Where Do U Draw The Line And Say, Right I'd Be Better On The Dole?

chunky79

I would check out entitledto.co.uk. Also are you a carpenter/joiner. If you make wooden fireplaces why not go to woodturning courses. I know around here you can do them free through our local network neighbour hood links.

Also i have been informed this week that there is such a shortage of plumbers and plasterer that they are doing courses cheap and if your on TC and WTC they are free. I am seriously considering being a plasterer. I trained to be a PA(slave) now a cleaner due to having 4 kids but i can work plastering round the kids and luckily i prefer grafting work to sitting on my butt work.

chunky79

Also i meant to say could you not make fireplaces and sell in your spare time? CAn you make anything else, a local guy sells rocking horses, ornamental wooden barrows, benches etc, he is self employed now as it has gone so well he puts them in front garden and advertises in shops, local paper etc. Also he make rabbit hutches and dog kennels and makes a killing yet he is still half the price of pet shops.

LFCGUY

Just to let you's know I think i've got it all sorted. I've just went through an appointment with CCCS she redone everything and worked out a budget, I pay £150 a month to creditors and there's even enough money left over for living no just survivng as I've been doing, It means i'm not working for nothing, there a bit left over :-)

If I stick to the budget there should be no problems, like pay xx amount to shopping xx amount to fuel etc.

I feel such a huge burden lifted of my shoulders its great. I'm not knocking payplan but CCCS do a more efficient job.

Lara44

Hey LFC Guy I think you still really need to be thinking about upping your income anyway.

The renegotiation with CCCS is a short term one but what about pensions and savings for the future etc?

In London I am looking for a carpenter to do some stuff at our work. Most people are charging £200 per DAY! Could you widen out your skills and do some other kinds of work in the same field?

Best of luck

Lara

LFCGUY

LaraHoust wrote: »

Hey LFC Guy I think you still really need to be thinking about upping your income anyway.

The renegotiation with CCCS is a short term one but what about pensions and savings for the future etc?

In London I am looking for a carpenter to do some stuff at our work. Most people are charging £200 per DAY! Could you widen out your skills and do some other kinds of work in the same field?

Best of luck

Lara

To be honest its a job I have absolutly no interest in, I messed up my final 2 years at school so couldn't do what I really wanted to do which was a something in the line of computers, I took any job I could find which was an apprentice joiner, it wasn't all bad as the pay was actually very good when I started out, then Mr Blair decided it was a good idea to let our friends from the EU which changed everything. When I finish at 4.30 thats it, I've no interest in doing anything else in the line of carpentry/joinery, I've stuck it out thus far as I haven't got alot of money to retrain. It may be different elsewhere but certainly around here anyway people take any job they can get and stick at it, they can't pick what career they want.

mrsspendalot

What did you fancy doing with computers? Have you thought of looking at an OU course? They do some good computing courses depending on what aspect it is you are interested in. On your income you would qualify for funding too and it would fit in around your current job allowing you to gain qualifications for something new whilst working and paying the bills. They do a good website course for example, and you can earn a fortune setting up websites with the right skills and knowledge.

LFCGUY

mrsspendalot wrote: »

What did you fancy doing with computers? Have you thought of looking at an OU course? They do some good computing courses depending on what aspect it is you are interested in. On your income you would qualify for funding too and it would fit in around your current job allowing you to gain qualifications for something new whilst working and paying the bills. They do a good website course for example, and you can earn a fortune setting up websites with the right skills and knowledge.

Yep i've already 1 year done, done courses M150 and T175 all towards a degree in computing and yes they paid for all:T

Its gettting motivated to continue, they don't start again until October anyway so pleanty of time to get into the mood again, Its only 60 points i've got, its 360 or so needed for a degree, its gonna take a hell of a long time to get there and I aint getting any younger, I wonder if any firm would be interested in a 30 year old trainee, makes me wonder sometimes if its worth it.

Shineyhappy

Where are you based?

You may find that it might be worth a drive to other areas to find private work.

My mum spent years trying to get hold of a carpenter! That is in Hertfordshire.

Also if you are generally handy, tiling, odd jobs then there should be lots of extra work available.

Good luck to you and I hope everything works out well

Kaz2904

It's not true about there being a certain amount of free places for nursery.
Every child is entitled to 5 2.5 hour sessions at a nursery or preschool from the term after they are three. This is regardless of income and is the law.
If your child is above this age and you have been told this then you need to take it up with your local education authority because you should not be paying.
It won't benefit the nursery for you to pay them rather than the government because they pay the same as you do.
If your child is under 3 then apply for the tax credit- the worst they can do is to say no.
Can your wife work evenings or weekends? Or could she become self employed- Avon lady etc?
HTH, Kaz.

full-time-mum

Kaz2904 wrote: »

It's not true about there being a certain amount of free places for nursery.
Every child is entitled to 5 2.5 hour sessions at a nursery or preschool from the term after they are three. This is regardless of income and is the law.
If your child is above this age and you have been told this then you need to take it up with your local education authority because you should not be paying.
It won't benefit the nursery for you to pay them rather than the government because they pay the same as you do.
If your child is under 3 then apply for the tax credit- the worst they can do is to say no.
Can your wife work evenings or weekends? Or could she become self employed- Avon lady etc?
HTH, Kaz.

I was going to post the bit about the nursery vouchers. If your child goes more than 5 x 2.5 hours then you will have to top up. From what I remember from DD2s pre-school place, it doesn't necessarily have to be 5 mornings or afternoons it could be 2 full days and 1 half but that may depend on individual nursery policy and availability.
If your child is at nursery for more than the 5 x 2.5 sessions then you might consider cutting hours down to that. At 3 or 4, 5 sessions is enough (even though it is tempting with the baby on its way). Freeing £100/month would make a big difference to your lifestyle.

Avon Lady etc might help when your wife is back on her feet after the baby is born, probably not the time to start now! Other possibilities are on-line surveys and mystery shopping but only for pocket money. Having said that though, pocket money is better than no money!