Work is fine - all good - will one day have three staff on term time contracts- Ha ha will be negotiating a term time only contract or may be term time plus once the service is set up and working well. Its fine so far. Benefits include local gov pension scheme, possible flexi when justifiable of course. I have a perm desk, access to a kitchen at lunch time and am miles away from the shops so no lunchtime spends ! I start at 9 finish at five - 1 hour or there abouts for lunch as and when needed. Will plan on taking less when project actually starts. I can then wrack up flexi to take during the holidays - hopefully anyway.
Was watching super scrimpers and apparently Child tax credit will only pay a max of £122.50 pw for child care - generally a decrease from 80% to 70%!!!! My child care will be £145 pw so I need to add 22.50 per week to child care bill. That uses up child benefit and also some of the child tax credit that I may get. If am lucky may have £10 extra to keep gorgeous one on!!! Could be worse - might not get a thing and be stuck not even able to contemplate working! Thankful for small mercies.
I am undecided whether to focus on mortgage or pension ( once I sell the house) I am 38. I have a small child (3). I have a mortgage not due to be paid off till I am nearly 65 . Do I sell the sodding house, rent and focus on making extra pension payments??? I cannot do both on my poxy wage. It is still 7k less than my pre redundancy salary - I didn't top 30k shall we say. I am probably with maintenance making around 21k now with additional commuting costs so its very tight and I am still balancing on a high wire rather precariously. I am now hoping that the house will sell before the car goes splat. I still intend on applying for another PGCE for next year. Buy and rent maybe who knows. Its rather depressing having your salary reduce by such an amount at 38 with out having the payoff of working less or actually needing less having paid off bills, debt etc
I get a bit jealous when I see peers moving on careerwise or getting paid more to do jobs much simpler than mine. Ie they are overpaid and work for the local authority - yes some people are over paid who work for LA's. Its phenomenal!!! Senior support assistant on 29k on a non pro rata term time contract!!!! without any specific training or any sort of qualification such as a foundation degree or level 3 qualification in learning support. Shocking really - am sorry they can work full time for that. An LSA does not take work home with them not enough to justify that salary! More than plenty teachers get with less responsibility.oh well suppose its special needs. hmmmmm
Showing posts with label Redundancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Redundancy. Show all posts
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
And so the descent to insolvency begins...........
More dealing with debt day today - spent the day moving direct debits to the new bank account and such then had my meeting with the folks from CAP.
Bad news - according to their budgeting which includes saving £70 per month for car type stuff, household maintenance, saving for clothes essentials for both of us etc it will take over 20 years to pay off my just under 5k debt. (I still have to hand in wage slips for council tax benefit and also get child tax credits rejigged but given new government policy I have little faith)
I have to get rid of my contract mobile £25 per month and am unable to save a poxy £10 a month for my daughter straight into her child trust fund account. I don't use the landline as they all have mobiles, my landline package only affords me free calls at weekends so I do not use the phone till then etc For £25 per month I get 300 mins. I text lots. But ok it has to go. More issues with the phone company to face.
My petrol is limited to 100 per month - This is what I aim for. I get an extra £10 for food per week and £15 for leisure per month.
Anyway the upshot is they feel I should apply for a debt reversal order - poor mans bankruptcy so I am told but I get to keep the house????? not my credit reference however. I suppose this is not too much of an issue as I have no intentions of getting any debt ever again however I will have to remortgage at some point and I do want to own a house as I have a long time to pay rent. I so hope it sells soon. I love living here but .......I am also unable to take a mortgage break if I go back to uni. I am going to drop the price on the house again by 5k. If I am lucky I will get some of my 15K deposit back. I don't even want to think about the state of my pension............ non existent.
Oh well so much for frugalism as a lifestyle choice - (Choosing it so you can reap the rewards and make progress is very different as well I know) Ha frugal sounds better than poor I suppose but lets face facts I ain't got no cash and def no spare cash or disposeable income for owt.
