60 year old widow needs some advice to survive

oliveoil99

tanith wrote: »

I don't have anything useful to add apart from I have great sympathy for your situation as I also looked for work at age 58/9 and found it very demoralising and impossible.. what a sad state of affairs, could your daughter not help you in some small way?

She does help with food and this is her lap-top, she works and is saving to get married. I think sometimes she thinks it's her fault because she left home.

pmlindyloo

Water rates £52 per month? Seems very high?

Are you on a water meter?

Just trying to help here. If there's no way of increasing your income then we need to look at lowering your expenditure.

I also thought the cleaning idea was a really good one. An advert in your local free newspaper/local shop may bring some clients.

Do you have any particular interests/skills that you could make money from?

starrystarry

oliveoil99 wrote: »

She already does this is her lap-top and buys food for me but as a 60yr old woman would like to stand on my own 2 feet she works and is saving to get married. I just wanted to know if there was anything I was missing that might be entitled to obviously if not will just get on with it.

By the sounds of things there isn't anything else you're entitled to but the good folk on here will come up with loads of good advice re increasing your income if you give them a chance.

Angelsmomma's suggestion was a good one. Or could you take on a paper round?

HB58

It might be worth visiting the moneysaving and 'up your income' boards of this site for help and ideas.

Dunroamin

oliveoil99 wrote: »

She already does this is her lap-top and buys food for me but as a 60yr old woman would like to stand on my own 2 feet she works and is saving to get married. I just wanted to know if there was anything I was missing that might be entitled to obviously if not will just get on with it.

While I have every sympathy with your situation, claiming more benefits would be no more standing on your own two feet than taking money from your daughter.

I think that the domestic cleaning is the best idea unless you fancy doing something self employed, like Avon.

oliveoil99

angelsmomma wrote: »

Could you perhaps do a few hours private cleaning. I earn £10 an hour working just 2 hours for an elderly gentleman who is too ill to do it himself now. I just put a notice in the local tesco and co op. I could work every day if I wanted as I got lots of phone calls. I emphasised that I am a mature woman and that seemed to help.

I do feel for you as I am a widow myself but am fortunate to be able to turn down work as I have a house I rent out.

Have tried that and dog/walking the postcards grew cobwebs on them one even thought I wanted a dog walking mis-read the card. I live in a poor area so they do those job themselves.

Dunroamin

If you live in a poor area, I'm surprised your rent's so high.

Have you had a pension forecast to see how much you'll receive when it becomes payable?

seven-day-weekend

My husband and I have signed on as house and pet -sitters with an agency and have turned work away as there is so much being offered. It's one job where maturity is actually an asset!

One bonus of this job is that you live in other peoples' houses while you are working, therefore saving on your own gas and electricity and as well as the money for the sitting, we also get a subsistence allowance which covers some of our food bill.

Google house or pet sitting agencies, tehre is sure to be at least one in your area.

(In fact here's one looking for sitters in northern England : http://www.petandpropertysitters.co.uk/becoming-a-sitter/ )

PasturesNew

In some areas of the country language schools look for host families. Perhaps you could see what's in your area and if you meet the criteria. What it'd be best to do would be to move into the smallest bedroom, then host students in the largest one. Each school will vary regarding how often they need hosts and how long the visits are, but, if, say, you could get 2 students for 6 nights each month you could 'earn' about £150 (at a guess) just for giving them a bed, breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal.

starrystarry

Hang on, who said anything about disabilities? Are you assuming that because the OP is 60 she must be frail and incapable?

EDIT: this is aimed at challfour by the way (forgot to quote).