It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

Larumbelle

The sad reality of the state of public sector jobs, at least where I come from (Coventry). That fella that says the City's not doing so badly, I don't know what he's on! It's the same here as everywhere else. I know more people than ever being made redundant, and those that are finding work are taking part time jobs that just barely keep afloat.

Speaking of which, the business I work for is restructuring. They are creating 18 new jobs in the next few months - mostly part time customer service. If you're reading this and you're local to Coventry and you'd like info, PM me (mods if not acceptable to do this tell me and I'll remove it).

Charis

floss2 wrote: »

I do need to make a new will after we marry, as my old one still has guardianship details for 2 children who are now 22 & 24

I couldn't agree more with the need to make a will and get your signature witnessed properly. My children's father died this year at 59. His second wife is in permanent care with dementia. He wanted to leave some of his estate to his children but although he made a 'will' and left it with the bank, he didn't get it witnessed. It is highly likely that his children will get nothing. Probate is still deliberating.

If you want to leave something to your children please make sure you make a proper will. You wouldn't believe the hurt it causes knowing that the family home and things that were your father's and your grandparents' suddenly become the property of your stepmother's children.

BTW when I made my will I was told by my solicitor that marriage (or remarriage) renders a previous will null and void.

Charis

Charis

sparrer wrote: »

Yes I Writing all this just confirms how lucky I am to have my little HA house!

Yes, there are 900 people on the waiting list in this town who would all agree with you.

Most of them, like my daughter and her partner, give up eventually and end up renting privately. £500 pcm - that's £6K a year. :eek:

Charis

littleowl

Charis wrote: »

Yes, there are 900 people on the waiting list in this town who would all agree with you.

Most of them, like my daughter and her partner, give up eventually and end up renting privately. £500 pcm - that's £12K a year. :eek:

Charis

erm - that is £6.000 a year surely?

kezlou

£6k a year is a lots money but what can you do?!
The houses on my street are £550 (no garden, if the house has a garage then no yard, not enough room),minimum so know how she feels.
I also refuse point blank to pay for a tv licence, had them round last month to do the yearly check, and yep even thats out now. I need the money for other things. My family think i'm mad as i have shelves of books in every room, board games piled up, dvds stacked ready for us to watch. But thats the way i am and hopefully me being like this will influence my boys in the future. While they have full package deals and complain about having no money. Em get rid sky/virgin then that will save you a fortune. For a lot of people though (esp where i grew up) having a sky dish is essential and is seen as being poor if you don't have it. Yes i strange sounds incredibly idiotic but true.

Oh and i just had a really nice shock looked in my paypal account and there's £33.42 :eek::rotfl:yay xmas/tool fund on the go already!! Didn't think there was any money in there after i paid for coddy's (DS1's) pc game. So i am extremely chuffed now.:D and i have a new book to read, so chuffed the postman's just dropped it off.

csarina

We had our own house, mortgaged to the hilt. When I was offered a live in job we took it and sold the house, it was only 3 years old, and we just covered our costs.

When my contract ran out we moved into a house owned by my stepson, that was a big mistake, but its a long story......eventually we were offered a one bedroom flat in sheltered housing which just about drove us crackers, we were not ready for that type of living, so last yaer 2009 we moved back into a house. As you will know if you have read any of my entries my OH decided he wanted to move back to Scotland where he was born. We moved in February this year.

We found this cottage on the internet, its not cheap, the rents in this area are high, we get hpusing benefit but only for one bedroom, thats all we are allowed, we also get council tax benefit, not a lot but its a help.

We both have occupational pensions, so do not get pension credit although OH gets attendance allowance for his syncopy.

We are comfotable, we live in a lovely area, our landlord was looking for long term tenants and he is delighted with the way we have transformed the garden. Like many landlords, especially Scots, he does not like spending on the properties, but I can usually get him to do what I want eventually.....take the fire place for instance....its coming out sometime after the family have gone back.

The rent does take up quite a bit of our expenditure, the HB helps, we could have moved to a cheaper area, but this was where we wanted to be. I am very slowly putting back the money we have spent, it will take us another 18 months to clear the lot, but we are ok with the long haul.

Over all, I loved the house we had, but we would still have been paying the mortage now with its associated costs and repairs etc that inevitably occur.......so we are happy to be renting. We have good neighbours, its quiet we have fabulous views from the house....ok we do get the piggy smell when the wind is in the right direction, and there is quite a bit of traffic to the farm, but we accept that becuase we live here.

floss2

Charis wrote: »

...BTW when I made my will I was told by my solicitor that marriage (or remarriage) renders a previous will null and void.

Thats why I need to make a new one after we get married.

sparrer

Charis wrote: »

Yes, there are 900 people on the waiting list in this town who would all agree with you.

Most of them, like my daughter and her partner, give up eventually and end up renting privately. £500 pcm - that's £6K a year. :eek:

Charis

I understand and feel for people like your DD, the security of HA property is really valued today. Having said which my rent is almost £500 per month, there's no such thing as cheap housing in any sector any more

flipperOSN

Re: Renting/owning I guess it depends on your experiences. I've lived in a few dreadful student dives and damp/slug filled houses with agressive landlords and I certainly wouldn't want to go back to that. Private renting can be a minefield, last year my friends got turfed out with hardly any notice after their landlord had the flat repossessed. My sister was turfed out a month before her DD was due to take a-levels and had a nightmare finding something suitable in time. But I know a few others who've had lovely HA houses for years and wouldn't do any different.

We bought our house 11 years ago and I'm very glad we did. At the time it was slightly larger than we wanted or needed and I did feel we stretched ourselves a little. However, with hindsight we were very modest! To start out with we slept on a futon mattress on the floor and had plastic garden chairs indoors until we could afford a sofa and so on. We had thought about getting somewhere bigger when no2 son arrived, but prices had shot up so we just stayed put. I don't know now that we'd get a foot on the ladder in the same place because of the price increases. I guess I think that if you are buying for the long haul and have stability it's worth it, but if you are hoping to make a quick buck it's a bit of a mugs game. The question is - who does have stability any more?

I'm rambling again! :rotfl:

lauren_1

My new best friend? My £1 jacket potato microwave thingy, bought it yesterday, very dubious at first but for £1 i was game and 7 mins later we had lovely fluffy jackets (rub with oil or butter part way through for crispy skin).

My cooker is all electric and costs a bomb to run so i hope the microwave thingy will save me a few extra pennies.

I stock up on 10 packs of morrisons jackets a month as they are so cheap and keep for longer in the fridge.