Cheers Dave thanks for taking my career, self respect, financial independence, credit rating. Before being made redundant on my 29k including maintenance and child benefit I could be frugal and make progress now on 16,500k its time to go backwards. I get the austere times and the cuts ( kind of maybe not as harsh), VAT rise didn't bother me - choose wisely I thought- luxuries like booze and fags, Chelsea tractor 4x4 cars, expensive hobbies designer clothes. primarni every week for the latest t shirt/item to fit in, made in sweatshops for buttons - that's your choice wants not needs unessential and as such choose wisely. Even faced redundancy - I had a plan I will sell up - be prepared to move just as Dave said to retrain/find work where ever I can.People need to move to the jobs he said!! I will out of necessity uproot my daughter from all she knows, our support network, friends and start again somewhere..... hopefully cheaper........ No sale, no interest either!
The gorgeous one is missing out too - she has stressed mummy, no swimming lessons and is desperate to begin ballet like her little friends. I am sure she will survive without them plenty other kids do but that doesn't really cut it with me. I used to make the choices being frugal, buying preloved etc so that we could do these things. I couldn't afford the petrol to get there on my budget anyway! We don't heat the water at night for a bath either - its just showers these days. Short ones. Got to get that electricity down.
Only one family have viewed the house in 7 months. If I was getting viewings I would be happier but no one is buying starter family homes. My end of the market has come to a griding halt.
Ahhhhh feck it - nowt I can do but ride the wave - all in the lap of the gods now..... nice bit of fatalism why the hell not!!!
Bad news - according to their budgeting which includes saving £70 per month for car type stuff, household maintenance, saving for clothes essentials for both of us etc it will take over 20 years to pay off my just under 5k debt. (I still have to hand in wage slips for council tax benefit and also get child tax credits rejigged but given new government policy I have little faith)
I have to get rid of my contract mobile £25 per month and am unable to save a poxy £10 a month for my daughter straight into her child trust fund account. I don't use the landline as they all have mobiles, my landline package only affords me free calls at weekends so I do not use the phone till then etc For £25 per month I get 300 mins. I text lots. But ok it has to go. More issues with the phone company to face.
My petrol is limited to 100 per month - This is what I aim for. I get an extra £10 for food per week and £15 for leisure per month.
Anyway the upshot is they feel I should apply for a debt reversal order - poor mans bankruptcy so I am told but I get to keep the house????? not my credit reference however. I suppose this is not too much of an issue as I have no intentions of getting any debt ever again however I will have to remortgage at some point and I do want to own a house as I have a long time to pay rent. I so hope it sells soon. I love living here but .......I am also unable to take a mortgage break if I go back to uni. I am going to drop the price on the house again by 5k. If I am lucky I will get some of my 15K deposit back. I don't even want to think about the state of my pension............ non existent.
Oh well so much for frugalism as a lifestyle choice - (Choosing it so you can reap the rewards and make progress is very different as well I know) Ha frugal sounds better than poor I suppose but lets face facts I ain't got no cash and def no spare cash or disposeable income for owt.
Cheers Dave thanks for taking my career, self respect, financial independence, credit rating. Before being made redundant on my 29k including maintenance and child benefit I could be frugal and make progress now on 16,500k its time to go backwards. I get the austere times and the cuts ( kind of maybe not as harsh), VAT rise didn't bother me - choose wisely I thought- luxuries like booze and fags, Chelsea tractor 4x4 cars, expensive hobbies designer clothes. primarni every week for the latest t shirt/item to fit in, made in sweatshops for buttons - that's your choice wants not needs unessential and as such choose wisely. Even faced redundancy - I had a plan I will sell up - be prepared to move just as Dave said to retrain/find work where ever I can.People need to move to the jobs he said!! I will out of necessity uproot my daughter from all she knows, our support network, friends and start again somewhere..... hopefully cheaper........ No sale, no interest either!
The gorgeous one is missing out too - she has stressed mummy, no swimming lessons and is desperate to begin ballet like her little friends. I am sure she will survive without them plenty other kids do but that doesn't really cut it with me. I used to make the choices being frugal, buying preloved etc so that we could do these things. I couldn't afford the petrol to get there on my budget anyway! We don't heat the water at night for a bath either - its just showers these days. Short ones. Got to get that electricity down.
Only one family have viewed the house in 7 months. If I was getting viewings I would be happier but no one is buying starter family homes. My end of the market has come to a griding halt.
