Cannot escape poverty, what's the cheapest place in the world for me to move to?

[despair1234]

I can't cope and getting depressed again. I can't earn enough money. Had a real go with lots of tries at being freelance, because my health problems make it extremely hard to keep a normal job. Time off for hospital appointments etc.

I'm on my own in the UK and just done. I have a partner is another country but don't have a visa.

Need to move somewhere it's really cheap to have housing and food, I can't cope here anymore. Everyday is a massive struggle worrying how to pay the bills once my savings totally run out. No money is coming in. Not entitled to any benefits apart from Jobseeker's Allowance maybe which I don't bother with because I can't stand the effect it has on my mental health.

I just can't cope. It's too expensive just being alive. I have no family I can go to stay with, there is literally nowhere to go to relax.

It's like being in a nightmare except I never wake up. Constant, constant stress of money I can never overcome. Yeah I can borrow money but have no way of paying it back if I can't earn.

Where can I go??? Where can I find somewhere to rest???? I need to calm down and can't calm down, I'm having nightmares when I'm asleep, I'm not depressed but the impossible financial reality is making me depressed...because... where can it go from here?

It will never get better? Just breathing and eating and sleeping somewhere safe costs too much money? Let alone upkeep of clothes for interviews, reliable computer to try to find jobs, even small fees for retraining???

I just want to go away and escape, I need to escape.

OP the way you've been treated by people in this thread is disgusting.

Sometimes Mumsnet can be a really nasty place. Many people here are ignorant fools. Some of them are downright evil. Just ignore them.

I hope you’re feeling better today OP and can move forwards a bit with some of these suggestions. I’m feeling similar although different circumstances but finding work around commitments can be so difficult. I also previously worked in a very specific role and finding it impossible to get a chance to transition to a different role. Childcare was my issue- that is now pretty much sorted but now I’m finding new obstacles.

Temp agencies might be worth a try as they can offer quite flexible roles and work around your appointments. I think I may look into the TEFL option too so will follow this thread for any advice. I’m also going to sign up for a cheap on line computer skills course to brush up on my IT (until I have to sell the computer to pay the mortgage!)
I too want to stop the jsa and the visits to the job centre but I think there are implications. Claiming jsa means that they cover your NI contributions whilst you are looking for work. They will also give you a ‘history’ in case you secure a job where you need a continuous 3 / 5 year work history.
And check out the civil service jobs- they appear to be a good employer and offer part time and flexible working.

Good luck

Sorry for how you’ve been treated on this thread OP.

I think you can now apply for an advanced learning loan to help pay for fees for eligible courses like CELTA or TESOL.

www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan

They're a bit like student loans in that you don't start repaying until you're earning over a certain threshold.

Might be worth looking in to at least.

Just as a ‘heads up’, ESA can be as difficult to claim as PIP.

To claim Contribution Based ESA you will need to have made enough NI contributions over the last two tax years before this one, so it’s worth checking that out. If not, you will have to claim Income Related ESA which is means tested and will take into account any savings. If you are in a full UC area then you cannot claim Income Related ESA and only UC with the limited capacity for work element.

You will need to be signed off by your GP and will need to send the sicknotes to the DWP along with other paperwork as asked for. This is then followed by a large form (a bit like PIP) and a face-to-face assessment.

Having had to apply for both PIP and ESA in the last 12 months, I found the PIP process far less stressful.

God no wonder the PP has reacted badly to many of the replies here.

There are lots of posts where it seems the sole intention is to make her feel even more like shit.
Maybe some of you have been fortunate to not be in her position... but have a bit of empathy.

I don’t have any suggestions OP but I really really hope that something works out for you

I never understand it when people say there are "no jobs up North" . What do they think we are all doing all day?

Racing whippets? Going down t'pit?

My
I lost my job, got a FT carer job 3 weeks later and another 4 weeks after that found a FT job with a prestige car brand. I have two jobs up North, I'm greedy

It's so hard when you fall into the cracks of the benefit system OP. I am 'lucky' in a way because I qualify for PIP and ESA in the enhanced/support groups and personally I didn't find it as stressful to claim as some others here, but then my conditions are pretty severe and I have a lot of medical evidence to back me up. The DWP mostly leave me alone now as I'm on long term awards and so I'm able to focus on dealing with my health issues and just receive the money in my account every month. It's enough to cover my rent and living costs, and I'm not living hand to mouth.
But obviously OP you're in a better position than me in the long term as you have the ability to improve your situation and hopefully be self sufficient in future. The TEFL plan definitely looks promising, especially if advanced learner loans are available.

I'm not understanding how any kind of teaching will fit with despair's disability. You need to be available at fixed hours and on a regular schedule. It's not possible to miss a class if the disability flares up on more than a very occasional basis.

How would she pay for the training?
Many English language schools don't require any formal training. You just have to be a native English speaker. An old colleague of mine applied for a teaching job in Singapore and was hired despite having no previous teaching experience. She had her interviews via Skype.

