In order to pay all my bills etc I need an extra £30 a month...

mgirl_2

To the OP - somewhere further back you say you aren't entitled to LHA because you live in a 2 bed and are only entitled to the one bed rate... try applying for HB - your HB will be worked out on the basis of the LHA for a one bed, but you can spend your HB as you wish; if you want to top up to rent a two bed, you can, so please don't let the fact you rent a two bed stop you applying. Remember though that LHA rates are falling, so don't rely on it too much - but it could help you out for a while.

sp1987

I think your best bet is to get looking for bits and bobs to ebay.

Your partner may be against selling his music stuff, especially as some included presents, but I'll bet you have some old cds, dvds, clothes that don't fit/have never been worn hanging around? Ebay now allows free listing to people listed as private sellers for 100 items a month (provided you start the bidding at or below 99p I think). People will buy all sorts of old junk. I remember my old uni friend buying things on ebay that were probably pulled out of a skip and listed by the seller, I was mortified. But there is a buyer for almost anything!! Old uni books would be a good seller if he has just left?

Even if you only get £1 profit per item, it may allow you to make a little money and a little space too, so music things can be boxed up/stacked in your room to make way for somebody to lodge in your second bedroom??

You need to negotiate lower payments on your debts too.

You have enough salary to scrape by together until your partner gets a job, you just need to make sure it is ensuring you have a roof over your head, food to eat and council tax paid before anything else.

gravitytolls

Lots of advice to move ~ bad advice in my opinion, if you've no money now, where the heck are you going to find the deposit, advance rent etc?

Glad BF's applying for everything, eventually someone will say yes, but I do understand how difficult it is. Perhaps he could try broadening his horizons ~ holiday camps? Adverts in windows offering cleaning services? etc.

Re. debts, just because your creditors tell you they won't accept lower payments doesn't mean they really won't. Re. this, I strongly suggest a trip to CAB, they will negotiate on your behalf, and you find that creditors are much more likely to be helpful if they know you've taken professional advice, rather than just made a quick call expecting everything to be hunky dory. And yes, the CAB advisors are professionals ~ you will see an initial advisor who may make an appointment with their debt counbsellor who will deal with the creditors, if they're not trained to do it themselves. They're all volunteers, but not all amateurs.

Jowo_2

gravitytolls wrote: »

Lots of advice to move ~ bad advice in my opinion, if you've no money now, where the heck are you going to find the deposit, advance rent etc?

.

I accept the upfront financial constraint involved in moving. Some councils offer a deposit guarantee for people on low incomes/housing need. Other people borrow it off friends/relatives. They can perhaps do it when the OP's partner finds work in order to prioritise repayment debts over their lifestyle.

The OP hasn't accepted moving as a solution and failed to make much of a connection between their extravagance with their accommodation and the shortfall they experience in their basic living costs.

They are living in a large and expensive (for Huddersfield) property where there is much accommodation that is available for up to a third less in cost (up to £150 cheaper pcm). That's about the sum the OP is citing as her shortfall.

She may not be in the position to move now but she should think seriously of doing it when her circumstances permit instead of coming up with obstacles for every solution proposed and clinging onto a belief that as they are hard-up, money should drop out of the sky into their household.

climbintheladderouttadebt

PasturesNew wrote: »

I can't. I don't know anything about debts or mobile phones.

I do know about big flats and small flats though. I would say move into a studio flat, cheaper rent, cheaper insurance, cheaper council tax, less heating. But with his gear I'd say move into a 1-bed place and use the bedroom for his gear and you can use the living room like a studio flat.

Or, he could find some way to earn just £5-10/day. There are lots of ways (see the Up Your Income board) to earn £5-10/day, it's not like he needs to be earning £1000/month because he's got you for that... but £5-10/day would go nicely while he's looking for proper work.

There are some great threads on here, your OH could take a few mins a day to find some great ways to make a few extra quid plus still job hunt. Has he tried writing to all potential employers ie make a list of anyone/everyone he could work for and send a CV & cover letter? I found my last job that way & the position was never advertised as the employer wanted to take me straight on!

I'm so sorry to read some of the awful comments on here, it seems people love to judge without asking questions first. Please don't give up!

Who does the food shopping? You or your OH? If it is a local shop you could walk to daily, have you tried waiting for the reduced food items to go on sale? I do this and it helps tremendously!

Could your OH advertise his services on the musical side of things?

There is light at the end of the tunnel, I promise you!

Jowo_2

climbintheladderouttadebt wrote: »

Could your OH advertise his services on the musical side of things?

Busking!!!

janninew

You could try what lots do - have a few kids, plenty of benefits then! That is a joke by the way!!
You should realise that as a young, childless person you are paying for all the breeders in this country that don't work, you can't expect to get anything back!
Sorry for the negative comments, but some of the posts that I've read on here recently are quite shocking, roll on the benefits reform!

Deepmistrust

janninew wrote: »

You could try what lots do - have a few kids, plenty of benefits then! That is a joke by the way!!
You should realise that as a young, childless person you are paying for all the breeders in this country that don't work, you can't expect to get anything back!
Sorry for the negative comments, but some of the posts that I've read on here recently are quite shocking, roll on the benefits reform!

Ironic considering:

Baby Ava Louise finally arrived into the world on 15th February 2010! :T

Second Baby due January 2011! How did that happen?! :eek: :eek:
I assume you'll be turning down any maternity pay, child benefits, and tax credits. Or will you be working whilst on tax-payer funded maternity leave? Let me guess, you don't mind a bit of state subsidy, as long as it's only as much as YOU need.

janninew

Deepmistrust wrote: »

Ironic considering:

Baby Ava Louise finally arrived into the world on 15th February 2010! :T

Second Baby due January 2011! How did that happen?! :eek: :eek:
I assume you'll be turning down any maternity pay, child benefits, and tax credits. Or will you be working whilst on tax-payer funded maternity leave? Let me guess, you don't mind a bit of state subsidy, as long as it's only as much as YOU need.

Actually I've never claimed tax credits or child tax credits, my husband earns a very good wage, a job which he has worked hard to get! Also I don't work, so no maternity pay, just child benefit. You assume all people who have children claim all benefits going, believe it or not some people actually wait until they can afford children before popping them out!!

dobs

OP have you had a look at the oldstyle boards? I don't know how much you spend on food, toiletries etc but there are some great threads there. We were in a sticky patch not so long ago and i bought as much own value stuff as i could, even cleaning products, deodorant etc. I also meal plan and batch cook and freeze leftovers and it really cut the shopping bills down. I also endorse ebay, if you have any clothes you don't wear, i even sold some body creams etc on there once! It will just mean a quick cash injection for you, if you make a hundred pounds from it then that will be the extra 30 you need for the next three months. Or if you have bulky items you could do car booting, advertise in local paper? We also cut out all entertainment and take aways, i made hm pizzas etc istead of buying them - much tastier too!
Anyway good luck with it all x