Never have money - want to cry

skintchick

Stoozing? What's that?

The car loan has to stay where it is - I still owe £3,126.06 on it for another 18 months.

And i really want to just pay off the other one and not keep being a rate tart cos I end up owing more money somehow! Knowing I owe really gets me down.

skintchick

HAve just found out what stoozing is, but don;t understand why you think I am doing that? I am not making money - I just bought things on credit card which I am trying to pay off, and have been a rate tart because surely better to pay 0% than standard rate?

headchef

Hi there! I completely understand about you wishing to tithe (or give to charity whatever). Whether you give your time or your money I think it is fantastic. I feel quite humbled. I can understand how you might feel if you stopped doing anything and then started going on holidays etc you would feel hedonistic rather than altruistic. I think people need to understand that.
In some parishes you have to pay your dues still don't you? Not sure how many there are around but if you buy a house within a particular type of parish there are some ancient laws still in place - it's part of the check a house buyer's solicitor still has to do. Anyway, well done and the suggestions of helping out with your time instead perhaps are very touching. Think we could all think of doing that!

headchef

And did you know that Oxfams most popular gift (where you buy soemthing for the third world instead of buying someone a present) were goats! Yes 50,000 goats were bought last Christmas. Just made me smile - think because goats are so comical.

NiftyThrifty_3

The charity CAFOD also do "goats" and various other gifts that benefit the developing world.
see http://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk/
I got my Mum and my brothers some seedlings last christmas. I also got the children I teach at school to consider asking their parents for one less easter egg and donating the money - we managed to buy a goat and a water pump with the proceeds. I agree with some of the other contributions that charity / donating to a cause we beleive in can be very importnat to our spiritual wellbeing and therefore is an important budget consideration. It is refreshing to know that the selfish, consumerist society the TV / media presents to us is not the only one that is being lived out there!! :rolleyes: I think the idea about tithing our time and our gifts are also excellent ideas.

Bargainloverbec

This is a really interesting thread!

Skintchick - you are doing really well and you should be proud of yourself for what you have achieved. It's hard managing on a single income and I am in a similar position to you: I give £100 a month to my church and whenever I redo my budget or try to cut back it is the one thing that is absolutely non-negotiable. I trust that if I am faithful in my giving then my needs will all be provided for.

On a practical note I've been enjoying a bit of spare cash by selling stuff on Ebay - I find it amazing firstly how much junk I have around the house that can go, and secondly what people will bid for. Almost anything!! Plus the house looks tidier. Also do you have any hobbies that you can turn into income? I sell handmade cards to people at work and have also been teaching beginners salsa lessons. Just a couple of ideas - hope they help.

R x

robindunne1

I'm a Mormon and have been giving 10% of my salary to the church since I started work. We have one income in our household (mine) and I support a family. In my view it has always been the first thing that gets paid, the full 10% no matter what other commitments I have. I always think who gave me everything int he first place! - anyway, I digress. The bottom line is to get you paying 10% without it hurting you and not being the first thing that gets put aside when things are tight.

I pay my tithing on my top line salary less National Insurance and pension contributions - as these are effectively payments into something that I will feel the benefits of in the future, and I don't want to be paying tithing on the same thing twice. If my estaimation is right your 10% should be worked out as follows:

Gross Salary: 20,000
Less NI: (1490)
Less pension contribution at 6% (1200)
Amoutn liable for tithing: 17310

Less standard rate of income tax (Gift Aid): 13501

Monthly Tithing liability: £112.50

I'm sure you'll be able to find the extra to pay the full amount. When people find out I pay tithing and support a family on a modest salary they look at me strangley simply because it sounds do foreign to them.

skintchick

That's interesting - I've always been taught it should be ten per cent on full gross salary.

Why do you take NI and Gift AId off?

PS - I don't pay into a pension. Can't afford to!!

Perhaps we should have a tithing thread?

robindunne1

National Insurance is paid principally for me to receive benefits should I ever be out of work. If paid on my NI contributions then was left out of work, and then pais again on my benefits then I would effectively pay tithing on the the money twice.

The discount achieved through Gift Aid is a tax relief. The difference will simply be claimed back from the Inland Revenue from the tax you have paid. You won't be paying less tithing - just less tax.

Hope that makes sense.

skintchick

OK - but surely the Gift Aid is a gift grom the Gov to my church?

And shouldn't I tithe on NI now, and then not pay later if for some reason I end up on benefits? Otherwise aren;t I cheating God cos I probably won;t ever end up on benefits?

It's complicated and everyone has different ideas. I'm aiming for tithing on full gross with no deductions.

And then I want my blessings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!