Facing a tight budget

sheramber

Only the main components  of the vacs are 3 yearly now. Parainfluenza and lepto are still yearly
While some insurance companies do not insist on boosters they will not cover  any illness that could be vaccinated against.
Kennels will not accept unvaccinated dogs. A few will accept a titre test showing immunity. 
In an emergency your dog may have to go into kennels at short notice if you do not have a back up available.

Irenadler

suki1964 said:

One other saving is perhaps the yearly boosters

Most vets and insurance companies don't insist on them now. IIRC once they have had the full set as pups they are actually covered for life although some people choose to do three yearly vacs

It might be worth doing your homework on that yourself as its been a while since my last boy died and it was back in 2004 he had his first injections

I also didn't use flea treatments, only the one tin of indorex a year and worming if Im truthful was when I remembered , probably 4 times a year max

Hello Suki1964
I didn't realize that. The only problem, as she is a rescue, is that I don't know if she had the proper vaccinations given to her as a pup.. That's why I keep up with the flea and worming too - she eats everything and even tries hunting anything that moves. Good for survival, I suppose, but, maybe not so good because she could pick up something nasty....She even caught mice the other day and I just got to her before she ate them, poor little things.Had to bribe her with a tasty treat to get her to drop them.

Irenadler

sheramber said:

Only the main components  of the vacs are 3 yearly now. Parainfluenza and lepto are still yearly
While some insurance companies do not insist on boosters they will not cover  any illness that could be vaccinated against.
Kennels will not accept unvaccinated dogs. A few will accept a titre test showing immunity. 
In an emergency your dog may have to go into kennels at short notice if you do not have a back up available.

Hello Sheramber
That's a good point, on balance, I think I would prefer to keep the boosters annually. Never know if I would need to kennel her in an emergency, it feels like an insurance for my peace of mind. Ta for that. 

Irenadler

Hello all

I just wanted to update on any progress I have made, and will be posting more regularly on the 'How much have you saved' thread - if I manage to save!

Don't know if this will work, apologies if not, but I have been wading through the cupboard of doom, filled with the mountain of paperwork that time forgot, and am now copying and pasting a table:

Direct debit per month JUNE	£/per no of payments	Totals - annual
Dual fuel (Gas & Electric)	103.00 (x 12)	1236.00
Council Tax (with 25% discount)	105.00 (1 x 109, 9 x 105)	1054.00
Water	58.72 (x 8)	469.06
Home & Contents Insurance	30.78 (x 12)	369.36
Broadband & Landline (no t.v. package)	40.00 (x 12, does vary), this is an average over year	480.00
Pet payment to Vet (covers booster, flea/worm, one consult a year)	15.00 (x 12)	180.00
PAYG cheap mobile (Tesco) – no internet connection NB. Has on-going deal of adding credit, usually £20 for each £10 added.	10.00 (x 12)	120.00
Charity	7.00 (x 12)	84.00
Green waste (additional fee now)	3.33 (x 12)	40.00
TOTALS	372.83	4032.42

               

INCOME (from April 2020)

£409.89 per month

£372.83 less outgoings above

£  37.06 – for food and all other outgoings per month…..OR £9.26 per week

WORSE than I thought....

And after the incredible kindness and expertise of everyone here, sorry all the lines have disappeared:

REVISED JULY BUDGET WITH REDUCTIONS:

