AIBU to want a bit more money

[elf0508]

My mum has just got a cheque for a claim she put in a year ago. Anyway a grand of it will go to my brother, 400 to me because I owe her money for a ps4 I got through her catalogue last year. 200 will go into savings, and 200 on my debts but I have 600 pound worth of debt so I'm thinking of just using it all on my debts.
AIBU to want a bit more money?

Your child not the child sorry!

Does your partner work? Full time or part time?

OP, according to MN, you aren't allowed to want or own anything, if you are poor.

Many posters don't get that there are whole sections of society, who unless they are getting into debt, they'll have nothing, but then they'll tell you that you have more than some, Worldwide and be grateful that you've got four walls to stare at.

In the area that I live in Liverpool, everyone is in some debt and buying from catalogues are the norm.

A PS4 is a cheap form of leisure.

This is a situation in which you be grateful for the extra.

Can you pay the money for the PS4, off your debts?

Things will eventually pick up.

I am just a bit gutted as I wanted all my debts paid off.

Sell the PS4?

You have £1k worth of debt and your mother has just cleared £800 off it. Sell the PS4 and a the games and controllers you have for it, clear the debt, have zero debt, dont buy from catalogues and look for full time work.

Does seem a bit unfair op as your brother get 1k and you get £800.

^^ bit OTT. I have found most companies very reasonable when I've been super poor and are willing to accept minimal repayments till I'm out of the red.

Not true birds I'm unemployed and sleeping in a homeless night shelter and have a few thousand in debts. I'm not coming at this from a perspective of judging a poor person for wanting a PS4.

I can't get a job that's more than three hours because I can't get any child care

Nursery, childminder, partner?

A PS4 is a cheap form of leisure.

Not from a catalogue in someone else's name

The ps4 was a Christmas present, I don't want to sell it. My partner pays all of our bills atm and looks after our child for the three hours I work

So you can't get a job because you can't afford childcare and you can't afford childcare so you can't get a job with more hours. I understand it would be difficult to start off with, but it's a loop you'll never get out of with that line of thinking.

As for "you're not allowed to want stuff when you're poor", it's NOT the OP's PS4, she says herself it's for her partner! And I'm no stranger to denying myself (or my partner) something because I can't afford it. However, OP was in a better situation when she bought it. But I still don't see why the DP can't sell it to help her out, though.

It may be unfair that the brother got more than the OP, but she is not entitled to that money. It's not hers.

Don't be silly, of course you are being unreasonable :p

Are you the same lady whose boyfriend doesn't want their kid to have any toys? If so, I'd sell that PS4 in a hot second.

Why mention he pays council tax, specifically, not all bills?

Op you are lucky your mum is being generous and you are getting very similar amounts.

Reducing your debts by 2/3 will help you a lot surely

You could look for evening and weekend work so your partner will be at home for childcare. Also if you work full time you'll earn enough between you both to afford childcare.

It's a xmas present, so presumably he doesn't have it yet? If your DP wouldn't understand not getting a PS4 because you lost your job, then you'd be better as a single mother.

I already work three hours in the evening!

Second northern78. If what you are upset about is your brother getting more than you, then that's a legitimate concern. Do you think your mum now sees you as irresponsible with money due to the PS$ situation? Or is it just a general favouritism thing?

If I were you, I'd clear half the other debts (£300) and put £100 in savings. It's good to have a wee cushion when you are up against it, but it is best to clear debts as fast as possible.

Also could you try to get the £600 written off by making one big payment e.g. £300? Sometimes companies will accept that kind of deal. It will go on your credit file though. Also, if you let them know you are in straightened financial circumstances, sometimes you can get the interest frozen whilst you pay off the balance. But you do have to negotiate hard and know your rights for either of those, so I would try to see the Citizens Advice Bureau if you can.

You def need to sell the ps4, plus anything else you have to pay off debts so you aren't in a vicious cycle of paying more off than your earning.

Do you have baby stuff you can sell?

Look for a full town job and childcare options. Can't partner look after child some of the time? A nursery/ different childminder/ your mum a few hours/ partner etc. With a mixture you might not need full time childcare with a full time job ie 45hr job, if someone already has him 15 hrs a week that's only 30 hrs childcare to find. Would your mum help for a few weeks whilst you sort childcare?

can you not up those hours? three hours a week is nothing (or do you mean three hours each evening?)

Ask your partner to clear your remaining £200 debt as your xmas present from him. That'd be an awesome gift- do give you a clean slate. I mean you bought him a gift costing double that last year!

It's a xmas present, so presumably he doesn't have it yet?

The PS4 was "got through the catalogue last year" according to the first post, so I assume he's had it since last Christmas.

Birdsgottafly I suspect you probably live very close to me. The issue with poverty, even if it's only relatively short-term, is that it's so bloody hard to get out of - because the only options for you (as you're poor) are the expensive ones.

So fridge suddenly dies? Littlewoods if you're lucky enough to have an account, Brighthouse if you're not: and even if you pay your bill in full every month with a catalogue, the prices are still higher than on the high street - but you are being charged the premium for the option to pay at the end of the month (or in instalments, with premium rate interest on top, if you can't clear the bill when you're paid).

It took me years to get out of the debt I accrued when on benefits for two years- and I wasn't living high on the hog.

I personally wouldn't buy a PS4, as I have no interest whatsoever in games - and I don't have satellite television because I don't have a television at all: but your point about cheap entertainment is absolutely spot on. My NDN has Sky for exactly this reason- I know she struggles to pay it every month, but she literally has no other form of entertainment. She's unable to read, and has a night out once in a blue moon, and doesn't smoke/drink/drug so has no other form of escape.

That said - as OP and her DP were both in full-time employment at the time of the purchase, it might have made more sense to buy it outright, without credit, having saved up first. But they didn't - and I suspect she won't make this mistake again. I still think, though, as it's his, and they are a couple, it wouldn't harm him to contribute.

How about working full days when your DP isn't working or asking your family if they can help you with childcare?

Bird PS4 is not a cheap form of entertainment. For the money the OP spent I could have months of fun for my whole family. There are so many things that you can do that don't cost much or are free. The issue is that when you are under the stress of being poor it becomes hard to see these free opportunities. That is why I think poverty is such a trap.

If you do 3 hours 5x a week you only need one more to get the magic 16 and qualify for tax credits. I think! Or is it different for couples? Does anyone know what OP needs to work combined with her DP to qualify for tax credits?