Feel like crying + UPDATE

carolt

Definitely contact NTL re your bill - threaten to leave and go to Talk Talk, which is much cheaper. I did this, about 10 months ago, following Martin's instructions in the weekly email, using tips on the Phones Board (incl best number to ring - disconnections, not customer service, as they're the ones with the power to make cuts to your bill) and in 30 seconds had cut my monthly phone/broadband bill from about £75 to somewhere around £30 ish. It was so easy I couldn't belive I hadn't done it before.

Also, the disadvantage of being stuck to much on the Old Style board is you get very good at making the pennies stretch, but less good at saving the big amounts of money (as above) or using the time spent to earn more money. These days it's pretty easy to make some money selling stuff on ebay, either stuff you already have or stuff you've learned (through this site!) how to come across cheaply. £30 a week should not be too difficult, even with other commitments, esp if you can find a repeat purchase as it saves time on listing. And you can do it from home, in your own time. Just a thought.

Best of luck!

chardonnay_2

sammy big hugs re your situation. so glad that those who are able have been able to help you. i would post on the benefits board if you haven't already as there may be more great ideas to help you. also have you joined boots parenting club, check out the boots grabbit thread. it states if you register your pregnancy before 28 weeks you get freebies (min £16 no7 voucher) plus loads more until baby is a certain age.

meant to say my dad phoned ntl re the amount of notice he would have to give to leave and they offerred him broadband free for 6 months as he is a loyal customer. worth a shot?

r.mac_2

ampersand wrote:

Hello all,
Although I'm here and concerned for sammy, I notice a number of references to pigsback points and can't believe there's another yummy scheme on this site of which I am ignorant. Would someone kindly enlighten me, please? I have never seen mention of it here.
Also sammy, I am going to: www.ebico.co.uk for equigas and equipower(SOOOOOOOOOOO fed up with British Gas for both) You can speak to them daily 9-13h@0845-45601709(a lovely lady there), or download/fill in the application form online. Wrote a question on the phones/utilities thread earlier and have been well and truly put in my place as it appears Martin has long championed them.
Anyway, I should think you can SAVE with them - I certainly will.
Excellent news re:washing machine and hearing test.
Let's hope the next big bulletin updates us on your benefits success.
None of us are going away - we're especially here when you tire of being strong.
Nighty-night for now.

If you do wish to switch power companies follow martins advice and go through a cashback website - another few pounds for your pocket!!!!

link - http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1103281560,22751,

HTH
r.mac

PS great news about the washing machine!!!

kirstyreanne

Hi Sam,

Just wanted to say I've been following this thread & I'm glad things are looking up for you. I've found a code on another site for £5 off Tescos with no minimum spend if it will help at all -

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deal/18003/5-off-tesco-online-no-minimum-spend

Best of luck,
Kirsty.

moor426

I thnk your bf should ask again about incapacity benefit. The loss of sight may be making him feel low (which would be fully understandable); he could get a certificate for depression, let alone his eyesight problems. Also a claim for DLA is a must.

Moor

Rage_in_Eden

Hi Sammy - sounds like you're having a rougher time than me (half-pay this month, about to go in to hospital and the car is on it's last legs and it'll take me 2 hours to get to work if that goes - lots of smoke and engine gets to 100really quickly so MrRage has to wait 30mins and read a book before driving home). PM the details of where bf has got his eye apt - I work in the NHS and have access to, ahem, certain tables, so I can tell you who has the shortest waiting times locally if you're not happy with his apt.

ampersand

r.mac wrote:

If you do wish to switch power companies follow martins advice and go through a cashback website - another few pounds for your pocket!!!!
**********
Did do this beforehand over several days of in-depth 'homework', but the EBICO saving will straightaway be bigger than any of the cashbacks, so........
I realise it won't be so cut and dried for everybody.
I found no energy switch sites offering a reward for Ebico.

Maisie

sammy_kaye18 wrote:

Bf lost his sight in November and although he put a claim in for incapacity Benefit (he was a motorbike mechanic) and Income support - he had one payment off income support for £40 adn then they said he wouldnt get anymore as his weekly income was too high!! (he stopped work on the 5th November - 3 days after he lost his sight as he cant see) anyway we have been back and forth between the doctors,hopsital, opticians etc for the last 2/3 months and he has an appointment to see a specialist in February.

Anyway we have been nagging Income Support and they said it was becasue he recieved working tax credit which he did but this was amended the day he left his job and even tax credits have it on there records when the information was amended - so were still waiting for the award notice - its been a month now - so income support cant get sorted until tax credits get there bums in gear which doesnt seem to be very quickly and supposably he doesnt qualify for Incapacity Benefit because he still has some vision in his left eye (not alot and it is badly straining to compensate for his bad eye now) and hes really light sensitive and the most the doctors have done is give him painkillers and this saline (sp?) solution to put in that basically just clears the eye out - his eye is the size of a golf ball so he doesnt contribute towards the household running etc because he cant work and all our benefits are screwed up - rest assured they are being nagged to death though!!

So sorry to hear of your troubles.

If you are having to pay bus fares etc for hospital visits try contacting the hospital to see if you can get any financial assistance.

I think it is the Hospital Almoner who deals with things like that.

All the very best to you and hope life gets better soon.

maisie

jobbingmusician

Oooo, sorry, I hadn't realised you were having to pay fares to travel to hospital - READ THIS!

spender

Sammy Kaye, I don't often wander onto these boards but I feel I have to write something. Quite frankly I don't know how half of us would cope with what has been thrown at you recently. Yet you are a shining example to us all, apart from the initial SMALL winge you have just got on with it and have tried to find solutions to problems when most of us would just chuck in the towel. You are an example to a lot of us moaners. My only sadness is that I do not live anywhere near you or else I would happily wash and cook you dinners.