A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

retromother

Hi everyone, I'm a long term lurker who has been fascinated by this thread. I'm about to leave my demanding job as a beauty buyer to become a SAHM of my two boys. I'm so excited yet very apprehensive too!

I've cleared my credit card for good (I was a pay off in full girl anyway but I'm going over to cash now), started reading some of the housewifey blogs and picking up some tips over on this forum.

I'm pretty lucky living within walking distance of Home Bargains, BMs, Iceland and Lidl as well as Mr T & Mr S, so plenty of options there. I've sold my car and plan to get a more economical one later in the year using cash I'm saving. I'm giving up holidays abroad in favour of holiday camps (Butlins is booked for later in the year). I'm also incredibly lucky to have been given two massive IKEA bags (you know the blue kind) full of unworn or barely worn clothing from my shopaholic MIL. I won't need new clothing for years!!!

I'm currently working notice but hoping to visit the forum more often once finished.

7_week_wonder

D&DD wrote: »

Edited to add Mary berry cupcakes I have 4 packs of these what size tin do you use for traybakes pretty please

I've just measured the tin and it is 21cm x 21cm. The mixture fits perfectly, I cook it for the same amount of time as the recipe and then add the same amount of frosting as for 12 cup cakes. The difference is that I get at least 20 good size slices out of one batch (I've finally run out of packets so have just been using my own ingredients).

Byatt

VJsMum, I hope you hear positive news about your dad soon.

Diarrhoea is debilitating at the best of times, but for young and older people it is worse. At least they can rehydrate him now. Bless his heart.

prepareathome

Oh VJsmum sorry to hear about your dad but hopefully it is just the loss of fluid and everything that has messed up your dads system making him as he is. I know how horrible it is being so far away, had it last summer when my own dad was suddenly taken in with almost the same thing and I was so far away 250 miles and not knowing whether to go up straight away or wait, its hard. I would decide once he has been assessed by the hospital and ask them for an honest reply they usually will give it if you ask and explain you are so far away rather than the usual comfortable etc. I found them great and was able to get things in place before going up.

Sending healing thought to him and calming ones to you, and big hugs

prepareathome

This was just posted by a disabled group I am a member of on Facebook

Section 187 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992
There is an Act of Parliament which over-rides banks taking charges from your account if you are in receipt of any of the following benefits.

• Income Support
• Tax Credits
• Child Benefit
• Job seekers allowance
• Incapacity benefit
• Disability living allowance
• Attendance Allowance
• CSA payments
• Other DWP payments.
These social security benefits are granted to stop hardship and are designed to meet basic day to day needs, and are exempt and are protected under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 sub section 187. from arrestment in terms of section 187 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (see Enforcement of Civil Obligations in Scotland, Scottish Executive report, at paragraph 5.245).
Section 45 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 Chapter 21 part 1 is an identical provision to the said section 187 of the 1992 Act. This stipulates that the banks can not apply any charges to money received as benefit, and any such charges are unlawful and therefore disallowed.

I think I will post it on Martins Facebook page and ask him to confirm it.

maryb

I am a mega ebook fan - I have a Sony ereader and a Kindle, because they are good for different things. The Sony is like a mini memory stick and can store a whole load of books - but when you get up to over 500 books it becomes intolerably slow. I have to say Kindle is much better.

The best thing I ever did was to install Calibre which is free to download and will convert books from one format into another. So if you find a book in Epub format and want to read it on Kindle, Calibre will convert it for you. But its main function is to organise all your ebooks, a bit like Itunes.

There are so many books to download for free that it doesn't make sense not to have an ereader, but you don't have to buy one, you can just read on your computer screen if you download a suitable application - Calibre would do this. But it will never replace hard copy for reference books - IMO they just don't work on screen

muffin_man_7

prepareathome wrote: »

This was just posted by a disabled group I am a member of on Facebook

Section 187 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992
There is an Act of Parliament which over-rides banks taking charges from your account if you are in receipt of any of the following benefits.

• Income Support
• Tax Credits
• Child Benefit
• Job seekers allowance
• Incapacity benefit
• Disability living allowance
• Attendance Allowance
• CSA payments
• Other DWP payments.
These social security benefits are granted to stop hardship and are designed to meet basic day to day needs, and are exempt and are protected under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 sub section 187. from arrestment in terms of section 187 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (see Enforcement of Civil Obligations in Scotland, Scottish Executive report, at paragraph 5.245).
Section 45 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 Chapter 21 part 1 is an identical provision to the said section 187 of the 1992 Act. This stipulates that the banks can not apply any charges to money received as benefit, and any such charges are unlawful and therefore disallowed.

I think I will post it on Martins Facebook page and ask him to confirm it.

thanks for this info i'm due to have a £25 charge going out on tuesday how do i stop the bank from taking it any help appreciated thanks

prepareathome

muffin_man_7 wrote: »

thanks for this info i'm due to have a £25 charge going out on tuesday how do i stop the bank from taking it any help appreciated thanks

I would contact the bank tomorrow and quote this to them. You most likely will find they want it in writing and of course they will most likely argue with you but stick to your guns. So if they take the money on Tuesday write to them telling them how you will be seeking both legal action against them and speaking to your MP. Someone on the DFW board might be able to help you more.

scrabbles_2

Sadly this does not apply to bank charges. See consumerwiki. co. uk /index.php /Benefits_and_the_Social_Security_Administration_Act (sorry I can't so links yet - can someone take the spaces out and repost it please? Thanks ) The government specifically clarified in Parliament that it DOESN'T prevent bank charges from being taken:

The purpose of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 Section 187 and section 45 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 is to prevent people’s benefit money being at risk by it being assigned over to a third party in settlement of a debt. It is not intended to prohibit the application of bank charges. Bank charges are in the nature of an expense, and are incurred by the holder of the account; tax credits and benefits are payable in order to help customers meet their expenses, and as such it is legitimate for banks to deduct charges from the balance of an account held in that bank, whether the money paid into the account comes from tax credits, benefits or other sources, such as earnings.

So if you used it to try and stop your bank applying charges you'd likely be unsuccessful, and if it got as far as court (unlikely, but I'm just saying) and you based your case on it, you'd almost certainly lose. Sorry guys!

scrabbles_2

If you are suffering hardship you are better off exercising your right to appropriation. www. bdac. org. uk/ wp-content/uploads/2010/05/FT09-First-Right-of-Appropriation. pdf (again if someone could remove the spaces and create a linky!) This page explains how to go about it. If you don't get any joy demand their manager... then their manager... then their manager... until you get someone who a) listens b) understands and c) has the necessary authority. Good luck!