FINALLY my SOA! Pleeease look. Really could do with using it today!

Eupho

kindofagilr wrote: »

Good idea, dont pay for his mobile!!! its got it easy!

Yeaahhh.. looking at it now I can see that more clearly.. crafty git. :rolleyes::rotfl:

Jesthar

Eupho wrote: »

hellooo

Nope no water meter.. just live in the most expensive water area in the country. (that's not behind or in debt or whatever ~ a lot isn't it!) ..

The EMA.. you know I always wondered what it was for.. My friend says she uses it for her sons bus fare (same college).. but my son swears blind its a *Reward* for the students getting off their butts and going to college.

Thats why I let him keep it.. (plus its set up to go into the students account)

Heh, if that were the case, it would be called the Education Reward Allowance, not the Education Maintenance Allowance, wouldn't it?

And yes, he should definitely be paying to his own phone. Sounds like he needs to learn how to budget ASAP!

How about telling him he has to choose two out of the following three options:

1. Pay his own phone bill
2. Pay for his own bus pass
3. Stop receiving pocket money

Or just enforce all three anyway. He's been sponging quite a bit!

As to the water, unless you are using water by the bathful every day, see about getting a meter. It should easily halve your bill, I should think!

~Jes

Eupho

Michaellas

Council tax... Yes I get the single person discount.
NORMALLY it was £75 per month.. but its about £250 in arrears.. to they reworked it and respread it out again at £95 pm.

Stupid me! has sooo many transactions on my account.. I didnt even realise it the Council Tax DD wasn't going out!.. Mind you.. the funny thing.. they didn't even notice!.
I called THEM to tell them... when I discovered it some months later.

Elsewhere

Since they are doing well at school your two eldest are presumably intelligent and responsible kids, so is it worth sitting down with both of them and talking over your SOA so that they can see for themselves how you are struggling? The bald numbers might be more convincing than explanations.
Maybe they could both help? For instance, one of my son's friends used to sell stuff on ebay to fund himself as a student.

Eupho

Jesthar wrote: »

Heh, if that were the case, it would be called the Education Reward Allowance, not the Education Maintenance Allowance, wouldn't it?

And yes, he should definitely be paying to his own phone. Sounds like he needs to learn how to budget ASAP!

How about telling him he has to choose two out of the following three options:

1. Pay his own phone bill
2. Pay for his own bus pass
3. Stop receiving pocket money

Or just enforce all three anyway. He's been sponging quite a bit!

As to the water, unless you are using water by the bathful every day, see about getting a meter. It should easily halve your bill, I should think!

~Jes

Great options to offer my son. thankyou!

Water meter.. I tried to have one fitted before.. but they came out .. messed about.. and said it couldnt be done. Something to do with it being shared.. or not shared.. or too narrow or something.. I dunno now.. I'd have to ask again what they said.
But its not an option. :rolleyes:

Eupho

Elsewhere wrote: »

Since they are doing well at school your two eldest are presumably intelligent and responsible kids, so is it worth sitting down with both of them and talking over your SOA so that they can see for themselves how you are struggling? The bald numbers might be more convincing than explanations.
Maybe they could both help? For instance, one of my son's friends used to sell stuff on ebay to fund himself as a student.

Good idea.. but I might have to show them a 'sensored' version.. to be honest... I think teh 'figures' will freak them out. (like they do ME!) :rolleyes:

But yes.. talking to them about cutting back .. and where we can cut back is a great idea.. thankyou

mrstheking

My little bro is 17, spent months after he left college without a job (apart from little magazine delivery) always sponging money off Mum and getting her to buy xmas/Bday pressies for people amd promising to pay her back.

Anyway eventually (over 6 months after leaving college) he did get a job as vermin control so killing things (which he loves) and is now so disgustingly well off I hate him...he's only been there 3 months and has treated himself to a new tv, playstation 3 and godknows what else.

Even a part time job for your boy would give him enough extra cash to buy console games when he wanted, go out with friends more, basically have more independance...is it me getting old or is getting through to teenagers really hard work? I may run away before mine make it to that age!!

angelicmary85

Eupho wrote: »

Thankyou

I will look into any funding things regarding his bus fare. He DOES get EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) £30 a week. But he keeps that. :rolleyes:.. I have tried to talk to him about getting a part time job.. (like some of his friends) but he doesn't want to know. :mad:.. I think I will talk to him again about giving me the £25 per month.. that still leaves him £95 .. which is more than I flippin get!

He'll hate you for it but cut off his bus fare fund, tell him that'll he just have to pay it, simple as that!! His EMA is for his education so tell him to use it on his education...and not trying to pull the birds

Dinah93

Eupho wrote: »

Thankyou

I will look into any funding things regarding his bus fare. He DOES get EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) £30 a week. But he keeps that. :rolleyes:.. I have tried to talk to him about getting a part time job.. (like some of his friends) but he doesn't want to know. :mad:.. I think I will talk to him again about giving me the £25 per month.. that still leaves him £95 .. which is more than I flippin get!

Reward for going to college my foot! If at 17 he can't see that getting an education is in his best interest he's only going to end up in a McJob in the end anyway! At 17 he's an adult, I worked over 30 hours a week in a pub from the day after my 16th birthday, lessened my hours a bit (but never dropped them, 15 a week was a min) at exam time, and raised them in the summer holidays. I didn't get pocket money after 16, my phone was paid for by me, and I got 3 As and a B at A-level so if he wants to get the grades, he still will, but he might not have as much time to watch tv/play computer games/see his mates etc.

His £30 a week is enough for his phone and bus pass, if he wants more than this for spends, he can get a job. Personally I think the EMA payment encourages people to relly on the state and isn't teaching kids the value of work, he needs to see that working for his money is rewarding, and he can't relly on you and the government to support him now he's an adult.

I agree that some of your food bill could be shaved, as you can't work more hours at a regular job, how about doing some of the up your income ideas, like being a avon/body shop rep, paid online surveys, mystery shopping, selling spare stuff on ebay/amazon etc. Would help boost your income so that you can meet the debt repayments.

Eupho

mrstheking wrote: »

My little bro is 17, spent months after he left college without a job (apart from little magazine delivery) always sponging money off Mum and getting her to buy xmas/Bday pressies for people amd promising to pay her back.

Anyway eventually (over 6 months after leaving college) he did get a job as vermin control so killing things (which he loves) and is now so disgustingly well off I hate him...he's only been there 3 months and has treated himself to a new tv, playstation 3 and godknows what else.

Even a part time job for your boy would give him enough extra cash to buy console games when he wanted, go out with friends more, basically have more independance...is it me getting old or is getting through to teenagers really hard work? I may run away before mine make it to that age!!

hahaha :rotfl:

But yep... he needs to do something.
He does think the world revolves around him. He didn't used to be that way... He was an angel.. just woke up one morning door slamming and 'it's nottttt faaaaaaaiiirr' .. 'EVERYone ELSE's mum lets them stay out till blah blah O'clock'

etc..

So I need to deal with that.. I will speak to him when he gets home this evening. (gets home from college at 6.30pm!)