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Original poster

so sick of being skint :(

58 replies

PinkTinsel · 16/11/2006 23:45

DP and I have been out of work for a long time, he lost his job when DD was 5 months (she's 21 months now) and I haven't worked since before Xmas last year. DP has applied for every job advertised and is listed with about 20 agencies but there's just no work. We have a 3 month old DS and have been broke since before I got pregnant with him.

We owe the landlord 1800 euros and he's been ringing again and the most I can pay him is 500 now and 500 in a couple of weeks. I can't stand having to dodge him like this but I just don't have any money for him.

But the absolute last straw is that I've just had to choose between buying nappies for DS or a DD having a Santa present and had to choose the nappies and I'm so bloody angry that anyone should have to make that choice.

I feel like I'm drowning. I want better than this for my babies

OP posts:
cowmad · 17/11/2006 00:37

or delivery rounds?as you have a car?

cowmad · 17/11/2006 00:38

??

SparklyGothKat · 17/11/2006 00:38

Anyone can get CTC. Me and DH don;t work as I have 2 disabled children and we get CTC. WTC is based on wages.

Quootiepie · 17/11/2006 00:40

oh! Im getting them all confused.

Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:41

cowmad, i'm bf-ing a 3 month old so the hours i could work are limited. i did the tempory xmas work thing last year and it put us even further behind as dole and RA completely cut us off and took 6 weeks aftyer i finished work to put us back on

OP posts:
Quootiepie · 17/11/2006 00:43

could DP do supermarket work? Would it bring in more than the benefits you would lose?

Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:44

over here it's unemplyment benefit and rent allowence you get if you're unemplyed. child benefit you get every month whether you work or not but ours goes on our car insurance (v expensive over here)

cowmad, i appreciate your trying to help but do you honestly think wwe aren't trying to get work to get us out of this situation? dp is driving 3 hours to an interview tomorrow, about the 200th he's been on

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Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:46

min wage over here is about 300 a weeks so a signifigant drop from benefits. 2 people in a family have to be working to make it worthwhile on min wage and all supermarket stuff is min wage. they even have a name for it over here 'the proverty trap' once your stuck on the bloody dole it's near impossible to get off.

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 17/11/2006 00:46

look here this is a benifit website that will tell you if you are claiming everything you are entitled to. HTH

Quootiepie · 17/11/2006 00:47

thats the prob... sometimes your worse off getting a low paid job Can you work up to 16 hours a week and retain your benefits? You in general, ie. you or DP

Californifrau · 17/11/2006 00:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:48

thanks sparkly but i'm in rep of ireland. we've been to citizens advice and checked we're getting everything though.

right really must go, d is settled but probably not for long.

thanks for letting me whinge girls.

OP posts:
cowmad · 17/11/2006 00:49

but you could express an then someone else could do the bottle feed.or dp could go.
also if its a temporary contract this shouldnt affect the benefits as you didnt put your self out of work.your temporary contract should be supporting eveidence enough that you didnt put your self out of work,just contracted to work for a specific time

Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:50

quootie, they told us we could and then when i did that last year they cut us off, so our only income coming up to xmas last year was my part time job

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 17/11/2006 00:50

I saw that you can use it if you are in northern ireland, wasn't sure whereabout you are PT.

Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:51

thanks anyway sparkly, it was really kind of you to hunt it down for me

OP posts:
soapbox · 17/11/2006 00:51

Hey PT - don't be too down

Your Little One will have a visit from Santa - she most certainly will

Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:52

at the minute i'm looking into starting a business from home and keeping my fingers crossed for dp to get that job tomorrow.

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Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:53

thank you soapbox, your thread has had me in tears the last few days

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 17/11/2006 00:54

its ok, I have used it many times. I know exactly how you are feeling and going through. We didn;t realise that we were entitled to rent and council tax benifit when DH had an accident and was on sick pay (60 something a week) we struggled to pay our rent and got eviction letters and everything. Would you mind if I sent something to your DC for xmas?? It wouldn;t be much but I would like to help you

Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:54

lol, i really must go to bed. ds has well finished his feed and is wondering why we're still sitting here

OP posts:
Quootiepie · 17/11/2006 00:55

fingers crossed for tomorrow xxxxxxxxx

Quootiepie · 17/11/2006 00:56

Sparkly, I was going to ask the same thing, but didnt want to sound rude Not from me of course, from Santa

SparklyGothKat · 17/11/2006 00:57

lol!! great minds eh??!!

Original poster
PinkTinsel · 17/11/2006 00:57

thank you for the thought sparkly but i'm already on soapboxes list and if it would be wrong to take more when somehing so kind has been offered.

you've made me cry again though being so sweet

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