More to pay out than we have comeing in help!

davilown

Fat_Boy wrote:

Don't really have a clue what you are on about to be honest

Where is this spend,spend, spend culture you are on about? What money do they throw at you in the beginning? (I certainly didn't get any extra apart from a bonus after 4.5 years (not exactly the beginning), next one due this Xmas ) And as for keeping up with the Jonses, are we really any different to anyone else? Just because you are in the Military does not make you a special case, remember you too were once a civilian!

As for charging someone for going bankrupt or entering into an IVA, please show me where in Queens Regulations or the Army/Navy/Air Force Acts that this is mentioned. It may well have been the case pre Human Rights Act, but not anymore.

On a final note, why should the forces employ someone to look after you when you make a mess of your finances? Does any private company do it? I don't think so. Financial mismanagement can be caused by any number of factors and I am not about to start laying blame here there and everywhere, but perhaps a little bit of self control goes a long way?

Sorry fatboy, i'm just having a rant at the forces as a whole because i believe they need to teach new recruits, and if possible provide financial education during basic training, mainly because the newbies are still under 18, 17 in some cases. They, i believe, do not have a very good understanding of the value of money.
with regards to the charges, rafcom.co.uk explains, albeit limitedly,

'All Service personnel are expected to manage their own financial affairs responsibly and such matters are usually regarded as private and personal. If you experience financial difficulties, your Flight Commander should be your initial point of contact and can provide guidance on the best source of advice depending upon the seriousness of the problem. Flight Commanders can also provide basic advice in such matters as the conduct of a bank account and Personnel Services Flight staff are well placed to provide advice on personal finances and, in particular, the impact of pay and allowance matters on income. Further help, is available from Citizens' Advice Bureaux (CAB) and from Trading Standards in Scotland. People experiencing difficulties with their personal finances are often reluctant to discuss the problem with their line management in the belief that such disclosure may damage their career and lead to their discharge from the RAF on the grounds of financial irresponsibility. The limited number of discharges for financial irresponsibility that do occur are mainly associated with those who have attempted to hide their difficulties and have not sought, or refused, advice and support. Those who have wisely sought early assistance with their financial problems are much better placed in every respect.'

again, where is this cheap childcare? or is it just a local arrangement?

cheers

:beer: monster

BertieMeldrew

In addition to the great advice you'll get from the folks on here i suggest that you and your OH also put an hourto one side and read through some of Martin's excellent articles... e.g. especially things like phones.

Ditch your mobiles or just move to PAYG until you are through this - and get free w/end and evening calls and daytime calls for 3p etc. Excellent article from MSE on this.

Also look at cutting your gas/electric bills (do you have the flexibility to choose your supplier).

Sounds like you have Movies/Sport/et al with Sky... take your package down to minimum (or ditch it) etc.

You may not want to make some of these changes - but at least do it short-term whilst you sort your probems - you can always pick someup again when you are through it.

Good luck.. you'll get there...

Fat_Boy

Davilown,

I can understand rants at the Military, it is afterall the enlisted mans' right to complain (and I make sure I do as often as possible - though not to the guy who writes my reports ).

I'm not sure how up-to-date that stuff is on the ref.com website (I'll have a look later), but the site is notorious for being slow getting updated, just like the mili....

I once knew someone who got themselves into unbelieveable financial difficulty. They never spoke to their line management about it and it caused a whole heap of problems, both at work and personally, they were neither charged nor administratively dismissed. Like I said before I'm fairly sure that they can no longer do that, just like you can't be booted out for being gay.....and (if what I read recently is true) neither are you likely to get kicked out for using soft drugs as long as you undergo treatment/counselling/whatever!

As for the childcare, the fact you seem surprised by the cheap/free statement I made makes me think I may have got it wrong (it happens about once a year ). I don't have kids and just seem to remember reading something in the camp magazine a long time ago.....

fizzel81

well as of today the sky package is on basic, dh will be ringing bt to lower the phone package to option 1 at something like 11.00 per month, small changes but it all starts somewhere

Debt_Free_Chick

fizzel81 wrote:

well as of today the sky package is on basic, dh will be ringing bt to lower the phone package to option 1 at something like 11.00 per month, small changes but it all starts somewhere

This is exactly the way to do it!

If you could just eliminate one big expense to solve your problems, it would be obvious and you wouldn't need to post here. I mean, if you were spending £200 a month on champagne, it would be obvious, yes?

However, you (like almost all of us) are not in this situation. You have "creeping" expenses ... lots of little expenses that are either completely unnecessary, or simply a more expensive option than you actually need.

Keep looking at all your expenses the same way ... can you get the same thing, or something acceptable, cheaper? :j

Debt_Free_Chick

Also, try keeping a spending diary. Have notepad in your bag and every time you buy something, write it down. After a couple of weeks, go back through the diary and see if you kick yourself for having spent money on something you really didn't need ... or spent more than you really could afford.

You will probably find you are frittering money away on stuff you don't even realise! :eek:

fizzel81

i like that idea it may just shock me into realising how much i spend day to day that i do not need to

Debt_Free_Chick

fizzel81 wrote:

i like that idea it may just shock me into realising how much i spend day to day that i do not need to

Have you been over to Money Saving Old Style for great ideas on meals, menu planning, shopping and cheap alternatives to cleaning stuff and household chores?

Also ... could you possibly move to terry nappies, which will almost certainly save in the long term?