help struggling to live

princess_skint_a_lot_2

hi there jowo

thanks for the link, will def try some of those recipes, i am ultra frugal already (in my opinion haha), and already did the budget planner, we dont smoke very rarely drink, our only indulgence that we have is sky tv and that is on one of the cheapest packages, we dont go out unless it is to our friends houses, and to be honest with my husbands disability they tend to come to us. I dont know where else to cut down. I am not work shy, i love the sense of purpose going to work gives me, i just need to work out my money, i know i could not support us on my own even if i worked full time. I just dont know where to start. I think i have to go to the job centre to see what they say.

Kind Regards

Debbie

tinktinktinkerbell

£140 a week is NOT a low amount if you dont have to pay rent/ct

Jowo_2

tinktinktinkerbell wrote: »

£140 a week is NOT a low amount if you dont have to pay rent/ct

It's still not great spread over 4 people and having to cover groceries, energy, telecom, water, contents insurance, car repairs/mot/petrol/tax/insurance, clothes and so on. The OP also says she has to pay some sort of top-up so I wonder if this is towards the rent, for example.

The OP is potentially spending half of her disposable income on travel for one child and has no state contribution for the other, as she's not classed as resident there despite being there nearly half the time.

PasturesNew

The OP needs to do a proper SOA really, as it's difficult to understand where the figures are coming from and going to without that.

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

sazzybum

tinktinktinkerbell wrote: »

£140 a week is NOT a low amount if you dont have to pay rent/ct

As YOU would know TTTB! But as you so often like to remind us that two can't live as cheaply as one..it must be more expensive for 2 adults and 2 children...especially as they are growing out of shoes, clothes all the time. And of course- the elctricity, gas etc.. so..zziiipppppp it.

Princess, I wish I could offer advice-and I hope it gets better soon. I used to have to take my son a 400 mile round trip to see his father, so I understand why you're doing it-at least your child can't turn round and say 'you kept us away from him/her' However it got a lot easier as soon as he hit 12/13, because I would put him on the bus at one end and his father would pick him up at the other end...so much easier. It's hard just now sweetie-but it WILL get easier..honestly.

Many good wishes to you

Saz xx

oldestrocker

The main reason we are struggling is because we have problems in our family i.e we have to take my daughter down to see her dad every few weeks at a whopping 120.00 in a weekend due to a court access order, and also we have our eldest daughter living with us half the week but because her mum has her 3 days a month more than us she gets child benefit, tax credits etc.

OK, I'm one of life's ordinary guy. As a father, who so much wants to be with his daughter - tell him to get his backside to your area. The cheeky g*t!! Tell him that you can't afford the cost anymore and make sure you explain it honestly with your daughter. Then we will see how much he cares.

Geee if I was him and my daughter lived 300 miles away, I would find a way of being there for her.

As regards the eldest, why don't you put in a claim for CTC etc and let her fight it out.

I have never heard such a load of bunkum in my life.

My wife has fallen out with both her children from her previous marriage. Her daughter she hasn't seen for 12 years and her son for 9 years.
Her daughter wanted what our daughters had and caused all sorts of trouble. So my wife told her to grow up or move out. She moved out at 19. She has four children (my wife's grandchildren) that we have never seen. Her son refused to pay maintenance for his son. So my wife set an ultimatum pay up or don't bother seeing us anymore. He has never made contact since and never paid for the child either.

You have to stand your ground and do what you know is right irrespective of what others may think

Dreamnine

ok andyanflo lmao.

jfdi

If your family is receiving Income Support by reason of Incapacity, then although you are allowed to work up to 16hrs a week, all earnings over £20 get deducted.

So if you earned, say, £30, they'd take £10 from your IS. If that reaches a point where your IS stopped completely (coz your earnings were higher) it COULD have a knock-on effect on other Benefits, like CTB/HB/Free prescriptions etc.

HOWEVER - you may find that Working Tax Credits (available to you depending on hours/earnings) can 'top up' as well, if your Income Support stopped.

As suggested, go have a play with different possible circumstances on the on-line Benefit calculators.

welshmoneylover

oldestrocker wrote: »

Her daughter wanted what our daughters had and caused all sorts of trouble. So my wife told her to grow up or move out. She moved out at 19.

I think its terrible to favour one child over another.

Perhaps she felt unloved with such an awful attitude to her upbringing?

Mum-2-Be

What happens if you dont follow the court order?

I am not saying you should break it but surely if you couldnt take your daughter then you'd be called before the court and be able to explain why?

Id get back onto your solicitor, what a horrible situation and it cant be good for the poor wee girl to be dragged all those miles all the time