May benefit challenge - not going to make it

sammy115

Hi Emmzi

Just catching up! I have been paid and duly spent all money on bills. All that is left now is benefits (CTC and CB) so like you I have to do it! I have to say I am knackered with all the thinking.

This might be difficult if you are walking every where at the moment and I don't know where you live, but are there any farm shops near you, or early morning fruit and veg markets. This really cuts down on your shopping budget.

Did you do your meter readings too.

Sam

Emmzi

sammy115 wrote:

Hi Emmzi

Just catching up! I have been paid and duly spent all money on bills. All that is left now is benefits (CTC and CB) so like you I have to do it! I have to say I am knackered with all the thinking.

This might be difficult if you are walking every where at the moment and I don't know where you live, but are there any farm shops near you, or early morning fruit and veg markets. This really cuts down on your shopping budget.

Did you do your meter readings too.

Sam

Lidl is a 5 minute walk from me, or if I go into town Sat mornings tyhere is a good farmers market (although I get tempted by all the nice olives, organic cake, honey, etc, somaybe not SUCH a good idea!) But there are a couple of markets a 10 minute bus ride away. Will need to look out my rucksack for carrying.

Meter readings said.. I was underpaying! Off to look at switching now!

jet77

Hi, When I was on benefits I use to have arrears on all the essential bills (ie gas/electric etc...) but was allowed to pay them off at £3 per week. despite these arrears (prob bout £600 in total) I was much better off than I work!! I used to seem to have a lot more financial restrain coz I wasn't allowed a credit card or an overdraft and so if it wasn't there I couldn't spend it. I used similar methods to those mentioned by Black Saturn to get by.

So I just want to thank you for this thread and am going to copy you in the hope that I can pay off my debts at a faster pace!!

I'm a newbie and can't figure out how everyones done there signatures so will give some details below:

£5,687.46 total debt April 2006
Debt Free Date July 2007

Monthly bills Oct 2005 = £829.25
Monthly bills April 2005 = £654.76
TOTAL MNTHLY SAVING = £174.49!!!! (THX 2 MS

jet77

PS I used to mark up an envelope for each expenditure (e.g. shopping, bills, petrol...) and put my wkly/mnthly allowance for each one in the appropriate envelope. I then used to do a breakdown on the back of the envelope with what the money was for and when, how much I'd already taken out of the envelope and how much was left in the envelope.

I know it sounds long winded but the envelopes are easy to keep and it's quick to jot it all down on the back and you know exactly where u r with everything at a glance.

Anastacia

We used to be on IS about 15 years ago & I think we got £70 per week plus HB & CTB, plus Child Benefit. I was previously working on contract & when I got pregnant (rather a surprise all round) that was the end of my contract & then OH got made redundant too. I remember that we could manage quite well & had plenty of time for proper cooking etc but of course no money when anything went wrong, like the washing machine dying or the car failing MOT.

Now I earn plenty & although i still cook from scratch 99% of the time, the jam making & wine making have had to go. But I really dont have the amount of money you would think from such a change of circusmtances. You spend a lot at first as you do all the things that needed doing when you couldnt afford it. Then before you know it you are buying clothes (when first on IS I had two track suits & a load of pre pregnancy clothes which didnt fit. Great excitement when OH bought me a lovely black tracksuit form the market for £7) & consumer goods & you are like the little hamster in his wheel.


So anyway this is why i hang about on here, to keep in touch with reality & not waste all my money. It really is working aswell because it makes you question the 'auto-spend' mentality which comes with earning a reasonable wage. Ofcourse I have to spend on clothes a bit because i cant turn up for meetings dressed as would have been before but a lot, if not most, of the other spending is fairly optional.

I've waffled, sorry, it all just came out !

Good luck with your challenge. It can be done !

Panda

jet77

I calculate my wkly income on benefits as £86.80 (£57.50 JSA and £29.15 Child Benefit). Please can anyone tell me if I have missed anything from the list below that I need to allocate money too (pretending that I am receiving housing and c/t benefit):

Gas, Electric, Water, Landline, Mobile, Shopping, Petrol, Train pass, Savings for Xmas/B'days, Clothes

I hope your right Panda and that it can be done!! - I suppose if you give yourself no choice it has to be done though... which is what I'll have to do

jet77

(sorry, obviously can't add up - £57.65 JSA and £29.15 Child Benefit = £86.80 p/w)

Emmzi

Looks about right to me. However if not working, don't need petrol and train pass - I've assumed I'm selling my car and am buying a weekly bus ticket.

Also means I only get to go to shops |I can walk or get a bus to - should help, no huge shops as I don't want to carry them!

Are you keeping your mobile, and are you paying for internet connection?

jet77

Thanks - it's great to finally feel as if I'm doing something about it instead of like everythings out of my control and there will be no end!!

Mobile - tied in rip off contract til Aug but then def changind
Landline - on list to do today is sign up to Talk Talk as per Martins e-mail (free broadband, unlimited landline calls, cheap m/b calls)

I can't sell car coz live 150 miles away from parents - having said that, what's wrong with the train? But there is no but to train station so wd be a bit stumped to get to work.

I've worked out the below but I've got two kids and no OH so am a way too short on the shopping budget:

£86.80 - £45.74 (insurances and household bills) = £41.06
£41.06 - £18.10 (train/bus pass) = £22.96
£22.96 - £10 (petrol) = £12.96 (shopping)

I also have no money left for xmas/b'day savings.

My monthly insurances and household bills are broken down below - do you think I can cut any?

Cancer Cover - £6.95
Life Insurance - £10.00
Phone - £72.00 - with BT am changing to Talk Talk which will cut this
Loan - £6.27
Gas - £19.00
Electric - £11.00
Mobile - £40.00 - should be £30 but overestimated coz have gone over b4
Water - £22.00
TV License - £10.99

jet77

meant bus to train station