My SOA - more going out than coming in!

horsechestnut

You mentioned in passing that your husband has £200 "but that is his"!!! That is £2,400 per year. This should be in with the FAMILY budget and an allowance made for the things that it covers; especially as he is insisting on the Sky package!

HappyMJ

Tigger-Roo wrote: »

I really don't want to give up the gym or the weightloss classes as after many years I have finally found something that works. Likewise with my eldest's horseriding..I don't want to cancel as it really helps her disability.

Thought it might be something like that. Pedantic but instead of calling it horseriding (as it sounds like something only really wealthy people do) for the SOA you give to creditors call it something like Equine Assisted Activity...lol.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therapeutic_horseback_riding

chopper_99

Tigger-Roo wrote: »

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm going to work through them bit by bit. Feel a bit overwhelmed with facts and figures as have been doing them all day.

I have contacted the council and they tried to put me through to the benefits office, but they were engaged. They are going to ask them to get a form out to me...hopefully. I never have much faith in our council or the benefits people.

I've downgraded the Sky to £34 a month by taking off the movies. Husband doesn't want to lose some of the channels from the entertainment package. I will work on him, and also look into the freeview stuff.

Telephone and insurances I will look into tomorrow. Also adding in the missing bits like clothing and entertainment etc.

Dongle, magazine sub, charity payment, club penguin (youngests club), netweather and milkman I will also cancel.

I really don't want to give up the gym or the weightloss classes as after many years I have finally found something that works. Likewise with my eldest's horseriding..I don't want to cancel as it really helps her disability.

Regarding the medical stuff, our prescriptions have all been free since hubby lost his job, I've recently got new glasses so that should bear with me until I get a new job. Just the dentist to account for there. I'll add that in.

Stayed tuned for an update. Thank you for all your suggestions.

Good luck with the council, hopfully you'll be able to reduce your council tax bill. As for Sky, £34 a month is still a lot in your situation. Is it including a sports package. I pay £17 per month for the basic package, and if it wasn't for Sky+ and my ariel currently being uncompatible would probably just go onto Freeview.

Don't be too hasty with the Club Penguin, I just wasn't sure what it was. If it's a club for the youngest and they get some fun out of it then £4 a month isn't too bad. But good on you for the other stuff though.

I can also understand with the horesriding, especially if it helps with the disability. If you can make cuts elsewhere (like the Sky ) then this should be one of the things you try to keep, or just reduce a little.

Good luck.

sofababe

I'm also intrigued as to what your hubby does with his £200 a month. He can at least pay for Sky as he's the one that watches it. If he won't pay for it, cancel it.

Could you speak to the people that run the horse riding group, find out if there might be some sort of financial assistance scheme or a grant you might be entitled to? Its definitely worth asking.

curlytop12

I pay £17 per month for the basic package, and if it wasn't for Sky+ and my ariel currently being uncompatible would probably just go onto Freeview.

did you know if you cancel SKY the box works as a freeview box,so you wouldn't need a new arial or freeview box.:)

HappyMJ

sofababe wrote: »

I'm also intrigued as to what your hubby does with his £200 a month. He can at least pay for Sky as he's the one that watches it. If he won't pay for it, cancel it.

I thought that was answered in the OP's 1st post?? He pays for the car any other other household goods and services needed. I'd also take a guess at buildings insurance and a few other bits and pieces.

Could you speak to the people that run the horse riding group, find out if there might be some sort of financial assistance scheme or a grant you might be entitled to? Its definitely worth asking.

Could be but what isn't that what DLA is intended for?

Tigger-Roo

dancingfairy wrote: »

Hi - your main priorities are to pay the mortgage, gas, electric, council tax etc - anything left can go towards debt repayment. This may sound obvious but some people pay the unsecured debts first and leave themselves short for their mortgage or council tax or food which is the wrong way around.
You might want to write to your unsecured creditors and offer them token payments until things improve -yes it will lead to defaults but I can't see you being able to make 214 pounds worth of cutbacks and that's not including things like clothes you have missed out.
df

I really don't want to get a bad credit record. I will do anything I can to avoid it before it comes to that. But yep, will make sure mortgage, council tax etc are paid first. Thank you.

Tigger-Roo

kazwookie wrote: »

You say your husband has £200 per month to do with what ever.

Where does this money actually come from, bearing in mind you state you are both without work currently?

What does he actually do with this money?

For now it might be an idea he gave that up, till things on the work front look up a bit.

Good luck with it all.

It's carers allowance. One of us has to be home to look after our daughter. We only just started claiming it this month as we didn't realise we could claim it even.

When husband lost his job and couldn't find another one, I went from working evenings to a full time job and he stayed at home to look after her. We managed fine as my salary was equivalent to my evening job and his daytime job. It was only when I lost my job and signed on that the benefits office asked why we weren't claiming carers.

So I don't know how much it will cover, but it is currently put towards car maintenance, car tax, mot, and any extra petrol needed. I guess it's been allocated like that as our car broke down last week and we had to use the whole months payment to get it back on the road. It's for things men do I suppose. He has no money of his own and whilst I was working I would actually give him £200 a month for his own needs. It's really replaced that I suppose and it's saves his manly pride from coming to me for money.

Tigger-Roo

themull1 wrote: »

Can you not get free school dinners whilst on Benefits? Hope things get better for you soon.

That I'm not sure. Whilst I was working we were paid Working Tax Credits. Although I'm no longer eligable for that part of the Tax Credits, and the payments have stopped, it's still showing on my latest update as having been paid to me for the period of Apr/10 to Apr/11. If I get Working Tax Credits, I can't claim free school meals. So I don't really know whether I would be able to claim them, as I have had Working Tax Credits for this year. If that makes sense??

RAS

That is lovely, but it need to cover things like your daughter's riding now.

You have to pool all money and you will both be lucky to have a tenner a month pocket money.