when you reach breaking point

annie123

ginnyknit wrote: »

I remember renting Tv's they were quite cheap weren't they, Im sure we had one you put coins in the back of it - however I may be hallucinating due to the early hour :rotfl: I loved it when you got money back from the gas meter all in coins, my Mum worked miracles with that money:D and the cupboard always smelled vaguely of gas.

Not hallucinating GK, and apparently you can still get them.

http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/british-television/100806-coin-slot-televisions-i-e-meter-pay-you-go.html

50p for 4 hours tv apparently.

CRANKY40

I remember my gran getting money back out of the gas meter. So exciting seeing all that money piled up but there were a hundred places for every penny to go. It probably wasn't that much either - it just looked like a mountain of money to a small girl.

mama67

What is it with JSA etc.

DH was made redundant on 31 Aug, all in hands of Official receiver so payout is hopefully in approx 12 weeks, he made his claim for JSA on mon 3 Sept, and to date we have had nothing, tax credits ( we get under £10 p/w) don't even want to do anything until we know what he has been awarded.
We did have a bit of notice that it was on the cards so had been putting some money by, just as well as have had to pay all this months bills from that, but if we hadn't who knows.

DH has applied for a few jobs and hasn't even had an acknowledgement despite 2 of them being given to him at his first signing on.

mardatha

It's great that you had some notice and put some money by mama - imagine all those people who didn't - the payday loan people will be raking it in. I bet half the bloody govt are directors!

the_frugal_frog

I thought I had reached breaking point, but 5 days ago I did! I had no choice but to take a payday loan, I feel physically sick.

I dont know what to do for the best, let my account go ooverdrawn, face bank charges or have a loan to tide me til my first payday, but pay interest, we all know the rates!

My second payment of jsa was eaten up by paying bills, I had to pay a chunk of my arrears as the council were quite intimidating, usually I am quite strong, but this has all become too much. I feel I am drowning. Of course I have done a food shop, but a very very basic one.

There is no other help from the jsa, if I had been long term unemployed there would be financial help, it doesnt make sense really.

I used to watch the wonga adverts and dismiss them as ridiculous, but now I find myself with a loan, I feel stupid, the electric went off(prepay meter)/my jsa was late and I got so worked up about my small stash of frozen food spoiling, what a ridiculous thing to get so worked up about!!!

I just have had enough. Its hard enough to keep the gas and electric going when in a job but when paying pre pay on jsa its so worrying. I am desperatly trying to keep my head above water but , crikey, its horrible.

ginnyknit

Frugal frog, theres no use beating yourself up about it, you did what was your best option under the circumstances, bank charges have a habit of multipying and then you get to the point where they eat up all your income. At least the loan will be paid off and you can budget for it to some extent. We all have to do things like that in a crisis.

Found more pennies under OH's bed and there are rather a lot so I have quite a little stash of cash for crisis time, however will need a wheel barrow to go and change it all :rotfl: He is really worried today and being a royal pain in the *rse as we are off to hospital for pre-op today and next week has a little op. The problem is everytime the do an op his bits and bobs stop working and he is very ill. However the specialist is releasing him to my care immeadiately 'as I can deal with things better at home' At last the guy has listened to me and understands that the food in there causes serious issues (he actually admitted it) and we are only 10 minutes away by ambulance if anything goes wrong.

Hugs to all in crisis, seems to be a lot of our friends on MSE are having a very tough time and my heart goes out to them all xxx

bupster

If you can, frugalfrog, in future I'd risk the overdraft and charges rather than the loans. I know it seems like the devil takes you either way, but with an overdraft you know roughly what you're paying - if you end up having to extend your Wonga loan, the APR is over 4,000%.

But don't beat yourself up about it, I agree - I've done similar when in a hole; sometimes you just feel like you've run out of options. Hugs (())

D&DD

FrugalFrog I'm so sorry to read how much you're struggling atm I started life on here on the debtfree boards and those people dug me out from a pit of despair when I didn't know which way to turn,do post up an S.O.A either there or here and people can better advise XX

Blimey I haven't really had time to read this thread much but can see how things are really hitting home and affecting ALL walks of life just from the last few pages
I'm sorry to see just how many are struggling but can't really add any advice that hasn't already been given.

My only addition would be to please post if you need help/to talk as there's usually someone around on the site and I have seen it so many times on DFW someone on their knees when they first started now helping others as they were once helped..pay it forward

Good luck all XXX

Popperwell

Agree with all you say Frugal Frog,
It is horrible and not what I want to say but I don't see it improving for many of us...some of the help that is there now is being withdrawn and they say being on benefit is better so that work pays?

