working for nothing!!

Lancashire Lassie

Lancashire Lassie

Local
Weaver
Ya know I really dont understand how the governement expect us to survive these days I really dont!!!

I live on my own and have done since school. Always been proud to stand on my own two feet but how I've done it without parental handouts I dont know!!

Holding down a full time job 5 years ago was fine. under 18 I was exempt from coucil tax and bills were affordable.

Now its a joke!!

How am I seriously supposed to live. I work to put a roof over my head. But thats it!

How can I get on the property ladder or do my driving lessons when I can only just afford to live!!

at the age of 23 I work full time and live alone so am responsible for all the outgoings. just got a nice counncil tax bill for £132 i have to pay this month and same next month covering me from dec to end of feb. would help if i knew this on dec 1st and not jan 1st!

rent £400
tax £132
water £18
tv licence £26
food £100
travel to work £50
electric and gas roughly £80+

that comes to £806... my monthly wage after tax isnt much more.

how are we expected to live these days!

and because Im not a single mother or over the age of 25 Im not entitled to any help.

pople say 'living beyond your means' how do you live within your means nowadays!!

JOKE JOKE JOKE! :(

Rant over :) lol suggestions welcome.
 
I`d check the TV licence , a colour tv licence costs just over £12 a month, £145.50 a year......
 
i know hun i just moved and didnt hav one at my last house :0

for the next 6 months its £26 and then after that its £12 again

they pro rata it for the year or something.
 
"electric and gas roughly £80+"
..that looks a bit too much.... if you are out a lot working full time.
It sounds as though you are one of those 'costa plenty' prepayment meters.
 
MargaretR said:
"electric and gas roughly £80+"
..that looks a bit too much.... if you are out a lot working full time.
It sounds as though you are one of those 'costa plenty' prepayment meters.
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I'm afraid not Margaret. Even terraced house are remarkably expensive on the fuel front as I found out two years ago when my monthly bills went up to £130. Following a fairly hefty rebate 12 months later they dropped my payments considerably but it was still £85 for some time.

I'm pleased to say that my stove has given Scottish Power the best kick in the nuts that I could have wished for as even during the coldest weather my heating bill is suddenly down to about £10 per week.
 
Ken Moss said:
I'm afraid not Margaret. Even terraced house are remarkably expensive on the fuel front as I found out two years ago when my monthly bills went up to £130. Following a fairly hefty rebate 12 months later they dropped my payments considerably but it was still £85 for some time.

I'm pleased to say that my stove has given Scottish Power the best kick in the nuts that I could have wished for as even during the coldest weather my heating bill is suddenly down to about £10 per week.
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I have heating on 24/7 and maintain a temp of 24C year round
My dual fuel costs have recently been recalculated as £53 per month,
I am in a 1st floor flat with low ceilings, but I do not gain heat from the flat below because the man who lives there only comes home to sleep, and doesn't use his central heating.

I have gone overboard on insulation more than most people do (blinds+lined long curtains, draught exclusion, thermilate paint additive) - I think it really does make a difference.
 
It's the same the whole world over,
It's the poor what gets the blame.
It's the rich what gets the pleasure.
Ain't it all a bleedin' shame?

Just keep your head down, keep a hand on yer tuppence, and carry on as you are, and you won't go far wrong in life.

;)
 
Lancashire Lassie said:
rent £400
tax £132
water £18
tv licence £26
food £100
travel to work £50
electric and gas roughly £80+

that comes to £806... my monthly wage after tax isnt much more.

how are we expected to live these days!

and because Im not a single mother or over the age of 25 Im not entitled to any help.
Click to expand...

I feel your pain. its hard.

Add to that list.

Car Running Cost
Car / House / Pet Insurance
Pet food
SKY TV
Internet
Mobile Phone
Previous Debt Repayments

Probably a few more I have missed.

I also find it hard being the only earner in my family 2 Adults / 2 Kids.

