Ok Well I know my advice is a little odd but it is something we should all be aware of and prepare for.
I am a 36 year old mother of 4 with no real work skills,I did a basic computer course from home a few yrs back in
office work.I worked for the first few years of marriage until I was 7 months pregnant with my 1st child at a local service station.My work life then became my family ,husband and children and running the house as many mothers do.
I have been paid well by the government for the years I have been a stay at home mum with my family payment and other entitled benefits,my husband also has worked very hard to provide for our family.I have never been on pension or unemployment benifits and very rarely has my husband as he always found work in his chosen profession.
Ok this is where my advice is ,we get our family payment for our children from the government,but when they turn 16 you will loose that especially if you spouse earns over $50,000 a year.My son is about to turn 16 and I loose $150 a f/night in my family payment ,this is going to make a big difference in our life as I rely on that money to pay our bills and morgage.I knew I would eventually lose my money as my children turned 16 but had not realized that he would not be entitled to any payments even tho he is still attending school.I can not even get a health care card for him and he has ADHD,unless I claim the carers pension ,not for money but for his medication purposes only.He is a big boy and eats quite alot,not fat but man like.I have to pay $105 a term for his school bus because we chose to send him to a better state school where he can be taught better hands on skills in mechanics,to hopefully one day get an apprenticeship.He is only in yr 10 if we were to send him to 11 and 12 he would have to get a part time job to put himself through school.
I think this has alot to do with the fact that there are many kids on the streets or leaving home,as I could imagine for some families it would be a real struggle to feed and school their children especially if they have over commited on loans etc..The government wants children to stay at school longer and finish grade 11 and 12 or have an apprenticeship before they can leave school for some families this would be out of reach if the parents have to support them through school the children are forced to work part time and manage working and schooling putting added stress on our teenagers of today.I believe as long as they are attending school or studying they should get some entitlements from the governments.
My sister in law is 41 this yr and for the next 4 yrs she has got a child turning 16 she is now in a big panic as to what she is going to do,when she does not get any money from government,as bills and mortgages have to be paid.She has no real skills either but is very clever on working on building computers all self taught.So at 45 or younger she will have to go out and get a job.So she is thinking of doing a course in aged care nursing to be prepared.
Ok my advice may be a little all over the place, and sound a little like just a whinge but what I am saying is be prepared when you are older and your children turn 16.
1. Do not over commit youself with money eg- loans ,morgages, credit cards.Work out if you can afford these payments if your child is soon turning 16.
2.Keep up your skills or learn new ones while you are younger and your children are still young,even if you do one day a week working somewhere voluntarily,I think you can also earn a little while keeping your entitlements(please check with centre link)
3.Shop wisely and try to put a little money aside before your child turns 16,so you have a little extra to adjust to less money and in the transition period.Pay as much off things while you have the money before your children turn 16.
Not everybody will be effected by payment drops it is only for people that have a yearly income of about and over $50,000.Which in todays society I wouldn't have thought that is a very high wage when many professions get paid so much more then my husband.With fuel and grocery cost rising every day many families will be pushed over the edge.
Please be prepared or like me you will be left to wonder how you are going to manage or get a job when you are older.I have bad hips and have to have a hip replacement done ,but now I know I have to have it done so I will be able to go out and seek some kind of work in the next few yrs when my other children are older.
Cham
(June 10th) (