Ahhhhh feck it - nowt I can do but ride the wave - all in the lap of the gods now..... nice bit of fatalism why the hell not!!!
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
NO spend Wednesday!!! Useless CAB
Not a penny did I spend today! The Roo and I have walked to the beach and back searching for snow drops. The Roo is also the weeny girl, the beautiful one called Roo since a baby as she was so tiny she could fit in a pouch! Glorious spring day - fresh, sunshiney and very mild despite the frost last night. 'OOOO Lovely drops' was all I could hear as we strolled back . I am very lucky to live in the country and have lovely walks on my door step. Few shots of our local beach found on the internert. Low Stead Links part of the heritage coastline, an area of outstanding natural beauty and looked after by the National Trust.
We had homemade soup and buffet bits ( bits of fruit, some ham,) bread for the weeny girl )for lunch. bread - home made of course- all very cheap and cheerful and tasty - Spicy lentil soup Mmmmm. I am the soup dragon! I have inherited skills at making a decent 'pot o' or 'pan o' soup from my mater who heralded from the Scotlandshire! Many a night we would be fed a 'plate o soup'. Food that would stick to your ribs and keep the cold out. Pretty much any veg can become soup and taste bloody good. All left over veg, veg about to go off, past its best.. I stockpile it in the freezer till I have enough and then it becomes soup.(Not keen on gazpacho however and salad never lasts in my house)
Am feeding Biggles the Owl lover as well this week. he is on leave from work- its about the only thing I can do in return these days apart from the odd football fridge magnet or silly football badge (All coming in under the £2.00 rule - I don't like paying over this amount for anything £3 at a push for select items) He likes the silly football stuff depicting his team as supreme to a rival so it makes him do a smile. Ah bless. So its tuna and cheese baked potatoes with salad this evening - salad will be used up for fajitas on Thursday or Friday. We are away at the weekend to the land of whippets and flat caps and steel. Only for the night to see Mother Biggles but this means food - great food and a good natter while Biggles watches his beloved football team. Roo is also off to visit her other family so we get a rest from each other.
Contacted the CAB today to find out about debt management options - They were useless. Offered me a telephone interview/chat with debt adviser ( have already done this) or a Video link interview!!!!
IE Webcam. Said I would prefer to speak to someone in person and was told this was not possible. Person on the phone was ok - didn't really know alot about benefits and how they were awarded IE Working tax Credit and I had to explain it to her. She had no direct experience of it herself.... you could tell. It is a complete pain in the backside to apply for and goes off last tax years earnings not what you currently earn. So many people who do not get Working tax credit seem to think its a cure all for everything and that the government are paying out thousands each month to individuals to enable them to ride around in flash cars, buy flat screen TV's etc Errrrr Not in this case.
In the end I have made an appointment with CAP not to be confused with CAB. CAP Christians against Poverty area reputable charity who help you to contact your creditors etc and intervene on your behalf so that you are not bullied into paying more than you can reasonably afford. They will visit you at home to discuss your needs and situation which is very civilised better than a web cam.
Also got the spring/summer clothes out of storage today - floral and colour are back brightening up my wardrobe once again! I still need to work on the sweeping -I find some domestics incredibly mind numbingly dull.
I have an interview for a PGCE (Secondary Citizenship and Social sciences)sometime in April. Would be fabulous to get a place and achieve QTS however that will open up a financial mine field! Thought I may have sold the sodding house by now post redundancy six months ago and house on market for 7 months.
But one step at a time - have arranged to go into a school for a week and then see if I get accepted before I start to worry or work on alternative plans!
We had homemade soup and buffet bits ( bits of fruit, some ham,) bread for the weeny girl )for lunch. bread - home made of course- all very cheap and cheerful and tasty - Spicy lentil soup Mmmmm. I am the soup dragon! I have inherited skills at making a decent 'pot o' or 'pan o' soup from my mater who heralded from the Scotlandshire! Many a night we would be fed a 'plate o soup'. Food that would stick to your ribs and keep the cold out. Pretty much any veg can become soup and taste bloody good. All left over veg, veg about to go off, past its best.. I stockpile it in the freezer till I have enough and then it becomes soup.(Not keen on gazpacho however and salad never lasts in my house)
Am feeding Biggles the Owl lover as well this week. he is on leave from work- its about the only thing I can do in return these days apart from the odd football fridge magnet or silly football badge (All coming in under the £2.00 rule - I don't like paying over this amount for anything £3 at a push for select items) He likes the silly football stuff depicting his team as supreme to a rival so it makes him do a smile. Ah bless. So its tuna and cheese baked potatoes with salad this evening - salad will be used up for fajitas on Thursday or Friday. We are away at the weekend to the land of whippets and flat caps and steel. Only for the night to see Mother Biggles but this means food - great food and a good natter while Biggles watches his beloved football team. Roo is also off to visit her other family so we get a rest from each other.
