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Original poster

We are financially f*cked...

40 replies

Pfer · 08/05/2006 10:40

DH works full time, wages aren't that great but at least he's working. I'm self-emp. part-time from home. My mum usually babysits for me 3morns or afternoons a week so I can work. 7 weeks ago she had a car smash, is not going to be able to have the kids for at least 5 months while she has physio and learns how to walk again. So I can't work. I also go to mums at 6am for about an hour to get her up and sort her breakfast, at lunch time for an hour or so again, to make sure she's ok and eating, at tea-time, again for an hour or so and at about 9pm to help her to bed, supper, and make sure she's had her pain killers etc.

We can't afford to get child care, the day nursery's here ask you to pay for a 'block' which is about £13 a time, and as my work visits which I have to do to collect work, overlap so I'd have to pay about £17 each time which we can't afford.

Just checked bank account, have an £1100 o/d facility and we have £98.71 to last us for the rest of the month. Will we have to eat the guineapigs?

Can't trim anymore off the budget, cancelled Sky, changing energy providers etc, have got things down to the bare bones. What can we do?

Any advice?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 08/05/2006 12:30

Whew! Glad to hear it, Pfer! HOpe it starts to work out for you soon.

Piffle · 08/05/2006 19:11

pfer can I help out at all?

Squarer · 08/05/2006 19:19

Can your mum claim attendance allowance (and help you out with it?)

Original poster
Pfer · 08/05/2006 19:35

Well, I've increased our o/draft to help out this month.
Am seeing what else I can cut out and seen our mortgage insurance, which covers all sorts of other insurances, been getting quotes for these separate - life cover and sickness, and it's a lot cheaper! Applying on-line once cleared with DH.

Attendance allowance? Never heard of that - going to have a peek on the benefits site again right now.

Thanks for the offer of help Piffle, you may well be sorry you posted that! Wink.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pfer · 08/05/2006 19:37

Nope to attendance allowance as mum's not old enough yet bless her..

OP posts:
drosophila · 08/05/2006 19:42

Another vote here for Mortgage Holiday. Our lender do a very good deal.

charliecat · 08/05/2006 19:45

\link{http://www.direct.gov.uk/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/FinancialSupportArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10011731&chk=j4gVFM\what about this?}

Original poster
Pfer · 08/05/2006 20:30

Charliecat thanks for that, looks like mum could get it and it'd boost her pension as well. she knows how things are and keeps telling me to take petrol money from her bank account for all the running about I'm doing (she put me on her account as a joint holder a few months ago thinking that one day she may not be able to get into the bank from illness, quite lucky she did really as I get her shopping and stuff for her), but I don't want to take money from my mum for looking after her. She's done do much for me over the last 32 years it'd feel wrong to do it. I'll speak to her about the disability living allowance tomorrow and see what she says.

OP posts:
charliecat · 08/05/2006 21:47

My mum gets it and I was reading the forms today and I thought it might help :) Do apply for it they can only say no, and it wouldnt hurt xx

plug · 08/05/2006 21:57

How about working nights e.g. in a supermarket? Better pay than daytime work and DH would be around (obviously) to look after the kids. You could visit Mum on your way home from work, then go straight to bed while DH takes kids to childcare. Could you get help from Social Services for your Mum at lunchtime? Then get up straight after lunch, collect kids, sort them out and make tea for them then DH comes in and you go straight round to help your Mum. Then you go to work.

Completely horrific and you won't see much of DH or your kids but could help you out of a real hole Sad. So sorry you've got all this to contend with.

PeachyClair · 09/05/2006 08:25

charliecat, if you're applying for DLA I believe you need to fill the forms in a cerain way to get it looked at- go on the SN threads, there's loads of people tjhere been through the procedure who'll help. Also, if it comes straight back reapply, there is speculation that they return it routinely, and you have to appeal to get anywhere. Worth doing though, and lots of advice on here.

ggglimpopo · 09/05/2006 08:43

No advice really, but wishing you well Pfer. What about the cab to see if they have any ideas?

jellyjelly · 09/05/2006 09:39

Havent read all the thread but if she needs caring for she should be getting help from the council(I had a bad accident and i had to relearn how to walk and i could have got help, it is available so use it. ). have you also been onto www.moneysavingexpert.co.uk to save more money, really fab site on ways to cut the bills.

Original poster
Pfer · 10/05/2006 14:24

Well, the Building Society say we can take a mortgage holiday which is V. good news. Think we will until mum is capable of having DS2 once or twice a week, and we're not going to rush her. I've managed to get DS into a Day Nursery one morning a week, which will allow me to go to a client I normally go to in the week and will keep them happy as well as covering the child care costs, working for just about nothing but it's going to be ok isn't it.

OP posts:
manitz · 10/05/2006 20:24

Pfer, very good to hear you could get a mortgage holiday and that things seem to be working out for you. Think it is worth sacrificing for the job as it will be useful in the end.

hope your mum gets better.

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