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Bit of a pickle
Comments
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It seems your housing benefit department are a bit useless. Apart from hours of waiting in my local council building, mine have been pretty good (should be my last lot of papers in tomorrow as my landlord has done me a lovely letter).
I would agree that the JSA agreement is a bit silly, but are you really in a position to argue over the wording? Mine is a basic form (again, same for everyone) just asking if I've been on the directgov website, what alternative websites I've used to look for work and any newspapers I've looked in. I then list jobs I've applied for, when I applied and how (online, phone, etc).
I've just filled it in and signed it because I can't afford to go without.
I've been okay though, and have got a Christmas temp job in Boots starting tomorrow for 24 hours a week (until January) so no JSA now and massively reduced HB, but gives me a chance to rebuild my working reputation so I can't complain.
And I'm on new antidepressants, so hopefully I'll find it easier to cope with any bad news that may come along.
My main advice is that you're entitled to JSA and there's plenty out there who sign the agreement with no intention of ever getting a job (and you're definitely not one of them!), so just sign the stupid thing and get the help you deserve
I have autism, so apologies if I come across as rude. It may just be my communication problems.0 -
Unfortunatly if you want to get the JSA payment you have to jump through the hoops,its as simple as that.Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings.I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.0 -
You can try and fight the establishment, but you have got very little chance of winning.
It's hard enough to get and keep the benefits, you're entitled too, when you do all the myriads of box ticking, bureaucratic nonsense that they have devised.
It did make me smile though. It's good you've got a fighting spirit, I hope you get that job you are looking for soon x.
Well done PupPup, that's great news!!Weight 12 st 2lb - Now 11 stone 1 lb (-15 lb)
Saving £0 Now £1,000.00-J Cricket fund £200.00
£70.00/£350.00 grocery challenge in October
Custardy's 9000 reps by the new year 3000/9000
£10.00 a day extra earnings - £127.00/£310.00
“What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.” Lao Tse0 -
OK
Third attemp at getting this update done, I keep accidentally pressing a wrong button and losing it.
Firstly apologies for the delay, i've been having yet more mares.
First mare : Got dumped by the boyfriend - i think (he could have died or been taken by aliens I supposed) he;s done typical bloke thing and disappearing when times get tough. I went through the tears, then rage, ,then finally acceptance - that he is a total !!!! and deserves the above to have actually happened. still thats life...
Mare 2. Sold the car, not a mare per se, but a wrench nonetheless... Totally straight forward, i sold it back to the dealership where I bought it. They gave me an OK price for it (I could have got better if I'd sold it privately but it took a phonecall and they came round to inspect it and take it away the next day, so really easy for me being a twitty woman with no negotiation skills or knowledge of cars beyond colour and CD players. OK so far I shall continue in a new post.....It is important to always remember in these situations that, as unfortunate the series of events that brought me to this point were, the fact is I was irresponsible with money, I earned plenty and I spent plenty more. I chose to borrow the money I now have to face the consequences :eek:0 -
Shall we move on to Sharesales.
Having tried to sell through my exisitng brokers, they told me I'd need a new dealing account, so I completed the application but 5 days later I got a letter requiring me to submit ID documentation. Now as anher exsisting customer they already have it all, so that pee'd me right off them. I thought I'd try the bank that must not be named (for sacking me and freezing my bloody accounts). So I went to each of their three branches near me, and each branch told me to try the other. Deciding not to get lost in a eternal triangle of enquiries. And as it was on the way to waitrose, i went to Barclays. Now the lurker i asked there didn't know, but he asked me to take a seat and get a drink and he'd see what he could find out.... BLIMEY a helpful person. he came back in a couple of minutes and said you can sell them through our online dealing brokers, or i can call them for you now? I said yes please do and we had an account and a sale within 10 minutes! BLOODY BRILLIANT WORK BARCLAYS!!!
I walked out very very impressed I can tell you. It says alot that someone simply being helpful and tries to offer answers is so rare that it surprises and delights you. Thats rather sad really and more of I will speak soon
So, this means i've raised the best part of 10 grand this week so happy days.... Now alas we must go on the rest of the mares...
TBCIt is important to always remember in these situations that, as unfortunate the series of events that brought me to this point were, the fact is I was irresponsible with money, I earned plenty and I spent plenty more. I chose to borrow the money I now have to face the consequences :eek:0 -
Well done for taking steps to address the issues and persevering!
At the risk of sounding judgemental, your ex bf does sound like a right !!!!!! (sorry to be so blunt) if he made a runner simply because the going got tough!
Good luck with the job hunting and debt busting!
IDGambling is the son of avarice and the father of despair
Luck sometimes visits a fool, but it never sits down with him0 -
I should have posted this as the good, the bad and the ugly.
Just to recap, have realised assets of around 10 grand, which means i can survive for another few months (no comments please Daffodil)
All i need is a bank account to pay these into...
