Help! SOA included

Pollycat

-taff said:

Do you really have 170 pounds left over each month? If you do, yay, put it in a savings account to use for birthdays, christmas etc.

If you don't, work out where it's going.

Track every single penny you spend including the bills so you know where the money is going. Do you work? Why is your diesel so high? Is your phone really 99p? Do your children have phones? Are you buying a special diet with your food spend, are you buying food that you can cook or ready meals? Loads of questions sorry...

I could add to that list:
window cleaner
birthday cards/wrapping paper
newspaper/magazine
odd pint of milk/loaf when you run out
ice cream for your child
bus fare

I was gobsmacked when I decided to do a check on what cash went out of my purse.
I could justify it all but it does need recording in your SOA.

theoretica

Simply looking at the biggest costs on your SOA: rent (probably nothing to do there) groceries, petrol, electricity, medical/dentist.  Can you shave a few percent off each of these?  Make sure you are driving efficiently and optimise your journeys to do more than one thing where possible.  Look at which of your meals work out cheaper and which are more expensive and have a few more of the cheap ones.  The medical/dentist isn't low - are you eligible for any more help there as you are on benefits?

Is council tax correct to be zero because of benefits?

Auntycaz

You are usually entitled to free prescriptions when you are on benefits, but if not you could be eligible for help with prescription costs because you are on a low income by filling in a HC1 form.  

lilly81

I'm on universal credit including incapacity as I'm waiting for an operation so unable to work.
I have a health condition which means monthly chiropractor visits but our local NHS don't fund this.
I am on the waiting list for social housing but I'm not a high priority.
Petrol is high because I am disabled and unable to walk any distance (10 minutes max), I have to drive my son to school.
I use the local community larder (£3.50 per week). I volunteer at the community fridge but it's 5 miles away.
This week I am going to apply for DLA for my autistic son.
I have been refused PIP twice now as I'm not disabled enough 🙄
The £400 debt is the shell energy as my meter is in the ground, the energy company have me registered as vulnerable but only send someone twice per year to read it.
My son goes to cubs (£3 per week) and swimming lessons (I pay £15 per 4 months, council fund the rest)
Thank you for all your advice 

Siebrie

Is there anyone in the neighbourhood who can take your son to school and cubs? It'll save you the petrol and the energy.

Wraithlady

joedenise said:

Check out some of the recipes at the start of the Grocery Challenge thread - some of them are very cheap recipes.  Also worth googling Jack Munro's website: https://cookingonabootstrap.com/. Loads of cheap recipes on there including tin can cookery which might help with food bank goods.  Try and get a copy of one of her books (the Tin Can Cook is probably the most useful with regard to food bank cooking).

@lilly81- I have a copy you can have if you want. Just PM me your address

goldfinches

You might find this site helpful with completing the PIP forms for your son and also for you if you can bear to have another go at applying PIP claim help, plus ESA, DLA & Universal Credit (benefitsandwork.co.uk)

I've also heard good things about this company from people who have used their services Verbit Go Jobs | Current roles and opportunities but don't know what they're like to work for.

Krakkkers

Get rid of the TV licence and watch Youtube etc
Can you get an annual prescription thingy, mine costs £11/month for multiple items and i thought if you were on benefits you did not pay?
Use toogoodtogo or other discount food apps.
Don't know where you live but half your money goes on rent, can you find somewhere cheaper?