Back To Square One...Help

DisillusionedAnna

Hello yet again

Following my past posts I took all your advice and made all the necessary changes and was managing nicely being careful then yesterday disaster struck.

As I had not worked the previous week due to being ill I knew it would be hard financially ( in my job no work, no pay) so collected my wages this morning and found hey had taken 2 weeks CSA payments leaving me with just £22 to live on this week.:eek: :eek: Seems my CSA deductions have priority....so I took a long hard look at my financial situation this morning and it did not make pleasant reading, With the recent GAS/Elec price hikes and the April rises in Rent/Council Tax/WaterRates it sure was a wake up call so come April my outgoings are less than my income.
Im considerig going bankrupt, but even thats complicated due to my interest in the ex marital home and my children living with my ex( long story)so might be an option. I dont have any income left for an IVA and a DMP seems impossible sos heres my SOA

Income
Wages/WTC £169 per week

Outgoing

Rent £60 per week Cannot get HB/CTax Ben due to them not taking
CSA deductions into account
C/Tax £12.60 Have 25%single persons discount
Water R£5.60
Elec£10.00 Am on pre payment meter and paying debt off
Gas£10.00 as above

Hse Ins£2.65
Food £25.00
CSA £37.00 £29.00payment and £8.00 Arrears I have appealled
and thiscaused arrears so now have anattachment
thing on my wages each week.

As regards clothes I make do with what I have, I dont have any transport costs to work as I live within walking distance. Birthdays Xmas etc I make gifts cakes, biscuits etc, Im frugal to the point of meaness. I have furnished my flat from freebies, freecycle and cast offs.
I have no contingecey funds, my saviour is my other little job I have no wages just I exchange a few hours cleaning for a local farmer in return for him giving me a field of sorts for chickens, vege plots and access to his fruit orchard:j :j I cook everything from scratch, am just feeling panicky that things seem to be slipping through my fingers.
Finding another part time jobs the answer but Iwork such stupid hours in my main job its not easy finding something to fit in around these daft hours, but Im going to look.
Are some of you finding the recent price hikes scarey I am...my wages dont go up the £3.50 my rent will go up, and if you live week to week how do you all cope????
Even my cheapo shopping places are not so cheapo anymore, thanks for listening to my moans any ideas to cut the budget more??
Anna

dotstar24

Wages in staffordshire are dire....was very hard to adjust to when i moved from London. No real advice I'm afraid, am sure the calvary will come soon though .....xx

DisillusionedAnna

hi dotstar

yep wages are dire but I love my job it kept me sane during my divorce and I love the folk and the customers my boss is trading at a loss, but keeps going.
whereabouts in staffs are you?

MissEyre

Hi Anna,

Your budget does look tight-I can't give you any advice about the benefits/CSA stuff, as I really don't have a clue with that, but have you looked at the 'Up Your Income' board for suggestions about flexible work that you can do from home? Things like AQA might be good for you, as you can fit them in around other jobs and commitments? Or maybe look at training possibilities for a future job change-I know you love your work, but a company won't be able to run at a loss forever, so it might be useful for you to be one step ahead.
I've noticed a big difference in my shopping and utility bills over the last few months, so I know what you mean about price rises-when you can't cut back any more, I guess you know you need more coming in.
Sorry I can't be more help xxx

phoenixchick

Hi Anna,
Wanted to offer my support. Can you not get statutory sick pay if your employer doesn't pay if you are off? I know you said that you love your job, but if your employer is trading at a loss, how long can that go on? It might be worth starting to look for another job, as you really couldn't afford to do without a wage if the worst happened.
Have you spoken to the CAB about your CSA payments?
You seem to be doing everything you possibly can to reduce your outgoings. Best wishes.

Cleosmum

I would say that you need to up your hours. If you cant go full time in your current position, and your current job doesnt make it easy to take on another job to take you up to full time wage then you need to look for another full time position. I know thats not what you want to hear, but something has got to give and you dont want it to be your sanity! Please go back to HB and CTB and double check your entitlement, I have more that £169 pw coming in and I get help. Put all your figures into entitledto.com and see what that says?

dotstar24

Hi Anna

I live just outside of Newcastle.

Merlot

By heck Anna, I feel for you, I have been reading your diary for some weeks now, and I have got to say you are an inspiration to me.

I would suggest that you contact the DSS to see if you are entitled to SSP, no-one can expect you to live on £22. Are the CSA payments automatically deducted from your wages, if not, simply do not pay, you cannot afford it, I know you mentioned that you didn't want to sell the marital home until your children were older, but you have to consider this, I wonder if you would be able to go bankrupt with equity in the marital home, can your OH not buy you out, or move to a smaller property. You are needing the money to stabilize your future. I appreciate that you want to keep your children in there own family home, but you have to put yourself first, and I know that doesn't make happy reading.

You have some difficult decisions ahead of you, and I want you to know that we are here to offer you any help we can.

Merlot.x.