Life after bankruptcy?

ani_26

OK. So i'm depressed about the fact i'm going around in never ending circles. I really don't belong on Mse.Where are all the other people like me? Probably sleeping in cardboard boxes. They don't have access to a computer. Neither will i. Maybe not being able to avoid the conversation with the colleague at the weekend. How do you say mind your own business? When they ask if you have a mortgage or you are paying rent? MInd your own business. It sounds like you have something to hide. I do. I'm the pits. I went bankrupt and i had my home repossessed. I don't earn enough to keep a roof over my head. The state won't give me any help to keep a roof over my head. God knows i've tried. If only i could get a HA place, it would make all the difference. Somewhere i could call home. Mine. And i would get my rent paid, too. The text has changed, and i can't get it to change back. Urgh.


My work colleague said they need £600 - £700 a month , just to cover house expenses. Why? They have no mortgage. The house is paid for. They have just paid cash for a new car. They don't have a loan. Do they spend £700 a month on their gas bill? I doubt it. Even I don't do that. Oh no that includes everything, they said. Still seem alot of money to me. For someone wo owns their house and their car. I need £650 a month to cover my rent and council tax alone, before i start on anything else. This summer has been very bad, workwise. I've only been earning £200 a month, and with a very small amount of wtc, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work it all out. I can't survive. Most of my work colleagues receive their pensions now. That must make a difference, especially when there are two ot you. Thats a guaranteed income of what? £800 a month? I'd like to see what other people would have done in my situation. How would they have coped?

I must spend the morning looking for a loan. I need to borrow as much money as i can. If i can get a loan, i can pay off all my other loans and get all my items back from the pawn shop, including my fiddle. Thats gone for resale now. If i don't manage to get the money by november, i'll never see it again. How did i get myself into this situation? Bankruptcy was only ever a temporary solution. There only IS one permanent solution. Oh god, i'm in such a mess. I'm starting to worry because its getting to that time of the year when my car tax and mot will be due. I was hoping to be straight by now. I'm never going to be straight. Its ironic. If i think i were a salaried person and i had a salary going into my account at the end of the month, what a difference it would make. Oh god, what am i going to do? What am i going to do?

miggy

Give me your colleague's details and I'll tell him what to do with impertinent questions, Ani.

I hope you find your loan. I suppose you're still keeping up the search for extra work as well - no matter that the chip shop idea didn't come to anything, there was just someone in the queue ahead of you. Job hunting is so dis-spiriting. It took me two years to get my present post, though living where I do has restricted my options. As you say, at least there are two of us in this household to bring in income (I know the kids do as well nowadays but that's not to support us).

I was thinking about your income. Did I once hear you say there were some jobs you couldn't go for because the level of pay is insufficient to cover the rent? Now I may have got this wrong and if so correct me, but if that's the case, if you were in employment - as opposed to being self employed - you might be eligible for HB?

I'm guessing your work is paid at a higher rate, and if it were f/t it would be a reasonable income? However, when you take the actual income and spread it over the year, divide by 52 weeks and divide again by 40 (to give an hourly rate, if you see how I mean?) it turns into a lower hourly rate. This is why I hope that at some point you might be able to find an employed job to supplement your main job - because then you would have income and might be eligible for HB?

Sorry if I've got that wrong - this is why I don't do payroll any more.
Honestly I was rubbish at it.

Got to dash for now - yet another trip to the vet.
Back later. xx

P.S. Missed first surgery so came back to add: I'm not talking about you leaving your present job: I know it means a lot to you and it is after all a source of income. Could you get on the books somewhere to do relief hours though? Especially now the students are back at Uni, the hours they worked in their holidays aren't always filled.

ani_26

Thanks miggy xx

Yes it does mean alot to me. Its coming to that time of the year when i'll HAVE to work 20 hours a day, whether i like it or not. Thats if i last that long. Right now, its rock bottom again. Needless to say i failed to get a loan. Just one more phone call, and though i'm tempted to ...

Another day at work, beckons. For now, anyway

ani_26

Ugh, i'm tired and i can't cope anymore. I've run out of energy. How do you live without money? I've got the odd hundred going in every now and then. I'm in deep !!!!, i owe so much money. July is finally kicking in now. I can't cope. what do i do? I just can't cope. How do you live without an income?Oh god, what am i going to do? How did i get myself in tis mess?

chevalier

Hi Ani
Sorry if I am being thick, but I thought the bankruptcy wiped everything clean, so any money you got was yours now? Can you sign on if you aren't working? chev

miggy

Taking the liberty of replying on Ani's behalf.

Hi Chev, Ani's self-employed and work doesn't come steadily. Yes, the BR does wipe things clean but it doesn't generate income so Ani is back to the situation of getting into debt just to pay rent and fuel (car needed for work).
July was a particularly lean month.

The basic problem is that there isn't enough income to cover basic living expenses.

Ani has:

• looked into benefits but isn't eligible apart from a very small amount of WTC.
• has to pay out a lot in petrol as work can be far-flung
• has to rent privately as not eligible for housing association accommodation (I think?)
• isn't eligible for Housing Benefit
• has looked for other work and does seasonal work when available

HTH?
(Ani, hope I've got my facts right? Look after yourself).

P.S. Please nobody suggest the Old Style board. If there isn't money for food, there just isn't.

kerri_gt

Ani I just wanted to say I am here and haven't abandoned you online, life's pretty hectic atm and I'm trying to keep up with lots of things (online and offline) so although I am trying to keep up with threads I don't always manage to post xx

ani_26

That just about sums it up, miggy. I don't have the energy to reiterate whats already been said.

If i sign on, i would only have an income of whatever jobseekers is. I don't know exactly how much it is, but its around £250 a month. With my rent , alone, costing £550 per month, theres already a shortfall of £300 per month. Thats before you start on council tax, utilities etc, etc, etc. Lets just forget about food etc

This summer has been particularly bad, whilst theres been no work around. July, i only earnt £200. But at least i'm still in the realms of the employed, ( or self employed ). Am i still a human being?

Its ironic, i've never been a position to sign on. Ever. I've always worked. Harder than most.

ani_26

I can't get the thoughts of the newspaper on the track out of my head. Its easy, isn't it. What goes on inside the head of perfectly normal, happy people? I'm running out of time. I owe too much money and i don't have enough income. I've tried and tried and tried.


For anyone who has read my diary. Imagine you are going to be paid £200 on payday, whatever your chosen pay date is.Then think of all your monthly expenditure. Things which HAVE to be paid. Then imagine what this is like for a period of time. Theres no more life, after bankruptcy, than there was before bankruptcy.

miggy

If you were on Jobseekers, would you be eligible for Housing Benefit? (Sorry to be ignorant).

I know what you mean about the newspaper thing (not sure people will understand from what's on this thread) - haunting, and not in a good way.

Sorry I can't contribute much right now, I'm so tired. Will be back tomorrow.
xx