Please tell me I can survive on £80

[catlady39]

I currently have £80 left in my purse, and to pay all my bills, I cannot take any money out until 5th July.

There's me, 2 teenagers, a toddler and 4 cats. I spend about £20 a week on petrol. I have two weeks cat food in the house. We have frozen fruit and veg in the freezer, some pasta and rice in the cupboard - then mostly just stock herbs/sauces etc. So the cupboards aren't empty, but nothing substantial.

I've had a clearout and been selling things to make some odds bits of cash but nothing major.

I recently lost my job, had court/divorce fees, and am just temping. I'm setting up a business, which is taking time but will be a good wage by October. Just need to get through these few months. Please help.

[glenthebattleostrich]

Food bank?

Casual bar or waiting work?

Can you use the car less to cut petrol costs? I don't drive so consider anything under 3 miles easily walkable.

Any animal charities locally who can help with cat food?

[Caffeto]

So you have £20 a week to feed 3 of you after petrol, is that right?

I think its do-able. If you have veg and sauces you can use those for pasta dishes which are cheap and filling. Try hitting shops around 6.30 you can get meat and bread for pennies and just freeze it. Things like eggs, tinned spaghetti, cheese dont need to be expensive and may not be exciting but they'll see you through.

[catlady39]

The petrol use is variable as the temp work can be up to 20 miles away, so do need to use the car.
By sauces I meant ketchup etc, meaning my cupboards look quite full but nothing useful in there.
I don't meet the referral for a food bank.

[catlady39]

Eggs is a good one - knew you lot would have the ideas...it's a while since I've worried like this. It's not just tea, it's keeping snacking teenagers alive too!

[Lightsabre]

You can get a whole roast chicken in Aldi for £2.50. Buy some cheap tortilla wraps so they can have chicken wraps? Can you apply for Universal credit?

[TheInvestigator]

So you've got 3 weeks until you can withdraw money, and have only £80 to last until then. And you need £20 a week for petrol... so that's £60. So you've got £20 for 3 weeks of food for you and 2 teens, a toddler? And then 1 week of cat food for 4 cats?
Is that right?

[StrongTea]

Worth looking on local facebook pages, local to me there is a foodbank type of place which doesn’t need a referral. Suggest soups, pastas, rices.

[NoSquirrels]

What bills can be deferred?

Is this situation going to persist into July/Aug too?

Do the teenagers know?

[dottiedodah]

Do you have any valuables you could pawn ?.(Make sure you are able to buy them back).Cash Converter will usually give 6 months or so )

[LeukaeLucky]

Download Olio it's a food sharing app. People and businesses giving away food to avoid going to waste. I lived on it at my worst financially. Would mostly get bread but it was still useful

[AlpacaP1cnic]

Where are you in the country?

[LeukaeLucky]

Also check with your kids' school. They won't be checking your income but will refer you to the food bank even if you think you don't meet the criteria. They won't let à family go hungry

[longhaulstress]

If you know you'll be on a good wage by October I'd just take out a credit card to tide you over then you can pay it back when you're earning more.

[LeukaeLucky]

Finally, you can also request stuff on Olio so can create a post for cat food maybe

[MustardScreams]

You will meet the criteria for a food bank, you don’t need to be on benefits etc, just explain your situation to CAB and they will issue you a voucher.

[Macca84]

Mystery shopping and survey sites are a good way to make quick money - not a fortune, but a day's work could maybe get you £50 or so depending on where you are? There's also sites that advertise for people doing one-off shifts in things like setting up a stand in sainsburys, delivery jobs etc.. good luck OP!

[Sleephead1]

I don't think you can feed you all on that to be honest. If it was 20 a week it would be incredibly tight but I think you mean you will need 20 a week for petrol so 20 total for food. What meals will everyone be eating at home ? breakfast and tea or pack lunch stuff aswell ? I would buy the cheapest bread you can spend a few pounds buying lots of loaves then freeze , cheapest marg/ butter then at least you have toast for breakfast. Large milk For tea stuff I would buy a big bag of pasta , big bag of rice , tomatoes , eggs, cheese( large cheap block) lentils beans and jacket potatoes , i would then make dahl type things with lentils and frozen veg ( if you have spices at home) serve with rice, next day in jacket potatoes , pasta with tomato sauce and cheese , pasta with mixed veg , use eggs with cheese and frozen veg to make fritatas, or omlettes. jacket potatoes with beans and frozen veg. Do you have flour you could use that to make pancakes and use frozen fruit with them to break it up. But I just can't think this would last you longer than a week to be honest

[catlady39]

@TheInvestigator it's approximate but yes that's right.
@Lightsabre I've got all I can claim, this is what's left over for actual food etc once all the income and bills are accounted for.
@NoSquirrels it will persist to a degree but it's worse now as I had no work for two weeks for a holiday that was paid for last year. If I defer the bills it will just mess things up further down the line so this is how I've worked it out for now.

[NoSquirrels]

If you know you'll be on a good wage by October I'd just take out a credit card to tide you over then you can pay it back when you're earning more.

It’s a business OP is setting up. I think that can’t be relied upon to be “a good wage” because self employment is risky. If it were a salaried job starting in Oct fair enough but there’s a lot of things that could disrupt income.

[catlady39]

@Sleephead1 lunches for DC are paid for online by ex

[TheInvestigator]

I've sent you a PM.

[catlady39]

@NoSquirrels I do have work set up, so whilst it's variable, I know I'll be ok by then. But I do not want to take any credit out based on that.

[memoryfoampillow]

Church food banks often don't need official referrals.

Sell bundles of old kids clothes if possible.
Could the teens wash people's cars & cut grass to fund their own snacks (with the added bonus that they get to choose?)

[MustardScreams]

I know it’s hard when there are sad stories, but don’t offer money etc to people that post stories on here. There are ways and means of people getting help that doesn’t include accepting money or donations from strangers on the internet.

[memoryfoampillow]

Do you have a mortgage? Could you take a mortgage break?