My Gas Bill is at the moment £77 Per Month. And Im still Freezing.:(

Best advise I can give is dont let it get you down, I went through a stage where money worries where getting me down. Now I dont worry as something allways seems to happen and you get through it.:)

I (Unless for some good luck) can see myself being able to own a property without getting into some serious (Risky) debt.
 
Ken Moss said:
I'm pleased to say that my stove has given Scottish Power the best kick in the nuts that I could have wished for as even during the coldest weather my heating bill is suddenly down to about £10 per week.
Click to expand...

Is this a wood burner or something? I reckon I could get enough wood etc for nowt to provide heating but always wondered about the cleaning/hassle/hot water aspect of it.
 
It wasn't that long ago Charabang rides to Whalley Abbey where the highlight of the year and we all used to crap down a hole in a shed down the street. As soon as that shed went crapping became much easier but look at how much more it costs.
 
entwisi said:
Is this a wood burner or something? I reckon I could get enough wood etc for nowt to provide heating but always wondered about the cleaning/hassle/hot water aspect of it.
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Yes it is and getting hold of wood is no problem but coal isn't terribly expensive and throws out a lot more heat when combined with logs. You simply sweep the hearth and empty the ash pan once a day, not really much of a problem. Mine doesn't have a back boiler so we still use the combi boiler for hot water but it's comfortably reduced the amount that we use the heating system by at least 75% and looks great too.

The initial installation is fairly expensive but you'll easily have your money back within two years.
 
Sorry to hear about your predicament Lancashire Lassie,
Do you budget? it helps no end.
Get rid of any unnecessary extra's, Sky TV may be nice, but dammed expensive, if you smoke, try to quit, think about selling the Iphone, eat less takeaways, don't go out as much, try not to drink too much alcohol, get pet insurance for your pets.
I take it you cook your own food and don't buy ready cooked stuff.
As Rindi said, just keep going, things may be tough at the moment, but they will get better.
 
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It is very hard, but you have to look at the essentials.....Rent, utility bills and food......they have to be top priorities........anything else has to looked at ruthlessly and wieghed against its worth.
Buy clothes from the charity shops.......buy the 'value' brands in the supermarkets. Look for the 'whoops' offers.
Put money away when you can....even if it is only the loose change in your purse....it mounts up.
Choose your 'treats' carefully.......and enjoy them to the max when you do manage to afford them.
Don't buy takeaways......cook your own food......use up leftovers.
We have all been there.......you have little option but to battle on.
I have been poor....and it teaches you the true value of everything.

I'm on a pension so I do know what it is like to have a fixed and limited income.
 
Paying £123 council tax per month seems high, do you live in a band D or E house? Have you applied for single persons rebate. Also the council send a bill at the begining of the tax year so you know what you have to pay each month, so you should have known what you ate going to pay in advance.
 
You can also elect to pay your Council Tax over 12 monthly debits rather than the 10 they prefer to make, which can help a little too!

Best Regards - Taggy
 
I have a feeling I have been had.

Lancashire Lass has posted thes following recently:

Thread: Urgeny help needed with washer!
ended up going out on the lash last night wicked wednesdays n all that :)
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Thread: Re: TESCO - new site in Accrington.
Although for my first shop I was charged incorrectly by about 4 quid. A few of the offers hadnt processed on the till. But I couldnt be bovd to go back all new stores will have teething problems.
Click to expand...
And Thread: National Minimum Wage?
I guess Im glad I never did an apprenticeship then I was on £220 a week + bonus the day after I left school!
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And we get told she has no Money.....
 
so she can afford to go out on the last,well done i spent xmas and new year stopping in as i could,nt afford to go out,i have a pre pay meter,but have a convenction wall heater and i dare,nt even put it on,as it uses nearly 1 pound per hour,i dont have double glazing,i buy cheepo foodsie tesco, aldi, lidle, i dont smoke and after all my bills are paid,tv licence,rent top-up,dwp overpayment it leaves me with 25 pounds per week oh yes i have a luxury its called a free sat box,i dare not even put my immersion heater on,so sge feels hard up WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD LOVE,try living in cheaper accomadation,or flat share,thats life and there are people worse off than me,this government is bringing this country to its knee,s
 
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