Only a few are ok on benefits and the examples the media/politicians give that make people hate those who are helped by the State and seem to be well off are rare but cause the uninformed of the population to have a go. They want to try it! They'd soon find out.

But equally many who work are struggling too. As often in reality wages are set too low and so you work for the same or less money so you are often no better off. If you have family often you still need to be helped by them.

They are even withdrawing crises loans next year...If allowed my only hope to get out of my financial mess is if things stay as they are I will be approx £80 a week worse off(increases in rent, CT, introduction of BT)my benefit is scrapped, changed to another type(If I qualify)it's 20% less I will have to try and bring a lodger in but that will be a new thing to learn about and get used to eveb if it is possible.

But don't beat yourself up, it is a case of dealing with where you are now and getting things sorted. We're all struggling and trying to deal with similar problems.

ginnyknit wrote: »

Found more pennies under OH's bed and there are rather a lot so I have quite a little stash of cash for crisis time, however will need a wheel barrow to go and change it all :rotfl: He is really worried today and being a royal pain in the *rse as we are off to hospital for pre-op today and next week has a little op. The problem is everytime the do an op his bits and bobs stop working and he is very ill. However the specialist is releasing him to my care immeadiately 'as I can deal with things better at home' At last the guy has listened to me and understands that the food in there causes serious issues (he actually admitted it) and we are only 10 minutes away by ambulance if anything goes wrong.

Hugs to all in crisis, seems to be a lot of our friends on MSE are having a very tough time and my heart goes out to them all xxx

Wishing you well Ginny...and your OH.

I don't think I'll ever have spare cash again but found approx £80's worth some weeks ago(it was needed)and I could not be bothered to count it up and bag it for a bank and used one of those cash counting machines at the sm and did myself out of approx £7...some kind of commission/fee...never again.

I found some M&S gift vouchers must have been given to Mum at some time and not used so one day they may pay for some food when times are tough. I won't use it for clothes in M&S as I have a few newish coats/jackets suspect they will last me for the time I have remaining. I use CS otherwise and if I end up in a home most of what I have will be thrown out given away.

You have virtually nothing when in a care home. Hope I die before I face that prospect. Oh that sounds so negative but I hated where Mum ended up even though it was only for approx 4 weeks...that was enough.

the_frugal_frog

oooh I wrote a long reply and then pushed the back button grrrr!

Thanks for the replies, D&dd , I have only been on jsa a few weeks, until I was made redundant I was ok, never had anything much left but rent was paid, anything that needed replacing I could usually save and buy secondhand on ebay after a month or so, Its just that becoming jobless, and the wait for jsa has cuased a riple effect, bills need paying, bank charges, rent threats.

I live simply, I dont drive,smoke, or have an overdraft or credit cards, I shop mainly in chairty shops and I shop for yellow sticker food, I meal plan and am as frugal as possible. I dont have sky or a contract phone.

I just about managed on my wage.

I have been walking to the nearest town, and shopping for yellow sticker food once or twice a week, but the walk home in this weather is grim, an hour in the rain loaded up with tins is grim, the bus is £4, I cant justify it when 4pounds could get me quite a bit of reduced bread and other bits. I am greatful I have 2 legs in order to wlak, I keep reminding myself of things like this when I am feeling low.

I did manage to make a massive shepherds pie and bulked it out with beans. I bought 1, yes 1, burger from the deli, reduced to 20p, I broke it up and used carrots onions and good ol baked beans to bulk it out, mixed in with gravy, topped with mash. It tasted quite good, made it stretch to 4 dinners, with loads of reduced veg on the sides.

I see people outside the jobcentre waiting to sign and they are smoking cigarettes, I am literally counting pennies to survive and buy food, where the hell am I going wrong???

I could cancel my contents insurance but I would rather eat less and know it is paid up.

I have a stock of beans eggs and bread and teabags, one chunk of cheese, and some toilet roll. I have other bits but nothing of much interest, but have found some jelly crystals which will make a nice change.

I have a £10 marks and spencer voucher, but OMG the food is so much more expensive than morrisons, I havent used it yet as its going to hurt when I check out !! I do see reduced bits, but theres never been anything reduced enough to make it look tempting, if nothing else, I can buy milk and beans, and they are 41p a tin!

I have had no gas for 4 weeks, not essential, but £10 doesnt even last a week on pre pay meters, so I am making do with boiling the kettle for washing and the like.

out of 142 jsa, £40 of that would go to the pre pay elec and gas, and thats with the gas running out, I just have electric now.


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