No way out

LegacyUser

I guess I'm looking for some advice or suggestions here. I've wracked my brains and cannot find a way out of this situation.

I have 1000 euros to my name - no other cash or assets of value at all. I'm 5000 in debt and I'm unemployed. I have qualifications coming out my ears as well as almost 10 years work experience at management level. I've been job hunting for 3 months and have had no luck. I've applied for jobs that I'm suitable for as well as ones that don't suit me - just because I will pretty much take anything at this stage.

The only way forward I can see is to leave the country but as I literally have no money at all, I can't even afford flights, not to mention having enough to support myself, pay rent, buy the essentials in a new country while I find a job.

I've applied for jobseekers but have been waiting months for them to process my claim and have no idea when I will get my first payment. They just keep telling me there's a backlog of claims to process.

So far, I've borrowed money from everyone I know (hence the debt) and have now exhausted all those channels. I don't have a credit union account and no one I know is willing to be guarantor on a bank loan for me, given the uncertainty they also face in their own financial status

I've done everything I can to minimise my expenditure and have thankfully got only one expense now - my tiny phone bill (which I need to keep to take calls from potential employers). I expect I can stretch that 1000 out for another 4-6 weeks tops and then I'm really in trouble. My friends and family have been extraordinarily generous - I'm living rent, utilities and food expense-free at a friends house

Any advice at all would be seriously appreciated. You can see why I'm all out of ideas.....

And please, no lectures about why I didn't save for a rainy day. I was very well paid and used virtually all of my money to fund my ongoing education - which I saw as an investment in my future and I still believe will pay off one day. Additional savings were spent on large medical expenses not covered by my health insurance, leaving me with very little in the bank - just enough to have covered me for the last 3 months.

Femelade

I'm sure a thousand euro will keep you afloat for a good few weeks by which your job seekers benefit will have arrived? you will prob get back pay from when you applied which might pay off some of your debts..
Living rent free and expences free is a great relief to you and if you are staying in at the weekend and only paying a tiny phone bills then surely you should be ok.

Leitrim lass

Hi,
sorry to hear of your plight! All I can suggest is to go to your local community welfare officer. He or she should be able to give you money while you are waiting for your 'dole' to come through. while you are there get a medical card application form and also apply for rent allowance. Some landlords can be funny about signing rent allowance forms but as far as I know they are obliged to by law. If they refuse you could get a new place 'cause i also believe that you can get a one off deposit for accomadation. Have you been to your local threshold or citizens advice bureau. They can be really helpful in informing you of you entitlements. 'hope this is of some use....goodluck.

bogzilla

i was in your situation a few months ago. just try to keep the head down, minimise expenses and keep job hunting.

i would also advise to check your tax credits. if you have not claimed any for previous years then you will get this as cash into your account relatively quickly.

for example the rent tax credit [approx 400 annually], also medical expenses and health expenses so will get 20% of what you paid back as cash.

best of luck with the job hunt.

DamoKen

Hi Op, my brother was in a similar situation regarding the backlog on social claims a few months back after returning from NZ. To get by he went to the local HSE centre in our area, at least I think it was HSE, was definitely a government medical dept.
Anyway they helped out by giving him payments once a week much like the social welfare should, just as well as his claim took nearly 3 months to be processed at which stage he had a job :rolleyes: .

As LeitrimLass has suggested get in touch with your local community welfare officer or call into your local community information centre. They should be able to point you in the right direction. It's definitely possible to get subsidised by organisations other than social welfare while waiting for that to be processed.

KikiDee

Hi OP,

You might want to try mabs also. When I was out of work last year, they really helped out with budgeting and money saving ideas.

It's a free service so you'll lose nothing by looking into it.

Hope things pick up for you!

LegacyUser

OP here, thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. There's a lot of good suggestions there and I will work my way through them. It's good to know other people have gotten out of a mess like this before and I hope to fall into that category one day soon :-)

Thanks again

banshee_bones

if you are waiting too long for your claim to be processed go to your county welfare officer and explain your case to them. hopefully they will give you some emergency welfare payments until your claim is processed.

estar

you have one major asset - you clearly have been a good friend in hte past
and now your asset of friendship is paying dividends.

there are only a few people i know that i would do that for - my best friends!

you must try and stay positive, to keep those positive friendships going.

try not to complain, just to find solutions, and doors will open for you.


keep looking.

iguana2005

Yes keep head down and save, save save. you could get a cheap flight to oz/nz. your money would be worth double over there. or UK? ireland is too small and wth recession work will be hard to get for a while. work force is too small and too much competition for positions. this feeling will pass. have been there.