Being sent on a course, but can't afford it?

[Mr_a_mouse]

Hi, first post here so hello

I'm being sent on a course soon staying in a hotel so naturally having to pay for it myself, the problem is at it is coming in the last week of the month I'm not sure if I can afford it, even with the advance which for reasons of my own I'd rather not go into

Is there a procedure for giving out a cash advance or is it a case of 'tough luck'?

 

[MontyPlumbs]

Hi, first post here so hello

I'm being sent on a course soon staying in a hotel so naturally having to pay for it myself, the problem is at it is coming in the last week of the month I'm not sure if I can afford it, even with the advance which for reasons of my own I'd rather not go into

Is there a procedure for giving out a cash advance or is it a case of 'tough luck'?

Just kick and scream and get your unit adminer to pay on the credit card when you check out. Worked for me. There was no way I was getting a £1600 advance and having my pay fcuked up for the next year!

I gave them the choice, no credit card payment, no course (no OOA!).

 

[Chilliboy]

Can't you get your Unit Travel Cell (if you have one) to book it through CHBS? That way it's all paid for in advance and you just have to square your additional costs when you check out. Maybe I'm just lucky but that's the way it's always worked for me.

 

[monobrow]

CHBS?

As one lad found out here, thats purely a booking office not a payment office as when he checked in the receptionist donned her highwayman outfit and robbed him blind.

 

[Odie]

I'm with MP on this one. Even though it's booked through CHBS (or Hogg Robinson), get your unit Travel Cell or Adminers to pay for the B&B element the day before you check out (that way you can't put porn on the bill DT_Xtremez_34: ). That's what my adminers do nearly every time. DT_Xtremez_30:That leaves you your subsistance allowance and incidental expenses to blow on ghandis, chinkies, etc. DT_Xtremez_14:



CHBS/Hogg Robinson aren't responsible for picking up the bill, as it's name suggests it's a hotel booking service not a hotel paying service.

 

[Sniffer]

Put in your advance for the total cost of the hotel PLUS whatever the maximum amount of night subsistence is. I think its £27.01 per day. So add that all up and put the total in as an advance.

Then when you get back (KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS) put in a claim for what you actually spent.

Then sometime down the line the advance will be recouped, but by then you will have been paid the claim and therefore will not be out of pocket!

 

[Mug?]

don't forget

don't forget

You might need a spare credit card. I have done courses where they chucked a big block on my credit card at the start of the course, meaning it was pretty useless for the Xmas shopping I was planning to do!

 

[Sammy]

Put in your advance for the total cost of the hotel PLUS whatever the maximum amount of night subsistence is. I think its £27.01 per day. So add that all up and put the total in as an advance.

Then when you get back (KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS) put in a claim for what you actually spent.

Then sometime down the line the advance will be recouped, but by then you will have been paid the claim and therefore will not be out of pocket!

Do this.

Just claim it all as an advance upfront. You are supposed to claim only 90% but no one will check. As long as you put in all your claims correctly when you get back it will all be ok.

 

[Tin basher]

Do this. Just claim it all as an advance upfront. You are supposed to claim only 90% but no one will check. As long as you put in all your claims correctly when you get back it will all be ok.

Can you really be 100% sure that no-one will check??

 

[Mr_a_mouse]

Do this.

Just claim it all as an advance upfront. You are supposed to claim only 90% but no one will check. As long as you put in all your claims correctly when you get back it will all be ok.

That's what I norammly do when I go away, unfortunately in this instance even an advance will disappear into a 'black hole'

It's been a pretty horrific month so far!

 

[Sniffer]

Dont know your situation and I dont want to lecture, but you really should take these things into consideration.

I'm sure many of us have been skint, but my idea of skint still includes having an emergency stash of a few hundred quid, which should only be used for situations like the one you are in now.

 

[Mr_a_mouse]

Dont know your situation and I dont want to lecture, but you really should take these things into consideration.

I'm sure many of us have been skint, but my idea of skint still includes having an emergency stash of a few hundred quid, which should only be used for situations like the one you are in now.

Perhaps I've already had to use my emergency fund....


Even if I had 10 grand as an emergency slush fund I certainly wouldn't consider a course for work an emergency as I doubt many others on here would.

