In the interim between starting work and getting paid, how do I afford to live?

[lyingawakepanicking]

NOT ASKING FOR MONEY.

First full time job after uni. Various circumstances (very complex family and my own mental health) have meant I’ve not been able to work during studies. Student loan only just covers rent.

I have some saved back money I was given two years ago when a relative died. That’s enough to pay a deposit and one month’s rent.

However my job involves relocating 200 miles (to live much closer to family, which will be huge benefit to me). The flat I’ve looked at is unfurnished. My family have said they have some basic furniture I can have, including a washing machine, but no white goods etc.

I can’t afford a furnished flat unfortunately.

So I’ll have to somehow try and get bits of furniture from somewhere … plus I’ll have to pay transport to work, and buy food, and basics like cleaning stuff, and I’m assuming utility bills and broadband/mobile phone

Once the first month has passed it should be OK I think but I won’t get paid for 6 weeks after I move potentially and I don’t know what I do for that six weeks for money! Panicking a bit, I can live without a sofa etc but worried about where the hell I get a fridge from, and how I pay the bus fare to work.

Family have said to ask my employer about a relocation package (which was mentioned a while ago but hasn’t been brought up since) and ask uni about discretionary funding (which I’ve applied for). I don’t think I’m entitled to any benefits at all, because I have got a job, it’s just the waiting for my first salary.

Is it wrong to ask my employer about relocation packages again? They’re a huge company, it was mentioned at interview for the first role I tried with them but not the second one.

Look for and join local area fb groups, we have one and I've seen and donated to people who have posted to ask for help, furniture, food etc.
Don't just look on the FB page, actually post and ask for what you need.
We also have a lot of people who post to give away items.
There's also a community centre here that helps people in need, the lady who runs it puts out appeals on behalf of others.
Look up the local community centre, they will also be able to give advice on benefits, food banks, community furniture centres.

Can you not move to a house share instead? It’ll be a lot cheaper. House shares are normal after leaving university.

can you do some shifts somewhere before you move?
my dd has joined a recruitment agency which you log on every day and book for that day, or even later in the week

can your parents/family lend you money?

Like others, firstly, you need to look at a different rental situation. You should find a house share option, your savings then should give you enough to manage over 6 weeks.

It's not just waiting till you get paid is the issue - if you are planning on buying furniture and household goods with your first pay packet, you'll be broke in no time.

Instead of a flat, could you find something cheaper like a bedsit or house share for the first 6 months / year. That would use up less of your savings on deposit/ first months rent, so leave a little to live off. Once your getting paid, you can start saving for a nicer place to live.

See if you can get a short term house share while you're looking for a flat. See if you can get something for 3 months which will also help you save up too. At least then you have access to a kitchen and basic furniture while you wait for your wages to come in.

In that scenario, I'd then just do a cash transfer from 0% credit card in my bank account, live on that for the first 6 weeks and then pay it off really quickly once you're earning.

Oh sorry, I just read your credit rating isn't very good. Posted too soon,

Check if you can get a new credit card - yes credit rating may be an issue but you might be able to get something.

Looking for a furnished flat would solve most issues.

Claim universal credit and take an advance. It's like an interest free loan, but you don't need a good credit rating. You'll likely get a few hundred pounds that you can use to live off while you wait for your pay from work to come through. It doesn't actually matter that you've got a job, you can still make the claim and take the advance.

And look on turn2us for grant giving charities that might support you.

Claim Universal Credit, you'll have access to a UC advance, if you don't receive wages for 6 weeks, you'll get a payment. Once you start to receive wages and UC is nilled, you can arrange with the DWP debt management team to pay back what you borrowed in manageable installments.

Get a job for the next few weeks through a temp agency or seasonal/short term role, anything you earn put aside for that 6 week period.

You don't need a fridge or furniture immediately, it will be a basic and not very comfortable few weeks but it's a very short term problem and will be rectified when you get your first pay check.

You can get food daily, eat cupboard foods, use milk powder in tea etc think of it as like camping for a few weeks.

Where are you moving to? A lot of people on here can give practical help on where in the city to live cheaper. House shares are common and you have the added benefit of making friends in a new city. What’s your budget? Remember you’ll get the deposit from your old place back as well.

Have you actually applied for the flat and been accepted OP because LL and letting agents will be wary of your poor credit rating?
There is so much competition for rental properties that they can afford to be picky these days.

Congratulations on your job, and congratulations on getting somewhere sorted to live!

I think you need to work out roughly how much you need to cover transport, food and any early bills and talk to your new employer about their previous offer of relocation expenses. Explain that you have no other income until your first wage packet and that you need at least £XXX to sustain yourself until then. Getting actual extra cash can happen, depending on employer And as they mentioned it, I'd be cautiously optimistic). Others do an advance on salary, which they will claw back directly out of your first 3 or so wage packets.

The worst they can say is "no"

And yes, I think the advice to look at it as if it's a brief camping interlude might be a helpful way to frame it. There will be times when it won't be fun, and the thought that this is taking you in the direction you want to go isn't going to sustain you physically, but anything at all you can do to think positively will be helpful.

I would definitely chase up the relocation package and explain the reasons why you're asking.

Most companies will give you some sort of advance on wages too so ask about that.

I know you said family was too far away for commuting and would be a nightmare but could this be manageable until you get your first wage? This is what I had to do initially (wasn't as bad as I imagined). If you can remote work too for part of the week it might help with the commute.

There are lots of sites offering free furniture / white goods etc too. Might not be what you would like but would give you a start.

Speak to family and friends and see if they can help with some food bundles. Then when your back on your feet treat them to a nice meal out.

The uni should be able to help out too and give lots of good advice. Plus a weekend job in a pub etc with weekly pay until you start your new position will help in the short term.

Could a charity such as Soroptomists International help you with a grant? I received a grant that covered my travel costs to finish my education from them.

This it’s quite a standard request

Just for context, when we bought our first house we went from a 1 bed flat to a 3 bed house. We took with us a bed, a tv unit, a tv and a fridge (and about 1000 books).

It took us around 3 years to gradually bit by bit furnish the house. We sat on the floor for a few weeks till we could get a very cheap sofa from gumtree, we had sheets pinned up instead of curtains for months, we were able to afford a dining table and chairs about a year after moving in.

The priorities are making sure you have food to keep you going, something to sleep on so you are rested and a way to get in and out of work. Everything else can wait and you can survive without it temporarily.

Check out the council website for the area you are moving too, some councils have links to recycling schemes where they refurbish electrical goods and furniture and sell it cheap or donate it. Same for paint and decorating supplies.

Like this - leicester-shire-reuse-network.co.uk/

Ate you currently completing your finals? Not sure you can be as end May sounds very early for them to be over but assuming that is the case then all the comments about UC are a non starter as its not available to you. Also presumably means now would not be a good time to do casual work if doing your finals.
The normal for most new graduates is to return home briefly and/or have the gap bridged by parents. Even if moving in with family is not an option you should ask if they can help you. Also ask the new employer and phrase it as a diversity and inclusion request.

Well done on the job .
No.other advice to add to what's been given bar in a pinch it's surprising how little you can live on for a very short period of time .

This basically also think about Citezen's advice, some really good info there.

There is an app called limbr where you can get short notice work in hospitality, its paid weekly

yes that is what dd does