Can't make ends meet and debt will only grow

Hannah_10

The more you write breakingpoint the more I think it's not your expenditure that's the problem, it's your income. Your fuel bills are going to be awful, there doesn't seem to be a lot you can do about the Scottish weather or the poor insulation of the house right now. When your finances pick up it could be worth considering more insulation, secondary glazing or solar panels, but these aren't even remotely on the cards yet. Of course you definately should take any steps you can to reduce but still, you wont get that down to figures those of us in the sunny south with 1 child in a modern 2-bed semi would recognise. Nor can you do much about the diesel bill except use the car as little as possible and perhaps a strongly worded email to your MP or MSP every so often. Martin reports that you need £29,200 a year for a family of four to live decently. You've got a family of 7 on £25k-£26k. On top of that you're heating a Victorian house in Scotland, insuring at scandelous premiums and diesel is shocking.

Forget the heating bill for a minute. That income has got to go up. Have you tried the benefit checker yet? When you're done with that you can also scour this article too.

Hannah_10

If you can claim any means tested benefits or tax credits you need to find out if the kids might be eligable for free school meals. You can either ask the office you claim the benfit from, the CAB or the school reception/office.

breakingpoint

Tried the benefits checker and we seem to be getting all we're entitled to - Child Tax Credits. Have tried the free school meals route and a resounding NO.
Have a job-seekers appointment on Thursday. The big issue there is being available for work as I have to fit round the kids and also have been told that I have to be prepared to accept any job offered from Aberdeen to Inverness (both 55 miles from here with no public transport links). Am hoping that if I get job-seekers it may open the door for other things (ie try for the school meals/uniforms again).

Hannah_10

You've heard the harsh version. The human version is that they will accept that any job has to pay for childcare for 7 kids and still make money. They will also understand if you tell them you do not have access to the car that you physically can not get to Aberdeen or Inverness. Really your options are pretty much working from home. Women I know with large families have earned money childminding (but check limit of kids allowed, as it may be you are only available some hours), fostering, selling real nappies, acting as doulas (like a birth partner, does not require midwifery qualification) and making an eBay business of buying and selling things they know about. You might be able to get a small business start up grant if you want to branch out alone- ask the jobcentre.

rising_from_the_ashes

breakingpoint wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I will start a spending diary tomorrow. There are a few areas that really do need attention, most of which will mean tough decisions involving the kids. We pay for unlimited broadband as they play PS3 online and download a lot from the internet - 3 teenagers!
One of the big issues for the food bill is lunches - £2/child per day. I can switch the £2 at primary school to packed lunches, but it will be hard to persuade the 3 at senior school to ignore the peer pressure.
ayThe presents figure could be reduced, however we don't tend to buy anything for the kids unless its a birthday or Christmas.
The big thing we are going to have to try and do is SAVE during the times when the overtime is readily available.
The holiday cost is for 2 weeks in this country self-catering. Our holiday destination is one of the few times we get to meet up with the remainder of the family as we now live 400 miles aw from them, so will be hard to relinquish.

I hate to be harsh here but I think you need to sit the 3 teenagers down and tell them that things are a bit tight at the moment they will have to have packed lunches for a while OR they will need to contribute to the cost of them by earning some money - paper-round, washing cars, helping with gardening etc (often esp appreciated by elderly people).

re having unlimited broadband/playing games etc - does each teenager sit in their own room each evening with the heating on?

I grew up in the Highlands, in a similar old draughty (no double glazing) house and I was allowed to sit in my room if I wanted to, but I wasn't allowed the heating on (radiators set to frost protection setting). If they are all in individual rooms with heating on then this will account for some of the heating cost. (I was allowed the heating on for 30 mins before I went to bed and that was it - they don't need it in the morning, should be getting up, washed, dressed and coming downstairs). It may seem harsh and, did I like it? No, of course not but did it kill me? Of course not. I learnt to wrap up warm, have loads of hot water bottles etc and it was fine.

Have you tried sealing your windows? You can get perspex sheets relatively cheaply and fit them over the windows and seal down with tape, not fantastic to look at but it stops the draughts and is inexpensive.

Keep an eye out for offers on insulation over the summer - I bought some rolls 1/2 price on a 10% off day last year and laid an extra layer for less than £30.

Re your job, did you speak to anyone about your boss (HR etc)? If he/she made your working life so bad you felt you had to leave then you would have a strong case against them.

Re the insurance company, I'd try to seek some advice on this - if it was one claim, it should be treated as such and they shouldn't be able to separate it out.

Could you get the relatives to come up and stay near you this year - you could stay at home (saving that expense) but still enjoy days out etc.

As others have said, try cutting the groceries a bit - the cheap family recipes Hannah has given is a fantastic site.

Good luck.

breakingpoint

We have a room with the PS3 and desktop PC in. This room has a heater and it is on low. It is rarely that there are less than 3 people in the room. No-one uses their bedrooms other than to sleep in.
The oldest 2 have paper rounds and buy any clothes that I don't deem essential (ie we pay for uniforms, PE kits and one pair of shoes, one coat). Instead of pocket money/allowances they get their mobile phones paid for but they have to pay if they go over their call/texts limits.
Our living room has an open fire and we mainly burn logs which we have acquired at next to no cost. We only light it if the outside temp is below freezing and we all sit under blankets to stay cosy.
Re the home insurance, have explored many avenues and it seems the best we can do is remain claim free for a few years and hope to be able to get lower premiums.
We have the heating on in the morning as being a stone house, the temperature really drops at night. Also it gives wet paper boys somewhere to dry wet gloves hats boots and coats.

rising_from_the_ashes

Sorry no other suggestions from me as it really does sound as if you're doing all you can to reduce your costs - really hope you find a new job soon.

theoretica

For the little you are using your heating your gas bill does seem very high. It might be worth seeing if these people can help:

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/Scotland-Welcome-page/At-Home/Energy-Assistance-Package/What-is-offered-and-who-is-eligible

Hannah_10

Another thought. Ring the council and ask them about council tax benefit and help with your mortgage. Even if the benefits agency wont help then this might still be an option. I struggle to accept that your income is officially enough.

breakingpoint

Had my job seekers interview and am now receving JSA. As its contribution based this doesn't open the school meals/uniforms door, but nonetheless is a big bonus.
Had a job interview for p/t work yesterday. Should hear next Tuesday.

Have done a balance transfer of £350 from Halifax CC to Egg to reduce interest charged.

Filling out the huge Council Tax Benefits form at the moment.

Keeping a spending diary.