Really scared about future since redundancy

KittyBoo_2

Morning to all you early birds.
I am in a real predicament at the moment and feel things are going to start going downhill fast.
I can't sleep worrying about how to pay the next months bills and feel really desperate.
Up until December last year I was working for the local authority in a full time post that paid £28,000 a year but they made my team redundant after funding ran out.
I found other work on a temporary 3 month contract lasting until March and then was unable to find anything else.
I have taken a job as a cleaner which pays £5.52.an hour and I average 22 hours a week. Not ideal as the money doesn't cover half of what my expenditure is a month but to be honest I was glad to have some income.
I am looking for another job and have registered with agencies and ringing up supermarkets etc to see if they are setting on any evening workers but not had any luck yet.
I have a mortgage and credit card debts from when I was in a "secure" full time job and my future was secure. One is still 0% at the moment but the introductory rate will be ending in May and I am unsure about trying to get another 0% balance transfer because my job is so low paid and I have only just started it.
It's obviously easier to get a good deal when you can say you earn £28,000 a year and have worked for the Local Authority for over 12 years.
I never dreamt for a minute that my life would be thrown into turmoil like this but I feel I am now on a downward spiral and bills are becoming harder to pay.
I would really appreciate any suggestions you can make as to how I can stop myself going under.
Please would you have a look at my SOA and help me through this.
Sorry about the long post.
Thanks

Mortgage 550.00 (15 years left)
Council Tax 69.00
Fuel 40.00
Capital 1 168.00 (0% until May)
Halifax 1 70.00 (was 0% but now 9.5% from this month)
Petrol 40.00
Food 100.00
Mobile 10.00
Telephone 20.00
TOTAL 1067.00

Income
Cleaning job 485.76
Son 400.00 (regular repayment of a debt)
Total 885.76

I have 1500.00 in an ISA which is topping up my income to pay the bills but won't last long as I pay my insurance for my house, car, road tax annually out of this.

Grandmasu

I don't think I can give you any practical help, but do wish to wish you luck and say well done for trying so hard for jobs. About twelve years ago, I was made redundant from a well paid job with company car just before Christmas and only a year after my husband died. I still also had a mortgage to pay and needed a car to get to any work I might find. :eek::eek::eek:

I was not entitled to unemployment benefit as I received widows benefit and living in Devon jobs were few and far between. I too walked round applying for any job going eventually getting a nine hour contract in a supermarket, doing as much overtime as possible to try and keep my head above water.

I remember how scared I was and eventually downsized, getting a smaller mortgage, and eventually working my way into somewhat better employment.

It is possible that you may be able to extend the term of your mortgage to make payments more affordable.:question::question:

Sorry to ramble on, just wanted you to know I can empathise with you and send you lots of hugs and sincere wishes for your future, chin up.

:kisses::kisses::kisses:

tigtag02

Hi Kitty

Easier said than done but please try not to worry.

Can you contact your creditors to speak about reduced paments until you have secured further employment?

How about mystery shopping or eBay *stuff* until that happens, which I'm sure it will judging on your character?

Good luck and remember DFW is always here to lend an ear

duchy

With your "can do" attitude-going out and finding the cleaning job I don't doubt you'll soon be sorting this out.
Check to see if you qualify for working tax credit as a low wage earner, as you have some free time presently sign up for focus groups (saros is one but there are others-google is your friend for this) and as tigtag said mystery shopping too.
Check out Oliver's real work from home thread-the job there might suit you as you can work evenings/weekends so would leave days free for job hunting (it certainly suits me as I need to be home based for now and I find them good to work for)
Yes it IS daunting but this is a blip-you have your health and determination. This downward turn won't last I'm sure.

Prudent

I think you have done really well and should be proud of yourself

Are you due any tax credits? Check ww.entitledto.com

I was wondering if your job as a cleaner is outwith your previous working hours? If it is, can you do temp work in the same line? Your salary is similar to many teachers and a day's supply would net around the same as your cleaning job. A day or two might double your income without be totally exhausting. I understand this might not be an option.

Do you have a room you can rent out?

You will get loads of support here, so keep posting.

firesidemaid

you could ask your mortgage lender if you can go interest only for a while - most are obliging as they are not losing any money.

also, have you applied for all benefits - IS, WTC,CTB and HB -asap if you haven't already.

i'm sure you'll find some more work soon. what type of job did you do? see if the folks on here have some extra ideas of where to look x

frosty

Hi, if your happy to do cleaning why not do private houses? The money is a lot better.If you put cards in supermarkets and an ad in the paper you should be able to pick up a few jobs.I have been cleaning for 18 years because of the money you can earn,I charge £10 an hour.

KittyBoo_2

Thanks for your supportive replies folks.
I have looked at the entitledto site and would get around £2.70 per week off my Council Tax.
I don't think I am entitiled to any more benefits as I am 49 and have no dependant children living with me and thank goodness I am in good health.
Unfortunately I don't have a spare room as my elderly mother stays here some nights.
I have done some mystery shopping for Grassroots in the past and keep a check on their site for work in my area.
I suppose I am more worried about the mortgage and the credit card.
Have you any ideas about the best way to word a letter to the credit card companies about reducing my monthly payment (my Capital one card is £168 per month and due to be out of its interest free period next month)
I have found another 2 private cleaning jobs for 3 hours per week starting 24th April and will be charging them £8.50 ph so that adds a bit more to the pot.
I worked as a community development worker and this is usually funded by external project funders so is quite often temporary contracts but well paid.
I will have a look round the site for other suggestions and let you know how I get on.
Thanks again.

firesidemaid

£2.70 a week off your council tax is £11.70 a month off - and every little helps.

where do you shop? do you use money-off coupons off your shopping (asda will take 10%, tescos a lot more - you don't have to buy the item as long as they sell it). there is a thread on here for printable coupons which asda and sometimes tesco take - can get coupons for £1.50, £2.50 off etc. i spent £12.00 in tescos today and used £5.00 off in coupons.

at least cats are cheap to feed! x

mumoftwo

I just came accross this thread and not posted on here before. Did you not get any redundancy money that can tie you over? I don't know if possible where you live but I went on the Council's supply list for clerical staff. They are crying out for people, there is always someone off sick somewhere, here especially in school office staff. It is not secure enough for some people but I love it, it fits in with my family and you never know it might lead back to full time employment since you already have experience. I just filled out an application form, had a small interview and they added me on their list. No idea if this will be any good for you. We have a big hospital here and are always looking for cleaners in the evenings, so you could work on supply during the day and clean in the evenings until you find something better.

Little_Chicken

I'm surprised you didn't get a good redundancy package after 12 years too...try to stay positive, I've been looking for a job for almost 5 months now:eek: And money is tight, luckily I had savings so am doing OK - especially with some of the tips on here. I've done some mystery shopping in pubs as then you get a few bevvies for free:T Also selling bits on ebay has been paying my credit card monthly payments. Also made money on a couple of the free bingo sites and betfaif last weekend.

I've just picked up some freelanvce work from an old colleague - so fingers crossed this is the first job of many. Good luck!