If you do go for a live in carer job, OP, just make sure there are no signs of even early dementia. In many cases you would be driven mad in no time - it takes a very special kind of person with infinite patience. It can hard enough even when the person is a much loved relative.,

I'm not sure how anyone with no formal training could be an effective TEFL teacher, WilyMinx. Classes are typically taught entirely in English and you need to learn techniques for putting across things that as a native speaker you never had to learn in a classroom.

How about teaching 'question tags' or 'the third conditional' when you've never had to learn such things and very likely don't even have a clue what they are?

Personally I think it very unfair on students - who will usually have paid good money for lessons - for any language school to employ teachers whose only qualification is that they are a native speaker who's had all the years since birth to absorb the language naturally.

I know someone with no teaching qualifications/experience who has just taken a TEFL job in Hong Kong. He’s basically teaching 3-7 year olds from a prescriptive English programme which is textbook based.

He loves it and it is well paid for his age and level of experience.

HOWEVER, it is long days, hard work and inflexible. I would say it is entirely unsuitable for the OP given the nature and demand of the role.

Many English language schools don't require any formal training. You just have to be a native English speaker. An old colleague of mine applied for a teaching job in Singapore and was hired despite having no previous teaching experience. She had her interviews via Skype

Reputable language schools do not hire people with no qualifications or training. I'm familiar with some of the ones who do, and no decent teachers would work for them.

Agree with blastomama

The less reputable schools are not noted for their flexibility, pay and conditions either.

I would not try to teach with no qualification. If you see my earlier posts about TESL I was saying I am researching getting the appropriate qualification in the most budget friendly way.

I can borrow money if there is an investment into training to be made that has a decent chance of paying off. I have a good credit rating. Yeah it's still a risk but everything is a risk.

I have a degree majoring in English lit so there's some link there. I wouldn't want to be a high school teacher with students doing GCSEs or A levels, but would interested in teaching adults who are studying as a second language.

What I don't want to do is get into debt for a wild goose chase such as a Masters degree with one of the postgraduate loans, for example. I doubt postgraduate studies would make me any better off.

You can do the short form of TEFL training if you have an english degree.
You will still need to qualify for a visa to teach abroad though, which is not always simple.

Blastomama I'm going to look into it.

I don't expect it to be easy. I don't expect anything to be easy. I don't think I can just skip off happily into a successful job.

Despair - I sympathise.

It's more than about benefits, jobs, illness, it's about wanting TO LIVE. A satisfying and happy and peaceful life where you can support yourself.

You sound very motivated.

Here is what I would do...I would PLAN. I would work as much as physically possible over the next 6 months. I would save as much as possible. I would do the TEFL course. I would start volunteering in a TEFL class. I would pick a southern European country. I would start learning the language. Your not too far from UK, it's not a developing nation, its SUNNY. I would get there and LEARN THE LANGUAGE ASAP. Basically once you get a plan you will feel much happier. I would move in 6-12 months.

Your going to have to work hard op, but you can do it IF YOU DECIDE to do it.

(I also think you have been treated unfairly on this thread. You asked a very simple question and so many posts are going on about benefits. You didn't ask about benefits. People were not listening to you) x

Thats great youve got an English degree.

It's not too hard to claim ESA to start with as long as you have a sick note and fill in the forms on time. It can get difficult once you have one of their stupid assessments and they find you fit for work and dump you off ESA without a second thought. But it could give you a bit of breathing space to come up with a plan, lots of good suggestions from previous posters.

I have felt like you and thought if i could retrain in something in demand we could live in another country and have a better life. But my husband needs medical treatment and my daughters getting settled in nursery so I think we're going to have to make the best of things here. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Canada? It has a public healthcare system whic it sounds like you need, but Cody of living is much lower than Uak. Not Vancouver though, try east coast or middle - somewhere like Kelowna might be good for you as it’s got a lot of tourism so events coordination skills relevant to the economy. Good range of weather too - warm in summer. Lovely landscape.

What I don't want to do is get into debt for a wild goose chase such as a Masters degree with one of the postgraduate loans, for example. I doubt postgraduate studies would make me any better off.

Agree completely with this - postgrad studies work in very specific circumstances. I studied for several years after my degree but on a very specific path that requires it. Getting into debt to do a masters would be a bad idea. A specific practical qualification like TESOL is a different matter.

It’s also not easy to move anywhere like Canada, NZ or Oz - they have a really strict and in the case of Oz very expensive system for immigration.

I would suggest Europe - you can still pretty much pitch up and work most places bit do it before all the brexit chaos hits.
Or remain in the UK and move to a cheaper centre but one which has sufficient diversity for your skills to be useful. It’s nonsense that there are no jobs up north (I am from Yorkshire.) there are - and if you’re in a university city or twin in the north you will be able to have the best of both worlds - cheaper rent and a university hub which attracts people from all over.

Just my two pennorth on emigration. I’m an expat and I’ve found it really hard and experienced quite severe depression. It’s very common for people to feel this way. It’s worked out ok for me in many ways but I don’t think I’ll ever truly settle or be happy where I am and I miss the UK a lot. This was a surprise to me as I’d worked in different countries before and never had an issue with it.