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Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

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Original poster

Is it worth getting a xmas job ??

29 replies

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:08

I desperatly need some extra money for xmas, well i need it all of the time but ykwim.

There are quite a few shops around by me that are already advertising for xmas staff, but would it be worth it ? I'd have to sort out all of my benefits based on my new job and then change it all back again after about 6 weeks ??

Plus if it were shop work, i'd need to be quite flexible and so would also need temp before and after school childcare for the 6 weeks.

It sounds like too much hassle, but I am desperate for the money.

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Nbg · 19/08/2007 14:19

Well you could enquire what shifts they will have available.

IME of shop work 10-2 shifts are a god send. It lets you take the kids to school and you finish in time to pick them up.

Gobbledigook · 19/08/2007 14:21

Gosh yes nutty, I'd go for it for the extra money. If it's going to make Christmas shopping less stressful then it's worth it. Earning that money will also make you feel great and you could make some really nice friends. I always had a blast doing Christmas work when I was younger/student etc.

Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:24

Unfortunatly Nbg shifts like those are virtually impossible to find as the permanent staff have them and tend to hold on to them.

Plus I cannot be totally flexible either. I won't be able to work Tuesdays at all if I get into college, and weekends would be a problem too, although could do them on a rota basis.

The thing I need to work out though is the effect on my benefits. When I finnish the job, it could take several weeks for my benefits to be sorted out again and for that time i'd have no money at all, i'd have to reapply for IS, Tax Credits and housing benefit all over again, and they don't care wether you have any othr money coming in or not.

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Nbg · 19/08/2007 14:26

Hmmmm

tough decision isnt it.

Why not do an ironing thing? You know, print off some leaflets, post them about and do peoples ironing for an extra few quid.
You can do that as long as you want.

Am I right in thinking you can just declare any earnings when your credits are renewed?

Gobbledigook · 19/08/2007 14:27

Nutty,

Would you have to do anything with tax credits at all in the short term though? Don't you just redo the form every year with your income from the previous year on it? You probably wouldn't earn enough in a short term job to change your tc would you? Mind you, I have no idea - I could be talking complete crap.

I would just so love to hear that you had a job you liked and you were enjoying it and getting something out of it. I really think you need it.

Would anyone have your kids while you did evening work??

Nbg · 19/08/2007 14:28

I think its at least worth you going to the places that are advertising and asking what shifts they have for you.

Even apply and go for an interview so you can find out all about it.
If they accept you, you dont have to take the job.

Gobbledigook · 19/08/2007 14:28

The ironing is a good idea.
Can you type? COuld you type letters or something from home - you obviously have a pc and are probably on email. Why don't you approach some agencies about that? You could do that from home in the hours you had free - it's very, very flexible and I bet the money isn't bad.

Gobbledigook · 19/08/2007 14:29

Agree with nbg - enquiring and going for interview, you've nothing to lose.

Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:29

As far as know, I'd have to inform tax credits of a change in circumstances asap aswell as everyone else. Because of what went on earlier in the year wrt my benefits, I cannot afford to mess that up, everyone would need to be informed.

Evenings are out of the question which is unfortunate as there is an evening job going in my local video shop.

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Nbg · 19/08/2007 14:32

But thats all you do isnt it?

Then you tell them your actual earnings when they are renewed.
You'll probably find they wont change and you wont be earning more than the tax allowance will you.

Fimbo · 19/08/2007 14:36

Could you work Saturday or Sundays?

My friend has just landed a fab weekend job in Lakeland. She will be working Saturdays one week and Sundays the next. Time and a half for Sundays and if they have work nights out they get paid!!

Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:38

Not sure tbh. When I split with xp, I rang tax credits to inform them, and although I quite obviously was still going to be entitled to exactly the same amount of money, they cancelled my current claim and |I had to reapply, waiting 4 weeks for them to sort it out, and I had no other money coming in as was waiting for other benefits to be sorted out.

I will definatly enquire about the jobs I have seen so far. I'd love to do one, but I cannot at any point afford to be without any money.

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Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:38

I could do Sat and Sunday no. My mum is my childcare and she works shifts which inc Sat and Sundays as she gets paid more.

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Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:39

I couldn't, that should say.

I could do every 3rd Suinday or something like that, but not every week no.

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Gobbledigook · 19/08/2007 14:42

Does DP never have them for you nutty? I mean, you effectively have them all week while he works so wouldn't it be fair that he looked after them while you worked?

Sorry if I'm missing something here - I'm not up to date on what's going on!

Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:44

Gobble - Xp doesn't/didn't have the kids at all, apart from the occasional school pick up and 1 day a week in the 6 weeks hols and he wasn't working.
He did 2 days of the summer hols before it all fell apart and now I have cut contact and have told him to persue access through the courts if he wants to see the kids. That was 2 weks ago and so far he hasn't bothered.
He may possibly be working now, not 100% sure.

Tbh even if he were in conctact with the kids, he is not reliable enough for me to have him as part of my childcare arrangments.

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bluebell1 · 19/08/2007 14:48

Hi nutcracker i would do as others have suggested and find out how flexible the jobs are once at interview stage.Income support will take a few weeks to sort out but tax credits just takes a phone call.I used to work in a shop on a mon and tues 10-3 it was over christmas and they were fine wiv me not doing any extra hours or working christmas eve.So its worth asking.

Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:49

That sounds good bluebell, will ask around some shops tommorow.

Just don't want to get myself in an even bigger mess money wise, so I need to check it all out first.

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bluebell1 · 19/08/2007 14:55

Good luck.I know what its like with a tight budget and a useless ex.

Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 15:04

Just looked on the site for The Entertainer, and apparently they offer 3 different types of contracts for sales assistants, one being 20 hours Mon-Fri 11-3, which would be ideal for me.

Argh except I can't do Tuesdays can I.

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EscapeFrom · 19/08/2007 15:06

Go for it - better to try and find you can't do it than not try!

NomDePlumeIsAShoeWhore · 19/08/2007 15:07

Didn't you have an Xmas job last year, nutty ?

Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 15:09

Year before but yeah at Wilkos, was evenings though so no good this year and I know that their hours for days are no good as they offered them to me when I had to leave and it just wasn't workable.

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smurfgirl · 19/08/2007 15:14

Can you get on the nurse bank nutty? I am on mine at the local hospital, I ring up weekly for my shifts and I chose exactly when and where I want to work. Could you do that? Woudl fit in with the nursing plan too.

Or on the bank at a nursing home etc

I used to work in a carehome and I told them when I could work as well and they were v.flexible.

Original poster

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 15:24

I thought of that Smurfgirl, but because I wouldn't have a set number of hours each week, I would get in a mess with my benefits as i'd never know how much I was earning, and I need to know especially for housing benefit etc as they are really strict.

It is so frustrating.

I'm gonna go in to The Entertainer next week and see if I can get a form. I could offer to do Sat instead of a Tuesday, but not sure what i'd do about the kids.

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