Sinking into financial quicksand !

Suzkin

Dear All,

I'm on the board now in a few nooks and crannies - and I really need some advice. I've been off work for approx. 8 weeks 'sick' by GP and haven't really worked much since end of Dec 2007, due to problems at work.

Now, I have no money! (as I've been bailing myself out each month with my limited savings). Q: Should I go back to work w/c 9th June (and suffer yet again from workplace bullying), or does anyone else have any suggestions for making fairly quick and easy money?

I do not mean to sound negative, but I have thought about the following and am really racking my brains as to find a way of paying my bills - but can't seem to uncover anything! :rolleyes:

- I cannot let a room out - I only have a 1-bed.
- I cannot live with a friend and let my house out - the house is structually unsound.
- I am applying for jobs - and hear nothing..BUT shall keep trying.
- I have looked at the gambling sites - and have no capital to start myself off with, and feel unsure, as they are too unpredictable and 'dangerous'.
- I do not want to ask friends for loans - they don't have much anyway.
- I cannot approach a bank - I have no income raising clout to pay off interest.
- I DO have a few nic nacs that I am selling on Gumtree - they've been on it now for about a month, and I've had no replies. (Not substantial enough for ebay).
- I have no skills to sell / trade - I'm useless!

There MUST be something I can do to earn myself some money!! I keep reading the threads and yet nothing comes to light for me - am I missing something really obvious??

All suggestions - very welcome. x

hypno06

Car boots - all those "treasures" that are unsold on gumtree could sell at a car boot.........?

Are you entitled to any benefits if you do not return to work? Sorry, I know nothing about this type of thing, but I do know that being bullied at work is pants pants pants.

Suzkin

I'm just reciving SSP (£75 pw). Good idea about the car booty thing, thanks. I only know one person who has a car (for the boot aspect) and he has said no. :-( BUT maybe I could put an advert on Gumtree, to see if anyone would like to team up with me?!

slippalong

Hi Suzkin.
Not really sure how to help but hopefully a lot of clever people out there that will.

Q: Should I go back to work w/c 9th June (and suffer yet again from workplace bullying)

Have you spoken to your employers re the bullying?

I am applying for jobs - and hear nothing..BUT shall keep trying.

Can you speak to someone at your local Job Center regarding work opportunities?

I have no skills to sell / trade - I'm useless!

Please Please do not think you are useless.There will be something out there for you it's just a matter of finding it.

Deep_In_Debt

Suzkin, you are not useless and you will find something that you will enjoy - I did and I thought I was useless too but 12 years later, I'm still with the same company so I can't be that useless! It just takes time. As for income in the meantime, I'm really up on this but have you checked the up your income board?

Gambling is a dangerous thing to get into - I'm lucky enough to have won more than I lost and quickly quit while I was ahead. There's various survey sites that you can try to earn a few quid. Most things will take time to see a return though.

Sorry, I've not been much help.

Deep_In_Debt

Just another thought - have you registered with some local employment agencies? They might be able to get you some temping work and I think they pay weekly - many have part time jobs/extra income jobs on their books - might be worth you trying some. I'm registered with one and I do bar work and waitressing from time to time and it's busier now the wedding season has started.

Suzkin

At the job centre I'm basically on my own to find work - especially as I do not (and never will) qualify for incapacity benefit (as I'm not that ill etc. and could quite happliy work for another nicer company/organisation).

I am considering putting myself forward for private cleaning jobs - but that isn't enough to pay my mortgage on! It's also very physically tiring work, but I shall give it a go. :-(

I have also placed an advert on the Southampton Gumtree website for letter/report writing service - I really enjoy crafting formal professional letters etc (you wouldn't think I'm a postgrad!) - so maybe someone might need this?

Poosmate

Hi Suzkin,

Sorry to hear of your bullying experience at work. I went through something like that a few years ago and was off work for almost 12 months in two parts (I went back to the same job for about 6 weeks but not much had changed). I was often at the doctors crying because I didn't know what was wrong with me or why/what was happening to me. It was on one of these visits to the doc's that I had a lightbulb moment and suddenly realised that I couldn't go back to the job that I loved, so I decided I wouldn't go back.

I called into the office and spoke to the manager who was dealing with my case (I'd refused to have anything to do with my existing manager as she was the problem - I told Personnal "If that f*****g woman comes anywhere me or my property I won't be responsible for my actions - she had better not come anywhere near me" "Oh!" he said, "We'd better reschedule the home visit then"). Anyway, I called the nice manager and told him that after nearly 20 years working there I was unable to return to work for that woman. I guess I more or less handed in my resignation. I was found another job within a couple of weeks, within the organisation!

I didn't really think too hard about it then because I was just glad to be away from that woman, however, thinking about it now, I kind of wonder if they got me something because if they didn't they would have laid themselves open to constructive dismissal claim.

I'm not suggesting you do anything rash here but is there a union in your current place where you can get advice with a view to hinting at constructive dismissal?

I'm not sure what else to say other than maybe bite the bullet and get back to work with a very thick skin until you can get your sickness record looking better and just apply for as many jobs as possible even if it's something that isn't quite right in the first instance.

Hope you can sort it out.

Poo

Bayblue

Would it be at all possible to see if you can sort things out re the bullying with your current workplace? The reason I say that is any extra work or joining agencies etc runs the risk of affecting your SSP.

Perhaps doing this may result in you feeling able to go back to work and then even if you still want to leave the financial problems won't be so pressing. Jobs are often easier to find when you have a job and don't urgently need a new one, ironically.

Also, nobody should get away with being a bully and this way you'd be giving your employers a chance to put things right. I'm not saying this to be mean and I do understand just how stressful work can be sometimes- honestly (just read my thread about my new job :rolleyes: ) but it's just a thought that struck me. Perhaps it's because I supervise a team and I'd hate to think that one of them was suffering when I could perhaps do something to help.

Good luck whatever you do.

Saab

I can't think of anything much worse than being bullied at work, it must be hell. somewhere you have to go in order to keep the roof over your head, and then it's made so incredibly uncomfortable.:(

I can't offer much help, other than if you drive you may want to try being a local courier.

It's what I do, and I got the job by registering on the company's website. The company I work for is always looking for cover for their regular couriers, and also to fill spaces when people leave. There's also another company advertising at the moment, as they are setting up a similar delivery service.

I don't know if I'm allowed to name the companies, so I won't, but if you want to know, you can pm me.:)

I hope you get things sorted soon.:)

Suzkin

Hi All,

Thanks for your suggestions/comments: I shall register twith the high street agencies and see what they can do for me. I don't / cannot drive which is a minor hindrance, and can't afford to relearn right now for obvious reasons. I cant go down the constructive dismissal route as having resigned last May, I have not been there for 1 yr yet (re. continuity of employment).