HELP need advice, just split with partner today

missk_ensington

PS. I decided against a lodger because according to user on page2 or 3 that would make me a bad mother. Also, I want to sell asap and it isn't fair whipping someones home away after 6 months.

Dora_the_Explorer_5

black-saturn wrote:

I think you are experiencing the full impact of what this board can be like at times. You have to remember that most of the people on this board are deep in debt or severely broke and therefore their lives are clouded by only just making ends meet all the time. Therefore when anyone gets a step ahead or has a lucky break they all get suspicious and/or jealous and think there must be something behind it or you must be fiddling someone. They have a chip on their shoulder about their lives and cant stand it when someone is doing well as it shows up what a mess they have made of their finances.

That's deeply unfair and discourteous to all MSE posters. It may be your point of view but without clear evidence in support it cannot be accurate.

all_hours

I see now about the childcare and extra work, I've got a similar situation with tax credits and the childcare element.

I don't think taking a lodger would make you a bad mother. Could you offer the room on a short term lease? You could offer it cheaper rent in return for a few hours help around the house. Get the lodger to do some of the extra ironing you've taken on. :rotfl:

What sort of state is the house in - very run down or only not very modern? There are agencies in london that need family homes to provide bed and breakfast for business travellers mon-fri. Is there anything like that near where you live. You'd still have the weekends to yourselves. edited to add you could specify women only .

jesster_2

Dora_the_Explorer wrote:

That's deeply unfair and discourteous to all MSE posters. It may be your point of view but without clear evidence in support it cannot be accurate.

I have to say I agree with Dora. I'm not struggling to make ends meet, I'm choosing to cut back so that I can repay the debts I took out while studying and buying my house. And even if I were struggling to make ends meet, I wouldn't have a problem with people finding inventive ways out of debt. I have absolutely no problem with anyone doing what they can to get back in the black - within moral and legal reason! And I personally really like hearing from people who've made good progress or had good news, because that's the day we're all working towards and it's inspiring.

I'm sorry if some posters have been rude to you, but that doesn't mean we should (excuse the cliche) stoop to their level. The board should be, and 99.9% is, a happy and supportive place to be. Missk_ensington will have no problem confirming that we've had fairly strong disagreements over certain things in other posts in the past, but that doesn't mean I won't try to come up with suggestions now, or that she won't reply to mine. It also doesn't mean that anyone should shoot anyone else's suggestions - or questions! - down.

The vast, vast majority of people come here for positivity. Please let's keep it that way.

Whinge over.

Anastacia

missk_ensington wrote:

The information is conflicting bcause 2 weeks ago I wrote from the circumstance of a two parent family with a decent income and seemingly a future planned, and this week I'm a lone parent!

(the sector Im now in) as a hobby.

I tihnk the conflicting information is more that in some posts you ahave already bought & renovated your house etc & in others you havn't.

However, I have to say though you certainly seem to have plenty of go in you & I feel sure you will succeed. I wish you best of luck & I think the lodger idea is fine & cant imagine how that would make you a bad mother.

Good Luck
Anastacia

missk_ensington

I dont think anyone would want to lodge with me! Theres no kitchen, no heating as yet, disgusting bathroom, no carpets, as well as being cosmetically foul! (Think greying, smoke tinted flowery vinyl!) lol

If granny agree's to invest something I should be okay, I fully intend staying in my nice clean new build rented house for at least a month after obtaining the keys and I aint paying any rent-we had an agreement my partner would pay it regardless, those were my terms for moving to a new town with no one I know!

I paid nursery today for 3 weeks out of a tax rebate I got, so Im okay til after bank holiday.

Does anyone know what happens with tax credits if your hours slip to below 16 a week? (Those are the terms for WTC) I'm on temp contract and if I take time off or a Bank holiday falls on a day I work, I only put through what I work-do I have notify of this every time it happens? Occassionally I do over, if I have a Board meeting in London approx every 6-8 weeks I get paid 10-12 hours in one day. How does this work RE tax credits?

jesster_2

My understanding is that WTC only come in once you're at 16 hours and above. That is, unless you're trying to set up your own business. For people on certain benefits (though for some reason not on Child Tax Credits) you can go through this three stage process where you get advice on setting up your business and then you get up to 26 weeks where you can claim WTC as if you were working 16 hours, to give you a 'grace' period where you can build up your business gradually without ending up worse off.

This only applies to people on certain benefits and is administered by JC+.

I agree re lodger: you'd have to charge a substantially reduced rate while your house is in chaos / unfinished. But there's no reason why if you wanted to you could offer a shorter term let for the last 6 months or 3 months. Or offer board to exchange students, often advertised in local papers...

missk_ensington

Thanks, I re-read my thread about clearing mortgage in five years and it does come across as though Im already moved in etc, but I didn't mean it to sound like that. I have a broad northern accent and tend to write as I speak, sometimes tenses especially sound misleading. People round here often say 'We go to't Lakes' as in 'We are going to the Lake in the summer' The former obviously sounds like a regular occurence and I admit it is confusing.

I have also probably inferred Ive bought the house and moved in saying 'the house Ive bought' but in my mind that means the house I'm buying, but bought because I'm just waiting for completion.

Thanks Jesster-its nice to see people who can have a difference of opinion, and carry on to be friendly when talking about a different matter.

missk_ensington

I work as a PA and 90% of the time do the 16 hours I claim Working Tax Cred for, but occassionally, if someone's ill, its a bank hol, I might not go in for a day and only do 11 hours, or on the other hand go to a Board Meeting and do 20 hours one week. Am I supposed to phone up and say 'Ive earnt an extra £40 this week' on the occassions I do more hours? Or does this counteract the other weeks when I do less?

It'd be a ballache having to keep ringing up and getting it re-estimated every time I have a day off or do a couple of extra hours?!?!

Foxy106

As far as I understand it it is based on how much you earn in a normal week, not counting holidays, overtime etc. I could be wrong, and probably am lol but its been quite a few years since I had to claim it.