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

roswell

Kazipoo wrote: »

I don't think I would advise anyone to go for bankruptcy unless it was absolutely the only available option. Plus in my opinion I think its a cop out.

Im not advising im giving my opinion, £34 000 / £450 (this is the current max cash comming in) = 75 months / 12 = 6 years

Thats with out taking into account interest + food X 3 (dependants) + light + heat + clothes so you can realisticaly tripple this time scale.

jayss

Can you not just use skype or similar to chat to your sister? If you're paying for broadband you might aswell get the most out of it.

Can your ex not be the supervisor of your youngest a couple of days a week to allow you to work fulltime those days? As he's not contributing.....

Make sure you're signed up for the free cinema tix and surveys etc, as you NEED to stop pocket money, tempering it with the occassional freebie to the cinema, fast food paid with lunchon vouchers will help give the kids some treats.
Also when you drop the tv package go through the cashback sites to do the free trials for dvd and games rental, cash for you, entertainment for the kids. Just remember to cancel them. Its not going to dig you out of the hole but might help make things bearable at home.

mummytofour

Eupho wrote: »

I asked the Social Services about it last year.. they said no.. because he has nothing really specific. :wall:

It could still be worth a try. DLA is based on the care needs of the individual NOT the label... For example if you son needs watching as he may harm himself that would count as additional care needs. Sorry I cant remember what the issues are you said your son has but it really is worth looking into IMHO.
BUT make sure you get somebody to help with the form, welfare rights CAB etc as its really down to using the right words and phases on the form in my experience.

vandanfc

One of the key issues with dla for children is the question of do they need MORE help/support than a normal child of that age. if the answer is yes, get filling that form in asap. If you ring dla they will send you a date stamped form. If you are successful then this should be the date they backdate your claim to. Get the form requested, then see a welfare rights worker.

Eupho

kezlou wrote: »

Hi Eupho !

How are you?

Just wanted to say, keep positive and keep smiling!!!

Don't give up on your eldest son, make him pay for his bus fares, phone + stop giving him pocket money.Well done on making him pay for his mobile phone!!!! :j:beer:

I used to receive EMA when i was in college and used the £30 to pay for all of the above.
Ask at you local education authority about a half price bus pass, basically its a one off £10 payment (might be more now) and you can use any time of the day or night from Monday to Friday. It saved me a fortune on travel.

As for your grocery bill, you might be able drop it down to £200 this thread is brilliant as gives really good tips on how to reduce you food bill as well as recipes.
Its the Grocery Challenge:-
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1653811

I don't think you will be able to claim DLA for your son as technically he does not have a learning disability. I used to work in an education centre, very similar to the one your son attends and loads of parents couldn't claim a thing.
Not sure if they do this in your area but they might be a scheme where your son could attend an afternoon session basically doing sports, a college course such as GCSE English etc Basically a two - three hour activity. It is all free as it technically qualifies as part of his education. If you have a support worker ask them about it as it not only help you it could also help him.

HTH

Kez

Helloo Kez :wave: .. I will look into all that too!.. thanks for the info! :beer:

Eupho

Money_maker wrote: »

Loads of really great advice on here, hope it all works out for you.

Will reinforce what has been said about your son - stop the pocket money and let him pay his own bus fares. You must let all the children know that things are really tight so they can all back you, dont worry about scaring them, how bad can things get before they twig?

My friends sisters boy was spoilt rotten as a child and teenager. When he finished his education, he sat on his backside for a couple of years as there was no incentive to find a job. She was very deeply in debt but he didn't know and she continued to pander to him.

:wave: I agree.. I am going to have to tell them more about whats going on.. at least it might slow them down asking for money all the time. I don't want to scare (my youngest has enuff probs as it is) ... but I need to make them realise that its 'fairly' serious.

Eupho

jayss wrote: »

Can you not just use skype or similar to chat to your sister? If you're paying for broadband you might aswell get the most out of it.

Can your ex not be the supervisor of your youngest a couple of days a week to allow you to work fulltime those days? As he's not contributing.....

