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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Widows benefit stopping in August. Help!

53 replies

CareBear50 · 18/05/2019 10:41

I've been a single mum for thirteen years since my husband passed away in 2006. It's been a tough journey.

I have two girls ....one at uni and the other currently doing A levels.

Widows benefit has been a godsend to me.... Honestly don't know how we would have coped without it. I work full time and earn about £23k per year.

So munsnetters I really need your help. Any ideas what I can do to supplement my income by about 70 quid per week from September?

Ps In the past I have rented out a room on Airbnb but have now stopped doing that due to insurance problems

Help! 😀

OP posts:
Singlenotsingle · 18/05/2019 10:46

I was reading yesterday about a woman who does secret shopper, and online surveys. She makes about £100 pw. Would this be an option?

Doyoumind · 18/05/2019 10:49

There's matched betting but it's quite time consuming.

kimlo · 18/05/2019 10:49

the awful thing is it's been changed and you can only get it for a year now.

Avon?

Original poster
CareBear50 · 18/05/2019 10:50

Single notsingle I have looked at secretshopper option before but the pay was paltry and as I work ft the hours didn't suit anyhow

OP posts:
MojoMoon · 18/05/2019 10:51

More work?
Saturday night shift in a pub?
Cleaning job on a weekend morning?

Can you not change insurance and rent the room out? Full time lodger would bring in plenty. I have a lodger - insurance with with LV, it's a touch more expensive than without a lodger.

kaytee87 · 18/05/2019 10:51

If you have a child at home still then you might be entitled to universal credit until they're 19.

stucknoue · 18/05/2019 10:56

Are you near a university? A term time lodger would work well, £80-100 per week including utilities outside of London is the going rate

NailsNeedDoing · 18/05/2019 11:00

Make your girls get jobs and contribute to bills when they are home?

Look at ways of reducing your bills if you haven't already. Is there anything you could do in the job you already have to increase your income, like going for promotion or moving up a pay scale?

I'm not much help, but I will be in exactly the same position at the same time next year, so I am increasing my hours at work. Can only be thankful that my DH died before they changed the rules and we got a decent amount of money back from his NI instead of the paltry amount that widows now get for only 18 months. Hmm

EleanorReally · 18/05/2019 11:09

Couple of shifts in a pub or caring or something

Original poster
CareBear50 · 18/05/2019 11:10

Thanks for all the lovely ideas guys. My kids are not/ won't be at local unis so won't be able to contribute to bills. I've thought of getting in a lodger but the area I live in I think that would be pretty tricky. No chance of promotion at work unless I go for a managerial role, which I don't fancy.

Anyone any ideas about bulk stuff I could maybe buy and sell for more on eBay?? That might work??

OP posts:
BummyKnocker · 18/05/2019 11:10

Try the earn £10 a day thread, I'll try to find it

HomeMadeMadness · 18/05/2019 11:11

What hours do you work currently? Is there no way of downsizing or cutting back on costs? How about babysitting on the weekend?

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 18/05/2019 11:11

Couple of night shifts in a pub, weekend day in a supermarket etc? As the chidren are old enough to not need childcare any extra work you do doesn't get hit with childcare costs.

BummyKnocker · 18/05/2019 11:13

£10 a day here

EleanorReally · 18/05/2019 11:17

you may enjoy the pub work as well op.

mimibunz · 18/05/2019 11:18

I would have a frank discussion with my line manager about my salary.

RedHelenB · 18/05/2019 11:21

Without your children at hone you will spend less money.

DontCallMeShitley · 18/05/2019 11:21

Ebay isn't so great any more, there is no guarantee of anything selling, and if you buy to sell on then you need to register as a business which has it's own rules. Odd random items are more likely to sell, private seller type things.

floraloctopus · 18/05/2019 11:22

No chance of promotion at work unless I go for a managerial role, which I don't fancy.

It's probably the most profitable if you need the money.

Isadora2007 · 18/05/2019 11:23

I definitely think you will save a significant amount with the kids not living with you any more. You can drop your WiFi or entertainment package down and you won’t spend nearly as much on food bills. Shop around for a new gas/electric tariff and you’d easily save that amount with all of the above.
Or ask at work for a slight pay increase? Or look for more hours/better paid work?

EleanorReally · 18/05/2019 11:24

Facebook has Facebook market

Heratnumber7 · 18/05/2019 11:26

Instead of supplementing your income by £70pw, might it be easier to reduce your expenditure? If not by £70, at least by a few quid. That would reduce the extra you need to find.

user1497909848 · 18/05/2019 11:27

I used to work for a firm called Homeprotect. They insure properties doing air B and B and pride themselves on being able to cover anyone.

BarrenFieldofFucks · 18/05/2019 11:29

If you need money surely the first thing to do is look at your actual work? Promotion etc?

NailsNeedDoing · 18/05/2019 11:29

If you want to do eBay, could you do something where you sell stuff for other people and take a cut of the money? I've been looking for someone like that but there's isn't anyone local, I have loads I'd like to sell but doing ebay myself puts me off!