SOA, ummm

zarazara

Hi! can your other half get a part time job? perhaps in the evenings when ypu are home? bar work or something , or early morning cleaning at a shool perhaps? Is there anyway you can go down to 1 car? use public transport,buy a push bike, walk? can the kids cycle to school?

firesidemaid

i think the daily clicks are through the various cashback sites - each one for a few pence - but they all add up. most just involve just using a particular search engine/shopbot each time.

if you are not already familiar with the cashback sites, then start loving them! i'm a quidco fan but there are many others. when you are buying anything online, then go through one of these sites - especially when you are purchasing insurances. there is also nhsdiscounts and redguava to consider too.

there are threads/stickys on this site for all of these things to give you an intro - just do a search on here. again, visit the OldStyle board for SO MANY ways to make a chicken last a month (well, not quite), ingenious ideas and ways of cooking / bulking things out etc etc - there really are no limits!

how is your OH with ebay - do you have much you could sell on there?

nuttylou

We sold loads on there just before christmas and bought the kids pressies with the money we earned. I dont really have that much to sell in all honesty..I dont have like hoards of clothes, make up, or anything really!!! Will have a browse though round the house tommorrow to see if there is anything that can be bunged on there, every little helps!
I think ill get there by cutting back etc...its not that dire at the mo as I have 10 left over per month. I know that is without the debts etc. I will feel much better once the rent is paid then I can get some debt down.

I am aiming for paying the rent to at least below 2 months rent which is £888.
Although they have said the arrears are £1814 strictly speaking that is not true as a housing benefit payment was due so it would have been £1514 once they paid. I need to pay at least £700 in a month. Im sure I can do it somehow. Im gonna give it a bloody good shot anyways!:)

moz86

Hi Nuttylou.

Just read through all the pages. Just a little suggestion that occured to me... If your OH needs a car to take the kids in, how about you get a little scooter/moped instead of the car if its just for you to get to work?

The petrol costs are minimal, insurance is alot lower, cheaper to tax. And as you say wouldn't be for that long if when you have freed up more income you could afford the car again. Also, dont need an additional licence for a small engine.

nuttylou

moz86 wrote: »

Hi Nuttylou.

Just read through all the pages. Just a little suggestion that occured to me... If your OH needs a car to take the kids in, how about you get a little scooter/moped instead of the car if its just for you to get to work?

The petrol costs are minimal, insurance is alot lower, cheaper to tax. And as you say wouldn't be for that long if when you have freed up more income you could afford the car again. Also, dont need an additional licence for a small engine.

This is a great idea in theory, one which we have considered previously but at the moment the insurance runs until may so that would need to be paid up and also it would mean selling the car which if I do so I have to give my grandad half as I sold my car a few months back to try and help with my debts but couldnt do the journeys to and from work aswell as everything else without one. I was lucky in the fact that he gave me his car as he bought a new one on the condition that if we sell he has half. The car is a R reg daewoo lanos so is not worth a great amount!
Im planning on paying £150 on the rent Tues, £500 on the 19th so this will reduce the arrears by £450. It wont take me long now I have my mind on it. x:j

dancingfairy

Hi. You seem like you're doing o.k. You've got a very small surplus which is a start. It would help if your OH could get some income in - however small -even a bit of money for treats every now and again or something.
Surverys, competitions (sell some of the prizes perhaps or enjoy them), - anything would help you out.
Also - it won't last for ever - clealy your first priority is to sort out the housing arrears.
Re council tax - are you getting student discount? can you get it backdated if applicable? - your uni should be able to provide your with all the certificates.
Hopefully you can save a little with shopping around for insurance, maybe a bit on the shopping (personally I think it's pretty good but I'm sure OldStyle will point you in the right direction).
Just keep shopping around for everything and I'm sure you'll get there.
df

dancingfairy

Does your uni have a hardship fund or any bursaries available for anything -some of them are quite random like if you come from a certain area of the country or have a specific surname etc.
Do you have a credit union that can help you? If you could maybe get a loan at a low rate to pay off the housing arrears? that would really help you - and hopefully you would be paying it off at less than 100 pounds a month.
df

Debt_Free_Chick

Nuttylou

It sounds as though you think this is "your" problem.

Is that so?

How do you feel about all of this?

nuttylou

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Nuttylou

It sounds as though you think this is "your" problem.

Is that so?

How do you feel about all of this?

In relation to my OH or the comments? Im not sure where your coming from?

Pitlanepiglet

At £20k you'll bring home around £1300 after tax/NI, this site is really useful http://www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/salary.php