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How do you manage to survive on your jobseekers money?

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Comments

  • How else can i ask for help if i have a mortgage to pay plus bills, etc. I live on my own and i do not have a family. obviously, the jobseeker's allowance is not enough to pay. i do not have an unemployment cover on my mortgage, credit cards.
  • Kirri
    Kirri Posts: 6,184 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    It's fairly impossible as a single person even living relatively frugally - I am running up bills on available credit to get me through. I had no savings as buying a flat in London on one secretarial wage meant there was never any spare to save before becoming unemployed.

    I have cancelled my cable tv, I've reduced my food bill, have kept my heating mostly off except when it snowed, I keep putting off friends as I cannot afford to go out, have put no petrol in my car since December (I will need to put some in this week but keep useage at a minimum), I walk where possible, have had to suffer my car insurance premium massively rising just due to being unemployed. Latest casualty is the TV guide! I can go and get a Metro.. Up to now, I have been paying mortgage, service charge and ground rent myself as well as all I have been getting is the £67.50 a week.

    I have kept gym membership and hair appts as I don't want to look a state whilst trying to get a job and they keep me more motivated, internet/phone and vet/pet bills are necessary. The costs for which are going on credit.

    I don't drink, smoke, eat meat, have kids or a large tv...

    Travel costs to interviews are also high and unless you give a fair bit of notice or they are a long way out of your area they are not paid - I have to travel into Central London for interviews and this is expensive, most i/v's seem to be at short notice too.
  • LadyMissA
    LadyMissA Posts: 3,263 Forumite
    Kirri wrote: »
    It's fairly impossible as a single person even living relatively frugally - I am running up bills on available credit to get me through. I had no savings as buying a flat in London on one secretarial wage meant there was never any spare to save before becoming unemployed.

    I have cancelled my cable tv, I've reduced my food bill, have kept my heating mostly off except when it snowed, I keep putting off friends as I cannot afford to go out, have put no petrol in my car since December (I will need to put some in this week but keep useage at a minimum), I walk where possible, have had to suffer my car insurance premium massively rising just due to being unemployed. Latest casualty is the TV guide! I can go and get a Metro.. Up to now, I have been paying mortgage, service charge and ground rent myself as well as all I have been getting is the £67.50 a week.

    I have kept gym membership and hair appts as I don't want to look a state whilst trying to get a job and they keep me more motivated, internet/phone and vet/pet bills are necessary. The costs for which are going on credit.

    I don't drink, smoke, eat meat, have kids or a large tv...

    Travel costs to interviews are also high and unless you give a fair bit of notice or they are a long way out of your area they are not paid - I have to travel into Central London for interviews and this is expensive, most i/v's seem to be at short notice too.
    Sounds very familiar :) It's not easy at all.
  • seaweed5254
    seaweed5254 Posts: 163 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    you mean it's hopeless, right ?

    i do not have a family and i have to pay my mortage £600/mo. where can i get this money? i
  • HappyMJ
    HappyMJ Posts: 21,115 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    you mean it's hopeless, right ?

    i do not have a family and i have to pay my mortage £600/mo. where can i get this money? i
    If you cannot pay debts then you would not pay them and default. The DWP will pay the interest on your mortgage after a qualifying period and for a limited time. This gives you enough time to reconsider your options such as selling.

    If your interest is being paid on your mortgage then it will take a long time to end up 6 months in arrears for the mortgage company to consider taking action.
    :footie:
    :p Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) :p Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. :p
  • falko89
    falko89 Posts: 1,687 Forumite
    Hey we're up to £71 a week now:j
  • LadyMissA
    LadyMissA Posts: 3,263 Forumite
    falko89 wrote: »
    Hey we're up to £71 a week now:j
    not yet, its something like the 14th
  • LadyMissA
    LadyMissA Posts: 3,263 Forumite
    edited 1 April 2012 at 7:15PM
    It does say in my letter from the DWP

    'How much money the law says you need to live on each week'

    Just so the people know who think it's money to look for a job with! Or course you have to live on it too and that doesn't include job searching like phone calls, broadband, travel, extra electricity to run the pc/laptop that you wouldn't have on if you were at work etc
  • Kirri
    Kirri Posts: 6,184 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    falko89 wrote: »
    Hey we're up to £71 a week now:j

    £14.00 extra a month is going to be really useful :j
    Thanks, I'd forgotten we would get this increase. Helps a little to all the household bills that have gone up a lot.
  • Kirri
    Kirri Posts: 6,184 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    LadyMissA wrote: »
    It does say in my letter from the DWP

    'How much money the law says you need to live on each week'

    Just so the people know who think it's money to look for a job with! Or course you have to live on it too and that doesn't include job searching like phone calls, broadband, travel, extra electricity to run the pc/laptop that you wouldn't have on if you were at work etc

    I was going to cancel my phone and just keep the broadband but I've had 2 telephone interviews now so it's something that needs to be kept and paid for.
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