Tight budget and debt free aim

Spatton

"Can your OH's business not make a regular payment in respect of the phone bill? He's presumably claiming it against tax - and if it is at least in part a business expense, then it should be treated as such? "


Agree with EH on this one - seems odd not to claim business expenses as such as they would be claimed against tax, and also ultimately have the net effect of legitimately reducing liability?


Another vote for the haggle with BT camp too - have also done this successfully. In certain parts of the country you can also get grants towards improving broadband speed - something for your partner's business maybe? (although it is long and irritating process as you would expect for 'free' money). Ultimately you would be able to increase service and reduce the bill - fingers crossed.

takman

theboakster wrote: »

My other half has Electro Hyper Sensitivity, which means he can't use mobiles :sad:

Can't your partner use a mobile phone with a hands free kit to make the calls?


Also i've just looked online and all sources say that Electro Hyper Sensitivity has no scientific basis and is a mental health issue. Is that the condition that you mean?

zenshi

theboakster wrote: »

Oh that's interesting! I did do a good look round and ring round but that was a while back now (over a year I think) so I could try that again.

Who was the other provider, if you don't mind me asking?

Yes, it's Sky I went with using MSE code.

Ring round first so you have some clout to throw at BT when you haggle

fatbelly

theboakster wrote: »

If I got rid of the car, I'd save £51 per month and probably about £15 petrol, so £66...

I suspect you'd save more than that.

I do income/expenditure statements at work and if someone has a car they spend £100- £200 per month on it generally.

You need to add

• road tax
• insurance
• fuel
• maintenance (I allow £200 per year).
• Breakdown service (if you use one)

In addition there is

• depreciation (about a third of the value per year)
• loss of interest on capital (OK that's not much but it could be cash to throw at something that does charge interest)

The days are warming and lengthening - now might be the time to start cycling!

EssexHebridean

takman wrote: »

Can't your partner use a mobile phone with a hands free kit to make the calls?


Also i've just looked online and all sources say that Electro Hyper Sensitivity has no scientific basis and is a mental health issue. Is that the condition that you mean?

We generally treat mental health issues with the same respect that a physical impairment would command, on here. I trust you wouldn't use that tone to someone who was speaking about someone suffering from depression, for example?


OP definitely as others have said do your homework on the BT thing before ringing - it's a very rare telecomms provider that you can't haggle down!

As far as "asking him for more money" goes - you're not - you're requesting that the business pays its way, which is rather different. Quite apart from anything else, he has an entirely false view of his income/expenditure if the business is being subsidised by a regular household budget!

takman

EssexHebridean wrote: »

We generally treat mental health issues with the same respect that a physical impairment would command, on here. I trust you wouldn't use that tone to someone who was speaking about someone suffering from depression, for example?

Well actually what i read online from multiple sources is that "It has no scientific basis and is all in their head". So by acknowledging that it is a mental health issue i am actually treating it with respect. The comment about it having "no scientific basis" was referring to the fact that the people who suffer from it think that its a physical condition. So this leads them to beleive there is no physical treatment when actually that is not what they need.


So i'm interested in the OP's response to whether or not this is what their partner has.

nkkingston

If he doesn't use mobiles, presumably he's doing most of his calls from a landline. Get a cheap handset with a built in answerphone and cancel the 1571 - my parents have just done so post price hike, and frankly it works so much better for them. They're stuck with BT as well, because BT seem to have a monopoly over the fiber lines in rural areas (which have knocked out all the old copper ones, so you can't even chose to go slow with someone else).

EssexHebridean

There are large chunks of the Scottish Islands etc who also have the same "BT monopoly" issue too I believe, although I think it is starting to get better.

indesisiv

EssexHebridean wrote: »

There are large chunks of the Scottish Islands etc who also have the same "BT monopoly" issue too I believe, although I think it is starting to get better.

haha that's not a monopoly ... I can't even get BT.


As for the budgeting, I presume that you are in an electric only house with no gas? And are using electric for heating?

If not then Electric £115 is massively high.

EssexHebridean

indesisiv wrote: »

haha that's not a monopoly ... I can't even get BT.


As for the budgeting, I presume that you are in an electric only house with no gas? And are using electric for heating?

If not then Electric £115 is massively high.

To be honest it's high even if that is the case - we're on storage heaters and we pay under £40 a month on electric & gas (gas for cooking only). OP may need to check the settings are correct on the Economy Seven as if the heaters are charging on the day rate this may be why. Also check your utility company have your readings the right way round if you're getting abnormally high bills on an E7 meter.