to be so fedup of being poor

[BobbyBlue]

I am so fed up of never having any money. I don't want much, I just want to be able to buy my children clothes when they need them instead of having to cut the feet off DD's babygrows to get a few more months out of them, or washing my bra through every night because I only have the one and even that is falling apart. I was looking at DS today and he looks so scruffy in a top that is too short in the arms and is faded.

DH works so hard to look after us and works every hour he can. I had a job but it was only a temp contract and it wasn't renewed after my employer found out I was pregnant with DD3 and now I'm struggling to find anything else.

We don't smoke, drink or even go out.

I can live with having to wear old worn clothes myself but my older two DC are getting to an age where it is going to start bothering them.

I know we're not the only ones who struggle, I only have to look up and down the street to see other families who are having a hard time, but sometimes it just gets so bloody depressing!!!

Feel better for having a moan!

I have just started doing Avon I was a bit about it at first in case they wanted money from me.

The way it works is you get your first two months boks free then out of your first two orders they take 7.00 as a start up fee.

I have had about 20 customers most spending between ten and twenty pounds and the first month I made 70.00 and this month I got 110.00.

You don't have to wait for them to pay you you pay yourself and you don't have to go knocking on doors if you don't want to my customers are family,schoolrun Mum's,a few neighbours and friends.

Hope it gets better for you soon.

How can Bobbyblue afford broadband? If you are so hard up, you need to sell some things or go without.

Get clothes from charity shops, scour the freeads for free stuff.
Shop in £1 shops, offer ironing services or even brass cleaning (amazing how many people hate doing that job).

Think of money making schemes, do you have a talent? Don't think of yourself as a victim, do something about it.

what mumblechum said.

we're still £9000 in debt, down from £10000 but i swore if i was going to be working poor, that was fine, but i wasn't going to have debt around my neck, too!

i've sold stuff on ebay, i babysit over big holidays (offering overnight stays so the parents can get wasted), write stuff here and there for the odd bob or two, make little crafts very cheaply and sell them in boot sales and flea markets, etc.

you have to be very creative and really motivated and see every penny you earn as valuable.

how about swapping? that's another way to get clothes and stuff. you can swap stuff or services, like babysitting, taking someone for errands, waiting in for someone's delivery, etc.

Reality, and you never wanted to have a moan about things when times were harder for you? or am I surpose to be some kind of saint who never gets down or fedup about my finacial situation?

I think I definitely win the 'who owes the most money' competition, I can't sleep at night sometimes.

No problem Bobby just shout if you change your mind.

We really need broadband for DH's work Ripeberry. He can log into his works PC through it. He usually comes home for teatime to see DC and then works some more in the evening when they are in bed.

Plus DD is at high school and would really struggle to do her home work without the PC whihc was a gift from our parents last year.

Expat, good idea about ebay, I think I probably have quite a few baby things that I could sell.

Darcy, its crap owing money isn't it. its like a big weight around your neck.

Definitely do babysitting. My ds does loads of babysitting, and earns at least £5 an hour.

Babysitting is a fab idea! I have worked for many years as a Teaching assistant with young children so have plenty of experince.

One think that frightens me about it is that interest rates are so low at the moment if they go up we could be in big trouble.

Could you take in ironing? Good to do once children are in bed...

ebay things- it can be worthwhile definitely.

Do you do menu planning? (I'm guessing yes)

Does your children's school have a newsletter? that would be an ideal place to put a small ad.

DS also has ads in the village shop, the school noticeboard and the village noticeboard. He now has 4 or 5 regular families who all love him because he actually plays with the kids, rather than ignoring them and doing homework.

i sell all types of random shite, bobby.

i mean, like DH's old digital camera and an old calculator of mine from high school.

i sell stuff on Gumtree, on cards in supermarkets, etc.

Child benefit and tax credits would amount to a fair bit for three children, can you not use that to buy some clothes for the children?

I agree re looking for night work, if you could afford to have a third child whilst originally working then hopefully by working again things would go back to the same as before.

You say you don't drink, smoke or go out, so babysitting is ideal and, in particular, holiday babysitting.

You can really jack up your prices then!

Especially NYE. People wanted to go out and party more than the money they paid me, I wanted money more than to go out and party.

Perfect exchange. £50/kid for 7PM-10AM, breakfast included. I was going to sit at home, anyway.

My kids got a sleepover, too. They loved it.

And I got £200 pretty easily.

Other good holidays - although not as pricey - are Bonfire Night, Halloween and Valentine's.

I do menu plan, I'm actually getting very good at it now and always cook from scratch which works out a lot cheaper.

I definately can't do ironing! I am quie possibley the worst ironer in the world and I have a wonderful habit of breaking irons!

The babysitting is something I'm really going to persue. I also have a pediatric first aid certificate that I got through work so thats a plus point. School do have a newsletter and a notice board in the playground too. I will speak to them after half term. My friend runs a P&T group too so I will ask her to put the word out.

I do use the Cb and tax credits for the children but they grow so fast its hard to keep up.

Trying to get BG to take out our gas and electric meters out as I know it would be cheaper to pay via DD but so far they have refused.

Shineon, DS is 9 nearly 10

Debt repayments aren't meant to leave you this broke. Please go and see a free money advisor at CAB/LA.

I am going to get in touch with the CAB tomorrow. I've been thinking about it and i'm hoping that the bank will except a lower payment for a while if they know how much we are struggling.

YANBU - it is exhausting agonising over evry penny.

The solution I have found is taking peverse pleasure in being thrifty. Check out the credit crunch threads and start drying out those tea bags

I need to become ultra thrifty from now on as have been a bit shit with money. When I put my mind to it; I love saving money.

I have to say; NCT sales are fantastic for second hand kid's clothes. There's no shame in second hand. our society has become so consumersist anyways in recent years. Our modern lifesyles are unsustainable and second hand is the way to go; if not slightly against the consumersist grain.

join your local freecycle group, you have to give something away first but then you could ask for clothes in the sizes you need.

Do you have a mortgage? If you don't have any assets which could be repossessed, it might be worth looking into voluntary bankruptcy if you have huge debts that you would never be able to repay.

It is definitely not an easy option, there are lots of negatives but I do know someone who has come through the other side and who is starting again with a clean slate.

It's only an option though if you don't want a mortgage in the future or if you have a job that isn't at risk if you become bankrupt.

12 months ago I felt the same way, all I can say is keep going, like a bloody hamster on a wheel and it will get better.