Contacted the CAB today to find out about debt management options - They were useless. Offered me a telephone interview/chat with debt adviser ( have already done this) or a Video link interview!!!!
IE Webcam. Said I would prefer to speak to someone in person and was told this was not possible. Person on the phone was ok - didn't really know alot about benefits and how they were awarded IE Working tax Credit and I had to explain it to her. She had no direct experience of it herself.... you could tell. It is a complete pain in the backside to apply for and goes off last tax years earnings not what you currently earn. So many people who do not get Working tax credit seem to think its a cure all for everything and that the government are paying out thousands each month to individuals to enable them to ride around in flash cars, buy flat screen TV's etc Errrrr Not in this case.
In the end I have made an appointment with CAP not to be confused with CAB. CAP Christians against Poverty area reputable charity who help you to contact your creditors etc and intervene on your behalf so that you are not bullied into paying more than you can reasonably afford. They will visit you at home to discuss your needs and situation which is very civilised better than a web cam.
Also got the spring/summer clothes out of storage today - floral and colour are back brightening up my wardrobe once again! I still need to work on the sweeping -I find some domestics incredibly mind numbingly dull.
I have an interview for a PGCE (Secondary Citizenship and Social sciences)sometime in April. Would be fabulous to get a place and achieve QTS however that will open up a financial mine field! Thought I may have sold the sodding house by now post redundancy six months ago and house on market for 7 months.
But one step at a time - have arranged to go into a school for a week and then see if I get accepted before I start to worry or work on alternative plans!
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Blog One!!!
Ho hum - first blog entry. I shall bring you up to speed! Read the about me bit!
OK you are nearly there. I am a single mum to the gorgeous girl the light of my life still a bit weeny and not at full time school yet. I work used to work full time till I was made redundant by the new condemning government and a bunch of toady management who crapped on front line workers to save their own and their other management friends skins - but this happens. We all know it does- they just didn't have to be so shitty and down right rude about it!
I now work part time and commute silly distances for the joy of work on a much lower salary than previously to do a job I find to be lacking in integrity. As a public sector type person in a helping type field I do not earn nice amounts.This I accept- it is my choice however I was getting by and doing quite well till Dave and his buddies decided to go for the slash and burn budget cuts impacting on the little chap IE me. Prior to this I had what I thought was a reasonably steady job - certainly I was appreciated by some lovely clients and agencies I worked in partnership with ( shpiel -I know but I need to remain anonymous). I bought a house invested the life savings on the deposit and was chipping away nicely at the debt one had accrued and was saving a tidy amount for a new car. The end was in sight! Financial freedom was within my grasp only 24 months left and the financial plan was coming together!!!! Then big slap in the mush from the government bye bye salary and the icing on the cake snotty up their own arses management dipping me in vinegar after the paper cuts that constitute redundancy - C'nuts that they are and bollocks!
Thought I would document via this blog either my descent into insolvency or my phoenix like ascent from the ashes or may be it will be both! ha ha hark at me with the flowery language. Its complicated by being a single parent and living in the country and having no family support close at hand. I am an exiled southerner. My life is also full of smiles and cheeky grins, and cuddles so I am rich really!
I was living within my means and paying my debt, eeking it out like you do when you discover a meagre last dollop of butter in the tub after you have made you morning toast! I was doing ok. Now I have bugger all and its necessity to be frugal in order to feed and clothe the gorgeous one and myself and keep the big bad form the door. The barricades are getting a little thin and I can hear the snarls!
