Living on $12,000 a year

ceridwen

two_sheds wrote: »

I agree..."unless you were renting a single room". My total income is less than £8,500. £4,500 of that goes on rent. You can't live on that, you exist ...
I have:

• no car (can't afford bus either)
• no wash machine
• no TV (watch at mums)
• no central heating
• no fridge (can't afford the leccy, use mum's down the road)
• no computer (use public library)

I have lovely friends and family though, so am quite lucky really

Hi
Welcome to M.S.E.. That income is very low - on this Old Style Forum I am sure you will find lots of hints on things like everyday living type stuff (like savings on food).

Can I suggest you might like to also visit other Forums on this website - specifically the Benefits and Tax Credits Forum - where I am sure you will find lots of helpful people (not that we arent helpful of course - but this is not our "speciality" so to say on this Forum). Whats coming to my mind is that you might be eligible for Working Tax Credit (as in thats basically available to people working 30 hours plus per week) and/or Council Tax rebate available for those on low income. So thats my suggestion - to pop over to that Forum and detail how much income you have/what you pay in rent and council tax/how many hours per week you work etc and then sit back and wait for all the helpful advice to roll in.

Best Wishes

ceridwen

ceridwen

Hi rhonda jean

Message for when you pop back in and visit us again - soon we hope - I am sure many of us would be interested to hear from you if you feel like posting some comparative living costs for Australia (as compared to Britain) eg how much you would expect to pay for bought food/fuel bills/etc. You can look up the sort of prices we have to pay in Britain for food by visiting, for instance, the websites of the 2 main middle of the road supermarkets we use - ie Tesco (at www.tesco.co.uk) and Sainsburys (at www.sainsburys.co.uk). It would be interesting to see how they compare with Australian ones. A typical fuel bill to us - well I can quote mine - at £60 per month for both gas and electric as a single person (full-time job) to give you an idea.

We'll understand if you're too busy - but be very interested to know if you do have any spare time for this.

....and welcome again to MSE.

(PS The welcome mat is out for any other bloggers who realise you're getting a lot of "hits" on your blog from our direction - we'll put on the kettle:D )

rhonda_jean

ceridwen, yes, I'll be back as time allows. I'm in the middle of kitchen renovations at the moment, but there are a few things here I want to read so it looks like I'll find the time. Thanks for the welcome. It's a very friendly board.

ceridwen

Two_Sheds

Had a thought. As I said the type of help we can offer on this Forum basically relates to food and household goods. Have been off looking up the Indexed Collections you will see mentioned on the top banner. There are 3 food ones you might be interested in (and perhaps someone coming after me knows how to do a proper link for them please?):

At the top banner - 2nd line down you will see http:forums.moneysavingexpert
...etc ... etc

Just change the page number at the end to

p=364086#post 364086

(for the thread on "cheapest meal")

or

p=68212#post68212

(for the thread "got £1 and hungry")

or

p=87164#post87164

(for the thread "feed six for £1.62)

Some other members of the forum work total miracles on feeding oneself on incredibly low money - that is the sort of help we are the specialists in.

ceridwen

Latest article on sweatshop thread clothes:

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article3209876.ece
:beer:

ceridwen

www.cottagesmallholder.com/

British!

rosieben

Thanks Ceri, looks like another for my favourites!!

Hardup_Hester

Oh, bl**dy h*ll Ceridwen another blog! Thats it I'm cancelling Christmas dinner so I can read all the blogs, lol.

ceridwen

Hardup_Hester wrote: »

Oh, bl**dy h*ll Ceridwen another blog! Thats it I'm cancelling Christmas dinner so I can read all the blogs, lol.

Thats alright Hester - happy to oblige - just parcel up the Christmas pud and send in my direction :rotfl: :rotfl:

Of course I could be REALLY wicked and start putting in directions for all sorts of blogs - including ones in your "specialist" subject! - but I do want to live to see the New Year in - lol

Hardup_Hester

Lol Ceridwen, there can't be many blogs that include both my specialist subjects.
Hester