Spend Nowt, Buy Nowt, Owe Nowt

HairyHandofDartmoor

I thought child benefit wasn't means tested or am I very out of date? Good luck with the job applications.

apple_muncher

Good luck with the frogs. I tend to write a list, and then other bigger frogs jump up the queue to be splatted, leaving my original list looking dismally attacked!

enthusiasticsaver

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

I thought child benefit wasn't means tested or am I very out of date? Good luck with the job applications.

One of the daft policies brought in by the conservative government a few years back to take it off people earning £50k or more. Populist policy which is totally unfair in that single income households earning more than £50k either have to give it back or not claim it but dual income households where both earn less than £50k keep it. Some people overpay their pension under salary sacrifice to keep it and if a SAHM gives it up because their DP earns more than £50k they don't get the NI credits towards their SP. that will be a problem in years to come and the amount the government saves is probably minimal if any because of the cost of administering it.

Your food bill is very high XS for just three of you. I seem to recall you are GF? Did you know Lidl's do a quite extensive GF and LF range now.

badmemory

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

if a SAHM gives it up because their DP earns more than £50k they don't get the NI credits towards their SP. that will be a problem in years to come and the amount the government saves is probably minimal if any because of the cost of administering it.

Totally unfair as you say, but just to clarify in case someone reads this and cancels their claim. There are people who claim the payment & the spouse repays, which gives the SAH a small amount in their own right. Anyone who is a SAH (notice I miss off the M or D) can claim the child benefit but not take the money which still gives them the credits.


Sorry to butt in with this but I know a lot of people read these threads & it may help someone to avoid a misunderstanding. I was under the impression that gov was supposed to be simplifying things but everything they do these days just seems to make everything more complicated!

XSpender

I should still be entitled to about £400 pa so will not cancel my claim but hold it in a separate account ready to repay once my self assessment is done each year. What I get to keep depends on the company car I have as it is the BIK for this and some other benefits that push me over the threshold.

If you earn over £60k pa you aren’t entitled to any CB and may want to consider not claiming it or keep it for the NI contributions knowing full well that it has to be repaid in full each year.

It’s a crazy system. I have to work out what I owe then ring them and they will check it against the information they already hold. Why they can’t just say Mrs XS you owe X£ so cough up I don’t know. It can’t be collected through PAYE either.

ES - yes our food bill is too high. I do include all food, alcohol, lunches, takeaway (not that we have many of these), cleaning, laundry, toiletries, household bits and dog food in my total. I really struggle to consistently spend less. I can tell you all the things I should be doing to spend less I just don’t always do them. I didn’t realise Lidl had a permanent GF range now, thanks for the tip.

brizzlegirl

Hi :hello: just catching up on all the ups and downs on the last few weeks. So so sorry that the job is coming to an end and that you’re at risk. Rubbish. Very stressful and so glad that you’re a ‘doer’ (can tell this from your diary ) and you are immediately getting focussed on solutions. You’ve got this

We are also in absolute financial shut down mode although did take 3 days off (your half term was the week before ours) to get away to a no signal no wifi place in deepest Wales. It was amazing and the weather held off for a few walks and for us to eat a packed lunch we had brought from home. OH is obsessed by YNAB. Not sure that it’s entirely healthy but it’s wonderful to share the load. We are also preparing to sell our car and get ourselves straight for my tax bill and training course fees which both need to be paid in full by end December. We are still trying to follow the BF Investor but basically it’s all about keeping the heating off (when on last night as we had guests) spending very little on everything and make sure every pound has a job. We do need to keep on spending less than 60% of our income. It is good advice just hard coming up to Christmas to know how it will all work out.

Very best of luck with it all. You will definitely be in a new role by Spring I am sure. If you want any help rejigging your CV then DM me, whilst not a recruitment expert I have been working in more sectors and senior roles than you can shake a stick at and always happy to be another pair of eyes on how it might be perceived/can be strengthened.

XSpender

I have been neglecting my diary as I feel very much in limbo at the moment.

I have 2 potential internal job opportunities which should be resolved by mid December. The first I had an interview scheduled for but has been postponed. I am a good fit for this job but believe there may only be 10 months left on this contract and it is doubtful whether it will be renewed again. The second is subject to my company winning the contract.

Because of these 2 potential jobs I haven't applied for any more roles externally. This might be a bit daft but my head is not in the right place and I need to work out what type of job I want to apply for as the ones I applied for before I do not think are the right fit, I have been out of that field for a bit too long.

Redundancy pay, PILON, bonus and salary will cover us for 4-5 months.

Thank you for the offer brizzlegirl of having a look at my CV. I will take you up on the offer in the new year if nothing happens with the 2 internal roles. I am also considering a professional re write although the one I had done 12 months ago was not very good. I should have complained really. I am glad to hear your DH is taking an active role in managing your finances, mine likes to keep his head in the sand

Money wise we are doing well this month. Food spends are down and most of the Christmas gifts are purchased. I only need a couple of stocking fillers for DS, 2 token £5 presents and something for my parents (not costing much) who are with us from 23rd to 26th. DH and I are doing a silly challenge of fill a stocking for a tenner with no item more than £1. B&M and pound land here I come! I may do my parents a stocking too on a similar theme.

I have bought DH a couple of small gifts and he will spend the same on me (shopping Christmas Eve as usual;)). I ordered DH a dressing gown from M&S with the 20% discount but a pair of ladies jarmas turned up so they will have to go back!

I have also started buying a few food bits for Christmas which comes out of the Christmas pot. This includes 5!!!! GF panetonne :eek: 2 are the size of a large muffin though. I will be sick of it by the new year.

DH also bought a 2nd hand bike for his big birthday (February) with cash which we have covered too.

Apart from the planned CC expense of part of the joinery/decorating we have spent on the CC to buy 3 tickets to see a band next year. This is our joint family Christmas present and will be DS 1st stadium concert, aged 10. No Little Mix or tweeny bands for DS, he is off to see the K1ll3rs :rotfl: He absolutely loves his music so we are expecting one thrilled boy on Christmas morning.

DH receives the remainder of his bonus this month and this is earmarked for finishing all Christmas gift and food spends and the repairs to our bedroom ceiling. We are not sleeping in that room at the moment as the draft is horrific. Anything left over will be added to the EF.

Debt busting wise, I am planning to BT to 0% on DH card the interest bearing spending and then lock my CC (the only one we ever use for spending) away. I am determined not to use a CC for anything in 2020.

I have downloaded some templates for colouring in when we make payments to focus on the debt pay down next year. We are due to remortgage in November 2020 and I would like to have halved our debt by then and increased our EF to £3k. This is all subject to having a job of course.:cool:

Suffolk_lass

Good to see you back on your diary and positive about your plans. What happened to your bedroom ceiling? I must have missed that...

XSpender

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

Good to see you back on your diary and positive about your plans. What happened to your bedroom ceiling? I must have missed that...

The ceiling has come down in the big bay window. It appears it has been badly bowed since before the windows were put in by the previous owners as the upvc trim is shaped around the bowed bit. Our heavy velvet curtains have finished it off.

DH received a new tax code this month and has hardly paid any tax (backdated adjustment) so we have extra funds to add to the EF, it’s like he got a double bonus .

apple_muncher

Yay! to them just not taking tax this month rather than making you wait until April and apply for a refund.