Is anyone else struggling at the moment?

[hugsandpugs]

Feeling so fed up of struggling week to week and trying to stretch money to cover all the things that need to be paid out.

We currently only have husbands income coming in as I’m out of work due to migraines.

On average our monthly income is around £2,200 including child benefit and though it may sound a lot we are currently dipping into the tiny bit of savings we have just to get by!

There is 5 of us - me,hubby and 3 children & the food shopping alone crucifies us! We are lucky that our mortgage cost is fairly low but the rise in everything else is meaning every month is a struggle.

Just want to know I’m not alone 😣

He is a very picky eater so doesn’t tend to eat sandwiches, I can probably count on both hands the meals he would eat. Not down to fussiness just he has a thing with certain textures of food etc!

No I know it is a lot. He’s just a very picky eater because he has issues with textures of food etc so it’s hard to even do him a packed lunch he will eat. Hence I end up putting money on his school dinner card so I know he’s having something warm in his belly that he actually likes x

Thanks so much I’ll take a look at this 💕

Wow really!! 😦 he always undercharges for his work too if he takes on any extra outside his normal job!

Oh I’d be ok with that then anyway as I don’t drink alcohol - completely gave it up nearly 3 years ago!

I will deffo have a chat to the docs and ask about this as it could be more helpful than my current preventative

Just had a look at some plastering jobs here in South Wales the rate is a lot less than other areas - avg around £150 per day

OP I am further West Wales than you but I know apprentices on £150 a day! He could easily charge £200-300 a day.

Get him to follow some Facebook pages so he can get back into the swing of things, it’s handy to see what others are charging etc.

The other thing I’m not sure anyone has mentioned is using cash back apps. I use Topcashback for all purchases that I can I.e home insurance, car insurance, even new shoes etc. I have enough money in cash back by the end of the year that I can buy everyone’s Christmas presents with! Sprive and Quidco can be used for food shops etc.

Forgot to add - they are charity and will ask for donation after your consultation

OP, migraine runs in my family cos I remember my mum having it. It's awful.

Out of 3 of us sisters, 1 inherited it.

She cut alcohol, chocolate and cheese out of her diet and doesn't suffer anymore.
Just throwing it out there in case it may help.

Of course it could be something else altogether. I have a chronic illness and have not found a cure. You have all my sympathies.

I do believe the rules are changing from September.

Does sound about right for min wage after tax and deductions, but does not seem like enough for a 49 hour week, does it.

Definitely look into him going self employed, even part time around his current role. My friends just had a leak and paid an extortionate amount for an emergency plumber, but now also needs a plasterer pretty urgently to fix the ceiling. If he can offer decorating as well as fixes, he'll be set for that kinda thing.

Even without the LCW element, your UC should be significantly higher than you've said. Approx £750- 900 per month (depending on if there is 4 or 5 weekly paydays in the assessment period)

The only way your UC could be £2-300 is if you are looking at a month with 5 paydays, only getting support for 2 of your children and getting the lower work allowance.

If your husband is paid weekly, he'll have 8 assessment periods per year with 4 paydays and 4 with five in.

From 6th April, you should get support for all 3 of your children, as long as all are qualifying. As you've mentioned you get FSM for two I assume they are all under 19 and in full time education.

As you're a home owner, you don't get the housing cost element and are therefore entitled to the £710 per month work allowance, not £427.

I'd suggest closely looking at your most recent UC statement for errors.

You don't lose your universal credit. So for example I have an open universal credit claim and award, however since getting ESA the payment is lower (sometimes 0) but the award is still open and I have more money in the bank. So it still counts as being an entitlement just that ESA gets taken into account when payments are made.

But if the UC award was reduced to zero I'm not sure they would benefit from things like fsm/ cost of living payments ( if anymore in the future ) etc. Also claiming ESA would depend if op has sufficient NI contributions from the past 2-3 years. It's not clear how long she has not worked for unless I've missed that somewhere in the thread. The UC award would only stay open at zero for six assessment periods then would close..Definitely worth a discussion with CAB though.

Sorry that should say six consecutive assessment periods.

Thanks for your reply. Yes it's unbelievably difficult now and I'm sorry I do realise your situation is worse with your ongoing migraines.
Btw, just realised I wrote DH starting high school when I meant DS!
I noticed you said you're paying off a tax credits over payment. We are in the same boat with a monthly payment of £30 for years to come. We told them our situation had changed in that DH had found work but they continued paying it. We couldn't get through to them on the phone and then the next thing is the tax year ends and we owe them over £2k! Ridiculous! Does UC have the same stupid system? We never claimed UC, only tax credits.
I really wish you all the best of luck with everything.

Makes sense, definitely worth speaking to a trained benefits advisor on this OP 🌻

You need a referral to a neurologist secondary care can prescribe meds that gps can't. But they do have long waiting lists. I know this sounds ridiculous as you have no money but if you could get enough money together to see a neurologist privately they would be able to help you.

I am desperate for a plasterer and would pay that for a day in Surrey. Can't find one - all too busy.

1.Your husband needs to find another, better paid job or do plastering in the evenings, weekends, etc.
2.You need a job , even if it's a part-time.
I had some serious health issues couple of years ago ,contacted local agency and did last minute jobs - cleaning, catering, etc.

There is no way this kind of income would be ok as a family of 5.

In Ireland plasterers can earn thousands PER DAY.

Honestly if he can get extra work he should. I work full time 40 hours a week in a well paid role, but due to a few financial issues, I’ve had to take on an extra evening job at the weekend working for a car hire company from Fri nights to Sunday night (5pm -00:30). We have 3 kids and DH looks after them whilst I’m gone. It means less time to rest but I’d rather be working than be at home worrying about money.