Financially in the poo
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Support
Forum Name: Budgeting
Forum Description: Want to save before baby arrives? Struggling on one income? Found some great ways to make your dollar go further? Share your thoughts & tips here.
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37676
Printed Date: 27 November 2024 at 10:04am
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Topic: Financially in the poo
Posted By: Nothing
Subject: Financially in the poo
Date Posted: 25 January 2011 at 4:58pm
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My DF has got his dream job of flying helicopters- the only problem is its a MAJOR pay cut and he is working way down in Te Anau. I am luckily living with family so dont have to pay rent or power, however he does (granted its very very cheap). We get paid fortnightly, and after all our bills have gone out, and rent, then fuel and food, we are actually going into debt. I have trimmed everything back as much as I possibly can, but its still not enough.
My DF keeps going on that I need a job- Yes I do agree, however there is FA jobs around, almost all of them are for trained people, and the rest require me to travel. I really dont want to have DD put into care, but I will if I have to. We get WFF, but dont qualify for an accomodation supplement. We have all these bills coming in, the ute needs K's, my car needs fixing, and many more. I am trying my best to remain calm when talking to DF about financial stuff as fighting doesnt help- however he just keeps harping on about me getting a job, I am so SICK OF IT. I wish I could crawl into my bed and pull the blankets up over my head and it would all go away  ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 25 January 2011 at 7:10pm
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Oh hun im so sorry to hear things are rough at the moment. I dont have any suggestions really, but have you thought of seeing a financial advisor or someone like that?
I totally get what you're saying about not wanting to go to work, we are barely scraping by at the moment and me getting a job would mean so much more security but I just cant leave my little boy. I hope you can find some way through this. -------------  
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 25 January 2011 at 7:47pm
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can you perhaps get a job as an inhome carer yourself, that way you wont have to put your child in care. Most of them train you and provide resources too. It may not be the highest paid job but once you pay for child care you may not be making any money any way. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 25 January 2011 at 9:39pm
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Have you worked out how much you would get paid, how much you would need to spend on childcare, what subsidy if any you would get, and how much WFF you would lose? Cos once you work all that out it may be that you working would make you worse off anyway.
Could you work at the times when your DF is around to look after baby? like a weekend job or something? ------------- 
 
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Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 25 January 2011 at 10:12pm
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I was just going to say the same thing cuppatea. I looked at working 4 days a week and paying a friend to look after the boys, I was only going to earn about $50 more per week than if I worked a Saturday while DH had the boys and we kept our WWF. We decided $50 was not worth the added stress that working 4 days would create, plus I didn't really want to leave the boys that much.
I agree, see if you can see a financial advisor. Maybe ring Citizens Advice and see if they can out you on to one as it might be free ------------- Lindsey 
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 9:09am
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Money stress is the worst, we have been off & on 1 wage for years due to having kids.
Write done all your out goings & incoming. If you have lots of bills like CC & loans see if you can get them put onto 1 & pay that off. Down grade cars. Why can you not get the accommodation supplement? Is he renting or boarding? You may need to shift priorities or downsize things to start with but if it takes the stress away then it is worth it. What are you work skills? You may be able to do something from home or nights, so you wont have to pay child care. As bad as it gets just a few changes may make it better. |
Posted By: Nothing
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 9:34am
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I live way out in the country so looking after kids at home is not really an option- plus its not what I would want to do, looking after DD is enough for now!
DF works in Te Anau and we are in Nelson, so there is no way that he can look after DD, and all of my family are busy in the weekend- plus I dont quite trust them to look after her the same IYKWIM. The next option is me moving down there which I REALLY do not want to do, but might have to. I have written out all our incomings and outgoings and the outgoings excede the imcomings by a few hundred each week- that is with me being as tight as I can on fuel and food. We run a business, where DF is an employee of it, so the business pays for his food, rent, fuel and phone. However even if we didnt run the business we still wouldnt be better off. And our accomodation supplement would be $17 per week, where as the business can get GST back. I am an ex digger operator. lol. So not the best job to go back to. Other than that just basic jobs since leaving school. I think I would have to work alot of days to earn anything decent- as you say cuppatea it would probably work out with us less off. I love the fact that DF has his dream job but it means our income is halved from what it was, and even then it was only average. Someone please just give me a winning lotto ticket! -------------
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 10:38am
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eeek... i am wondering what your outgoings are if you dont pay rent or power...
cellphones are non necessary - go to dial up speed, get rid of a landline if you pay for it, go vegetarian, invite people over instead of going out. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 10:39am
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ooh sell stuff on trade me for a few extra bucks. make sure you plant a good garden. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 10:44am
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You can ring budget advisory and get a free meeting with a budget person who can show you how to manage your money, talk about options re: debt consolidation and inform you of any extras you are entitled too. WINZ does a payment (temporary additional support i think its called) for situations where your income is less then your outgoings.
