I wonder should I go or should I stay

woolyhat

I am curious to know what others openions would be on my situation,suppose it is unusual.What would you do if you were in a simelar spot? Well here goes anyway.

To describe the position briefly. Family have flown the nest now in college a few years more to go, (ok I will have to pay for them for a bit yet and they are not likely to get summer jobs) Onely very little saveings and dwindeling fast as is.
I have a part time job(ok I do realise how lucky I am) allowed to earn about 156 Euro pw with one parent family allowance of 196.00 Euro +29.00 I can claim for one who is under 22.
I do not have a mortgage or owe any money I am in the processing of selling my house.(sale fell trough they could not get a loan)so still on the market.I do like my home.Do not like the town
I now want to move away and am considering leaving the part time job.
I am paying into a pension fund this I know would not be very much when I retire onely about 13 Euro pw (do not know if I would be entitled to get it back if I leave work,have over 2,000.00 paid in)also would I not be able to draw my stamps or anything if I leave the job?
I do like the job just hate where I am.(Would be unlikely to get another job at my age and also the way things are)
I am in early 50s and want to get out of here do not have any life at all at least if I move would see some bit of life. Do courses etc.
I had planned to sell my car move to where I want,rent for a while in the new place.
I onely see my family every 5 or 6 weeks when the come to visit from college and I live on my own, hardely any neighbours around here now and tbh not too many friends also. All thats here is work realy.
I would like others openions on what would be the most sencible thing to do Thanks
ps. My family would like me to keep the family home but I feel lonely here
no people around. Life is setteled and predictable and safe right now. If I move I am going into the unknowen?

T-Square

Pick a new place to live.
Find a job there
rent a place
pass your probation

woolyhat

Hi T-Square Thank you for your reply. But would I get a job ? a bit of risk and I need to earn for some time yet until kids are trough college. could I manage to pay rent out of SW? I feel like someone standing on the edge of a cliff ready to take the jump but fear the unknown will I cope and survive?

tenchi-fan

I know it will be difficult and expensive, but you should interview for jobs and only leave your current job when you have a new one lined up.

You should realise that you are on €20k now. the december budget could be savage and if you do not have a job you could end up on around €10k.

You cannot get a refund of your pensions if you are in the company over 2 years, or in the case of PRSAs if the value is over €635. If you were eligible for a refund of contributions, they would be taxed at 20%.

There can be an exclusion period of up to 9 weeks for claiming jobseekers if you leave a job. You can only claim Jobseekers at half rate as you are already claiming opf & there is no increase for qualifying children. However, there is no guarantee this arrangement will stay in place after the budget.

I know a lot of women on one parent family who started courses which paid them a lot of money while letting them keep their benefits. It might be an option.

Also you should also be aware if you sell your house you may be means-tested on the money you receive, particularly if your house had a high value which would allow you to buy a more modest house that would suit your needs.

T-Square

woolyhat wrote: »

Hi T-Square Thank you for your reply. But would I get a job ? a bit of risk and I need to earn for some time yet until kids are trough college. could I manage to pay rent out of SW? I feel like someone standing on the edge of a cliff ready to take the jump but fear the unknown will I cope and survive?

Will you get a job? there is no way for me to know. You'll need to go job hunting.

With regard to earning to support kids. They need to change their ways and support themselves, and if that means borrowing money to get them through college, so be it. Paying for your own education is a great way to improve your grades.

rent out of SW? I don't know, but I suspect there will be a lot of SW reform soon....

with regard to the unknown, coping, and surviving...Failure to prepare, is preparing for failure.

Prepare prepare prepare....see my original post...

woolyhat

Hi T-square and tenchi-fan Thank you for your replys.
I work partime for the HSE and have asked could I get similar employment in my new location and some said yes more said no and these were people in authority who should have known.
I work as a carer and there should be some partime work available in all parts of the country, and then it would not effect the ponsion.or the job.
I suppose I could do this priviately but there so many issues like insurance etc would not feel comfortable without being insured.
Is there demand for this work priviately?

tenchi-fan

woolyhat wrote: »

Is there demand for this work priviately?

there's some demand. I know this for a fact. but it depends on the area and your determination and experience and your ability

woolyhat

tenchi-fan wrote: »

there's some demand. I know this for a fact. but it depends on the area and your determination and experience and your ability

I would like to move to a city or big town Galway would have been my first choice but suppose anywhere where I would see more people than where I am, a setteled estate would be fine where people would be around my own age or older,
I have 20 years experiance in the work I do but would like to do a FETAC course in this.

Why HSE do not allow transfer to another location is another way of getting out of any payments,redundancy etc.(shurely after 20 years service should get what I,ve payed into pension scheme back at least)

Bicycle

There are a number of private care agencies such as Home Instead and Bluebird Care. These might be worth investigating in addition to a transfer. Google the agency plus the region you are interested in.

A lot of the FETAC courses will have started by now so you might have to wait until January or September.

Mrs OBumble

Big warning: you are currently getting a social welfare allowance. I believe all allowances are means tested (you might want to check this out over in state benefits).

Here's the hard bit: currently because you're living in your family home, it doesn't count towards your means. But if you sell it, you'll have a lump of cash. It does count towards your means, and may mean you're not entitled to any welfare (depending on the amount). Also, because you've previously owned a house, my understanding is that you won't be eligible for council housing at any time in the future.

As I say ... I could be wrong, need to check this out with folks who know more - perhaps Citizens Information or even Welfare themselves. But IMHO the welfare system functions as a big knocking system, keeping people in the (unhappy) place. If the economy were better I'd say take the risk and go for it. But maybe not in the current climate.

woolyhat

Thanks Bicycle for your reply I have seen there adverts for comfort keepers and could try and see if they would be interested, I feel they would onely be interested in younger people but still could try.
I will do the FETAC course anyway when ever it come up,


Thanks JustMary for your reply. First to say I am allowed to earn 156.00 pw with my allowance so this was the reason was onely able to work part time.
Lone parents allowance is 196.00 pw + 29.00 for one of my family who is in college this is given up to age 22 (most likely this will be cut in the budget)I have 2 to support still in college they were unable to get summer jobs this year and still try to get any work if they can, Where we live too is not great to get any work.
I did check out about selling my home and the SW said I would be allowed time to buy after the sale. I would not be looking for a councill house.
Would not expect to get alot of money for my home as prices have gone away down.and would most likely need a bit of extra cash when I move.
I would hope where ever I move to would be as independant as possable and bring something to offer than take from the system.Sw would not have been a choice by anymeans but this is the way things are.