make do and mend for tougher times

quintwins

i wonder if when universal credits come in you can jump jump from one to the other i doubt it tho nothings ever that easy.

I was in the same position as you i got sacked 2 days before i found out i was pregnant i was looking for work and didn't tell employers i was pregnant however since i was having twins between morning sickness a bump and having been sacked i was unemployable, saying that i was told by the benefit off near the end to just write that i had checked the 2 local papers and the benefit office for jobs they let me do this til i was ready to claim maternity allowance, i had them a wee after i signed off and never got round to claiming it, then i was really ill for 4 months and never got round to claiming tax credits that was an awful time and we really struggled the nice overpayment we got paid for the baby bits we still needed tho

shegar

prepareathome wrote: »

Morning, actually had just a normal nights sleep at last (went to bed and only slept 8 hrs instead of the 14 I have slept since Tuesday night) so feel at last got some time back but of course its pouring and dark.

Yesterday we had sun all day but it never stopped raining, was so weird hardly a cloud in the sky yet it rained quite heavily all day. All everyone at Mr S when we popped up to at 3pm yesterday was where the rain was coming from, so weird.

We have had 23 totally dry days this year (and most of them were during that summer weather in, March ) that is all, on every other day its rained either part or all of each day, am surprised we are all not covered in mould. Last year from October it also rained daily, never missing one day.

Last few summers its rained nearly every day, heavy tropical type rainfall, but was hot as well, so it didn't feel so bad going out in it. This year its much cooler, even in bedroom today its only 18c.

Was hoping as DGD is here that we could maybe go for a walk by the fields near - well me in my scooter - but rain just to heavy.

Tumble drier hardly getting any time off as with air being so damp washing hung up in house takes days to dry and smells musty, really need heat on to stop that and not cold enough for that. Tumble dryer makes must be rubbing their hands in glee over my area as so many people here have bought one.

Friend told me local radio station on Friday had a phone in over how do you dry your washing and so many people called to say they had bought a tumble dryer even thought they thought they were expensive to run but had given up trying to dry without one as their homes were becoming damp. Some people had bought dehumidifiers instead and were saying they feel the power companies should give a discount or government as the non-stop rain was not usual. :rotfl::rotfl:

Well we are the dead opposite to you with the weather, we dont get enough rain, really and honest we dont, we are on the coast about one mile from the sea and the last 10 miles approx we always seem to miss the rain , we get what we call the tail end , its like having 20 knats fly over.........

My garden is very very dry now in fact im watering near every night, my water butts are empty, but we seem to get more cloud than rain though.......Today is lovely again, ive got all washing dry and ironed up , and ive been doing several gardening jobs, after that I must admit to falling asleep in the summerhouse for about a hour......:eek:

fuddle

Katie, I wonder how many owners keep their doggies in the back garden day in and day out without a walk? Having a garden doesn't make you a better owner than someone without.

Fingers crossed that the shelter gives your DD the go ahead.

Light bulbs? My MIL gave me a lamp base yesterday. DH finally has a lamp on his side of the bed now. I didn't have a energy saving light bulb so put in one of the older style ones. It's 60W. Last night I loved having that lamp on. My room was so light and bright, cheery and I felt happy. Oh I sound silly but it did cheer me up. I am loathed to buy an energy saving one now as I really like it. I know it's more expensive to run but I think for the long winter nights and cold days to come a bit of light bulb therapy might be needed! Are light bulbs known to cheer us up?

Matt Baker is commenting on the gymnastics.I love listening to him. It's nice to hear someone on the telly that sounds like me. There's not many people on TV with the Durham accent... and it is different from the geordie accent

Pips_Mum

quintwins wrote: »

i wonder if when universal credits come in you can jump jump from one to the other i doubt it tho nothings ever that easy.

