Well i have recently been told im going to lose my job. Thing is im not well off anyway i have one bike its a pace 405 pretty much pimped but its taken me two years to get it like that. My bike is my escape from everything im no god on a bike i just relish every minute im on it. I have 3 children and they are my first priority but i really dont want to have to sell my bike. wonder if ill get much dough from the government i have never been out of work since i left school some 17 years ago. Sometimes life sucks.

I can’t speak from experience but things will get better and there are lots of peopole on this site that are in a similar position and can support you. What I can say is ensure you find out what benefits/entitlemens you can get as this is what that the system is for.

I would suggest NOT selling your bike, if this is your escape then you will need to keep it for support while things get sorted.

Good luck and I’m sure lots of others will pop up to support you soon.

Sometimes life sucks.

yep, sometimes it does but ya gotta jump back on the merry go round, look at this way you now get a shot at a new job anything you want from a postman to a politician, how good is that. **** banging i’d say. keep the bike and the kids, buy own brand rice and pasta, cut out shit you really don’t need. That way it will be more satisfying when you can buy it. 😀

Chin up SlowJohn, things will get better. But if things get really bad I want first dibs on the bike 😉

yeah i really need my bike and the missus understands been doing a physics degree with the open university but dont finish it for another 2yrs could go into teaching then always fancied that

thanbks jim ill bare it in mind 🙂

Don’t worry, be Happy.

Tutor A’level physics?

You look back soon and laugh it off.

Best.

Don’t sell. You wont get much for it, themoney will be used up before you know it, and you’ll then be at the same point you would have been anyway, but minus the escape of the ride.

What jackthedog said.

It’s cost you a small fortune. You’ll get peanuts. If the worst happens and you find yourself with time on your hands then you’ll need a release. If it is inevitable then start collecting advice.

– How long have you worked there?
– Are you entitled to redundancy?
– What are the circumstances behind the job loss?
– Go to Citizens Advice

Good luck.

Been there for 12 yrs and i will get good redundancy but that wont last long with the mortgage etc, circumstances are unavoidable, got my house on the market now to try and avoid the inevitable. My missus is taking it well dont think she really understands what an impact it will make on our daya to day living

don,t sell your bike mate.you will regret it.sounds a top bit of kit that you,ve put alot of your sole into. it would definitly break you heart and you don,t need that ontop of everything else.it,s only money that will soon go but you won,t get your bike back and the tranquility it brings.take care bud.

Try to keep the bike, I had to sell my Klein due to similar circumstances and got very little for it. It paid off 1 mortgage payment, then I was back to square 1 and looking for other surplus items to sell. Luckily pre kids I had acquired a few bikes so I’ve still got a bike. It’s scary how what looks a good package quickly dwindles even when you’re careful. Stripey Pikey purchasing all round to try & save cash!

Dont do it fella

I think what you want to do is sell the bike to Singletrack world, collectively, we’ll all chip in, we own the bike, but will ‘free lease’ it back to you for the foreseeable future.

You get to keep it and not go skint….

I’m in for a tenner, anyone else.

you know i think a support group is a good idea

Nice idea. Don’t think many will buy it in the wake of Mikey M/IWH (and I am in now way insinuating you are anything like him!) but a bit of faith has been lost I fear. I’d be in for £10 though.

I’m in the same boat, but as my bike is the bare bones and value to only myself, it stays!

Really rough time, only just starting to pull together…..just don’t loose your escape means, so keep a bike…so long as you’ve something to escape with.

If it comes to it and these chaps pull together a support group, go with it, without friends chipping in with bike bits i’d not have one…..however without a bike i’d not of bust my collarbone 7 weeks ago….

Just do whatever you can to be able to ride….things will get better….believe it!

I do and it makes things easier…

Shane

You’ll get the same advice from everyone on here. Keep the bike. It’s not going to raise much cash no matter how nice a bike it is and that cash isn’t going to last long. The people on here understand the true value of a bike rather than just the price of one. At times like this, you need the bike more than ever.