Make sure you're signed up for the free cinema tix and surveys etc, as you NEED to stop pocket money, tempering it with the occassional freebie to the cinema, fast food paid with lunchon vouchers will help give the kids some treats.
Also when you drop the tv package go through the cashback sites to do the free trials for dvd and games rental, cash for you, entertainment for the kids. Just remember to cancel them. Its not going to dig you out of the hole but might help make things bearable at home.

:wave: Oo Skype is a good idea!.. I dont' know about free cinemas tickets? .. Thanks for your ideas, I will have a look! :beer:

HairyHandofDartmoor

Eupho wrote: »

Actually!.. tell you what I forgot to include!!

I pay that same teens mobile bill per month too!... It's about bang on £30 each month.

So looking at it.. he actually does pretty well.

£120 month EMA .. (as long as its not school hols)
£30 mobile bill paid by me.
and maybe about £20-30 from me.

I'm swapping that mobile DD to his account for a start. (well, get him too)

My daughter who is nearly 16 gets £5 a week pocket money and we pay her mobile phone bill of £10 per month. That is all she gets! If she runs out of credit then she can't use her phone for the rest of the month. We can't afford to give her any more.

My son who is 14 never uses his phone (I know unusual teenager!) so his phone cost us about £10 per term :rotfl:.

With regard to your food bill, I have a very hungry husband, a 15 year old and a 14 year old who eat more than I do and an 11 year old son too. Our bill is around £80 per week and I fill the trolley to the brim! But I buy all value food (whole value chicken, potatoes, rice, value fruit and veg, etc) and we eat pretty well. We are healthy and never hungry anyway, so I'm sure you could get your food bill down a bit. I know many spend less than me but I don't know how they do it .

Eupho

vandanfc wrote: »

Hi
Well done on talking to your son. I would simply stop paying for his bus tickets and he will have to sort himself out.

Is his mobile on a contract or payg ? If a contract won't it be in your name? and then you are legally liable for the costs anyway if he doesn't pay.


You should be able to downgrade your sky to just basic tv and free evening and weekend calls - so only £17.50.

Then broadband - say Plusnet value at £7 per month - http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband

Then maybe a override number to telephone your sister abroad - http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-overseas-calls


Or just have sky tv, go for talk talk's all in one package for broadband and calls.

Hopefully you can also cut back on your food bills. Hopefully all in all you can save nearly £100 a month this way.

Hellooo Thankyou for that!

and yes.. you are right.. the phone is contract.. and it IS in my name. The only good thing is.. he IS good with money .. and I doubt VERY much he would mess it up. (much more doubtful had it been one of my other two) .. But he also knows it's one strike and your out.. (of the land of mobile phones) .. So it 'should' be okay.

Eupho

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

My daughter who is nearly 16 gets £5 a week pocket money and we pay her mobile phone bill of £10 per month. That is all she gets! If she runs out of credit then she can't use her phone for the rest of the month. We can't afford to give her any more.

My son who is 14 never uses his phone (I know unusual teenager!) so his phone cost us about £10 per term :rotfl:.

With regard to your food bill, I have a very hungry husband, a 15 year old and a 14 year old who eat more than I do and an 11 year old son too. Our bill is around £80 per week and I fill the trolley to the brim! But I buy all value food (whole value chicken, potatoes, rice, value fruit and veg, etc) and we eat pretty well. We are healthy and never hungry anyway, so I'm sure you could get your food bill down a bit. I know many spend less than me but I don't know how they do it .

Hellooo :wave: .. oh I do intend to cut the food bill right down.. to be honest I dont think I spend anywhere neeear that much. I left it as that to send of for my first attempt at getting my creditors to accept lower payments. (Payplan said to put it in for £480!!) ::gasp:: .. But no.

Anyway.. I plan.. I hope.. to send off my SOA slightly over estimated.. to allow for them to say no to some stuff.. then I can revise it.. take off a few things (that I don't use that much on anyway).. cut back and change all the things I can.. (for the great ideas here) .. and hopefully still leaves me with a little extra.. (if that made sense haha!)

Then I want to see how we manage the next few months then re assess it again.. That way I will know better how we cope.. and how much more I can offer.

Thats my plan anyway. (Eeeeek!)