Please help me sort out my short term situation

merlin68

You do realise that your earnings will have to be declared against your JSA, as you have added it all in. They allow you to keep a fiver I think. Are your wages correct? If you work 6 hours a week, your pay should be £142.

Spendless

I believe as a single parent, HSM is allowed to keep more than £5 wages before it starts getting knocked off £1 for £1. The amount used to be £20.

Spendless

If you can find another 10 hour job to go with the 6 hour one you currently have, you could claim WTC. You could do this, whilst still loking for a teaching position.

happysinglemum

Thanks again, everyone!

Merlin and Spendless, yes I'm happy declaring my earnings and having it taken from the JSA - I'd far rather earn my money tbh. I'm looking at all possible job options at the moment - full time and part time. I don't know how much I'd be able to keep, but it doesn't really matter, I feel better working even just a few hours a week than not at all. And yes, you're right - I had worked out my wages wrong! That will make a difference to the figures! Thank you! (Think I've got a bit fuzzy headed trying to sort all of this out ).

Mrs TUS, volunteering is a great idea, as is freelancing! Thank you! (Although I'm not as young as it might appear from my post - I was a mature student when I qualified as a teacher - I've got over 20 years of work experience lol). But, nonetheless, volunteering would be a great way to gain a wider range of experience and keep busy, while helping others who are worse off than me! I'll definitely be looking into that!

linz, thank you for some great ideas - I will be ringing Virgin today to see what they will do for me!

Thanks for the link Jariya! I'm off to have a proper read of it in a mo!

Loobeyloop, thanks so much for your support. It really means alot that you took the time to post!

Thanks again, everyone! You're all great!

xxx

MrsTUS

happysinglemum wrote: »

Mrs TUS, volunteering is a great idea, as is freelancing! Thank you! (Although I'm not as young as it might appear from my post - I was a mature student when I qualified as a teacher - I've got over 20 years of work experience lol). But, nonetheless, volunteering would be a great way to gain a wider range of experience and keep busy, while helping others who are worse off than me! I'll definitely be looking into that!

HSM - I had meant teaching experience as opposed to overall wok experience :rotfl:

happysinglemum

MrsTUS wrote: »

HSM - I had meant teaching experience as opposed to overall wok experience :rotfl:

Oops! Definitely a bit fuzzy-headed here! :rotfl:

MiaowMiaow

Hi HSM:)

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck really.

You have already had some great advice so follow that - with tv pqackage - can you get rid altogether? also grocery bill could definitely be cut down - batch cooking, buy value products, meal plan etc.

Plus on the entertainment side of things for your son - there is loads of free stuff - just a ball and a park is enough to keep kids entertained! is there a park near you? fresh air will do you good to to clear your head - good for the body and soul! library is great too for books/films/free internet access.

maybe register with some more agencies?

what about takeaway delivery at night? (if mabe your parents or someone can look after your son?) - good tips on wkend plus usually a free meal at the end of it! will keep you bust fri/sat nights too. every little counts.

Do you have anything you could sell on ebay for short term gain? kids toys/clothes sell well.

Best of luck and keep posting xx

merlin68

Virgin are expensive, my bill used to be about £64 a month I have swapped to talktalk and now pay £27. Is that an option for you? You've also missed out car tax and MOT. Not being picky lol. I can always give you my £40 a week meal plan, which feeds 4 and 2 cats.

happysinglemum

Thanks MiaowMiaow and merlin!

I'm going to look at getting a freeview box on Freecycle so I can get rid of Virgin TV (we only get Freeview package from them anyway, but I think we're paying for the box). I am now going to investigate talktalk and other providers to improve what I get for my money!

merlin, yes please, I'd love to have your £40 meal plan, please! Thank you so much!

On the plus side, I have managed to bring this week's shop in at under £50 and I have so far today batch cooked :

8 portions of sausage and bean cassoulet; 8 portions of spaghetti bolognese and there's the same quantity of beef stew in the slow cooker as I type! So that's a fortnight's meals done and in the freezer already! Which means next week's shopping will be considerably less! :j

Thanks again to all of you!

xxx

Jariya

Wooohooo!! Look at you!!

Well done!

When do we come for dinner? Hehe!

Seriously though it's so much about not just asking for advice but actually acting on it..and doing it now rather than making an excuse up for things (I have been good at that in the past - I'm an expert! Haha!)

Also, much as it 'seems' as though cutting costs can be a drudge I've found it to be the complete opposite as I find it er...exciting! Haha!

The past few years one thing I've done - because a friend of mine was doing the same is wandered into charity shops (this took some guts initially I admit!) - this has now become a kind of hobby of mine and once every couple of weeks I go for a wander round them taking an hour or two for a really good look around.
I try things on - I make myself as many of the things I've bought looked awful on the hanger - but lovely on me!
I always get compliments on clothes - I currently have two friends who want to go charity shop shopping with me and they wear the very best of designer stuff all the time - my one fear is that they might find something before I get my paws on it as we are all about the same size! Gaaaah!! Haha!