June benefit challenge

Emmzi

Ok folks.. giving it another go! Anyone joining in for June?

I take whatever you would get as benefits if I were not working, take off
- insurance
- gas and leccy
- the cost of a weekly bus pass (cos I assume I'm selling my car)

That leaves me £141 for everything else.

I was about £40 over for May due to an incident involving a large drink, many more large drinks, and my mobile phone needing replaced afterit collided with a very large drink.

But I learnt I need to not spend up to the budget every week. So I am aiming for a £25 spend on food, toiletries and going out each week, with £41 for emergencies, and will see if that works any better.

This month my car tax is due, but that doesn't count for the challenge. However it does mean my target extra debt paid off for the month is only £45. Part of my wants to pay that off against debt and part of me wants to open a credit union account because I'm thinking that is a moral thing to do to support my local community. I will worry about it come 30th June when I see how I've done.

Any else who wants to join in is very welcome!

CosmoCat

I'd like to join.

How do I find out how much tax credit I'm entitled to? and what are the rules?

earwig

hi go to the benfits board on there is a link to entilled.com and it will tell you how much benifit you are entillted to also if you are on benifits you still have to pay gas and electric its only rent councill tax and school dinner and eyecare denisit and scripts you get free

Emmzi

The job seekers allowance table is here.. http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/Jobseekerallowance/index.html

£57.45 per week (usually) unless you are under 25.

I assume I'll get council tax and housing benefit.

Any other credits you can find at ..

https://www.entitledto.com, where there are under and over 60's calculators.

The rules are - everything you spend comes out of the allowance!! However, if you have expenses due to your job that you wouldn't have if you weren't working, you can have extra for these. So, if I have to drive for work and buy petrol, I don't take that out of the allowance.

The theory is that, if this is what the government says you can live on - we should be able to live on it. Thousands do. I didn't make it last month, and it may take me a few months to get used to it - but it seems to me the fastest way to crack my debt.

Broken_hearted

£40 over isn't bad, £40 under would be better. Keep it up you will manage this time.

LJD1_2

Good luck with this. I'll be following this thread closely and might give it a go in July.

Take care.

CosmoCat

that's 57.45/ week single, 90.10 for a couple.

okay, i'll give this a go, with 57.45 spend for myself. food bill i will have to divide by 2, as i'm usually shopping for 2.
as my gas and electric are fixed for the month, that's minus £79 pounds for the month, so I'm on £150.80 for the month or £37.70/week

geeeez, i don't know if i can make that work, but i'll give it a right hot go!! (thank goodness this starts in june as i've already spend close to £50 this week with a £20 spend planned for tonight)

Emmzi

Melabarrie,

I sure didn't make it first month - but as Broken Hearted points out, getting close is better than being miles off! Just give it your best shot - and read Lynzpower's menu planner for this week, and anything by blacksaturn on the old style boards!

Emmzi

PS On the plus side of failing May, the replacement mobile arrived and it is lovelllyyyy. So I am going to enjoy looking at it instead of feeling guilty!!!

sammy115

LOL! Keep looking at that phone Emmzi.. I am with you on the June challenge. As you know I am on a different benefit challenge. The benefit you get if you get screwed over by your boss challenge. Zero.. .....

No seriously I am with you. having a good day today as its pay day and I can finally pay some debts off. I can't wait for my debt to go down a little.

Might I suggest (imagine me looking over glassess and wagging finger now) a little less drinking!!!! Or at least hide your phone before going for a large drink.

PS I put mine in the airing cupboard (switched off) when it went in the washing machine and about four weeks later it started working again.

carlih1

I'll do it this month also.

Had no choice for the last three weeks of may as tax credits decided to fall off of system. They are now paying me in giros which is a lot better because i don't touch my bank account and put aside money for things at home in seperate envelopes. I have given myself £15 per week, as its roughly what i would get with tax credits for tw children!

C x

beanielou

Emmzi
i think that you actually did really well.
Im sure you will do even better in june-go girl go.
Great idea about the credit union_Ive been in one for about 5 years now