HELP! Have cut back all I can but am still over-spending!

aliasojo

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

I might do the lottery this weekend for the first time in years. If I win I swear I'll come back on and treat you all. I'll pay off all your debts and we can all celebrate together with masses of wine!

* sits down with camping chair, sleeping bag and flask to be first in the queue*

:rotfl:

Hope things work out for you S&S, or don't become too unmanageable at the very least. :beer:

satchmo1

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

Well my husband had his meeting at work and they have proposed putting the drivers on a 4 day week working 6am till 4pm with no overtime. Right now, we couldn't manage if it wasn't for the overtime. In the new proposal he'd be on £19k pa.

It's a change of contract (they've changed the hours and cut a day out) so we are looking into what his legal position is but it seems they are doing their best to drive them out so they don't have to pay redundancy. I don't know what will happen if dh refuses the new T&Cs.

Hi S&S

Don't the new hours contravene the regulations on driving hours?
As far as redundancy, surely if he doesn't accept the new T&Cs and they sack him, that's constructive dismissal which he could sue for and get a bigger payout than any redundancy package? Don't know that for sure, so check it out. It would be worth keeping a detailed record of how and how they sack staff, for circumstantial evidence. Get him to do it now, and as it occurs from now on, and date it, so that it can be lodged as contemporaneous notes.

Hugs, Satchmo x

Takeaway_Addict

satchmo1 wrote: »

Hi S&S

Don't the new hours contravene the regulations on driving hours?
As far as redundancy, surely if he doesn't accept the new T&Cs and they sack him, that's constructive dismissal which he could sue for and get a bigger payout than any redundancy package? Don't know that for sure, so check it out. It would be worth keeping a detailed record of how and how they sack staff, for circumstantial evidence. Get him to do it now, and as it occurs from now on, and date it, so that it can be lodged as contemporaneous notes.

Hugs, Satchmo x

1) OP- Get proper advice on this, either a union or a solicitor or ACAS (but be careful as they are not as good as they use to be and some info is duff)

sleepless_saver

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

1) OP- Get proper advice on this, either a union or a solicitor or ACAS (but be careful as they are not as good as they use to be and some info is duff)

De-lurking to second that good advice.

https://www.gov.uk/your-employment-contract-how-it-can-be-changed/dealing-with-problems

ScrimpingandSaving

He doesn't drive continually, he delivers large plant hire machinery so he might spend 4 hours driving and then he is obliged to take a break.

The new T&Cs mean that he'll have to set off at around 5am to start at 6am, work his basic hours and then come home. They are doing this because most people want these machines first thing in the morning, then the rest of the day is spent collecting them from various sites when they've finished. They are trying to cut back so if they put drivers on a 4 day week, they can make sure all the days are covered and the busiest hours are also covered so they don't have to pay overtime. They are also cutting their holidays.

Legally it's a minefield. His contract is for 30 hours which he'll still be doing. He's not entitled to overtime but it was always a large part of the job. They are just changing the hours and taking a day away but still providing him with the 30 hours on his contract. They know what they are doing and I don't think he has enough to challenge them. If he refuses then they can let him go, I'm not even sure he will be entitled to redundancy.

These are just proposals for now but it looks likely they will be rolled out - not just in his depot but across the board.

I don't think he's in a union (private sector) but I used to study law and if my rusty knowledge serves me correct, he actually doesn't have grounds for unfair dismissal as they are still fulfilling the main part of the contract which is to provide 30 hours of work. The changes to the T&Cs won't be considered unreasonable changes and the company will give bloody good reasons for those changes along with trial periods for employees and plenty of consultation. They have clearly done this before and know what they can get away with.

The other workers (plus management) were sacked for what would be considered good reasons. Sometimes if no-one is there to sign the sheet or you forget to get it signed, they will sign it themselves. Everyone did it, no-one batted an eyelid but it's very convenient for when the company want to get rid without paying redundancy as, if you do it too often, it's a sackable offence. Luckily h has never done this.

Another manager was found to have estimated expenses and not included receipts and so on, so they collated all their evidence against him and made it look like he was falsely claiming expenses. Again if you didn't have the receipt it never used to matter much but again it's so easy for them to use this as an excuse to get rid.

It's all above board and perfectly legal. We are not entitled to legal aid, there is no way we could take the risk of claiming unfair dismissal only to have it thrown out. They will have a legal team all ready and prepared.

