Well illness + SHTF = back on the (very strict) OS bus again

sammy_kaye18

Hello All

Well after a few years of living comfortably in a lifestyle where I managed to have a few luxuries - by luxuries I mean the off treat of a box of maltesers, the odd looksie in a charity shop without having to worry too much about the odd few quid I was spending in my purse - it looks like the purse strings are about to be tightened, super-glued and welded shut for a while

I have been suffering from labyrinthitis for the last 9 weeks....its one on the nastiest bugs I have ever experienced.... dizziness, nausea, sickness, major increased anxiety, tinnitis, ear pain, deafness, sore throat, lost 2 stone in weight through lack of appetite, agoraphobia, and an intolerance of strip lighting, computer screens and crowds which all sent me spinning in a minutes notice. I couldn't walk my son to school at the beginning of it and now I can actually wait in the yard to collect him and put my daughter in and our of nursery without feeling bad. Only downside is that any virus / cold that I contract - it can reoccur - what fun!

So since then my work basically said they had hired more staff and given them my shifts, this means I will be given new shifts as they gave them my contract so I will be put onto whatever they need covering which is impossible with a 9 year old, a 3 year old and a partner who works from 8 - 5.30 and works away occassionally. Therefore I either accept the new shifts I am given or can hand in my notice. just how you expect to be treated after 8 years old very rarely being off ill. I was bringing in £260 (after my loan was taken out)

I tried to claim employment allowance support or whatever its called - but they keep rewriting asking for more sick notes so I feel like Im flogging a dead horse if Im honest.

Tax Credits changed my working status to unemployed since Sugust when I got taken ill - so my tax credits went up from £202 to £375 which was a bit of good news.

We are in a battle with HSBC over reclaiming bank charges, and have just written to the financial ombudsman for the complaint for after getting the letter a few days ago from the bank sayign they wont pay despite us having good reasons and suitable 'financial hardship' grounds......fingers crossed on that one

We had to take out a 'loan' from a well known site ( W***a ) as I couldn't afford to buy food and the cupboards were empty and by empty I don't mean a load of I cant be bothered to cook that and there's no easy meals empty, I mean a bag of pasta, flour, golden syrup, tin of sweetcorn, smash and rice empty, and very little in the freezer to the point I can see most the bottom......this has never happened before. I took out £200 with the idea of paying £112 council tax and £80 shopping with a few pennies left........didn't turn out like that - I spent £48 on a dentist fee, £87 on shopping and had to give Owen £50 for his car petrol for the week and the last £15 - Ben needed £6 for a school trip, Holly needs £1 snack money for the week in school so I have literally about £5 left.

I have asked for a council tax/housing benefit form, hoping to get that filled in and sent back ASAP

My partner Owen like I said works and brings in £260 a week after tax etc.

So between us we get (with benefits at present) £1545

Our outgoings of
Rent 370.00
Water 66.39
Council Tax 112.00
TV 20.40
NTL 90.00
Gas 49.00
Electric 40.00
Loan (Wo**a) 234.00
Loan 2 40.00
Dentist 16.68
Bank 10.00 (28th each month)
Holly Nursery 4.00
Ben - Cubs 8.00
Owen Petrol 160.00
Owen Loan 70.00
Food 200.00
Josh Maintenance 100.00

---

£1590.47

so we are over.....and thanks to Owen's bank taking charges when they shouldn't have , it meant our car didn't get taxed last year, subsequently got clamped, fined and had to pay nearly £400 so I had to take out a loan with a credit union to the tune of £850 to get our car un-clamped, mended and taxed which I'm paying off at £40 a month from my wages - which I probably wont have much longer. Also because the tax wasn't paid he has been given a court order which he is pleading guilty too obviously so he will end up with a fine/charges of some sort for that :(:(

I have no savings. I am trying my best to take up Avon but I am in a relatively poor area with lots of working class families but it is bringing me in about £20-£30 a time but it is better than my shop work job as I don't have crowds, strip lighting or computer screens to trigger dizzy spells and can do it at my leisure to a degree

I asked my dad his opinion (my dad is a round, hard working , ex RAF man) and he said if my tax credits have increased by £170 - I would literally be £90 short of my wages that I could use. So he said if I can save 22.50 a week - then that would cover the £90 a month

Besides Avon I am crafting with items to hopefully sell at a craft fayre coming up in November, I cook from scratch. I will list kitchen items soon but bare in mind I literally did my shopping yesterday so have to make this stretch until the 22nd

Also in the £200 food spend - this includes 2 dogs (JRT and a mongrel of the same size - they eat what they are given), 2 terrapins, and I am currently looking after my neighbours 3 ferrets as she has had a few personal issues and cant care for them but will be having them back when she is fit. She has provided food/bedding etc so these do not need any of that expense. Oh and 3 gold fish.

I have been through old DVDs and plan to put them onto a various site to see if I can cash them in as they are no longer needed, I also have books that I'm sure I've seen a site to sell them on which I might try.

I am hopefully picking up a sewing machine on free-cycle on Saturday (the owner took it apart as it was dodgy and catching, and then reassembled it wrong) so I'm hoping to try and fix it so I can make a few crafts and Christmas presents for family.

I am looking for tips, advice and will keep this up to date with what Im going to be doing over the next few weeks to try and get us back on track.

*** On a side note I had a message from Swalec that we are £136 in credit with our Gas bill, but Im thinking rather than claim it back that it will be worth keeping myself in credit for the upcoming winter months ***

Hope your all well and any input most gratefully appreciated.