I am not a hippy. I do not smell of patchouli oil. I wash. I wash my clothes and make sure they do not smell of foost! I do not have greasy hair.... often. I despise consumerism. I do not and never have leched after silly shoes, leather sofas, cream carpets or other such must have home decor or gadgets the stuff credit card bills are made of. I am unimpressed by large wads of cash ( good for you if you have it but it doesn't mean you are a better or more worthy person), designer labels, tony and guy haircuts, beaverbrooks jewelery, - you name it I really don't care about it! I yawn loudly when the scs or dfs advert comes on the tv.
I am a functional person with green leanings. I recycle, I free cycle. I attempt to tread as lightly as I can upon this old planet of ours. I do not participate needlessly in the economy - I try to buy non vat items - privately sold cars, essential food and make my own goodies, second hand, preloved! I am unimpressed by expensive cars, flash suits or clothes and as such it has never been a hardship for me not to have them. I am stubbornly independant-
What do I value - food and freedom, fresh air, the moment, experience, peace and tranquility, a good book and a cup of tea. My daughter telling me I am her best friend. Security and a good nights kip.
So here goes I shall document my sadly enforced frugality. ( I felt so much more smug and virtuous when it was a choice ).
OK you are nearly there. I am a single mum to the gorgeous girl the light of my life still a bit weeny and not at full time school yet. I work used to work full time till I was made redundant by the new condemning government and a bunch of toady management who crapped on front line workers to save their own and their other management friends skins - but this happens. We all know it does- they just didn't have to be so shitty and down right rude about it!
I now work part time and commute silly distances for the joy of work on a much lower salary than previously to do a job I find to be lacking in integrity. As a public sector type person in a helping type field I do not earn nice amounts.This I accept- it is my choice however I was getting by and doing quite well till Dave and his buddies decided to go for the slash and burn budget cuts impacting on the little chap IE me. Prior to this I had what I thought was a reasonably steady job - certainly I was appreciated by some lovely clients and agencies I worked in partnership with ( shpiel -I know but I need to remain anonymous). I bought a house invested the life savings on the deposit and was chipping away nicely at the debt one had accrued and was saving a tidy amount for a new car. The end was in sight! Financial freedom was within my grasp only 24 months left and the financial plan was coming together!!!! Then big slap in the mush from the government bye bye salary and the icing on the cake snotty up their own arses management dipping me in vinegar after the paper cuts that constitute redundancy - C'nuts that they are and bollocks!
Thought I would document via this blog either my descent into insolvency or my phoenix like ascent from the ashes or may be it will be both! ha ha hark at me with the flowery language. Its complicated by being a single parent and living in the country and having no family support close at hand. I am an exiled southerner. My life is also full of smiles and cheeky grins, and cuddles so I am rich really!
I was living within my means and paying my debt, eeking it out like you do when you discover a meagre last dollop of butter in the tub after you have made you morning toast! I was doing ok. Now I have bugger all and its necessity to be frugal in order to feed and clothe the gorgeous one and myself and keep the big bad form the door. The barricades are getting a little thin and I can hear the snarls!
I am not a hippy. I do not smell of patchouli oil. I wash. I wash my clothes and make sure they do not smell of foost! I do not have greasy hair.... often. I despise consumerism. I do not and never have leched after silly shoes, leather sofas, cream carpets or other such must have home decor or gadgets the stuff credit card bills are made of. I am unimpressed by large wads of cash ( good for you if you have it but it doesn't mean you are a better or more worthy person), designer labels, tony and guy haircuts, beaverbrooks jewelery, - you name it I really don't care about it! I yawn loudly when the scs or dfs advert comes on the tv.
I am a functional person with green leanings. I recycle, I free cycle. I attempt to tread as lightly as I can upon this old planet of ours. I do not participate needlessly in the economy - I try to buy non vat items - privately sold cars, essential food and make my own goodies, second hand, preloved! I am unimpressed by expensive cars, flash suits or clothes and as such it has never been a hardship for me not to have them. I am stubbornly independant-
What do I value - food and freedom, fresh air, the moment, experience, peace and tranquility, a good book and a cup of tea. My daughter telling me I am her best friend. Security and a good nights kip.
So here goes I shall document my sadly enforced frugality. ( I felt so much more smug and virtuous when it was a choice ).
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