Don't think I'll ever be debt free

harrys_dad

Your car is costing you £350 a month from a take home pay of £540 a month, this is just not possible if you are to survive at all. Your partner would be much better off not working, or working closer to home, This is not " a bad example to your child" just a reflection of the fact that sometimes there are not proper jobs available close to home. in my view your partner needs to sort this out asap. What sort of job is it that has so few hours (not enough for WTC) and yet still has variable hours spread out all over the day and night, stopping you from working too. Is it agency work?

JemmaM91

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

My TV licence is only £24 a month at the mo as I've only recently started paying monthly and they need 6 months paid up front I think.

My partner has literally just rung me to let me know that his manager has finally agreed to permanently up his contract to 25 hours + overtime! So hopefully I'll be able to ring tax credits when it starts and receive more.

So that should mean approx 720 wages now. Im getting a little ahead of myself but its the best news in ages!

Yes I do go round grandparents house to save electric on occasions! Cheeky I know but I only do so on sundays as I don't want to burden too much.

Car insurance - I tried to add my partners dad but that went up £5 a month and my mum refuses to let me put her on incase I ruin her no claims.

Sky seem to renew my contract after every phone call. Every time I phone up to say my tvs not receiving a signal etc I'll get a letter about a week later saying I've agreed to renew. I think.

Do electric companies give out energy lightbulbs? I didnt know that. Every time I ring they say I need to buy A rated fridges Tv's ect as the ones I have use too much electric.

As with shopping I really try to budget and buy reduced, I'll go tescos specifically around 6.55 to catch the bargains but there is always one person who grabs everything to put in their trolley before deciding what they don't want. people around here are not fair on others .. Although I do manage to get a pack of reduced rolls for around 10p!

I really do appreciate everyones helpful advice

sketchingkari

Hi Jemma, I just wanted to say, hang in there, it will get better :T There are loads on here more knowledgeable than me, and you are getting some wonderful advice.

The only things I would add are to agree on the car thing, really, the car is taking up more than half your wages, is it really necessary, could he downgrade it? Swap it for a pushbike even?

We are fairly rural here, but there is no way I can afford to run a car right now, I do feel isolated sometimes and I don't get out and about that much, but the cost of running a car is just too expensive for me to contemplate right now.

It is really tough to get out to work when you have a little one and a family not willing to help out (been there done that lol) are there any things you can do from home? Avon was fun for me when mine were little, it got me out in the fresh air, meeting people and earning some extra pennies as well, or do you have any skills? Do you craft at all?

sistafromanothermista

Or try something like Betterware?
Have you anything you could sell on the bay of flea?
Any gold you could cash in?

Remember every little helps

You say you shop at Tesco, what about trying Aldi or Lidl to see if you can cut cost there?

Bobarella

Jemma, just a thought and I may have missed it in your other posts but you qualify for child benefit as your partner earns under 50K. Everyone still gets it as far as I understand and that is £82 a month. Do you get it?

Bobarella

determined_new_ms

jemma looks like you're getting lots of advice! I've been thinking. Why don't you go back to the 2 sets of grandparents and ask for some more help? I totally get that they feel you have had the child so it is down to you, but do they realise how much you are struggling and a couple of night babysitting could make the world of difference? Don't be proud, ask for their help x

Shelley71

Have you considered being a cleaner? You can work your hours around your hubby and you generally work on your own so if you felt a little bit lightheaded you could have a little sit down. I have the same sort of symptoms as you and they are caused by anxiety. Do you think this could be causing yours too? Seems like you have a lot on your plate.

I would second the suggestion that you can't afford a car. If there aren't any buses couldn't your other half get a pushbike and pedal to work? If you stand any chance of paying your debts off you need the extra income that is taken up with running a car.

matttye

Have you looked into getting black box car insurance? When I was 22 and a new driver I had never heard of it, but when I finally got around to looking into it it would have cut my car insurance bill by nearly half. I didn't bother with it as I nearly had a year's no claims by then anyway.

If you've never heard of it, it's where you put a box in your car which monitors your driving. The Coop offers one especially for young driving. Speeding, harsh braking/cornering, etc., will all make your insurance cost go up, whereas driving safely and responsibly will make it go down.

More info and get a quote here: http://www.co-operativeinsurance.co.uk/servlet/Satellite/1228203835143,CFSweb/Page/Insurance-Car

Also read the 'drive efficiently' tips here: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheaper-fuel

They actually help and cut down on petrol usage a lot IMO.

angelpye

Hi, I you worked a couple of days wouldn't that mean as a household you would qualify for tax credits and would then get 75% of childcare costs too? I know some don't believe in young children going but my little one loves having the others to play with - and a sane mummy as I couldn't be a longterm stay at home. I work 3 days and family have her one day so childcare for the other days and works well for us.

angelpye

Sorry just saw your post to say they are upping his hours soon, I hope its very soon! Really feel for you as I have been doing with a little one but if you think back to your childhood I am sure the most important things were free or quite cheap. I remember lots of arts and crafts, homemade play dough, windy picnics (picnics in shelters at our local beach) water fights in the garden, and picnic in the park. With mine I do very similar and always cuddle and read to them. Love comes cheap, in fact its free, expressing it just sometimes needs a bit of imagination!