Sammy

x x x x x

craigywv

hang inn there! your in the right place. I was in similar postion when I joined here and found the strength and support on this site . go to preparedness shtf thread lovely folks on there and if theres help to be got its there. chin up my pretty we all here to help xxx you seem to know your money ins and outs so prioritise it can you not get rid of ntl 90 quid for a few months phone them and explain your circumstances they might be able to stall paying it or something. maybe go shopping at reducing time get more for yourmoney. maybe get your partner to buy his petrol intescos and get money on clubcard. hth xxx

Hard_Up_Hester

Nice too see you Sammy, and good luck
Hugs Hester

jamanda

Hi Sammy

Sorry you are having such a rough time. You've done a lot for other people on this site, and I'm sure everyone will rally round to help as best they can.

Chin up

Jane

tessie_bear

hi...i remember your posts when you moved to your house and you so kindly took in the dog tied up at work...what goes around comes around so hopefully you will get that kindness back asap:j

i would say you have got to get back to basics...meal plan research some cheapish recipes mince/pasta/buy a sack of spuds and do jackets with topping...cut back as far as you can...there are threads on here food for £7 a week which might give ideas

re work are your employers allowed to treat you thus i thought peeps had a right to flexible working when they had kids? isnt there a board on here that deals with employment rights ? could u post on there ? or go and see cab or both

id say head up high and best foot forward...i have read your blog and u sound as if you have come so far this is but a blip that you are so capable and equiped to deal with

all the best tessa

sammy_kaye18

craigywv wrote: »

you seem to know your money ins and outs so prioritise it can you not get rid of ntl 90 quid for a few months phone them and explain your circumstances they might be able to stall paying it or something. maybe go shopping at reducing time get more for yourmoney. maybe get your partner to buy his petrol intescos and get money on clubcard. hth xxx

Hi Craigy - nice to meet you. I shop the reduced section as best I can if I have time with the kids distracted etc. Partner does buy in Tesco as much as he can or in Texaco which he has a card for that he can redeem for vouchers later on in the year at Xmas. NTL have me tied into a contract which finishes the middle of next year so I'm hoping next year it will be able to be changed. This covers our TV, telephone and internet though so £90 is the highest its ever been with phonecalls. It usually comes in around £65 - £70 but I figure if I plan for the worst then anything less is a bonus

Hard_Up_Hester wrote: »

Nice too see you Sammy, and good luck
Hugs Hester

Thanks hester much appreciated. Hows your blog? I have a new one on wordpress now :-)

jamanda wrote: »

Hi Sammy

Sorry you are having such a rough time. You've done a lot for other people on this site, and I'm sure everyone will rally round to help as best they can.

Chin up

Jane

Hope so Jamanda, love these boards but not frequented them in a while but glad to be back and I have a wedding to plan and save for now too so need to really get saving .

sammy_kaye18

tessie_bear wrote: »

hi...i remember your posts when you moved to your house and you so kindly took in the dog tied up at work...what goes around comes around so hopefully you will get that kindness back asap:j

i would say you have got to get back to basics...meal plan research some cheapish recipes mince/pasta/buy a sack of spuds and do jackets with topping...cut back as far as you can...there are threads on here food for £7 a week which might give ideas

re work are your employers allowed to treat you thus i thought peeps had a right to flexible working when they had kids? isnt there a board on here that deals with employment rights ? could u post on there ? or go and see cab or both

id say head up high and best foot forward...i have read your blog and u sound as if you have come so far this is but a blip that you are so capable and equiped to deal with

all the best tessa

Thanks Tessa.

My work are a bit of a pain in the backside if Im honest. They are the most unsympathetic group of people I have ever met, the phrase kick a man when hes down comes to mind. I got stuck on the evening shifts but when I started I was a young mum trying to provide for my son and partner as Ow had just lost his sight, but since then we get lots of abuse - both verbal and physical from customers and the manager doesnt seem too bothered because he gets the comfy day shifts......its really not too great a place to work but I was grateful of the mid year bonus (which is dwindling from £120 down to just £50 a year) and the discounts/free out of date at the end of the night stuff which we as staff are no longer allowed to set aside or buy.

I will check out the post though and have a look. Thankfully my kids are very veg loving and cheap easy meals they eat with no problem. :T

Jammygal

Hi Sammy...long time no see xxx

You'll be back on track soon ...have you got an ebayable stuff or old stuff the kids have outgrown or stopped playing with??

Rummer

((((Hugs Sammy)))) It is awful when life throws us a curve ball. We had a personal disaster a few years ago and life was tough for a while however as others have said here is the best place to find help and sensible advice.

Boodle

Hi Sammy :0 Am sorry to read you are overwhelmed at the moment. Some recent threads might be of help: the 7.00 thread and other low weekly budgets with menu plans for example. I hope you find some peace in getting through this tough time. x

PS If you have a word with the school, they might be able to let your son attend the trip without your donation towards the trip costs. They are usually understanding and flexible for things like this.

Butterfly_Brain

Sorry to hear that you are in such a fix sammykaye. I would definitely advise you to go to the CAB about the job situation. I asked my DH who knows quite a bit about employment law and he says that the company is required to give you 90 days notice of change of contract in writing, they could have taken someone on a temporary contract, but to give someone your job is illegal. This can be classed as a step towards constructive dismissal as they are now offering hours that they know are not acceptable.
CAB can also refer you to a food bank if you have nothing in the cupboards.

Most schools have a discretionary fund to help families in hardship with school trips, ask your son's teacher or the school secretary or the school bursar if they have one.

I don't want to be too nosey but how much longer have you got your loans for?