Memorygirls - Make Do and Mend

rainbow81

Memory_Girl wrote: »

Just been told by my Single Parent Advisor that I am permitted a £250 Job Grant to sort out clothing etc that you need for work.

How far do you think you can make £250 in creating a perfect capsule wardrobe for a speaker? The good news is that its refundable on receipts - so charity shops and fabric purchases also count :j:j

It all coming together :T

Memorygirl

Ooh free clothes money :T though isn't it the way that when you're broke you want everything and when you've got some money it is really hard to find anything you REALLY like?

Is a Single Parent Adviser someone at the Jobcentre? I really should get a clue about what's out there.

Memory_Girl

Right, this is not concentrating on the worst case scenario, but taking a bald and frank look at the facts (see yesterdays hedgehog post)

Currently my income from IS, CTC, CB and MIB is £280.54 per week.

If I go back to work - 16 plus hours per week at minmum wage then my income from all sources is £343.69.

So I will be £63.15 per week better off - of course that assumes I can actually pay myself £98 per week or so from the go-get. But I still have every penny of my "start-up" loan, and that will enable me to pay myself for 16 weeks - if I am not earning by then there will be serious questions asked.

Now that MIB as been halved I have the problem that there is nothing in the budget to pay back the bank the £330 per 4 weeks that they have been getting - so time to contact the solictor and see how we can negotiate repayments downwards for a while. Mind you with £63.14 x 4 weeks = £252.60 I am so very nearly on an even keel.

Fingers crossed my friends.

MG

Memory_Girl

rainbow81 wrote: »

Ooh free clothes money :T though isn't it the way that when you're broke you want everything and when you've got some money it is really hard to find anything you REALLY like?

Is a Single Parent Adviser someone at the Jobcentre? I really should get a clue about what's out there.

Yeah - shes based at the Job Centre.

I hate shoppig for clothes BTW so I am hoping Souk can sort me out then can advertise her at every seminar

MG

tellmeitsfriday

<< If there's no council tax in Scotland, I am moving up there immediately.

Presumably, if you were only earning minimum wage, you'd still get CTC and/or Working Families Tax Credit to some extent.

Can you do a work trial, like Claire was looking at, so there's no risk...

I've booked my course, and I've enrolled with CIOT! Go me!

MrsMoo2U

Souk - loving your concept - a few thoughts from me (hope you dont mind)

• too cheap
• re buying up front for clients - could you consider subcontracting to certain clothes shops who will allow you to take their clothes out to clients and work on a sales commission basis. I reckon small boutiques and new designers would be up for that
• have you thought about colour consultations as well. There are courses that you can do for this Colour me Beautiful being just one. You can claim the expenses back I think as tax deductable. If you are signing on ask at JC if there is any support to do the course
• You should do a pre shop consultation - could you ask client to bring photos of themselves of a time when they felt really good - give you some idea of what they like
• You have offered group consultations - have you thought about contacting training organisations who run courses specifically aimed at self development. I once went to a course and there was a woman who did a capsule wardrobe presentation.

Memory_Girl

tellmeitsfriday wrote: »

<< If there's no council tax in Scotland, I am moving up there immediately.

Presumably, if you were only earning minimum wage, you'd still get CTC and/or Working Families Tax Credit to some extent.

Can you do a work trial, like Claire was looking at, so there's no risk...

I've booked my course, and I've enrolled with CIOT! Go me!

Nope there is Council Tax up here - but on minimum wage I would still be eligible for CouncilTax Benefit - so its £5.14 per week only (water and fire services - they bill it differenty here)

Ctc and Wftc are added into the calculations.

They couldn't give me decision on trading trial - still waiting to find out.

Good on you - finally booked (does that mean you can go shopping for new pens n stuff?)

MG

MrsMoo2U

Memory_Girl wrote: »

Right, this is not concentrating on the worst case scenario, but taking a bald and frank look at the facts (see yesterdays hedgehog post)

Currently my income from IS, CTC, CB and MIB is £280.54 per week.

If I go back to work - 16 plus hours per week at minmum wage then my income from all sources is £343.69.

So I will be £63.15 per week better off - of course that assumes I can actually pay myself £98 per week or so from the go-get. But I still have every penny of my "start-up" loan, and that will enable me to pay myself for 16 weeks - if I am not earning by then there will be serious questions asked.

Now that MIB as been halved I have the problem that there is nothing in the budget to pay back the bank the £330 per 4 weeks that they have been getting - so time to contact the solictor and see how we can negotiate repayments downwards for a while. Mind you with £63.14 x 4 weeks = £252.60 I am so very nearly on an even keel.

Fingers crossed my friends.



MG

Are you allowing for costs out of that such as travel and expenses? Hopefully the bank will be on your side for once. (well I believe in being optimistic)

tellmeitsfriday

Memory_Girl wrote: »

Nope there is Council Tax up here - but on minimum wage I would still be eligible for CouncilTax Benefit - so its £5.14 per week only (water and fire services - they bill it differenty here)

Ctc and Wftc are added into the calculations.

They couldn't give me decision on trading trial - still waiting to find out.

Good on you - finally booked (does that mean you can go shopping for new pens n stuff?)

MG

My thing is to always use a new pen for each exam... No idea why!

I was never brave enough to not do it, even though 1 pen would probably have done all 15 exams last time!

We all have our little rituals though, and I see no reason to stop now.

I tend to learn by reading, highlighting, summarising and then doing a practice question. Works for me. I like to have the TV/Radio on really loudly too, which I am sure is a bit bizarre. Think I may try out the techniques in your fine l'il book (which I tipped a cup of tea over yesterday ).

Talking of your little books, can you afford to have some more printed, and get them on Amazon properly?

Money's such an a*se isn't it. Life would be so much easier without it....

natsplatnat

tellmeitsfriday wrote: »

I like to have the TV/Radio on really loudly too, which I am sure is a bit bizarre.

Not that bizarre - when I was studying at Uni, I had to have the TV on... couldn't work in silence and found any form of music too distracting. The TV though just used to babble away in the backround!

scottishlass

Souk08 wrote: »

OOh my website is up. No pics yet though as am finding it very fiddly to add them on Mr Site!

Hi Souk - loving the site - have you thought about offering gift vouchers for people to purchase sessions for friends etc.

Also I know as Christmas approaches a lot of people arrange day trips to Glasgow/Edinburgh - I wonder if there is a way in to offer this service to these groups of people

(Sorry just bouncing ideas around)