Help!

[Matt]

Basically I haven't a clue what to do.

Currently unemployed. I get housing benefit and jsa needs to come through

I have

Rent £230
Electric £30
Water £20
Phone contract £35
Phone contract £12.50
Car insurance £70
Credit card payment (x2) £100

So that's £500 of stuff to go from my account

I get £204 from housing, which isn't even enough to cover my rent
Jsa I get £50 a week, but that still hasn't come through!

How the f*ck do they expect to be able to pay bills etc?

[underground375]

I take it your under 25?

[Kimmie]

Get a job

I'm guessing one of those phone contracts is landline? Do you really need it? Also, can you reduce the £35 contract in any way? Not much I know but it's a start!

Could you also talk to a financial advisor (maybe at your bank) and look at ways to reduce the CC payments/do a balance transfer to another card so you've not got so much going out each month?

[Midnightclub]

Part time job? There's got to be something surely.. even if it's mcdoogles or something, gotta be better than nout

[Matt]

I'm currently apying for every job going. Wether I'm qualified or experienced or not haha. I don't know if I'm shit, or the island seriously sucks at getting back at people.

I've got a job for this weekend, working bestival, starting at 4.30am and no idea what time I finish everyday. But money for that isn't going to be in my bank for two weeks at least. I've still got £200 to pay on last months rent and this month is already due.

I don't understand how the council expects us to pay for anything? The benefit is there to help you when you earn nothing. So why is it they don't even give you enough to cover your rent?

[Scott]

You have two cars you're sitting on, so that's a big potential source of income and reduction of expenditure if you're not paying for insurance any longer.

[Matt]

I'm only paying insurance and everything on one car. Rallye isn't insured atall. It's just sat there atm. Thinking about selling it, but I need to get to the mainland to sort it, put a test in it, so can get more money for it. But then I'm still stuck here unable to get there because I have no money

[Kimmie]

So suck it up and sell it as the shell. I know it's not going to be enough but if you need the money that desperately it's better than nothing.

How critical is it for you to have a car? Could you give it up? Like Scott said, that'd be a massive saving for you! Also I believe that if you are on benefits but own a car it is seen as an 'unneccesary luxury' so they take that into account earnings wise.

Don't rely on handouts. Look at what you have, where you can make money/ cut back and do it.

[Dum-Dum]

Do you qualify for income support as well dude?

ANyway speak to all your creditors and ask to sort a payment plan that you can afford as theyd rather have some money than no money.

Get rid of one of the phone contracts, cut the other one down a level (less minutes and texts) and see what you can do to cut your water bill as thats a bit much for a 1 bed flat.

Personally I couldn't bear to get rid of the car unless i absolutely had to as I guess otherwise it would be impossible to get to interviews and jobs across the other side of the island especially with 4:30am starts and that.

Make sure when you do work at bestival you tell them that your more than up for working a double shift and that as even at minimum wage itll add up for you even if it kills you at the time.

[Matt]

I can't sell as a shell, I've just too much time and effort into that car to let it go for piss all

I can't get rid of my car now, as most jobs I'm applying for are on the otherwise of the island, which is shit.

Phone contacts one is mine and one is the flat mates, mine is the £35 which I phoned today and I can't cut the price down, I'm on the cheapest tarriff and want £500 to end it early :/

£20 is average here apparently, everyone I've asked says that a good deal. It's two of us living here too not just me.




I've cut back on a lot. Spending has stopped. I haven't had my own money for a month, car barley moves atall as I try to walk to town and stuff. Anything over 3 miles and I'll drive lol.
Got barley enough money to eat aswell tbf. I've lost a stone over the last week so proper shit times.



How do you find out if I qualify for income support? Surely they should offer it too you?

[Dum-Dum]

Matt you might have to ask about income support, I certainly don't know the rules on it.

Make your flat mate pay her own damn contract.

Just a thought, maybe consider acquiring a bicycle for your longer trips across the island. People throw perfectly good ones away at the dump and the dump people tend to sell them on to make a couple of quid on the side.

[Kimmie]

Freecycle. Like gumtree but everything is free and sorted by area

[kingy]

Try selling old stuff on ebay. Just dont get done for shill bidding.

[Toms306]

Have a baby and dress like a 16 year old single Mum, you'll get plenty of benefits then.

[Matt]

Flat mate does pay for her own contract it just comes from my bank as she couldn't set it up

Can you suspend a car insurance policy?


Also I have nothing worth selling anymore, it's all gone lol

[Dum-Dum]

Sell the cat?







Oooh how about selling your dignity on ebay.



oh wait

[Kimmie]

I'll have the cat!

[Dum-Dum]

Or a slightly more serious suggestion. Become a pimp and pimp your flat mate and her friends out.

[4WayDiablo]

^

[kingy]

Or a slightly more serious suggestion. Become a pimp and pimp your flat mate and her friends out.

What a good idea.

[swampy]

Make sure you declare the earnings jsa can and do check accounts to see what is going in!!

[Matt]

Jsa know everything so no worries there.


And it's not my cat to sell


And pimping is shit here, don't get much, as the girls in town are just too easy

[Grant]

And you'll end up going down the same route as Rolf...

[Matt]

Apparently can't claim IS as I am unemployed on jsa

[pugjohn306]

Mate if your on jsa and they havent payed you yet you can apply for.a.crisis loan....

Benafits will not tell you everything your entiteld to you.have to ask for yourself unfortunatly but you are entitled to apply for a crisis loan and can have it in your account the same day or if you applyed today be in tomorow if accepted..

[Niall]

Matt you need to go to the council offices and speak to someone. I promise you you are not getting all the right benefits. Your out of a job and your looking for jobs. Your doing all you can do so they will help you but they will not make it easy at all!

[Matt]

Crisis loan? What is that? And do you need a good credit score for it? As my credit score has taken a beating due to unemployment

[Matt]

Matt you need to go to the council offices and speak to someone. I promise you you are not getting all the right benefits. Your out of a job and your looking for jobs. Your doing all you can do so they will help you but they will not make it easy at all!

I have been down there, problem is I don't know what to ask for

[Niall]

Take a guess from the name! lol. Its a loan from the council. No credit checks are done (although they will probably check incomings)

[Niall]

Matt you need to go to the council offices and speak to someone. I promise you you are not getting all the right benefits. Your out of a job and your looking for jobs. Your doing all you can do so they will help you but they will not make it easy at all!

I have been down there, problem is I don't know what to ask for

1. Walk to reception desk
2. Look at nice girl on reception desks cleavage. Get caught.
3. Explain your situation to her and tell her you need to see someone today as you cant afford to eat.