How do you survive financially on PPS?

[HarvestMoon]

Well i am soon to be on PPS. It will be my only source on income until i get settled somewhere and can get a job.
I've checked out the centrelink estimator and for myself and 2 kids have got the maximum amount of around $1080/fn (pps and FTB).

Every fortnight i will have to put $250 on to debt repayments to just meet the minimum amount due.

I am hoping to get into community housing or similar so at least rent will probably only be around $140/wk or there abouts. If that plan fails i will be after a cheap rental which will more than likely still be around $250/week even in the outer less desirable areas.

So with those 2 expenses possibly totalling up to $750/fn leaving me only $330 for everything else. How can i seriously afford to live? Does anyone else do it? How do you manage?
Even just thinking about it is stressing me out.

[ashleerose]

Have you included rent assistance (i think the maximum you can claim is $125.88 single with two children).

Most of my bills are deducted from my centrelink payment via centrepay, ie $50 for phone $50 for elec etc etc.

I work as a casual in a retail store and also do subcontracting work to get by.

If you youngest is 7 you will be under different rules/payments (not sure what they are).

If not when your youngest turns either 6 or 7 you will have to participate in centrelinks work program (ie look for work or be working min 15 hours per week, these changes affect me next year).

As for your debt is there anyway you can consolidate it (if it isnt already) or speak to the people you owe money to and see if there are any other options available to help you.

Will you be receiving childsupport? the amount of childsupport you receive will affect your family tax benefit (but some people are lucky and receive more than the minimum which will be approx $27 per month from July onwards).

[mummymimi]

I'm surprised you didn't get more replies as their are some single mums on here that seem to be great with money and have posted some great tips in the past (search old threads maybe). I honestly don't know how you guys do it on the sole parent pension but lots of people do manage so it must be possible. Good luck I hope it all works out for.

[Amberlea]

Well i am soon to be on PPS. It will be my only source on income until i get settled somewhere and can get a job.
I've checked out the centrelink estimator and for myself and 2 kids have got the maximum amount of around $1080/fn (pps and FTB).

Every fortnight i will have to put $250 on to debt repayments to just meet the minimum amount due.



I'm not going to be of much help - i just wanted to say that's exactly what I got last year from Centrelink, and $250 is close to what my car loan repayment is (I got it when I was working).

I have to say - there was no way that I could live on that amount alone, I got behind in a lot of things until I found another job this year.
And I didnt have any luxuries.
Standard bills and rent and food.

If you are going to have to pay full price rent ($250 a week) - I dont think you will be able to live on the $330 a fortnight you will have left.
I dont know where you live - but community housing here in Melbourne is upwards from a 3 year wait at the moment. The only people who get in before that are from very extreme circumstances.

Out of that $350....Thats $165 a week for food, gas, elec, phone, mobile, internet (even dial up), I didnt see how old your kids were.. but nappies, formula if needed, if you have a car.. petrol, rego, insurance.

If you didnt have that $250 a fortnight debt - then you definately can live on PP alone.. but that is going to make it very difficult.
Can you speak to whoever the debt is repayable to and ask for a 3 month stop on your repayments.
Most companies offer this in times of extreme financial hardship - they just don't tell you about it.

Good luck.

[LizzardLover]

$330 a fortnight probably wont be enough.

My expenses are pretty low and I have a cheap car and my expenses are $90 a week groceries, $40 a week petrol, $20 a week gas&elec, $10 a week internet, $10 a week phone, $5 a week mobile. Thats $175 a week or $350 a fortnight just there.

I'm lucky in that I now have no debt (hasnt always been that way, long story) and I get child support.

I think your going to have to look at your debt. Is it possible to sell the car and get something cheaper to knock off some of the amount on your debt? Look into a reconcilliation loan, but if your not working you most likely will not get one. Speak to the bank, ask if they offer a hold on payments or if you can switch to paying the interest only for a little while (6 months). Realistically though that isnt going to help in the long run.

I'd suggest calling Salvation Army and asking to see a financial counsellor. They will be able to help you to work it all out and if there is anything at all that can be done about your debt, they will know what it is!!

Good luck!

[SomewhereOverTheRainbow]

I was on PPS about 6 years ago for about 2 yrs before I met my husband. Back then I only got $600 a fortnight so I worked about 15-20 hours a week at a supermarket as well. Having said that I was lucky to have my mum close by to watch my son while I worked evenings and he was in full-time childcare while I studied full-time, which only cost me $20 a week under the JET (Jobs, Education, Training) scheme. If you look them up, they should be able to help with childcare fees while u study or work. If your rent is over a certain amount u should be able to receive some kind of rental assistance. I didn't have a car loan to pay off back then as I made my work take out the maximum amount of tax and I got $3000 back after tax time. If u do get some work, there are many benefits like a return to work payment and good tax thresholds etc. I didn't get any child support. However, I live in a country area so things are a little cheaper here. If u live in Sydney and don't need to stay for family reasons I'd move somewhere cheaper.
I should mention that even though it was a tough few years it was worth doing as I'm now an RN, and own a house etc.