Any suggestions?

Imelda

Hi lady fuschia!

You're doing a part time degree course, do lectures end over the summer? Could you get another job during this time. Also do you have any books which you no longer need and could sell to the next batch of first years in September?
I think the crux is your OH, I guess he just hasn't had his "lightbulb" moment. Could you agree that he has some kind of budget per week/ month and then is not allowed any more cash? That way he doesn't have to do the diary but doesn't mess up your plans either?

lady_fuschia

Yes, I've been thinking about taking control of the finances and giving him a set amount of pocket money- worried about seeming like a bit of a control freak!
Anyway, funny you should mention about the books, I actually spent last night gathering some together to try and sell. Going through my CD collection too!

lynzpower

for DVD tarting check out https://www.quidco.com

theres loads on there plus you'l get paid for trying them :money:

lady_fuschia

Do you have any experience of the quidco thing? I'm a little risk averse about these things!

Had a few annoying setbacks this week- tried to sell a load of CDs at a local secondhand shop and got told he didn't want any of the stuff I had. Then OH's employer messed his paycheck up so he ended up getting half what he was due and have to wait a week to get it sorted out, so its fallen to my overdraft to bail us out again- and had to be the week we really, really need to get some food shopping in too! It seems like the more I make plans for saving/ making money the more the world in general seems determined to thwart them. Its not like I'm not trying! The whole point of us raising this deposit is to move somewhere cheaper and more convenient so we can stop living hand to mouth and actually get out of debt and build some savings.
Sorry, just needed to rant again!!

GreyPilgrim

lady_fuschia wrote:

Presumably our present flat deposit will be returned when we leave- the problem being that we would need to put a deposit on a new place down before we actually leave.

Please don't think I'm being a negative nancy LF (I'm just talking from experience) but I really wouldn't bank on getting 100% of your deposit back. I know that when I was renting in Surrey / London, there were two occasions where I had a deposit taken away by two seperate landlords. I know at the time there was very little legislation in place to protect tenants' deposits and if a landlord decided to keep it for whatever reason, you were pretty much at their mercy. Maybe I just happened to pick nasty landlords.

I hope you do get it all back. You probably will. I've just learned the hard way to assume the worst. It's like getting a sales job...you should never bank on the commision, despite what the job description says!

All the best

GP

lady_fuschia

GreyPilgrim: That admittedly is another consideration! I've always had full deposit back on flats I've rented before (Admittedly the last one probably only because I made such an ungodly fuss about it that they gave it to me just to shut me up!) but you are right- I'd prefer not to rely on it!

Floss

Have you asked your landlord if he has any other properties in the new area? If he has, you maybe able to do a straight swap. Or he may know of other landlords over there.

The only drawback with your getting deposit back is that you may have to wait another full month after moving out & it will be subject to landlord/agents inspection too.

lady_fuschia

Floss: That's probably one of the best ideas yet. Believe it or not I hadn't thought of asking the landlord about other properties. Thanks!

summerday

If you like children you could put cards up in shop windows for babysitting, helps if you have a full CRB check too. Then you can get paid for studying effectively!

L_D_N

Just a thought LF, you say you are working full time and studying - have you checked whether you might be entitled to working tax credits? I know they're a bit scary in that if it's worked out wrong they take it back but I have found Inland Rev really helpful. I didn't claim for ages as I didn't think I could - big mistake. Give them a call and ask, you never know.

Also, I agree with the others, don't count on your full deposit back, they akways find something.

In my experience, you can't apply for a CRB check for yourself, a potential employer has to do this for you.

Good luck with it, sounds like you are already making headway.