Mooloo's "Making my future, one stitch at a time"?

Eager_Elephant

I would like to 3rd the recommendation of Turmeric.


I have joined the Turmeric User Group and also Turmeric User Group UK.


My husband ruptured a disc in his back and was in a lot of pain - he has been taking turmeric and seeing an osteopath and after 4 weeks he was pretty much fixed - the osteopath said they don't usually see any improvement until 6 - 8 weeks. I credit this to the turmeric.


I make up a milkshake for him using the Golden Paste (Turmeric + Oil + Black Pepper - see facebook group for instructions) mixed with a little honey or sugar and then some milk. DH really likes it and of course it really helps with his aches and pains.

Savvy_sewing

Today is concentrate on the accounts day.
I am terrible at keeping them up to date and when I needed to fill in a form for the council last night I realised I hadn't updated them since July! Oops.
Luckily for me i can take the laptop to work and get on with it this afternoon when staff arrive as the work load is fairly steady and on target at the moment.
That will teach me to keep putting them off!
Yesterday morning was spent ironing and clearing away my summer clothes and making space for the winter ones. Still have a mountain of clothes to deal with as the washed clothes are also stuff that was destined for the shop at one stage.
I have till Thursday night to get it sorted as Friday Twin1 is coming for DGD's birthday and bringing the baby as well. So I need to make the room up for them.
No piece for the wicked then!

Haves good day everyone x

Savvy_sewing

Account updated. Council form filled in and delivered.
Third thermal cooking bag made, ready for collection.
Front Garden transformation due to start Thursday. deposit paid.
Bank accounts juggled, direct debits cancelled where I could which excludes one DS had set up in my account for his Talk Talk! Words already had.
Hip still not good. Heat lotion actually feels more like a cooling one, but liberally spread.
DGD birthday this Sunday, she will be 8! Where has the time gone?

Savvy_sewing

I'm an emotional wreck!
Council wanted my account for the last 12 months which I produced and now I have had a letter telling me that they have cancelled my benefit claims as my circumstances have changed.
If I don't continue to get the benefit, or part of it then it would be a matter of time before I either loose my business or my home, as I can't manage to get enough to pay me that wage yet.
I'm in pieces and in panic mode.
I have immediately emailed them to ask why?
meanwhile I am trying to see how I can keep going with no help.
I'm already in able to give DGD a party this year, or much of a present.
The food bill was going to be £100 this month with a store cupboard challenge when school wanted £20 today for her basketball that they only told us about on Tuesday and confirmed she was in yesterday so that has already come out of the food pot.

Ok so I will get my big girl knickers on and work on the solution but for now I am stressed, emotional and a wreck trying so hard to find a way of survival year in and year out.

Savvy_sewing

I have a headache today which is not surprising really.
Work has slowed today. So my girl isn't coming in tomorrow as only enough work for me. Scary when I have to try and find ends to meet!

I spent the morning revisiting my budget after I had updated the shop accounts. If I am careful then perhaps I can survive for a little while longer than I first thought, if I am careful with the food and cut all help to the family. ( which I should have been doing anyway.).
Donations to charity will have to stop and probably the post code lottery. That would save me £43.50 a month.
so it's back in time three or more years to living on the smallest budget I can until I get back on track.
Ok, somehow I will do it.

Brighton_belle

Mooloo wrote: »

Donations to charity will have to stop and probably the post code lottery. That would save me £43.50 a month.

Absolutely! Don't feel bad about this. You have plenty of years ahead of you to give again when you have more money, but that is £522 (and £650 you taxed income you need to earn) a year you need to survive and eat and keep warm.


Sorry I've nothing helpful to add re the benefits situation - I have no idea what to suggest.

catkins

I have no real idea about benefits and, obviously, don't know what benefits you were getting but surely you must be entitled to something?


If you are self employed and not making much profit are you not entitled to working tax credit? I also would have thought you would be entitled to something for council tax credit.


Have you tried putting your details into a benefits checker?

Eager_Elephant

Mooloo, you can always PM me with details if you want some help.


I am guessing that what has happened is that the yearly accounts have shown a large profit and they will then divide this amount over the year and input to your claim along with Tax Credits that you get.
Previously you have commented that the council took all your profit into account even though that money was needed just in case a bill cropped up.


Unfortunately when you are self-employed all profit is deemed to be yours which you can access at any time (which you can) - maybe you need to take advice about whether you should be a Ltd company although for HB purposes this would make it even more complicated.


Can you go back and look at your accounts and make sure they are correct? I'm thinking things like wages to staff and rent and utilities - do you pay rent and utilities monthly or quarterly? (The problem with quarterly is that if the next bill falls after you have done your accounts for the year then this would show as excess profit for that year/quarter (as you have not yet paid that bill) although the next year/quarter would be less)


As I said feel free to PM me if you need any help.


Have you had the notification letters yet (about 100 pages of figures which make no sense to anyone)?
This should explain in more detail what figures they are using for you.
Under income/wages this should be your yearly accounts profit divided by 52 - is this what it works out to?

Savvy_sewing

No I haven't received their calculations but the profit and loss acc shows £1,792 for the year which divided up gives me £34.40 a week if it was that easy. as the day after the rent went out along with the building insurance so I didn't even get that money.

I will have to change a lot of things to make sure to cut my expenses for the future as the business is not really viable at this rate.
I should have been paying attention to the costs better and been more on top of the figures during the year.
I think I might have to let staff go, and do more myself again.
My brother has suggested that I change my opening times so that I sew uninterrupted during the morning and open to the public during the afternoon to take jobs in but I am worried that the shop side of things would suffer. However some things have got to change. I need some sound business advice.
I do get tax credits and that is what we are living on. I was getting some council housing benefits, around 50% which is what has stopped and the difference is about £90 a week which is a lot more than the £34 so called income the p&l would potentially give me.

whiteguineapig

i think you need more advice
my thought is that the shop should be open as many hours as possible
i also think that chopping and changing opening hours is a bad idea, people won't remember if you'r open or not