Money Makeover Help

Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont


He tried to get rent allowance before, but because he lives with me, he is not entitled to it, if he mentioned that he doesnt know me & that i rent a room in the house he would get something, but because i'm his gf he wont. Also he cant get the house benefits ie esb units or heating units. He does get the travel pass & i go free with him on all travel. We often take day trips on the train, just to get out of the house. I dont think i would be entitled to carers allowance as i'm not there with him during the day.

We dont have phone expenses as we use our mobiles, we both get free calls & texts.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Mely said:
I'm just so tired when i get home from work.
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You can fix this. I come home tired from work, but I also go to college at night, cook my own food, go to the gym, etc.

You just push through the tiredness. Your body eventually adapts.

Living on high fat, low nutrient food isn't helping your situation.

Eat better, get more sleep, and force yourself to cook.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Is it possible for your partner to do the cooking? Or to get out of the house is it possible for him to enlist in a course to maybe help him find employment. Would you consider looking for a new place/new start. Regarding the Gas I would sort it out cause the ESB is going through the roof by using electric heaters, if your partner was to put it in his name i think he could avoid deposit by using direct debit, i'm sure the landlord would have no problem in providing a letter.
It might be bending the rules but surely the rent allowance would help your situation, you do seem to be carrying the world on your shoulders so i would re-visit that possibility.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Mely said:
I'm just so tired when i get home from work. Also one big mistake is that we dont ever have food in the house which is why we get takeaway also.
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Slightly off topic but I reckon that the takeaways themselves and the food that you eat is making you tired as much as the work. I got in a bit of a rut about ten years ago (depression brought on by a horrible boss). I started to go the takeaway route as well and it made things far worse.
It took me a while but in the end I had had enough of the lethargy, diarrhoea and trapped wind. I decided to buy in some ingredients and cook my own food. It made things a whole lot better. Do you like spaghetti bolognese ? It's very cheap to make and can be very good for you if you load it up with veg. Another tip would be to buy yourself a juicer and make up your own smoothies. It won't cost the earth and it will make a world of difference to your energy levels.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

use the 1000 to clear your overdraft and put the balance off the Closed CC, which in turn will leave a bal of 200e on the CC account, once that is clear you will have freed up 200e p/m to pay towards other debts.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

susie1 said:
use the 1000 to clear your overdraft and put the balance off the Closed CC, which in turn will leave a bal of 200e on the CC account, once that is clear you will have freed up 200e p/m to pay towards other debts.
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that sounds like a good idea.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Firstly you have done the right thing by posting here and use the MAB's site for further help. I think you are carrying too much on your own shoulders and this and working hard and poor eating habits results in you being so tired. Tiredness is often the only sign of stress and you need to talk to your partner now.
What is stopping him getting help with sorting out your gas bill? I take it he is disabled with his sight but he must take responsibility for his expenses. He is the one at home all day with the heat and the internet. By being so generous you are denying him the possibility of taking responsibility for his own expenses.
If you and he could cook ahead, simple stuff like stews, roast chicken and bacon, bolognese sauce, I reckon you could save at least 35 to 40 Euros weekly, allowing for one take out and taking into consideration electricity costs. Said costs are high for what you say you use and you should go to your meter and turn off all your appliances. Then put them back on one at a time and youl'll soon see what is using a lot.......my guess is the fan heater.
Also , can your partner do stuff like wash vegetables and have stuff ready when you come home so that cooking a couple of chops and spuds is made easier?
You're doing a good job with your debt and keep it going , get your bill like the ESB on direct debit .
Has your partner got help from the NCBI and is he actively seeking employment? It's very hard to have such a disability but he should be actively encouraged to seek all help available and not be fobbed off by being told he is not entitled because of a partner. If you are not married , he has no entitlement to your wages as far as I know and is not your dependent so make sure he is getting everything that he is legally entitled to.
Keep up the bill repayment, set a realistic goal and time frame to be rid of your debt, save every week in an account set aside for bills(use the former take out money) and in a year's time you should be well ahead.You are young, you have a good job,sure you make mistakes(doesn't everyone?), but you are now taking control of the situation. So don't beat yourself about the head, you're doing a good job.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont



We've tried the rent allowance already & its the same girl in the local office every week. he was turned down twice as he was honest & said the tenant in the house was his gf. So i'm assuming she will remember him the next time if he went in to apply again.
Landlord does not take rent allowance.

