Feel like we're back to square one again.......

[QueenOfQuotes]

we're now living like we were back in August. We have to pay half the mortgage payment this month, the solicitor (for the business) has just sent us a bill for £350 for the 'completition' of the Trademark Registration (which we got the other day). The gas and electricity bills came yesterday - and were huge, despite a concerted effort to reduce how much we use. I still haven't found a job, and DH doesn't get his commision for the sale he made in August (so only half a month's work) until the end of October.

He went down to Bedford today to call into his branch of the bank (rather than the grumpy local branch) and they couldn't/wouldn't do anything to help.

Earlier this month it felt like things were really starting to 'pickup' and we were starting to get back on track, and now we're seem to be sinking even further. We hoped I would have found a job of "some" description by the end of this month to help cover the rest of the bills and food shoppingm but it's not happened. So for outgoings of nearly £2400 a month, we have an income of £1400.

right now it feels like it's never going to end, and DH is getting really stressed out about it again - and we're having little 'bickers' about stuff.

PLEASE someone tell me that we're going to get through this, and that I'm going to find a job.

It will end QOQ, these are just teething problems, you seem such a determined go-getting person, I am sure you will succeed!

In time you will laugh about this period of your life...prob whilst sipping champagne on your yacht.

It'll get better and around now Warehouses and shops are starting to recuirt Christmas workers.. get yourself down to some agencies and see whats about. Even if you have a specific job in mind it won't hurt to take some shop or warehouse work until the 'right' job comes along. Big places like BHS/Tesco etc are normally so desperate for people around Christmas that they will be flexible about hour.

If you can work in an evening what about pub/restaurant work?? or a call centre.. sorry just trying to think of places that have high staff turnover as it means they're always looking. hth!

Masacara - I'm limited to mornings and nights (after 9.30pm) because of DH's working hours.

Alreay applied to Argos, Boots, Wilkisons, Clintons, and today to a nursing home. Nothing else in the paper today.

Have you registered with any agencies? They often have jobs around this time of year and lots of firms don't advertise in the paper.

Are your children at school? or rather are you in a position where you could sleep during the day? if so you could work nights in Tesco (24hr) or in a warehouse, taxi rank, petrol station.. erm will rack my brains some more

How about Mcdonalds (or such like) do you hve one around that is open from 6am til 2am (or whatever it is? they're always looking for people to do the less sociable hours?

Office cleaning is quite often late evening v. early momrnings..

Also worth going in to shops rather than waiting for the paper - you'd be surprised! also makes you look keen and proactive!

Have registered with some agencies - but had nothing yet.

My DS1 is at school part times at the moment - starts full time mid october (finished at 3.20 then). DS2 is still at home - but DH can look after them while I'm working/sleeping (the nursing home job I applied for today is 2/3 nights a week).

Tesco, Morrison - only got afternoons ATM
McDonalds - only got afternoons/evenings
Office cleaning - all the ones that are in the mornings need Sunday work too (which I can't do)
Apart from the Nursing home job (which was advertised in the paper today, but I saw on the Job Centre website the other day) all of them I've found by actually going into the shops.

Thought I'd just add to this 'old' (haha) thread of mine rather than start another new thread about it.

As you know had an interview today - which I should hear about by Monday/Tuesday.

However, things are even worse ATM. All but 2 or 3 of the direct debits were sent back because of insufficient funds - and the bank is point blank refusing to give us another extension on the overdraft (bloody stupid if you ask me - we had no income for 9 months and they gave us a loan, numerous temporary overdrafts, etc etc - now DH has a job they don't want to know ).

We're back at the stage of needing to shopping either tomorrow or Friday - and having no money to buy anything.

We're trying to look at a way to get rid of the car (it's on expensive hire purchase) to get a cheaper - but still reasonably reliable one for DH to use for work. Problem is that he has to have a car for work.........but we've got no money to buy a cheap run around.

I just want to scream atm

someone - anyone??

I guess you're all getting pretty fed up of me now

Can you not just swap the car for a cheaper one from the place it's on hire from ?

You have my sympathy you really do. We are in pretty much the same position at the mo. Car knackered and dp is supposed to be going back to work on monday.

When do you hear from the job you went for today ??

oh QoQ Have you really completely run out?
Trying to think of some way to help. Is there anyone (relatives, friends?) you can borrow a bit from to tide you over? I know it's not a long-term solution, but just to help for now? And hang in there for the job

nut - I don't know - it would probably still work out more than we can really afford.

I should here from the job Monday/Tuesday time - but she had lots of applications for it - and I was one of at least 8 that she was interviewing

Found (who are you btw?) - well pretty much - I know for a fact we're over the overdraft for HSBC (as they kindly told us in gawd know's how many letters this morning), and that the business account (although it's a business one - all money in it is 'ours') is empty - as I took the last £10 out yesterday to buy nappies (woohoo - at least we've got them this time round - last month we had to use swim nappies ). There may be a tiny amount left on the CC - but DH has been paying for his pretrol from somewhere - and I'm guessing the CC.