Do you have anything you can get rid off, go down to one car maybe? Trade your car in for a cheaper/more economical model? Sucks to be in this kind of situation, this sounds like me last year 
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 11:15am
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Bowie, did you read my mind? I was going to suggest the same thing. DH and I saw a budget adviser several times from Dec 09 - Feb 10, the hard times are now a distant memory but the advice they gave me and the lessons learnt live on. You've said you live with family, what about getting a part time job in the evening after your child is in bed. It may seem "below" you pay wise but at least you'll be contributing to the family income and you won't have to pay for childcare. -------------  
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bowie wrote:Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 11:31am
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How long are you going to live apart? I mean if he has his dream job & is not bringing in enough to cover the cost of living for all & you are not living together then something needs to change.
If you run your own business & it pays for his food, rent, fuel and phone then why do you still have a short fall of a couple of hundred? Can you do the books & claim a wage? Your options are to cut down & cut back. Sell what you don't need. I am guessing you have a lot of luxury costs or maybe what I would call not necessities...if so get rid. Move in with him get a job there. You may be entitled to cheap child care. I know you probably don't want to say what your outgoing /incoming are but he has to be either on a really low wage or you have a huge debt to pay off since you don't need to spend money on the basics, like rent, power, phone, water, food. There will be a lot of us on here that have learnt how to juggle finances...it is no fun sometimes. You really need to sit down & talk to DF as he has contributed to the problem & if he knows how serious it is he can help fix it. You would have an accountant/financial adviser for the business so find out from them what else you can write off on the business, like cars, living away from home maybe...find out |
Posted By: Nothing
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 2:47pm
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Bizzy- outgoings are HP on DF's ute, insurance on vehicles/life/contents, fuel, food ($150 for 2 weeks- so $75 each), 2 bills we are paying off and that is all. I do already sell stuff on trade me, my aunty gave me a whole lot of clothes she didnt want. I have a big vege garden and I get all our fruit and vege from a local supplier who is miles cheaper than the supermarkets.
Bowie- I am going to start ringing people today to see who can see me for free, they might be able to suggest something. Yeah I will see how much my car is worth and see if I can get a cheaper one. MrsMojo- that sounds like a good idea however my aunty is frequently out at night, and we live a fair way from town, but I am looking at everything that is advertised, most of it is full time or is long hours. Jazzy- He is probably only working there for a year, just enough to get his flying hours up then he can go worldwide and work pretty much anywhere. No we dont have any luxurys, I buy the basic food stuffs and DF gets deer, and we have a vege garden. Its looking like DD and I will have to move, since we cant afford for one of us to travel all the time. The business brings in X amount, then you have our wages, ACC, PAYE, and future tax bill. Plus it pays for his food, rent, and fuel (he needs one tank a week). There is nothing left in it. Our wages go for the stuff above. I have tried talking to DF but he doesnt listen, I have written it all down an shown him but all he can say is 'if i have to work 7 days a week and not get any beer....' it drives me MENTAL- . I am looking for a job, and if I find one then I will work. Its getting to the stage where I cant have a decent conversation with him without him going nuts and me hanging up cause he is yelling. -------------
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 3:15pm
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have you rung and talked to your insurance company - or get quotes and see if you are getting the best value for your money. i have cut my insurance payments down a bit by getting a slightly larger excess on some things. and some insurance companies charge way too much anyway! that food bill sounds quite large for two people and one baby! especially if you are getting a deer and have a garden.
budgeting is hard, and men just dont see things the same way i dont think. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 3:17pm
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oh and dont forget to inform IRD of the change in income for WFF. and you would definitley qualify for a childcare subisdy from what i have heard. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: Nothing
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 4:27pm
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Yeah i have tried the insurance thing, we are through westpac and they seem to have a pretty good rate. I have done the WFF thing too, we wernt getting it previously, so its a definate help. *sigh, i think we might *just* scrape through as long as no random bills turn up -------------
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 4:56pm
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oooh i found westpac the most expensive - i rang about 4 companies for quotes a month or so back (for house, contents and car) and they were charging way more than anyone else for the car and marginally more for everything else. you can always change the type of insurance to third party fire and theft instead of full... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 7:04pm
http://www.familybudgeting.org.nz/ - Budget Advisory service they are free and should have someone near you that you can meet face to face. If they don't you can chat by phone i think. Good Luck!! I know how crap it was for me when no matter what i did my outgoings were 100+ more then my incomings each week no matter what i did - and i didnt have a child to consider either. Hope you can work it out 
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Posted By: Nothing
Date Posted: 26 January 2011 at 7:21pm
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Bowie- Thanks for that, I gave them a ring and are going to see someone next friday- they are fully booked until then!
Thanks to everyone else for suggesting things, we are looking at downsizing our cars, and cutting the food budget even more. I just hope no major bills turn up, and that the $6 lotto ticket I brought with the last of my christmas money wins something this weekend!  -------------
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 28 January 2011 at 4:47pm
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Aethalia good luck with your appointment, hope they have some good ways to help to you get it under control.
Worrying about money is the worst |
Posted By: Bee2010
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 10:55pm
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Aethalia about ur Insurances we used to be with Westpac as well and since changing our Car I got Quotes everywhere and found WP was the most expensive. We changed to ANZ with Contents and Car and save around $30 a fortnight which is not bad.
With me going back to work we are better off around $150 a week and that is without WINZ Child Care Sub. if we qualify it will be more. Hugs to you its so hard on only one Income. -------------   Angel Babe in our  - 07/08
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