Advice needed, please

[NeedMoneyAdvice]

DH and I have just found out we are about to lose £500 a month income.

I had started another thread, but I was advised to come here for some advice. We don't know what we are going to do and I wondered if anyone could help us. Name changed because lots of these details would out us.

We have just taken on an 18 month lease with a letting agent. We have spoken to them this morning, and we cannot break this. We could simply not pay, but we would lose our deposit, and would struggle to find a landlord that would take us on if we did this.

We currently earn about £30k between us, take home about £23k.

Rent is £1000
Council Tax is £200
Gas and Electricity is £190
Phone/Broadband is £50
Childcare is (currently) £350
Car insurance is £60
Car payment is £140
Petrol around £80
Home insurance is £20
Gym membership is £75

Think that is everything. Obviously, this leaves us over budget. I genuinely don't know what we will do without this money?

We aren't entitled to any benefits, including WTC and CTC.

I genuinely don't know what to do.

clare8

Just wanted to say that your posts about TC are spot on

re council tax in scotland bands are different with lower values for each band also water is included with council tax it is not a separate bill,

however I live in band F house ( large 4 bed detached house) in another part of scotland my council tax and water is £197

there are plenty of 2 bed flats in reasonable parts ( not best but not worst parts) of edinburgh for less than £1000 per month Glasgow would be cheaper still; have no idea re Aberdeen that could be pricey. Edinburgh is without a doubt the most expensive place in Scotland

Fair enough sock

Not sure how my debts could have been settled any sooner though, without being even partly written off, which I didn't want.

I'm still with them now as a bank because I like the dual account structure and management of my DDs and that I can't go overdrawn. I've looked around but not found another bank that offer this so I'm happy to stay with them for now. It gives me piece of mind to know all the money for my bills is automatically set aside so can't be spent by mistake.

As I said, I suffer from depression, and when I'm in a bad period, my ability to budget goes out the window, so for me it's a nice security to have.

Thankfully my credit rating is now fine so I have other accounts with regular banks as well. So if I decide they are no longer value for money for me I will just close the accounts.

I can see exactly why rino would use that account. I'd love to have that kind of 'delegation' for someone else to run the account. But then we've just spent over£60 on Starbucks this month so we're not in a position to recommend our methods to anyone either

I'm very glad your free from that stress now.

FYI and please pass this on if you know anybody who has the same worries you did

This organisation

capuk.org/

Offers exactly the same sort of account where they sort out the payments and all that only they do it for free

Thanks sock I'll definitely follow that link and have a look :)

I went bankrupt five years ago and have a Co-Op account. It works fine. No charges, no overdraft and I haven't used credit for ten years now even though I could if I wanted to.

I don't use credit now either - once bitten and all that :)

That's seriously impressive

What?

OP is going to fill two threads I reckon.

That's 2,000 posts that can't help.

Hmm have you seen the thread about living in a tent with son? I recon its gonna be closer to 3 thousand!

What?! Another one???

Link?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2002193-Homeless-with-son-Should-I-live-in-a-tent-Or-on-a-beach-somewhere?

Tent woman a different completely frustrating person surely?!

Now that we've established that OP is in Edinburgh...
A quick RightMove search again:

Edinburgh - 201 2 bedroom flats under £1300pcm
177 2 bedroom flats under £1000pcm
140 2 bedroom flats under £800pcm
27 2 bedroom flats under £600pcm

(Posted on both threads).

OP, get out of your tenancy agreement (not difficult) and go and grab one of the 140 2 bed flats under £800pcm in your area. Use a credit card or something to get the deposit - I've been in the "no deposit" situation a few years ago and it is doable. I'm sure your DSIL can lend you £800.

Depending on what the truth is regarding your rent/mortage whatever - this will save you either £200 a month or £500 a month straight away!

Tent woman a different completely frustrating person surely?!

Yes, I'm assuming different but equally frustrating!

Objection

There you go OP and 'OP's DH'. Problem solved.

Jeez Louise. This place makes me dizzy.

Dunno key facts all very similar as is slight whining voice and then after helpful suggestion a lovely attack on all the good willed people of MN I might be stirring of course....probably get banned if I'm not carefully

I feel stoopid even saying this, but on balance I really think they are two separate people. Which is a shame as it means 3 possibly real children are depending on them for housing and neither of them will listen to a single fucking thing they are told

That's if you believe any of it fideline.

I'm surprised HQ hasn't been on top of this more. I've seen less suspicious threads deleted in the past.

I know Edinburgh very well - your housing and school/travel points are just utter nonsense. I could tell you now where you could move to, could probably get social housing there, definitely a 2 bed for about £600, school with less than 100 kids, walking distance or free bus. What would your reasons be to dismiss that?

It just can't be Edinburgh - I am sure that there are no areas with rents that high but a scummy local school. We were going to rent a few years ago, and could get a 4-bed house in Blackhall for about £1200.

Didn't OP herself say it was Edinburgh? On this thread or the other, I'm sure she said she was right on the outskirts of Edinburgh!