Direct debit per month JULY	£/per no of payments	Totals – annual
Dual fuel (Gas & Electric)	72.50 (x 12 fixed) saved £30.50 also includes free insurance for heating x 12	870.00 (saving £366.00)
Council Tax (with 25% discount)	77.62 potential x 9 (was to pay 105.00 x 5), this means £27.38 ‘saving’	1045.00 (applied for Council Tax support, pending, asked to spread payments over 12 months not 10)
Water	41.96 (x 10) ‘saved’ £16.76 N.B. not taking payment in July.	419.60
Home & Contents Insurance	30.78 (x 12) same	368.36 (due to renew August, saved quotes from comparison sites on MSE ready to switch)
Broadband & Landline (no t.v. package)	22.99 (x 18 fixed), SWITCHED! Saved £17.01	275.88 (saving £204.12) Also due a ‘reward card’ £50?
Pet payment to Vet (covers booster, flea/worm, one consult a year)	0 – cancelled saving £15	0 saving £180.00
PAYG cheap mobile (Tesco) – no internet connection NB. Has on-going deal of adding credit, usually £20 for each £10 added.	10.00 same	120.00
Charity	0 cancelled saving £7	0 saving £84.00
Green waste (additional fee now)	3.33 same	40.00
Set aside for dog (new not direct debit)	10.00	120.00
TOTALS	269.18 (saved £113.65!)	3258.84 (saved £773.58!!!)

               

Income unchanged: £409.89

less

Outgoings now:        £269.18

                                    £140.71 remaining for groceries, etc. (£35.17 per week)

This is a massive amount, to me, making the difference of just of £9 a week for food and everything else, to £35.17!

I really cannot thank all of you enough. Please keep on helping everyone as you do, it is amazing the help I have had from the kind souls on here.

I hope to continue posting and even possibly saving/paying off debt, on the other thread. But, I will update on any other changes that kick in. It may be an erratic post as I am dependent on renewal dates and any extra help offered on council tax.... Sending out huge love and positive vibes to you all in lieu of cuddles and hugs. Hope it inspires others to be brave and ask for help. It was so nerve-wracking I almost didn't do it. 

calcotti

Irenadler said:

.. wading through the cupboard of doom, filled with the mountain of paperwork that time forgot, ...

I like that!

whizzywoo

Irenadler said:

      

This is a massive amount, to me, making the difference of just of £9 a week for food and everything else, to £35.17!

Well done!  You've been incredibly brave tackling this problem and I am sure that you will go on from strength to strength.  Good luck in everything you do. 

Robbie64

Have you not heard anything back from the Council Tax people? Based on your circumstances (assuming you have no-one else living in your household) it is possible that your Council Tax will be reduced to zero while you are on UC and have no other income coming in.

calcotti

Robbie64 said:

Have you not heard anything back from the Council Tax people? Based on your circumstances (assuming you have no-one else living in your household) it is possible that your Council Tax will be reduced to zero while you are on UC and have no other income coming in.

Very few councils (in England anyway) now provide 100% Council Tax Reduction to Working age claimants. I think 80% is quite common although some councils are less. Will depend on OP’s local authority scheme. I guess the local authority benefits team are overstretched at the moment. 

poppy12345

Robbie64 said:

Have you not heard anything back from the Council Tax people? Based on your circumstances (assuming you have no-one else living in your household) it is possible that your Council Tax will be reduced to zero while you are on UC and have no other income coming in.

I live in England and claim ESA/PIP and my council tax is about £11 per month. I also receive the single person discount.

Robbie64

poppy12345 said:

Robbie64 said:

Have you not heard anything back from the Council Tax people? Based on your circumstances (assuming you have no-one else living in your household) it is possible that your Council Tax will be reduced to zero while you are on UC and have no other income coming in.

I live in England and claim ESA/PIP and my council tax is about £11 per month. I also receive the single person discount.

It largely depends on what council area you live in. Some councils are quite generous with what they expect people on means tested benefits to pay while others are the opposite. I'm on ESA (income related) and would normally be expected to pay about £5 a month but the £500m one-off payment (linked to COVID-19) that the Government gave to all councils to pass on to Council Tax payers who are already in receipt of Council Tax Support has reduced my Council Tax bill to £0 for 2020/21. The payment the Government made was given with guidance that Council Tax bills be reduced by up to £150 per person where CTS is in payment. Did you get a revised CT bill? It may be that your council has yet to re-bill everyone.