 

[sparks will fly]

This is a big pet hate of mine why should we pay any amount up front for a course it should be paid for us.
We who have been in a while know that the chances of having your pay screwed up for several months is not enjoyable.
So my advice to you is go to PSF dig your heels in and tell them your not going if it's not paid for by them first.
Let your bosses know of this just out of curtisy. It does not state anywhere to my knowledge that you must keep a few hundred quid aside for this kind of situation as if it did then I was not told this when I joined up in 1990

 

[Sniffer]

The comment I dont understand is the one you made about your advance disapearing into a "black hole".

You have been provided a viable solution to your problem by both myself and backed up by Sammy, who I am sure is a Shiney.

Therefore the RAF, by providing an advance are ensuring that you incur no (or little) actual cost. Even if you only claim an advance for 90% of the subsistence that will still equate to £24.30 a day. More than enough for 2 meals (assuming hotel is B&B basis).

 

[Odie]

The comment I dont understand is the one you made about your advance disapearing into a "black hole".

You have been provided a viable solution to your problem by both myself and backed up by Sammy, who I am sure is a Shiney.

Therefore the RAF, by providing an advance are ensuring that you incur no (or little) actual cost. Even if you only claim an advance for 90% of the subsistence that will still equate to £24.30 a day. More than enough for 2 meals (assuming hotel is B&B basis).

In spite of your and Sammy's suggestions, regrettably I fear Mr A Mouse is having a touch of trouble managing his personal finances :S - maybe a job as Chancellor as the Exchequer beckons. DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[busby1971]

Some problems are too big

Some problems are too big

I think the OP has had a fiscal issue that means that even he gets an advance he won't be able to get to the cash.

You might want to speak to someone on the quiet and see if an EPIC is an option/possible. I'm not currently working at the coal face of admin land but I'm sure someone at your unit will be able to sort something out.

Good Luck, and get down the CAB.

 

[Mr_a_mouse]

I think the OP has had a fiscal issue that means that even he gets an advance he won't be able to get to the cash.

You might want to speak to someone on the quiet and see if an EPIC is an option/possible. I'm not currently working at the coal face of admin land but I'm sure someone at your unit will be able to sort something out.

Good Luck, and get down the CAB.

Exactly

Consider this for a moment, SAC Unlucky has a wife and child, they don't have an excessive lifestyle and have no credit cards or massive overdraft to service every month, this month has been particulary ****, a major car repair and other unexpected bits and bobs pused them well beyond what they had incoming, not through any real fault of their own times are going to be hard for a few months to sort it all out.

Are you telling me the above example should have a spare £800 just in case he is sent on a course?

£800 going into an account that is already overdrawn will quickly disappear whereas being given the 'cash in hand' will ensure that the course can be completed and the SAC will not have to worry about what is going to happen with the bank.

ps That is not quite the situation I'm in but gives you an idea of where I'm coming from.

 

[duffman]

Make sure the advance comes first. I once went with someone who tried to get an advance told for the whole of the course 'It'll be there tommorrow.' Never did turn up, so at the end of the course told them to send the bill to the accounts flight at our unit. Come Monday morning irriate OC Accounts on the phone, he said 'well you should have paid it upfront.' Get it paid upfront be a pain in the arse get it paid before you go.

 

[monobrow]

Do this.

Just claim it all as an advance upfront. You are supposed to claim only 90% but no one will check. As long as you put in all your claims correctly when you get back it will all be ok.

Surely the ramifications are more severe than a "well you shouldn't have" and we all know that ignorance is no excuse...

 

[Shugster]

I know this doesn't help now but let your predicament serve as a reason not to spend every penny you earn but to stash at least 100 quid a month away. That way when any big bills arrive you're in a position to pay without anyone going without.

(I'll admit when I was an SAC I p155ed all my cash away, but I didn't have a family to think of then).

What does an SAC get in his hand these days? 1k? more?

Putting at least 10% away a month will soon build a nice little buffer.

I put over 25% of my income away, not every month but more often than not. (The monster TV was bought cash, no finance and nothing on a Credit card).

This isn't a dig, just try and plan ahead for unexpected events. You'll sleep alot better too.
DT_Xtremez_26: