make do and mend for tougher times

prepareathome

unixgirluk wrote: »

Well, I have some news............ I've been offered a job! :j


Its contract, not permanent but I am so happy. I think think I deafened the poor agency guy when I screamed . They need to go through background/credit checks and I need to take all my paperwork to the agency tomorrow to prove who I am.


The amount of pay is similar to what I got before the only thing I don't get is a pension and medical but I may look into doing that myself.

This means I can breathe again, its a very smart place so I need to get another suit and tops I can get out of the charity shop. I do have suits I wore a few years ago but they are too small. The job is a 20 minute walk from the train station which hopefully means I'll get fit and lose (a lot of) weight, my previous job I drove door to door.

Wonderful, so drinks will be on you next mines a tonic water, normal not slimline and just lemon no ice

Well sun might not be out in the sky but its sure shining in a lot of homes tonight, that is so great, about time good things happened for people on here as you are all so wonderful.:beer::j

prepareathome

Smileyt don't let those @%$"& get you down, you know they have to pay you and they know it but they are just trying to see how long they can keep the money in their account as looks better, they can show how good they are at not spending.

Katieowl Great news about granddoggie ( I have 3 apart from my own 3) nice to see they realised what was in the best interest of the dog instead of sticking to their daft rules.

Forgotten whose hubby it was that passed his degree but congrats to him.

Pips_Mum

I think I have some more good news to add, OH has just had a job offer!:j Its subject to references and a couple of little terms need smoothing but its looking pretty positive! :j

Well done to stiltwalker, unixgirluk and thriftylass :beer:
Yay! to katieowl :T

Smileyt you have my sympathys re benefits. We are waiting to hear about council tax benefit, chased it today and was told its taking 6 weeks. By which time OH will (fingers crossed all stays good) will be working and I will be (hopefully again!) on Mat pay so we wont be entitled to it anymore anyway!!

ginny - Approved foods cakemix was absolutely fine, I had a kg bag of muffin mix that didnt stick around long!

Pop - Thankyou for kind words :-)

fuddle

Blimmin' eck pah you know how to get the bigwigs out! Or rather, I think we have to [STRIKE]blame[/STRIKE] thank GQ for that nice visit.

Nice one, although I don't know if I could have done it, I'd have been to take away. I think they've been honest with you pah, I think you have a decent CEO there. I cannot see how anyone in our council would do what they have done today.

Are you happier now? I think you should frame the flowery mug

fuddle

Pips_Mum wrote: »

I think I have some more good news to add, OH has just had a job offer!:j Its subject to references and a couple of little terms need smoothing but its looking pretty positive! :j

:j:j the day just keeps on getting better Congratulations Mr Pips Mum. :T

prepareathome

Pips_Mum wrote: »

I think I have some more good news to add, OH has just had a job offer!:j Its subject to references and a couple of little terms need smoothing but its looking pretty positive! :j
:-)

Wow, this day really has been a great one........another job in the offing.......:j:beer:

Still another 5hrs to go so hoping something else good will happen -anyone done the eurolottery I forgot about it, only do it every so often if something brings it to my attention, but good luck to those here who bought tickets

prepareathome

fuddle wrote: »

Blimmin' eck pah you know how to get the bigwigs out! Or rather, I think we have to [STRIKE]blame[/STRIKE] thank GQ for that nice visit.

Nice one, although I don't know if I could have done it, I'd have been to take away. I think they've been honest with you pah, I think you have a decent CEO there. I cannot see how anyone in our council would do what they have done today.

Are you happier now? I think you should frame the flowery mug

Well fuddle they did admit I had been lied to and wrongly made to feel I was lying and that the decisions over the doors was made last August.

I had no option but to deal with them-hubby was just dropping me off as he had to be into work for 12.45pm as just on an afternoon run today.

So will wait and see if kitchen sink unit is repaired or replaced, back gate replaced and new lock on front door. I am not holding my breath.

I want to get front door painted now but rain forecast into next week:mad:

I will continue with the Data stuff though.

One thing I had forgotten was surveyor took a photo of me with CEO as he was leaving, with all the goodbyes I didn't really take much notice. So I will find out what they plan to do with it as I will not be a happy bunny if mine and CEOs photo turns up somewhere saying how great they are as I still feel I was cheated so I do not want to be seen as if I am backing him.

Must look into it if CEO stays for ever or a term as HA is a reg Charity

Oh well something to tell the grandkids lol

Popperwell

shelley_crow wrote: »

Very well done Stiltwalker, you've worked hard and are reaping the rewards!

PAH: Another one here with HA troubles, you have my sympathies! We have many of the same problems as you. Mould is painted over and they say the problem is solved....until it comes back. We have rickety hard wood doors that we were told were being replaced but then they ran out of money and that was forgotton. Our tatty kitchen is circa early 70s, my parents bought the same one when they moved in together, HA swear blind that it was replaced in early 2000s but obviously that isn't the case. Bits are falling off left right and centre, so they come out and glue them back on. The latest one today is that our boiler is on the brink, no hot water without switching central heating on as well, we were told it isn't a priority to be fixed. We can barely afford to heat the house when it is cold, let alone in July! Dunno when that will get done, I must admit I flipped and sent the complaints department a rather stinging email. The HA were given a large amount of money to bring the stock up to a decent standard but we haven't seen any of it, they spend a lot of money on flowers for various places.

I can honestly say that the only people who say they want council houses are the same people who have never been in one. I would dearly love to move but alas the financial situation isn't good at the moment. If it was my house, I have a couple of friends who could look at the heating for beer money and would save up to replace the doors/kitchen myself. As it stands, I can't make any alterations, even if it would be beneficial to us and them.

Firstly I like my house which in recent years has been called social housing and the location it is in but...

It was orginally for businessmen moving to the area when the town was being built approx 60 years ago and was one of the first with a phone. We were well looked after by our council but the Labour government found a way to dissolve the councils around here and the housing stock was transferred to a housing association.

I like as little to do with them as possible and they don't have a good reputation even though they have a lot of flashy publicity magazines and flyers showing lots of happy smiling faces.

And now I have worries about paying my rent, CT, bedroom tax when the changes come and my finances will change a lot when when I come into Mum's estate or even if I did not, I am really, really scared.

At present I am having difficulty spending what I am entitled to(that's sounds a great position to be in but that's only because I have DLA on top of HA, IS and am not paying CT. But they know exactly what is in my bank account and what I have coming in...

I can probably spend what I have if I go absolutely mad and don't save anything, I could save but if I do, I threaten what I am entitled to and then would be in trouble for claiming more than I should.

Then again, if I say I don't need a certain amount and bank it and deliberately reduce my income I am reducing my lifestyle so I become hard up.

Spare cash can be handy for those emergencies that always crop up.

If I had to go for an assessment and the brown envelope could drop on the mat anytime...I could be struggling immediately if they withdrew my DLA. I don't know if that means I would then still get HA,CT Help and IS.

I know as soon as I come into Mum's savings I will be paying initially full rent, nearly full CT, no IS so I will only have the DLA. But of course they keep saying that DLA is not taken into account when they work out what you are entitled to.

After those programmes last night I'm not hopeful I will(I know a few on here think they'll lose it)but if that stopped I'd have no income.

Then what would I qualify for?

When DLA changes to the benefit that replaces it, that is reduced by 20% and again I may not fit the criteria. But if I did still get it, is that all I would be receiving? It would not even cover the rent.

Then, again I may have to go onto ESA(which has a restriction of a year before it stops or be put into the ESA Support Group)or I don't know, if they'll put me on JSA but all these are less and I will really be struggling so the future will be difficult.

Then we also know that IS is being scrapped too.

Does anyone know what's going on?

Anyone ever had similar problems? Hope I have explained things clearly enough. I think even the CAB would struggle to help me with this. Probably because they are as much in the dark as anyone else.

I have sat with a big sheet of paper and a calculator and think I can spend it but it's because I am adding longer taxi rides and trips out to the theatre and if I could add a holiday here and there. Run up a large energy bill... How many gadgets can you buy for the house?

Possession

I'm losing track of all the good news now!
Fantastic Unixgirl and Pip's mum!
PAH great news for you too.
We've worked so hard today clearing both children's rooms (and even DS has got rid of half his stuff, to my amazement) and loads of other stuff that we are treating ourselves to a Chinese takeaway.
DH has 2 more interviews so fingers crossed there will be some more good job news soon....

fuddle

W can't help but be cynics can we? Lets just hope the pic was taken so CEO can remember the flowery cup

Can any one feel the coolness tonight? No, not talking about putting the heating on or anything but I am sat here fully jarmied, socked and dressing gowned.

We're to have rain for a good 10 days from tonight, off and on I guess.