We spoke to bord gais & they want both a direct debit & a deposit.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont


thanks for all the help, i will take all this onboard. we could potentially save over 100 per week from not using take away, however i would be worried that this would be used for shopping & when starting to use the cooker/oven will make the esb bill even bigger.
I have just ordered a pay card from esb, this is where you can top up a card in teh post office every week, which then means the bill should be more or less covered when it arrives. It does sound like a good idea.
We havent been using the heater for the last month, i wont worry about bord gais until the winter comes in. Our last bill was for 150 euros for 2 months inc vat. So i guess its coming down.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Well you need to budget and control your expenditure yourself! It's not going to happen by magic... If you're worried about electricity usage then keep an eye on your meter day to day and then see how it varies depending on what you're doing. I can't imagine that reasonable home cooking (especially if you do a few bullk runs and freeze portions) will cost more than takeaways.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Could you try to get a better job to increase your income?
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Flax said:
Could you try to get a better job to increase your income?
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the harder i work at my job i get great commission & i could work extra hours a week. My net wages vary from month to month. Last month i got 3,000 after tax. There then could be months when i get 2,300 or 2,500 after tax etc.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Even with shopping and the extra use of electricity, cutting out the takeaways and cooking from scratch is guaranteed to save you a packet, and you will eat a healthier diet too. I suggest keeping a spending diary for a month - write down everything you spend money on (or keep receipts in an envelope). Then analyse the actual cost, not your estimates. Generally there is a big gap between estimates and reality.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Your health is your wealth. If you get sick you won't be able to do anything, or your job never mind pay back debts. Hitting targets and working overtime - you really need your strength - I used to work a similar job before and it can be stressful. I second the recommendations to start cooking and look after your health. If you have to be out of work due to ill health it will compound your problems. Not only due to doctor's bills but also as you are in a commission based job (can't hit target if you're not there) - double whammy. Not to mention things like promotions etc it can be difficult to have the extra energy to really go for that stuff if you're worn out and not at your best. Surely you can afford a few sandwiches and some fruit for yourself during the day. Do you eat breakfast? Eat some muesli in the mornings. Buy some porridge and eat it at weekends and in the morning if you have time - cheap and good for you. Loads of tips everywhere on this stuff. Learn how to make omelettes and cook beans and lentils if you can't afford meat. I find it very difficult to believe that takeaways for 2 people over a week would cost max 70. That's 10 per night - 5 per person - I bet it costs more than that.
You're earning a pretty good wage by the sounds of it. You shouldn't be in a situation where you can't afford food and heating.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

If you only drink tea & water all day, you are leaving yourself wide open to getting sick. Then you could lose your job if you have lots of sick leave.

Why not buy fruit/nuts/yoghurts and bring these to work during the day.

You could start cooking something simple on a Sat when you have more time. I boil potatoes, fry a chop & boil veg most evenings. It only takes half an hour. I find potatoes are the most filling & cheapest thing around, better than pasta/rice.

Also, getting groceries at the corner shop/deli is very expensive. Things are often 50 cent dearer each, than in Tesco/Dunnes. We do one major shop at a Tesco/Dunnes on Sat, and a smaller shop during the week. Use the store cards, and collect your clubcard points. This will translate into money off vouchers.

Do you really need sky? Would a cheaper package work out just as well. Also, could you look at your mobile phone usage, could you economise on this by switching to a cheaper package.

HTH+
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

Hello OP,

Sounds like you'll get there if you keep taking steps and stay focussed - but look after your health as your number one priority. Everything is difficult and overwhelming and dreary when you're tired and hungry!

I am a terrible cook but learnt enough to bring lunches to work: much healthier than bought sandwiches/junk food/fresh air.
They keep me full up and full of energy and are dead easy & cheap and are usually part of the previous night's dinner leftovers! Most can be eaten cold if there's no microwave at work.

- Brown rice (boil for 20 mins) with handful of seeds and a dash of olive oil thrown in
- Wholemeal wraps with grilled/fried chicken breasts and onion/peppers
- Spag bol with pasta and veg
- Baked potato. (bake in oven for 20 mins) Just bring along some cheese/mayo
- Fresh fruit: cheap from Lidl, can't go wrong...

Best of luck.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

An oil-filled radiator (they used to cost about 40 euro might be more now) would be more cost efficient than the blow heater and doesn't dry the air out as much. You can also stand a clothes horse beside it or whatever.
 
Re: Money Makeover Help - MABS Wont

No wonder you are tired, you are probably not getting any of the essential nutrients you need nevermind your 5 a day !! Start off with a basic book, buy a few jars of sauces to start you off. Your ESB bill is ridiculously high! Most likely your heating, our average bill is 80 euro bimonthly in summer !! Also I reckon you could get a better deal on your car insurance have you shopped around? Ladystar offer good deals Im paying 600 fully comp and have a provisional licence, drive a 1 litre. We use a starview box and just paid 100 euros for the box so only have an ntl basic connection.. have you looked into freeview boxes etc?
 
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