We can only hope that Lady Luck smiles down on us soon. Meanwhile guess what? With just 6 days until he gets paid, we still have a little money in the bank and might just make it through without dipping into our savings! So we've managed this month!

And if he is put on basic pay then we might be entitled to working family's tax credit? If we are that means free prescriptions and maybe even enough money to cover the shortfall - or some of it at least. With my new-found budgeting skills we might be ok.

I'm making some lovely clothes out of curtains, the pot of broth is on the stove and we've plenty of wooden furniture to burn. I've also just cleaned the deep fat fryer and all that used vegetable oil is looking mightily like petrol to me.....what's the worst that could happen?

maman

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

We can only hope that Lady Luck smiles down on us soon. Meanwhile guess what? With just 6 days until he gets paid, we still have a little money in the bank and might just make it through without dipping into our savings! So we've managed this month!

I'm making some lovely clothes out of curtains, the pot of broth is on the stove and we've plenty of wooden furniture to burn. I've also just cleaned the deep fat fryer and all that used vegetable oil is looking mightily like petrol to me.....what's the worst that could happen?

:Ton your budgeting skills!

Nikky2003

Hello S&S, now subscribed to your diary:j well done on your journey so far and wishing you loads of luck, Nikky xx

ScrimpingandSaving

Well, he gets paid today and guess what? We haven't touched our savings! For the first month in a very long time we've managed with what we've got until he got paid. :rotfl:

I'm really pleased as it just goes to show that our efforts are fully paying off!

Just to recap the changes we've made:

• Running the washing machine on quick wash for every wash - they come out just as clean
• Stopping school dinners once a week and making packed lunches all the time
• Wasting absolutely NOTHING. Left over pastry bits are filled with sultanas, cinnamon and honey, rolled like a swiss roll and baked as a sweet treat for packed lunches and left over stew/curries are put into pasty and turned into pies.
• Main bulk shopping at Aldi and buying what I can't get from there from Asda
• Shopping early in the morning to take advantage of cut price offers before they all go
• Planning meals around the reduced price meat Asda has
• Freezing what veg we can and taking all fresh veg out of packaging so that it lasts longer
• Bulking up things like minced beef with veg and beans so that it can make 2 meals
• Making curries in bulk and freezing so I have one day every fortnight I don't have to cook - I just shove them in the oven
• Ditching the car and walking more
• Using free AVG anti-virus instead of paying for it
• Turning radiators off in rooms we're not using and turning thermostat down
• Doing much more baking and coming up with creative packed lunch ideas so that I'm not spending money on sandwich fillings
• Changing our daily newspaper to the 20p i news
• Making my own cleaning products
• Questioning everything we spend and asking if we can buy it cheaper elsewhere or if we really do need it

All of these are little changes but all those little changes add up to a big saving.

I won't pretend it's easy and some of it is not enjoyable, like questioning everything you spend and being cold but then using our savings to pay the bills wasn't enjoyable either.

I've not quite gone so far as to make clothes out of curtains or burning the furniture, we still have a reasonable standard of living it's just that it's now a standard that is within our means and hopefully we have become more frugal, less wasteful and more appreciative as a result which are traits I hope we can pass onto our kids as they are going to need them let's face it!

We are still worried about hubby's job. They are trying to make them work 10 hour days with no overtime pay, 4 days a week so a 40 hr week but only on basic pay with his day off on a rota so that these days are always covered. Right now the drivers have got a petition together to appeal against it and negotiations are still ongoing but the company doesn't recognise any Unions. Needless to say he is looking for other work as am I, but there's precious little out there.

Still, we're not suffering just yet so that's one worry we'll have to deal with if and when it happens.

You lot are the bees knees, you really are! I've learnt so much and it's been one hell of a ride - I can't thank you enough! And I mean it, if ever my numbers come up I will seek you all out and pay off your debts. :grouphug:

Here's to the weekend (nearly). We'll be driving to Orkney on Monday come snow, hail or sleet so think of us! :beer:

Mara_uk7

:beer: Yeahhh to the Holidays ! The adventure begins Monday !

Kantankrus_Mare

Well done S & S, I think you have done brilliantly!!

The hardest part now is keeping it up but Im sure it will soon just become habit. :j