How on hells earth are we supposed to manage!

Lady_gaga

Just out of curiosity, what would you have done if tax credits never existed?

It sounds very clearly like it's not the income that's the problem, it's the out goings, and your mortgage is very small. Perhaps learning to budget a bit better would help you out the most.
It doesn't sound like a family in crisis, it sounds like a family who needs to sort out their debt...

anxious_mum

Sazzybum, you and me sound so alike! I have always worked full time, and when I got divorced I still had to, there's no way I could have stayed at home and claimed benefits. My boys are 18 and 16 now, both lovely lads, but I couldn't have stayed at home with them, I would have gone mental. As it turned out, my mum looked after them from when they were 3 months and 2 years old (after I was a single mum) and I couldn't have done it without the help.

I feel so sorry for single mums who don't have the support they need to get a job. It must be really difficult to get out of the benefits trap when all of your money goes on childcare, unless you're lucky enough to have a decently paid job. Ho hum, just my two penn'orth!

neverdespairgirl

embob74 wrote: »

Mmmm the recipes are so delicious too :rotfl:
I understand budgeting can be done if you have to but I'm sure most people would choose not to have porridge and houmous sandwiches every other day

Nothing wrong with either of those!

make_me_wise

jtktb wrote: »

I'm already ironing and ebaying and that helps, although we don't have a lot left to sell!
We only really need to eb a couple of hundred pound a month better off but in order to do it I need to work full time in a well paid job

Are you free during the day when your kids are at school or in the evenings? What about doing babysitting. There is a really good babysitting service in the Uk who recruit people with childcare experience and do a thorough CRB check on them. Once you are registered with them they contact you and see if you are available to cover their bookings. This might eleviate the need to cover expense childcare costs of your own. If you want more details let me know

FBaby

sarahevie wrote: »

I think about 30% of single parents work, recent gingerbread article. Posters such as FBaby are amazing. Absolutely inspirational.

:kisses3: I've just come across this thread and this message :embarasse :embarasse Don't know what to say just very touched. Thank you. Just to clarify though, I was a single mum for 6 years without a hint of romance in my life, but did meet my prince charming in the end. We have now been sharing our lives for a whole 9 months!

FBaby

:embarasse that's supposed to be embarassed? looks more depressed to me!!

lizzielondon

jtktb wrote: »

After tax, NI and CSA have taken their cut he brings home 980 a month, our mortgage luckily is only 350 but once everything else is paid we are in a minus figure. The 350 we get in tax credits tops us up, but we cannot get anymore as they calculate on the figure before the CSA get their chunk.

hmmmm i don't have kids & i don't claim/am entitled to any benefits but I thought that child support went to children and parents with care....

you seem very angry the CSA are taking your partner's money! would you prefer he didn't pay for his child(ren)??

toocleverbyhalf

I'm afraid I can't be part of this discussion as I don't work at the moment, but I'm really annoyed at the way bobaj!!!966 is sooo judgemental about the OP. You are being horrible & it seems that this is becoming a worrying trend on these boards at the moment. I've just had the same experience in another thread and it's really upset me. I have been using this site and lurking on the forums for about 3 years and ive never seen nastiness like this. OP just wanted a rant & to let off some steam about her situation and all she got, from certain posters, is comments about why she had children and how she should be doing better.

I thought these forums where about mutual support and help. Or perhaps they would like a return to the workhouse, slum housing and malnutrition

bobajob_1966

toocleverbyhalf wrote: »

I'm afraid I can't be part of this discussion as I don't work at the moment, but I'm really annoyed at the way bobaj!!!966 is sooo judgemental about the OP. You are being horrible & it seems that this is becoming a worrying trend on these boards at the moment. I've just had the same experience in another thread and it's really upset me. I have been using this site and lurking on the forums for about 3 years and ive never seen nastiness like this. OP just wanted a rant & to let off some steam about her situation and all she got, from certain posters, is comments about why she had children and how she should be doing better.

I thought these forums where about mutual support and help. Or perhaps they would like a return to the workhouse, slum housing and malnutrition

You're annoyed that I told them about a low cost eating plan, and other ways to cut their outgoings?

The OP came on here for a rant, I didn't agree with her viewpoint. The fact is you should not be having children if you cannot afford them, and yes, I guess that applies to you even more than it does the OP. At least they are trying to help themselves, unlike some.

sazzybum

anxious_mum wrote: »

Sazzybum, you and me sound so alike! I have always worked full time, and when I got divorced I still had to, there's no way I could have stayed at home and claimed benefits. My boys are 18 and 16 now, both lovely lads, but I couldn't have stayed at home with them, I would have gone mental. As it turned out, my mum looked after them from when they were 3 months and 2 years old (after I was a single mum) and I couldn't have done it without the help.

I feel so sorry for single mums who don't have the support they need to get a job. It must be really difficult to get out of the benefits trap when all of your money goes on childcare, unless you're lucky enough to have a decently paid job. Ho hum, just my two penn'orth!

Totally agree with this Anxious Mum. I guess I was lucky. I didn't become a single mum until my oldest was 17, youngest 13, so was able to continue with my evening job without any extra costs.

Previous to that, my lodger became my nanny-again, didn't need to pay for their keep, as they babysat for me-the.y worked during the day. Didn't know how lucky I was until I started reading these forums and saw the cost of childcare:eek: But I still think it's worth working to keep your hand in the market, AND get some 'you' time