What can I do?

Snowie

Hey..

I'm currently unemployed, I'm getting job seeker's allowance, 204.00 a week.
In that Ive rent to pay heating bills, electricity bills maintain my car which I need due to living in a rural area.

my shopping bills come to 45 euro a week, and I'm eating a healthy diet, i don't drink at all, and 8 euro's on a pouch of tabaco which last's the week.

I've cutback on other things i need, but my brother's just walked in and said oh there a 500 euro electricity bill to be payed, I don't have this kind of money thats 150.00 euros to a bill, not just that but i can't claim rent allowance because the land lords don't want that sort of thing...

I feel guilty enough claiming 204.00 euros a month with the country state the way it is...

But there's nothing i can do i don't know any body who I can rent of who allow rent allowance....
i have'nt got a bean to my name i can't even afford credit on my phone.

Is there anything availble to me I live on jobs.ie hopeing that a job comes a long that i can do but I cant do tele sales due to a disability, anything regarding writing is out of the question.... As I cant write particularly well or spell. I am trying to get on a hccap so i can work in Irish kitchens, as a chef but that might be 3 months down the line.

has any one got any advice.

thanks

Stheno

Although your landlord won't accept rent allowance, it might be worth your while going down to the Community Welfare Office in your area, to see if there is any other assistance that you can get in relation to your heating/ESB bills.

Were you working when you first moved into your current rented house? Is there any chance that by chatting to your landlord, he will accept rent allowance, or is it a complete no-no with him?

With your current ESB bill, do you think you could pay a bit off each week? You can get a prepay card that you use to top up your ESB account so that you don't get landed with a big bill every two months.

As a final option, is moving home something that you could do/consider doing?
How long are you unemployed?
Best of luck.

Snowie

nouggatti wrote: »

Although your landlord won't accept rent allowance, it might be worth your while going down to the Community Welfare Office in your area, to see if there is any other assistance that you can get in relation to your heating/ESB bills.

Were you working when you first moved into your current rented house? Is there any chance that by chatting to your landlord, he will accept rent allowance, or is it a complete no-no with him?

With your current ESB bill, do you think you could pay a bit off each week? You can get a prepay card that you use to top up your ESB account so that you don't get landed with a big bill every two months.

As a final option, is moving home something that you could do/consider doing?
How long are you unemployed?
Best of luck.

I thought that they only help in fixed subjects's ie rent allowance and clothing , But il give them a shout when we get my first bill ..

i was only part time as thats all I could get so I tuck it, Its a complete no no with the landlord but its the only choice i have as the rent was only 240 a month most places are 280 a month....

Im unemployed since Christmas but my rent is cheep compared to most I dont think i could get much cheaper then that...

Im not aware of the top up system basicaly you buy a card ring a number it knocks 20 euros of a week or something... ??

Stheno

Dunno about the CWO too much to be honest, someone over in the State Benefits forum might be able to give you better advice.

The payment thing with the ESB is called Easypay, you can do it at any shop that does payzone, basically you either get an Easypay card from the ESB or you take in a copy of your bill and pay money off your bill, so you could go in and pay off e.g. 20 a week every week once you had a decent idea of how much it was every two months, rather than getting a big bill in every two months. You can do the same for gas bills, just need a copy of your bill.

There's more info here on different payment options for the ESB.

Also you could talk to your housemates about switching to Bord Gais or Airtricity as you'll save a minimum of 10% (up to 14%) by switching.

Not much but a small bit of a saving.