I was in the same position as you i got sacked 2 days before i found out i was pregnant i was looking for work and didn't tell employers i was pregnant however since i was having twins between morning sickness a bump and having been sacked i was unemployable, saying that i was told by the benefit off near the end to just write that i had checked the 2 local papers and the benefit office for jobs they let me do this til i was ready to claim maternity allowance, i had them a wee after i signed off and never got round to claiming it, then i was really ill for 4 months and never got round to claiming tax credits that was an awful time and we really struggled the nice overpayment we got paid for the baby bits we still needed tho

The universal benefits thing can surely only make it easier, it can't get more complicated!! :rotfl:

We have claimed the Tax Credits, first payment due on Wednesday. Jobcentre have confirmed OHs JSA now and as I say Im hopefully going to be entitled to MA. Feel very guilty taking benefits but really have no choice due to the circumstances thrown at us.

To be fair the lady in the job centre the other week said I was "Just playing the game now" she meant it in a nice way, and they have said each time Ive gone that the chances of me finding work were very slim.

Possession

Fuddle you've nailed it, if only I could swap her room to one the size of those in the pictures! It seems pink is acceptable with black though, so that's something to think about. Maybe black curtains in some pattern? I really didn't want to repaint as there's just nowhere to move the furniture and we'd never get the cabin bed out of the room, it was built in there.

Pip'sMum that's so frustrating about the JSA, particularly as they seem to acknowledge that they just don't know where to place you.

prepareathome

Pips_Mum wrote: »

We have claimed the Tax Credits, first payment due on Wednesday. Jobcentre have confirmed OHs JSA now and as I say Im hopefully going to be entitled to MA. Feel very guilty taking benefits but really have no choice due to the circumstances thrown at us.

Don't you dare feel guilty I promise you if the rich and wealthy can find a way to claim anything they do, you have every right to the benefits, you need them.

You have enough to worry about with Pip and wee pip coming without worrying will you have food on the table, even if it is less.

Hugs xxxxx

SpikyHedgehog

kidcat wrote: »

Pah our housing association has a residents forum type thing, a friend of mine chairs it and he regularly fights for repairs. It may be worth enquiring if yours has something similar.

prepareathome wrote: »

Technically we have one, but its part of another areas. We don't really have one that I can go to as its on paper only - went along to a meeting a few years ago and was told sorry they cannot help me as they have enough problems for their own area and my area is mainly made up with young people in the flats and the sheltered accommodation. So the few houses left are elderly people who in their 90s and me. Everyone else has bought their house, so no-one left wants to be bothered with a tenants assoc and why HA are getting away with things round here.

When he told me he was from the north I said how I knew what they got done and he actually denied it. So told him what friend had, had done and so he asked her name and address which I gave, then he changed tack and said well yes some insides have been redone but all the outsides will be done in north and south at same time. So I said would he like to take me in his car to where friend lives so he can see all the new walls, gardens etc., suddenly that was the pilot scheme - every house!!!!!. Eventually he admitted the north did seem to get more done, but only because it needed it as they were not lucky enough to live in such a nice area. So as my area is nice I do not need a decent front door, I should just be happy with my lot as I live here.


I know I am lucky I do live on edge of to what is nicest part of city, but its beyond me why this gives HA the right to spend all their money on the north and not us, they didn't make this part of the city nice and didn't exist when I moved here. At least the council ignored everyone fairly, never once did I get the excuse you don't get as you live in a nice area.

:mad:Just had an email from someone in HA saying they have no record of me ever being promised a front door or me ever phoning about one or surveyors coming out. I have had people here when surveyors have come out so I have witnesses. Can only presume they are wiping all records so if I go down legal route only time I am officially supposed to have mentioned a front door is last Friday. I showed then surveryor today the form I had from the improvements team showing me the new front door, had my name and address on it, but he said so old it doesn't count.:mad: So basically I am a lair I can take being called most things but not a liar it literally makes me ill.

When I was 15 my so called best friend said she had given me some dance ticket money, she hadn't. She told others and soon it was round the school I had stolen the money, I was off school, with the 'flu' for 3 weeks. Another friend had gone on holiday and when she came back she said she had the money, 'best'friend had given it to her before she went. I ended up getting a public apology in hall one morning in front of whole school as everyone thought I was a thief. Since then whenever anyone tries to make out I am a liar I feel ill, cannot help it.