My parents may be putting £50 in my account tomorrow - but that depends on their finances (it's £50 supposedly - well my dad thinks - for the boys birthday presents....well actually it's mum's cunning plan to help us out ). Dad's business has virtually ground to a halt and he's had no work come in for a week or so - so there's no guarantee - he doesn't know how bad our finances are atm - and I could never tell him either.

I was supposed to be going to Peterborough for the day on Saturday - it's the Diocsean (sp) Choral Festival in the Cathedral - and some of my choir are going. I'm not actually doing anything - but felt I should have been going as the Director of Music...but won't be able to go to that either .

Oh Gwenick

It will improve,when DS was only 4 months old,DH was made redundant post 9/11 and it took him 6 months to get another one, we had 3 months money and we spent it, it took a long time to come back from it and we are not quite out of the woods, but we survived and so will you, I promise.

Oh QoQ,so sorry that things are tough...
Have you been to the CAB yet? They are incredibly helpful and will help you prioritise and explain your situation to your creditors.
Don't leave it too late.
I used to work in the rates dept. of my local council (years ago admittedly) and know that if a situation is formally explained and at least a token payment made,then allowances can be made.

I've suggested CAB to DH - but he just says "well what can they do" - he says he's "perfectly capable" of contacting the people we owe money on his own.

I guess it's a combination fo the "male" thing - and also a cultural one - no such thing as CAB in Zim.

By going to them you are showing yourself to be responsible and organised,and could avoid being blacklisted for credit in future,which is essential if you want to get your business moving again.

I urge you to think about it QoQ,I know many people who they have really helped from sinking into the mire of debt.

oh it's not me refusing to go - it's DH - been a typical stubborn male, saying that he's perfectly capable of calling/writing to the companies (which in his defence he has been doing - none of the debts have been 'ignored') and doesn't see how CAB could help.

I've found their online debt advice - might drag him up to read it when he gets home [frown]

sorry to hear about this qoq. Weve been there too.
I would second the CAB, though. I worked at the Gas Consumers Council once, and we helped an awful lot of people who were having payment problems. Usually, if we took a case up, when we phoned British Gas they would agree to what we suggested, because they saw us as a guarantee that the people werent just taking the p*ss with their gas bill. I assume that you know back to front whatever benefits you are entitled to as well?

well getting there with persauding DH to get us to speak to CAB.

I've managed to persaud him to at least look at their website with the advice on it.

He was going on about - "well our problem is that we need money coming in"

So I pointed out that at this moment in time - yes of course we need money coming in - but the most important thing is to persaude all our creditors to lower the amounts we pay to them - and CAB are probably the best people to help us do that"

He tried to tell me "ours was more complicated - as we've got some business debts too" - I kindly pointed out that it was irelevant - as it's still us that has to pay them,

He says he'll look at the website tomorrow, and I told him if he doesn't I'll gather all the bits of financials papers in the house and got to CAB myself (even though I haven't got a clue about most of the finances )

Can't offer any finacial advice but just to say thinking of you. I am lucky that when i was trying to open up a shop my DH was very sure he was never going to give up his job. I was so pissed off at the time but as i am still only trading about 10 times a year on a stall its probably just aswell.

QoQ - I used to be berolina. (Didn't get back to this last night, sorry).
Can't you ask someone in your choir you trust if they could lend you the fare for Saturday? As Director of Music you've probably done loads for them and I'm sure they'd be happy to help you out.
Keep us updated

Surely there must be a kitty of parish money that could be used.???

Hmm - "getting" there with CAB/DH - but we've also made some progress on our own today.

The tax credits went in today - yipee! So we've managed to pay a few bills from people who would get arsey with us if we didn't pay (mainly business related ones). There's also £43 which DH can use ATM (after paying a few bills today). So he's going to buy £13 of petrol (for work) today and withdraw the other £30 - so I can feed my lads this week.

My parents will be putting £50 in my account "sometime" next week (probably next friday) and I've got a £20cheque which will be avaiable next friday too (so 2 weeks worth of shopping ).

Re the Peterborough trip - they have said I don't have to pay the coach fare - but even if I take a packed lunch, I'll still have to find a few £'s to get something to eat at dinner time. I can't really 'tell' DH if I find someone to lend me the money - as he'd be mortified about anyone else knowing.

I got the job paper today, a few 'cheap and cheerful' jobs in there I can apply for (office cleaning - yawn, and telemarketing - even bigger yawn) so hopefully I've have found "something" before the end of the month.

Biggest problem, today was 2 companies who's invoices have been paid, writing to us to tell us we'd "apparently" not paid them......one back down immidiately when DH called them and said "our mistake" (thank god for that - it was £600!), and the other is being awkward (but he was an awkward git anyhoe when we were dealing with him regularly) - but DH has all his invoices carefully filed - and there's no recored of this one he's 'claiming' we didn't pay.

Good to hear things are a bit better today

Did i read somewhere that you've applied to Wilkos ?? I have applied for temp xmas evening merchandiser, hope I at least get an interview.