way with your local housing officer. It sounds like you are very attached to your lovely house, but if this emotional attachment is costing you your health it sounds like it's time to let go....

Would it be correct to assume that the money situation would be manageable if you did not have debt repayments to make? Again, if you are risking your health by paying credit cards/loans etc rather than heating costs then it is time for debt counselling and looking at options like IVAs or bankruptcy or just ringing up your creditors to organise token payments for a while.

I live in a very cold flat too and we do the heat one room thing - though did I see that yours is so cold it has ice on the inside? That's just nuts. Re curtains - take the measurements of your windows and have a trawl round the charity shops - there are usually lots of thick lined curtains available there, or post a wanted ad on freecycle. Maybe invest in an plug-in oil-filled radiator instead of your traditional heating. I've got one for my living room and it heats the place up very quickly and my bills have gone down from when I was relying on storage heaters.

But ultimately, if you are reduced to living/sleeping in one room is it really worth living in a big rambling old house?

I do feel for your situation. My Oh is likely to be made redundant soon and it follows that we will probably lose the flat soon after. So a period of upheaval and transition and uncertainty is imminent! But if you get your priorities right you can prevent the situation causing intolerable stress.

Your health and relationship are your top priorities. Ring your creditiors immediately and say you have been laid off and need to pay token payments for the next few months while you get on your feet, they should accept this. This will alleviate some of the financial pressure enough for you to think a bit more clearly about the housing situation.

Hi Jojob. Thanks very much for your advice - excellent. I will take all of it. Good luck and hope all is ok with your husb's job
RR x

rosered1963

Amber_Sunshine wrote: »

Apologies in advance to the OP - I don't want to kick you while you are down - but it seems to be there are two general lessons to be learned from this. One, that none of us know what is around the corner and we should try to build financial reserves in case of job loss, two, that debt should be avoided for non-essentials (I hope you had a great wedding, but a debt of 9k for one day is not very MSE!)

Good luck with the job hunt.

Hi Amber sunshine - you are right there. I would say now that it is so important to try and save money. I will never get in this situation again (once I get out of it!) Some of my debts have been built up since getting married, but fair point. I thought my work situation was rock solid. RR