HEY

Oh aren't they a pain?
I wrote a nasty letter but still haven't posted it, i want them to backpay me for the last four months! They won't do it but i feel jibbed that me and DP were living off one a fortnight between the two of us, somehow paying for rent and food and trying to afford for baby. Gosh i detest c/l. It's such a screwed system, in place to help us, but they just make life harder. Thank goodness DP got his job, i just feel bad for mooching for so long... But i guess that's "what love is", or so they say.

Definately a pain, i hate dealing with C/L but I gotta get some money somehow. I've got onto the CSA (child support agency) and they've arranged Nigel to pay me, BUT it's going to take 2 months for all the paperwork to go through. My first payment will be 7 Jan!! How rude, I'm supposed to try and live off of the little bit of single parenting payment and FTB I get until then... :( Good thing babies aren't all that expensive to look after. And thank god for parents, I love my mum and dad... :hugs: :D

Good luck Sally!!

Sal, don't they back pay from the date of application like centrelink do (sometimes)? That sucks so much. The centrelink lady I saw was really nice and very helpful. She had a look on a payment table to give me an estimate on how much of PPS I can get, and it looks like if I earn $700 gross a fortnight, I get the full PPS payment. Which is really good, as I will be getting about $600 net a fortnight, so that bit of money will really help. So the ball is rolling...

I decided to sleep on the sofa bed from now on. Being in the bed with Terry just made me feel sad and as I try to sleep I can't as the weight of stress washes over me. So I'm off to unfold the sofa and go to bed. Got my first day of work tomorrow!

Goodnight ladies xxxxxx

Good luck catherine, all the best, i hope the sofa isnt too bad for you :hug:

Thanks Ash.

Cate, I will get back payed, but that doesn't really help me now...

:hugs: all round.

Oh that sucks Sal but will help later. Bank it up for emergencies. Sofa was fine. I slept really well.

ahh money troubles..... its almost all i worry about atm. getting better though, DH just started a new job part time (i don't think i'd cope if he were full time, too many kids hanging off me for too long at a time otherwise) BUT of course its almost christmas so there's our money gone... plus we have to fix our car, i can't stand to catch another bus and its virtually impossible with both kids and a preggo belly, i mean it is possible but i don't feel safe doing it, kids are unpredictable and i don't want to risk DS1 running off onto the road or something while i've got DS2 in one arm and the pram in the other trying to load everything onto the bus. Its unlikely that he would but thats how these things happen, parents let their guard down for a second and the next thing you know you have a tragedy. Anyways back to money... christmas, and then both kids have their birthdays in February.. oh and 2 or their cousins are around christmas time too, plus we still have a few debts to pay off but thank god they will be gone soon, some at the end of december and a fricken stupid personal loan gone in February... just a shame its all happening at once. REALLY looking forward to this baby being born moneywise, not just for the cash we get for having another one but our debts will be gone by then and there are no major events happening for a while. will finally have some free cash.

I may have to migrate to the couch too, just not comfortable atm in bed with DH with my belly, its too hard to get comfy stupid bed's old and not really that supportive.

Centrelink require too much correspondance.. and that's assuming there are no stuff ups. bleugh, don't really want to have to claim stuff for new baby but have to.

Wow...heaps of centerlink stuff going on in here. I have never really had to deal with them. Although my mum has and has gotten off the phone to them in tears on a number of occasions! Bastards! That is the last thing a struggling single mother of 2 needs. Mind you that was a while ago.... Horrible. I hope that you girls don't have too much of a hard time dealing with them. Do I have to register with them or something, to get the baby bonus? Am I even entitled? My partner is in the Army and I don't work.

Everyone gets the bonus regardless of income. You'll get given the forms at the hospital after birth. You should also receive the family tax benefit which is all on the same form!

Nina- my DH was in the Navy for 12yrs and yes you get the baby bonus as Sally said everyone does the form you get is for medicare not centerlink anyway. but make sure that after you have baby you lodge centrelink forms as you do get money from them we used to get about $150 pf with one child and DH in the navy so you will also, I always thought it was easier to make appointment to go in and see them they dont like it but stuff they have to make one if you ask, as that way you have them fill in the form and work out how much money you will get no mistakes that way plus always write down their name so you can remember who worked it all out for you.

I'm sure I only filled out one form, the 1st page was all about medicare and the second part was about centrelink. I could be wrong, there was sooo much happening at the time. I might have even rang them from the hospital, can't remember (I stayed in accomodation next to the hospital, while B was in NICU and SCN) Definately a good idea to get the names of the people you deal with! And dates and times are a bonus, JIC they stuff up.

could have been must have to say after I have a baby my DH does all of the paper work. but baby bonus is def from medicare as this is how they get everyone as if you are in the high income then you dont get centerlink and therefore they wouldnt know about you but with medicare everyone puts baby on there card.

DH earns about $1100 a fortnight and i don't work so we end up getting about $580 a fortnight for the two kids, that includes rent assistance, Family Tax benefit, and a small amount of Parenting payment.
Everyone gets baby bonus when baby is born which is currently $4000 and was set to go up to $5000 in July but of course we've just had a change of government so we'll have to see if that changes or not.
You also get $600 for each child with your tax return at tax time (once again we'll see if that changes with the government or not)
From what i understand in order for Family Tax Benefit to really be affected in any huge way you'd need to be earning a total combined income of like $50-60k a year

Thanks girls.

That helps clear up a few things for me. I was really unsure of what I was entitled to. I will also take your advice about taking down names and times as obviously you are all talking from experience.


I hope you are all doing well!

actully you still get tax benefit up to $100,000 just not much.

and when you get $00 per child at tax gtime, you also get $300 per family... :) it all comes in handy!! And if you're like my DP who didnt get off his butt and do his tax return, you get it around now.... which does came in handy :)

Such a long day here, im spring cleaning, and have had enough... got a mega headache from bending over to pick stuff up. Have been going since about 10.30, and only half done ergh. May have to do it tomorrow too...

better get back to it...

I Hate Real Estate Agents And The Crap That Is Trying To Rent.
I Want To Kick And Scream And Punch Things.
Rant More Later.

Hope Everyone Else I Well. I Am An Angry Angry Angry Girl.