Where there's muck there's brass

RubySewSew

In the past 2 weeks there have been 2 important anniversaries. 1 year of being a debt free wannabe (online that is!) and 3 years since I moved into my new house. So I thought to celebrate I'd start a brand spanking new diary. This one is going to focus on getting me out of my situation.

The situation is this. I am a single parent with 3 wee boys (10,8 and 6). I share custody with their Dad although I look after them full time (after school, holidays etc). I do a low paid part time job in school as a Special Needs Teaching Assistant. I am degree educated and also have a diploma in adult education. I am massively in debt - this was accrued during the marriage and although I am pretty savvy have simply been unable to make a dent in it due to erratic cash flow, illness, changes to income, spiralling bank charges etc.

Now, I am currently in the process of initiating court proceedings as the ex-H has cut maintenance payments. This is messy and nasty and tiring and the last place I ever wanted to be. My income is made up thus:
Earnings £539
Maintenance £400
Tax credits £939 (4w)
Child benefit £188 (4w)
Whilst this is a relatively high income it is not high enough to cover our basic living costs (mortgage is £939 and am trapped in a fixed rate for another 2 years). I should also add that I am in debt crisis and am currently making token payments of £1 a month to my creditors. Any increase in income would also be put to one side to rightly, service a debt management plan. If I increase my earnings then my tax credits will simply come down so this is my catch 22:

The more I work, the more I earn, the less I see my children, the less time I have (cash poor and time poor) so the more living costs go up = no difference in overall income.

I would need net earnings of approx £1400 pm in order to escape from that trap. Does anybody know what the gross annual equivalent would be?

The one thing I have on my side is that I am resourceful and creative (given the time and the energy!). So, what are the first steps to getting myself out of this situation?!

Project 1: Handmade Christmas - I need to make my Christmas list now and get working so that Christmas is wrapped up for £0.
Project 2: Paypal Christmas - However thrifty and handy I am there will be some consumer goodies that the boys will want so I need to start decluttering and ebaying now to build up a stash in my paypal account.
Project 3: Make me a masseuse: I desperately want to do a diploma in massage in order to develop my practice. Cost of course £1880. Money I have available £0. I need to find a way to fund this course and increase my ability to self support.

Anybody who wants to join me on the journey, welcome aboard and enjoy the ride!

Eager_Elephant

Ooh wanted to be the first poster - Hi Ruby!!!! :wave:

I might have some comments when I get back from DS' Osteopaths appt.

EE

RubySewSew

I've just applied for a circus apprentice post!! Hee hee!!!

Eager_Elephant

RubySewSew wrote: »

I would need net earnings of approx £1400 pm in order to escape from that trap. Does anybody know what the gross annual equivalent would be?

This site looks great - to get a monthly income of £1399.27 (the closest it would give me to £1400) you would need a gross salary of £21,219.43.

I am happy to jump on board and follow your adventures.

I too will try for a non-spendy Xmas when it comes to relatives, for the last 2 years I have done Pots Of Gold or Silver which have always gone down well especially when people have won on their scratch card.
Now I think people are bored of that so I really need to get over to the OS board for some other ideas.

My children however will probably have lots spent on them plus I need to save more than normal as DS has his birthday before Xmas and DD on New Years Day :eek:

Good Luck Ruby!!!

EE

Eager_Elephant

RubySewSew wrote: »

I've just applied for a circus apprentice post!! Hee hee!!!

Ummm, Oooh - Different :rotfl:

RubySewSew

That is really useful! And actually feels achievable! Something to focus on!

Haven't got any further with Christmas. All plans for everything have been waylaid today because of family crisis. However, tomorrow is a new day. Wish me luck

Eager_Elephant

Hope you managed to deal with the family crisis.

Good Luck for today!!!

RubySewSew

It is the wettest day ever!!!

So I have got a lot of muck and not sure where to start on the brass hunting front! What am I going to do with 3 grumpy boys and a great big dog?

Ahhhhhhh!!!!

RubySewSew

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

This site looks great - to get a monthly income of £1399.27 (the closest it would give me to £1400) you would need a gross salary of £21,219.43.

I just used this to work out what the ex-H's equivalent gross salary is. £50,650 per year!!! And that's just the bits he declares!

RubySewSew

I'm trying to persuade DS1 to clear his room so that we can move the furniture around and spiv it up. He wants me to do it but is easily distracted!! I wish I knew of a way to persuade them to look after their rooms and look after their things.

I have a choice of jobs which I could be getting on with:
Complaint letters and loan letters
Sort out shelving in boys room
Hoover
Sort out shed
EBay listings
Find drill and put up shelf so that I can...
Sort out desk
Make a Christmas list
Make a business plan
Open post
Etc etc etc

Instead I am PROCRASTINATING!!! Time is running out, the holiday is coming to an end. I will end up back at school in a worse mess than I started if I don't PULL MY FINGER OUT and do something! Anything!!!

RubySewSew

Oh man - what a waste of a day. I've got to get myself working. Time for some targets me thinks.

I did look at other potential revenue streams. I wrote them down and if I start setting aside some hours each week I can start making some money. Hmmm.

I'm going out for a drink so maybe I'll chew it over then and set myself a task to do one thing when I get home later.