income less than outgoings

FBaby

Do you have debts then? Or high rental?

barnaby-bear

FBaby wrote: »

Do you have debts then? Or high rental?

First post said no debts. The whole no bank account thing is a bit odd, if that is the case - no car finance???

Since not entitled to LHA, the LHA level for the area must be reasonably reasonable which suggests exceptionally high rent could be a factor.... I don't think anyone can really help though without an SoA.

Dunroamin

hardworker85 wrote: »

I have cut everything out of my outgoings I dont even have a bank account anymore. The only things I pay are - Rent, Gas and electric, council tax, TV licence, water and a PAYG phone, petrol, car insurance and food. There is nothing left to shave off my outgoings anymore. They are all fixed and paid in cash. I am beginning to think that working for a living is a fools game.

So you don't pay for childcare then?

somethingcorporate

Anyone else suspicious this could be a wind-up?

HappyMJ

hardworker85 wrote: »

I have cut everything out of my outgoings I dont even have a bank account anymore. The only things I pay are - Rent, Gas and electric, council tax, TV licence, water and a PAYG phone, petrol, car insurance and food. There is nothing left to shave off my outgoings anymore. They are all fixed and paid in cash. I am beginning to think that working for a living is a fools game.

How much do you spend on your groceries? That's the biggest expense most people have and can easily be cut

If you are on minimum wage then you are earning at least £247.60 a week plus whatever you get in child maintenance, child care vouchers, child benefit, working tax credit, child tax credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit. Surely there is something left over.

barnaby-bear

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Anyone else suspicious this could be a wind-up?

Probably best to hold offer suggesting anything before a full SoA appears... could be groceries, car, rent, childcare but impossible to *guess*

A lot of wind-up posters recently but give the lass the benefit of the doubt she might post an SoA.... we shall see!

MrsTinks

Don't forget that child care could easily cost more than MW... I only have the one child and she costs £166 per week at a child minder who is far from the most expensive round here... some do a small discount for siblings but if you have 2 then it will quickly run to over MW...

However without an SOA it's really impossible to advise...

pmlindyloo

Assuming this isn't a wind up.

First of all you need to check that you are receiving everything you are entitled to on the benefit calculator here:

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

You will need to find out what your local housing allowance is by looking it up on your local council website. This is the maximum amount you could recieve and is calculated on your family 'make up'.

The benefit system is far from perfect and some people are just over the allowed limits as regards income.

If you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to then you have 2 choices

reduce your outgoings or
improve your income.

It has already been suggested that you post on the debtfree wannabe board as the folks there are wonderful at cutting outgoings. You may think that you have fixed amounts that cannot be changed but there are always ways to cut expenditure. It may seem unfair to have to cut back but many people have found it quite satisfying and wonder at the amounts of money that they have wasted.

Give it a go.

HappyMJ

MrsTine wrote: »

Don't forget that child care could easily cost more than MW... I only have the one child and she costs £166 per week at a child minder who is far from the most expensive round here... some do a small discount for siblings but if you have 2 then it will quickly run to over MW...

However without an SOA it's really impossible to advise...

The child care element of working tax credits should refund 70% of the cost of child care back to a single person working on minimum wage.

barnaby-bear

pmlindyloo wrote: »

You may think that you have fixed amounts that cannot be changed but there are always ways to cut expenditure.

And worth mentioning in general that avoiding bank accounts and paying cash - makes utility bills higher and long term limits your access to "good" credit if needed. Plus makes short term budget savings (e.g. for yearly expenses MoT, insurance) etc harder. And cash under the mattress can be robbed!