Am sitting here violently shaking and crying........my spacebar keeps sticking and I am not helping by thumping it.

Totally daft I know over a front door, but its the ease at which they will destroy your credibility to suit themselves that it getting to me. No records on their system means I could not go any further if I wanted to.:mad:

PAH, whether they'll honour it or not, the paper saying you should have a new door is proof that at 1 point they agreed you should have a new door, & it doesn't matter what changes of staff they've had since then (as that will be the next excuse).

I'd start to take this higher - I know you said most of the other residents near you are older people. Can Age Concern get involved? What about your councillor? If you give the HA a copy of your letter to the local paper telling them about it, I think they might find the money for your door. I'm on my phone right now, but I think it was the National Housing Federation I used for the info about the bedroom tax, & I don't know if they could help.

Pips_Mum

Thanks Prepare x x

Evie74_2

Good evening all and big (((hugs))) to everyone in need, especially Kidcat - I really hope your luck changes for the better soon

Also (((hugs))) for you PAH - if you need a new door then the HA should be providing one, and that should be the end of it. You pay your rent and as LL it surely goes with the territory that they have to provide you with a secure front door!

And (((hugs))) also for Pips Mum - what a nightmare! You'd think it would be simple enough to transfer someone from one sort of payment to another; apparently not! I have so much to learn about the benefits system!

Possession - I would definitely go for a neutral colour scheme and then add accessories; saves expensive decorating in the long run! I saw your comments about the Aldi - are you in the town where a Waitrose has been opened on the same day? If so, my DH works there (at least, he does until tomorrow when redundancy kicks in) - you're about 15 miles away from me I think!

Fuddle - I have tried in vain to cut down the showers, but my hair gets so greasy I have to wash it every day. I have been told many times that I am making it greasy by washing it so much, but the only days I can bear to leave it unwashed are those when I am at home and not likely to see anyone - I couldn't possibly go to work without washing my hair first! :eek:

It's been a busy day Chez Evie. The kitchen renovation continues: I now have a sink and some taps!! Woo hoo! Still no oven though - I was at the back of the queue when they were giving out the patience, I'm afraid!

Work was manic as ever; I spent most of the day driving about to appointments. Got stuck in 20mph traffic in torrential rain on the M6 for an unconscionably long time, but at least I got to listen to Womans Hour instead of being stuck in the office:rotfl:

On the healthy eating front, I've been pretty good today so far, and I think I deserve a pat on the back for ignoring the siren call of DH's chocolate orange last night.:T It had better pay off on the scales!

Evie xx

prepareathome

Thanks Spikey - that is so true, the letter is signed by someone who just used their initials CE - that would be the improvement officer as she was one who came round to ask us to choose our front and back door.

I wasn't thinking clearly.

They are saying the improvement team never said I could have a front door at all and that letter disproves it - it even has the drawings of front and door styles with our tickets under ones we chose and then my name, address and sig and improvement officer initials.

The surveyor today tried to walk off with it, kept it in his hand and started to walk towards the front door but I just casually took it out of his hands and put it in living room where dogs were.

I had asked about the tenants group and surprise surprise they have closed down the nearest one is in the north and so none cover my area even technically now.

Got to admit my mind is going into overdrive, if they are doing all this to cover up the fact they got the money from government for my new door and didn't supply it the whose others homes have had similar to me (no-one on doors round here but they have some houses in east and west, more than in my area ). Its not I think anyone took the money more that they have overspent on the north and any ones doors and maybe other things inside they never got round to they are trying to get out of doing as why after all this time suddenly deny I was to get a door. If they don't want me to have one they could just say sorry you are not getting one. Its them lying to me I hate and them saying I am lying, when some one there knows I am not.

Anyway tomorrow will contact MP and tell her the situation - she might be able to find out if others have had similar problems as her area is very large.