As mentioned before my ex bank has closed me out so I need a new account somewhere. I saw the co op mentioned on here so I went with them. I was pleased at the speed of the opening process and getting the cards and paperwork etc through, so I'd found a couple of dividend cheques (around £40) so i thought I'd pay those in. As Coop don't have any branches near me, I had to use the post office. I paid these in on 11th Oct. I got the cheque for the car on Friday (19th) and as I was going into the City for lunch, I took it to the actual Coop branch there and paid it in over the counter.
That evening I logged into the account and saw the car cheque going in but not the other £40, strange i thought, so I gave them a call. After the third attempt at phoning I eventually found a way to speak to a person, you have to wait for three minutes of options and recorded information before they finally relent and let you speak to a customer service adviser.
We had a lengthy conversation in which she told me that I should wait for 10 days before chasing it up with them. I pointed out that their website told me it might take "up to three days" according to the website so queried who was correct. She then suggested I go back to the post office and ask if they had taken it, or go back to the issuers and get their bank details ready if we needed to investigate further. I was somewhat disappointed by this idiot response so I asked to speak to the supervisor. Surprisingly she wasn't available but would guarantee to call back before 4:30 the following day.
Unsurprisingly she didn't call back, but suprisingly when I checked the account online again, the money had magically been credited to the account on that day - Sat 20th. Odd that ... still never mind.
I also saw the credit of the car cheque dated the 19th so that looked fine.
Tonight I logged in again to work out the clearing dates on that amount. to my dismay, i saw that not only had this credit been reversed out (noted as "amendment") but that the account now showed my as being overdrawn by the car money less the 40 of cheques. !!!!!!?? basic maths tells me that if you have a credit of 7000 which is then reversed by a transaction of 7000 the lowest the balance could possibly be would be £40??? where does the overdraft come from.... and possibly more pressing, why is the cheque being reversed in the first place?
So another call to Coop, this time I asked for the supervisor first, after some obfuscation he eventually found one and we spent a delightful hour where I tried to find out what any of it meant. She told me at various times that it was a mistake, that the cheque had bounced, that it was just how the system worked, and then took offence when I suggested she tried working out the maths herself and to use a calculator if it would help. I accidentally said they'd !!!!ed up transactions (which is an internal banking term and should never be used with the public) to be told she'd terminate the call if I continued to use abusive language. Thats OK I did point out that it wasn't abusive merely a description of action and would screwed up be Ok instead? yes screwed is fine apparently, despite it means the same as !!!!ed.... I don't get that.
Anyhow, sixty minutes later she still in computer says no mode and accusing me of being insulting to her, as she was unable to say "I don't know"
Now few things !!!! me off more than people in these sorts of jobs, where they are supposed to be providing an informaation service if they make stuff up, rather than say they don't know.. for example when I asked her when the funds would be cleared she said saturday, and when pressed as this was not a clearing day, she said well it would be close of business on friday, so that would mean saturday, I asked when close of business is and she said well working hours are 9-5 so it should be fine after about 6. I said are you 100% definite on that she said, if you want to be sure wait until saturday.......... jez,, why don't you just say you don't know (then bloody well find out...
Anyway, they are calling me back (definitely surely) within 24. Im on the edge of my seat I really amIt is important to always remember in these situations that, as unfortunate the series of events that brought me to this point were, the fact is I was irresponsible with money, I earned plenty and I spent plenty more. I chose to borrow the money I now have to face the consequences :eek:0 -
All in all a mixed few weeks,
A few steps forward and a few steps back.
I don't know why but it seems that abosultely everythiuong is such a total nightmare to do the simplest things.
I'm hoping that the cheques will stay in my account ok, and will be available for spending at close of business on friday (that would be 4:30 for those who are wondering.).
Then I can pay my bills, my rent, get some food.... and dammit I might even get my nails done just for the hell of it..
On that bombshell I shall bid you goodnight
FxIt is important to always remember in these situations that, as unfortunate the series of events that brought me to this point were, the fact is I was irresponsible with money, I earned plenty and I spent plenty more. I chose to borrow the money I now have to face the consequences :eek:0 -
Indebted.Dunce wrote: »Well done for taking steps to address the issues and persevering!
At the risk of sounding judgemental, your ex bf does sound like a right !!!!!! (sorry to be so blunt) if he made a runner simply because the going got tough!
Good luck with the job hunting and debt busting!
ID
HA HA HA
he is a bit of a !!!!!! its true.... but show me a man who isn't? He's also well loaded, I think he was worried i was going to try tapping him for a loan or something, though to be honest, I was only using him for sex
It is important to always remember in these situations that, as unfortunate the series of events that brought me to this point were, the fact is I was irresponsible with money, I earned plenty and I spent plenty more. I chose to borrow the money I now have to face the consequences :eek:0 -
I think he was worried i was going to try tapping him for a loan or something
You don't sound like someone who would do that and in any case if you did tap him, I could be wrong but I think, he could have handled it with something like "I will help out in whatever way I can but I am sorry I can't lend you money cause I think mixing money and relationship will only make things messy and it will be a downhill slope"I was only using him for sex
LOL! I guess my point about him being a !!!!!! stands in more ways than one!
Gambling is the son of avarice and the father of despair
Luck sometimes visits a fool, but it never sits down with him0
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