At times like this, you need the bike more than ever.

Indeed. It’ll be cheaper then running a car, for a start…..
Car goes first, IMO

Chin up mate, we’re all here to take the piss help when you need us!
😉

Like all the others say, buying stuff is expensive, but it’s worthless when you come to sell it.

Firs tthing to do should be to speak to your bank- at the very least they should be able to convert your mortgage to interest only, and maybe willing to give you a payment holiday for 6 months to a year as well. Gives you some breathing space.
You should have an idea whether there’s likely to be any work near where you are- is it a one employer town, or a major city? If there’s not going to be anything locally, can you stay with relatives (tough I know with three kids) and try and rent the house out? even if it don’t cover the mortgage it’s still income, and gives you the chance to look for work elsewhere? Can you potentially work away from home?

Good luck. Don’t sell the bike- you’ll need something to get you through, and it beats going down the pub.

If it is top end bike you could always sell and by a cheap second hand MTB. That way you can still get ‘out there’, you get rid of the ‘guilt’ of not supporting your family and you still achieve some stress relieving riding.

We all convince ourselves we need the best and latest kit but at the end of the day it is amazing how much fun you can have on a shonky bike 🙂

To work out what benefits you’ll be able to claim, check out:

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

I’m in a similar poistion, 2 kids out of work. Took a month to receive any JSA payment, the other thing I done is all unsecured debt are only getting a token £1 payment until I have some more cash come in, our priority is food & paying the mortgage (also reduced to interest only)

I am in the same boat myself so I understand the black hole you feel you have fallen into. Our household income went from £70k to about £20k overnight. We went on a major cost cutting excercise for example we used to go out twice a week nothing extravagant but with taxis tickets food we were spending a minimum of £120 a week for 2 nights out. now its bung a DVD in, a home made curry for £3 and our treat a bag of microwave popcorn, 3 for a pound from the pound shop.

Things are tight though I drive a wagon cash in hand, some weeks I work every day last week I only got 2 days work. On thursday I pulled into the wagon park filled the tank on the fuel card and thought I fancy a fry up. It hit me I couldnt afford £4 for breakfast and I was very down for a few minutes till I opened my lunch box and spotted my misssus had sneaked in 2 home made fairy cakes as a treat for me. Have to admit I nearly blubbed my eyes out.

Awww Pantsonfire, you had me welling up too there!

SlowJohn: You say you’ve only recently heard about the redundancy. I know it’s a major shock, I’ve been there twice myself and both times I felt winded for about a week or two afterwards.

But it really isn’t a question of “sell your bike or go hungry”. The odds are that you will find more work eventually. I know lots of people who already have in the last year or so – including close family members.

I found better work quickly myself both times I got the push – including launching my own business just as the downturn really bit last year.

Just try to focus on the positive, working on your CV, networking, researching where you want to work – or what you want to do.

Good luck!

sell the bike and get a cheap one, they’ll both do the same job

Don’t sell your bike as so many people have said above you won’t get as much as you want/wish for it, plus it’s the sentimenal value that means more than anything and if your Missus is understanding then just DON’T do it. You will get through, look at all the stories here of people in the same situation getting through you just have to evaluate stuff and take a different stance on shopping/nights out etc.

Pantsonfire .. that made me well up too! good luck to you all that are in this difficult nightmare situation you’ll get through it especially with support of fellow STWers in the same situation!

now its bung a DVD in, a home made curry for £3 and our treat a bag of microwave popcorn, 3 for a pound from the pound shop.

Bet you’re still enjoying it.

I opened my lunch box and spotted my misssus had sneaked in 2 home made fairy cakes as a treat for me. Have to admit I nearly blubbed my eyes out.

Ace! A little act to show you’re loved, that’s what life’s about!

Thanks for all the support i definitely wont sell my bike as your right the money would go on bills and id be back at square one. Its a shock more than anything but theres always a way to make things better and while im looking for a job at least ill ahve more free time to ride 🙂