Well it'sbeen 6 months since I've been on Fv and boy have I missed it, it's been prettytough so far this year but we can see the light and are in a happier place.
Since last year we have been living on back-to-backpayday loans which is never a good thing and it's been a pain to get out of butI had a drop in hours since going back to work after having DS and DH got a newjob in November and I'm unsure of how it works in the US but here when youchange jobs you got on an 'emergency tax' code until the tax people can figureout what you will be earning in a year, this normally lasts for about 4-6 weeksbut for some reason the tax office people never got any info from DH's newemployer and so was on this emergency tax up until May of this year that's awhole 6 months!! to make it clearer DH was losing out on approx £150 a monthdue to it going on extra tax payments, after the new tax year in April we wereinformed that it had finally been updated and that DH would be getting a checkfor the excess amount he was paid which turned out to be £520! that went gladlyinto the bank.
Times were tough during the times of missed incomeand even payday loans wasn't enough I had to borrow money off my mother and FILand I just felt awful not being able to provide enough to at least cover the bills and it made me feel bad and I was thinkingof everything I could to make some money, sold unwanted items on facebook and eBay,tried to offer my services at making wedding invites and other things. Nothingworked much or bring in enough to help us out much.
It was the same story every month - not enough moneycoming in and a mountain of bills, I don't know how I managed it to be honestwithout having a major breakdown.
June finally brought us some good news in the formof government help, we get working tax credits and child tax credits paid to useach week and before June it was £60 a week to help with child costs and topart pay nursery, but after I updated our details after the old tax year endedand due to my drop in hours and maternity pay, which I found out you don't gettaxed on for the first £ 100 of every week you are off, so that made my income£3000 less than what it was and a few other slight small details changing mypayments have been changed and it's so much more helpful now.
Due to the changes they back paid me to the total of£2000! and my payments are now £600 a month into my account, so during June I received£2500 from the tax man - and I thank my stars that we have been given as itmeans we can make a fresh start and actually make something of our money.
It's not all been saved, but I did let DH buy akindle and I bought DS a few things and we are looking at getting a cheapholiday (approx £700) for us to go abroad but the rest is staying in the bankto give us a bit of a cushion for the bills.
New budget figures look a bit like this p/m
DH income: 850
My Income: 350
Tax support: 600
total: 1800
my bills come up to arrox 1300 amonth so there is a gap for savings
We also have our property on the market, and if it sellsat the price we set it will get us 25,000 profit!
Things are defiantly on the up for us and I'm sooooglad about it I'm so less stressed now.