Need to reduce expenditure

mildred1978

I know you said there at no supermarkets (so presume you're in Gwaelod or Creigiau or Radyr area) but all the major supermarkets will deliver there.

welsh_bristolian

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

btw, have you tried contacting the moble phone provider and asking if you can reduce the cost ? I did this mid-term with orange and got a better deal for less money. hope this helps.

They said no

pmlindyloo wrote: »

When I said 'sort them out' I meant check that you are on the cheapest tariff for your electricity and gas. At the top of this page there are articles by Martin Lewis with tips for reducing utility bills - have a read.

Will do thanks

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I understand about the voluntary work if you are on probation. Are there good prospects there?

No prospects at all, but although I'm applying to other jobs, no responses yet.

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I suppose the other route, as discussed on your other thread, is for you and your OH to find a house share - not ideal I imagine - but would give you some breathing space until things inprove financially.

Looking for anything at the moment.

pmlindyloo wrote: »

When you checked about your benefits were you entitled to any Working Tax credits or do you earn too much?

I earn too much.

fatbelly

welsh_bristolian wrote: »

I've spoken with the council and they can't give me any sort of benefits over than a few hundred per year.

Please claim anything you're entitled to. If you get a small amount of Local Housing Allowance/Housing Benefit, then at some point you may also be able to get Discretionary Housing Payments for a few months.

welsh_bristolian wrote: »

If I stop the unpaid work, I will lose my job (I'm in my probation period). We've decided to give up on getting her clients to pay for now and she's going to change to umployed and get JSA.

If this is Contribution based JSA, you should know that it only lasts for 6 months. If she hasn't got the contribution record then she won't get JSA at all (because of your income).

[Deleted User]

welsh_bristolian wrote: »

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2

Monthly Income Details[/b]
Monthly income after tax................ 1100
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0 Your OH needs to sort this out ASAP - either by getting a job or signing on to job seekers, see if you will be entitled to any other benefits once this has been done

Benefits................................ 0 JSA
Other income............................ 0 Any way to take on any extra work? Second job? Take a lodger?
Total monthly income.................... 1100

Monthly Expense Details
Rent.................................... 550 Is this good value for what you have/need? Would moving to a cheaper area/smaller place be an option?
Council tax............................. 120 Is this over 10 or 12 months - ask your council if you can switch to 12
Electricity............................. 40 Compare providers to make sure that you are on the cheapest tariff for your are/usage
Gas..................................... 80as above, often duel fuel and online tariffs are cheapest
Water rates............................. 50 This is a standard charge? Once you get the meter sorted this should reduce
Telephone (land line)................... 20 Check that this is competitive for your usage, shop around
Mobile phone............................ 60I know that you have said that you cannot reduce this, sometimes after a certain number of months the provider will let you reduce the tariff by one band, plead poverty. Also, if you have valuable handsets, sell them and use cheaper/older handsets
TV Licence.............................. 0don't you pay this?
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 10Again, shop around - it depends on your area a bit though, but I know talk talk do a home internet and telephone package combined for less than £20pm, including calls local and international
Groceries etc. ......................... 150might be able to reuce this a bit - as previously mentioned if there's no supermarket in the area, they may well still deliver, try their webpages to see which, if any, will serve your area
Clothing................................ 5
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0might need something here?
Contents insurance...................... 0possibly need this?
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10
Haircuts................................ 0never?
Entertainment........................... 0never?
Emergency fund.......................... 0even a little here might help
Total monthly expenses.................. 1095


Assets
Cash.................................... 150is this for a specific purpose, or an emergency pot
Total Assets............................ 150[/b]


No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Loan...........................10000.....200.......3It's good that this is on such a low APR, is there anyway that you can negotiate paying it over a longer time to reduce monthly payments?
Total unsecured debts..........10000.....200.......-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,100
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,095
Available for debt repayments........... 5
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 200
Amount short for making debt repayments. -195There are a few savings to be had in your SOA, but really your OH needs to sort out JSA or an aalternativen

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 150
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -10,000
Net Assets.............................. -9,850

I've spoken with the council and they can't give me any sort of benefits over than a few hundred per year. better than nothing, and could really help

I live in a village, north of Cardiff, no super markets.

See if they will deliver

I have made some comments above, hope they help

D9

welsh_bristolian

Other jobs: No, I have one free day a week (Sunday)
Rent: As I said I'm looking for other places, but nothing yet.
Council tax: 12 months
Electricity and gas: we can't cange
Water: we can't have a meter installed
Mobile: I spoke to them, I told that last month I could afford to eat or pay the bill (they had passed us to a debt collector, after one missed payment) and they said pay the bill or else. They will not reduce the cost.
TV license: neither of us have time to watch it, we don't have anything that is capable of receiving anyway.
Internet: we could get a cheaper but I need a fast connection.
Groceries: Supermarkets are more expensive (eg, mince: £2/kg vs £1.5/kg in the village)
Medical and dentist: yes, we need both, but we don't have any spare money
We cut our own hair
Don't have time to go out, etc
£150: it was all the money we had left.

I've applied for the benefits.