(Not a begging thread) fucking eating or heating

[Stuckandsadintheupsidedown]

Just a rant and certainly not begging. I just can't believe I'm in this position and could use some advice. I haven't name changed.

A while ago I was quite good financially but this year has utterly crippled me. I kicked abusive violent ex partner out in May finally, went to the police etc, it's all going through the cps now and I have lovely emotional support via women's aid. I applied for help from HMRC as I only work part time. I had to cut back on some of my hours as I wasn't safe getting home from work late (he stalked me for 3 months until bail conditions kicked in)
I've been applying for full time since summer but I live in a touristy area and competition is quite fierce.
Childcare is expensive (have 1 primary aged dc) but I'm managing to keep on top of my rent and childcare bills. Checked my account today, to see if my £20 cheque that was a Christmas gift from my uncle has cleared.
£15 of it has been swallowed by Wi-Fi payment that I totally forgot about so not I have £5.83 to last until Friday.
I'm in my emergency credit on the electric meter.
I literally have to choose to not heat my home in order to feed me and dc this week.
We have some gifted Xmas chocolate left, plus eggs and flour and butter so I know we will just about scrape it. But it's so fucking depressing. I'm trying to keep going and be proud I escaped but it feels like punishment some days.
I don't want to borrow money because I can't pay it back without dipping into next month iyswim, I asked the bank for a small overdraft but have been declined.
Just utterly defeated this afternoon.

@crustycrab, I agree and have also messaged the op to see if she is in my Northern Seaside Town :)

Asda selling 20p carrots and parsnips at the moment, get some cheap stick cubes, an onion and make a big soup? Buy a 90p loaf of bread. You can do this! Some cheap milk and eggs to make pancakes every morning. .

Sorry everyone bedtime etc took up my last couple of hours x thankyou so so much to the offers of help but I am getting myself upright and more sorted by the minute. The kind people who want to help- your local women's aid or domestic abuse service would welcome your kind offers I'm sure. Whether that is your time or extra toiletries etc. I know they've been the biggest support I could have ever asked for, with mumsnet a close second.
I'm filling out a discretionary fund thingy for edf in a second so will have the electricity problem sorted. It's such a shame to be going through this, I never thought it would happen but hopefully I'll come out the other side a better person and be able to help other women in the future. I've got the freedoms project meetings every week at the moment and it's stunning how widespread domestic abuse is.
Although I was having a good whinge earlier I'm so so relieved that at least I get to come home to a peaceful house and dd is the happy girl she always has been xxx

If she was a scammer she'd have replied straight away but hasn't . A long standing poster, don't feel any shame in accepting food that will go to waste if you do happen to be in our town @Stuckandsadintheupsidedown

Anyone can fall on hard times, you've done the right thing by your DD and deserve a little kindness

And thankyou for the PMs 're seaside town with an M - we're very close to you. I've sent a message to Catholic church to ask if I can pop by tomorrow xxx

Cross posted with you there! Glad you're getting sorted. MN is great for a rant when you need it. PM me if you can make use of the extras I bought that will go to waste, I'd be more than happy to help

Download the Olio app OP
it's food that would otherwise go to waste. Locally.
Bakeries for example getting rid if the day's bread. Super cheap and sometimes free.
Good luck xx

https://olioex.com

Someone suggest that a Mumsnetter (but not them!) did a small grocery shop for the OP.

Brilliant - sounds like the sort of thing my mum would do to me

I am glad I posted. This discretionary electricity is going to save my bacon I think. My flat is all electric so heating it costs a ton. Have work and dd at childminder tomorrow so will leave it off then, then Wednesday go out on scooter with picnic.
I'm glad it's fairly warm too considering time of year, I know my fellow coastal mumsnetters appreciate that where the wind is blowing from can make the big difference between wearing 2 layers of pjs to bed with a hottie and wearing a normal nightshirt!

When it's windy it's much much colder in our house!!!

Definitely appreciate the warmish weather here! No wind for a change although it's been a grey day

Just told DH about your post and he says he hopes you'll accept some of our excess food (because he's getting fatter by the minute).

Glad you've got the electric sorted for now at least

@sanityisamyth

I have seen that rumour circulating on facebook.

Have you been able to find a link to the source? I haven't

Have you been able to find mention of it at any of the energy companies? I haven't

Do you have reason to believe it is true? I haven't.

@PigletJohn I didn't do any further research but I've since found this which might help OP:

www.npower.com/about-npower/fuel-bank/

www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

Hi just in case this would help my local council have something called Local Welfare Provision LWP
You can get £20 same day MasterCard or if u can wait 48 hrs £40 you can also get electric/gas top up a code is sent that you take to the shop
Look on your local councils website they may have this under another name
There is usually a limit as to how many times in 12 months some one can get help
This sounds just right for your situation if your council does it

@sanityisamyth

yes, I know about those schemes.

But sorry to say this "£45 voucher" appears to be a hoax. You will notice there is no link to the source. You can search for the scheme yourself, but you won't find it. In some parts of the country there are pilot schemes, for people in need who already have a Food Bank referral letter, but there is no trace of the "£45 voucher" that the hoax promises.

I did say I didn't know if it was genuine. I saw it on a police force FB page and there were some comments on the page to suggest that there was something in it. Thought it was worth OP researching.

Only trying to help!!

yes, I appreciate you acted in good faith.

I'm really sad to hear you're in this position. I've been there myself - my electricity got cut off for 3 days & I couldn't go out as they couldn't give me a time when they would turn up to change it to prepayment meter. Week before Xmas, DS was 5.

But - do as PPs have said (GP can refer to food bank). Also - I know there is a thing called Fuel Bank too - you need a food bank referral to get that too. But they add money on to your fuel account www.energylivenews.com/2015/04/24/fuel-bank-offers-energy-vouchers-to-neediest-homes/

Also - get the app TooGoodToGo - local cafes give away food at end of day for small amount of money. Near me lovely bakeries do these "bags" for £3.50 - it's kind of pot luck what you get. But they are linked with lots of cafes & even supermarkets.

This is Birmingham’s scheme

www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20017/benefits_and_support/308/help_in_a_short-term_crisis

See if your council has the same

The £49 fuel payment is what I posted the link to. I do t think it's all energy companies & when I saw it via another site, it says you needed to access via food bank.

thanks for the link, @QueenOfOversharing

It's to an April 2015 news report, and refers to people who have a referral letter from a food bank.

Unfortunately the hoax circulating on Facebook is incorrect.

Op if you're in Blackpool then try the Salvation Army for food bank.
Quite often they will come out to meet you somewhere rather than you going to them. They often have cafes and charity shops all in one too so you could "pop in for a brew" and get sorted whilst you're there.

I came on to suggest a local church. Please do use them. Hopefully you won’t just get by this week but will get yourself ahead a little.

I know where I live there are a few local food redistribution schemes, hopefully you will find one of them. Here they give you a box of veg the supermarkets are throwing out. I’d look to see if there is any of these near you anyway. I know someone who runs one and it’s aimed at low incomes, not just when you are struggling to get by.

I would also aim to heat one room if you can (and maybe DDs just before bedtime). DH have often used blankets and hot water bottles if we are just sat as it’s a waste to heat everywhere.

Good luck. Hope you have a good week.

@PigletJohn sport it's such an old article. I just googled Fuel Bank as I saw it mentioned this week on Twitter - and not the hoax version.

I've had another look & it was NPower that I saw do it. This link looks current... (I hope)!!

www.npower.com/about-npower/fuel-bank/

Thankyou everyone