Sh*t creek - is now in my rear view mirror...!

mumtoomany

Hi Irenadler, have you checked to see if you are able to get help with your council tax, as you are on UC? Might be worth checking. Also don't know if it helps, home bargains sell a 15kg bag of complete dog food for about £8. Always try to buy "working dog" food if possible, no VAT but same ingredients. Good luck, mumtoomany.

savingwannabe

What amazing posters there are on MSE. It has saved all of our lives at some time or another. Hurrah for MSE. I hope you are having a good day Irene. 

MovingForwards

It's ok to have a bad day, reminds you that you're human.

Nearly £25 PW for food is fantastic and means you two can have a treat, just not necessarily the same kind. Have a look online for some homemade treats for your 🐕 such as some kind of fish bake, or live cake etc as that will be a nice change and can be frozen too.

You are doing really well with posting. At some point when you've got into your routine, bills are all spread throughout the year and you've found your feet, you will go back to the start of your diary and realise how much you are in control of everything 😊

Irenadler

mumtoomany said:

Hi Irenadler, have you checked to see if you are able to get help with your council tax, as you are on UC? Might be worth checking. Also don't know if it helps, home bargains sell a 15kg bag of complete dog food for about £8. Always try to buy "working dog" food if possible, no VAT but same ingredients. Good luck, mumtoomany.

Hi mumtoomany
Yes, thank you, I have applied and waiting on a reply, see my next post! Never thought about working dog food being cheaper, but, she is an older dog...? 

Irenadler

savingwannabe said:

What amazing posters there are on MSE. It has saved all of our lives at some time or another. Hurrah for MSE. I hope you are having a good day Irene. 

Hi savingwannabe
I am doing ok, mad cleaning, see my later post.... 

Irenadler

Hello all
Well, I can't keep it to myself any longer, been trying to mull it over and process it in my brain. I got a reply from the local council on the council tax. I can't quite believe it...
They said my application for Council Tax Support has been reviewed successfully. They have reduced it by 80%!

I say again, I have an 80% discount due!!

It doesn't seem real yet. I haven't been shopping for over 2 weeks, just living on the tinned/dried stocks and the remnants of the fresh stuff which ran out about 4 days ago.... trying to work out how to eke out the porridge I figured that if I had 40g instead of 50g I would get an 'extra' breakfast every 4 days, and used 250ml of plant milk, would last out 1 litre over 4 days.... I have to be honest here that I have lost 3lbs in weight. Portion control is definitely the diet answer.......

The letter states that I am actually in credit, I have basically paid around 40% to them, and they only require 20% for the tax year. I don't think it has sunk in, 

That is incredible for my outgoings. Instead of £109 per month leaving my account, I won't have any CT needing to be paid. It immediately jumps up my weekly grocery budget from £25 per week to more than double - £57! Not sure I have worked it out right but I will go through it tomorrow when my head is in the right place.... Cheers to you all for gently prodding me to the Benefits thread, and asking for an SOA. I had so nearly not done it, and would be in a worse position now, on only £15 a week! Cannot grasp it yet. Maybe a night's sleep will make it seem real. 
Have a good night all of you, and know that you have made me able to sleep one heck of a lot better. Please pat yourselves on the back, and raise a glass to yourselves, or, what ever way you like to celebrate.... (Mine is on hold in case they send a letter saying, oh no, we made a boober, can we have it back please?).....

MovingForwards

OMG that is absolutely phenomenal!

When you go shopping, stock up on value oats and other value / store cupboard items. 

I'm so pleased they have sorted it out so quickly 🤗

Irenadler

MovingForwards said:

OMG that is absolutely phenomenal!

When you go shopping, stock up on value oats and other value / store cupboard items. 

I'm so pleased they have sorted it out so quickly 🤗

Me too! I fully expected it to drag out... I see a trip to Lidl tomorrow and oats are top of the list!  Going to drag myself off to bed after my 4 a.m. start now, and you know what I am going to say, THANK YOU and have a good night's sleep x

savingwannabe

Hurrah simply marvellous news. I am so pleased. Now you have some breathing space. So so happy for you Irene. SWxxxxx

Irenadler

Hey all
I posted an update for the folks on the 'Benefits' thread to show them I had followed most of their advice too, and the results, which I thought was only fair as not many people seem to follow their advice (or if they do, don't post their results, which would be so useful for other people to read & see what works). And of course, I had to thank them! 

Here's a copy of my projected outgoings now per month:

TV	13.2
INS	30.78
B/B L/L	22.99
GAS/ELEC	72.5
C/TAX	23.02
WATER	41.96
MOBILE	5
TOTAL	209.45

The CT is actually what I would have been paying per month over ten months, but, I am not actually paying anything from August now as I had effectively overpaid and they are refunding... So, the reality is the final outgoing is £186.43.

Which means I now have around £223.46 left per month (out of UC of £409.89) or, £55.86 a week! I think that's right, though I am always dubious about my adding up....  Having to wait for the insurance renewal date for August now... still debating with myself about whether to cancel the tv licence and sell the tv....

I finally went shopping, stocked up on oats, tins, especially tomatoes as I have pasta and rice at home. Got FRESH food vegetables, fruit, salad, UHT soya milk and yogurt. Having not eaten an apple for 2 weeks, couldn't wait to sink my teeth into one, and having run out of bread, had to have toast! Sounds daft I know, but, I really missed those simple pleasures. First world problems, eh? It really has made me appreciate food much more, so easy to take it for granted, until you find yourself trying to make it last out. And the dog was happy as she enjoys a bit of apple too, she kept looking at me accusingly at tea break time as we always shared one....    Felt so guilty I didn't have any for her.... 

When (or if) I get CT refund, I plan to tuck half away for emergency fund, in a proper savings account, and can proudly give the other 50% to my family member, as a start to paying them back. I can't wait, it is going to feel so good, think I will get them a small thank you gift too, as I don't think they will be aware I can start to pay them back yet.