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.

I had to get a bridging loan from the bank when I graduated, covered deposit, first months rent and first months expenses.....

If you have a car or know someone who can lend you one/drive you then you should be able to pick up loads of stuff for free or really cheap on facebook marketplace. Get a sack truck (cheapest in Argos is £15 I think) and then you can more easily pick up heavy items.

We got our cooker for £10 on there and brought it home in our Nissan Micra with the back seats down. If you go for an undercounter fridge with freezer box at first then you'd get it in most cars, same goes for washing machine. then you just need an airbed (again borrow or get free on facebook) until you can afford a proper bed.

We also picked up an armchair and footstool for free on facebook, again went in the back of the Micra, you could make do with that until you can afford to have a sofa delivered.

When OH and I got our first flat everything took months to be delivered so we had airbed, camping chairs but then a big tv because that was the one thing we could pick up on the day. Try and see it as a fun thing, and get as much as possible for free, then you can always replace slowly later on if you find you need to. Oh and remember to offer the things you no longer want on for free again and help out the next person.

Oh and most charity shops will deliver for a small fee so if you don't have access to a car that's where I'd look first, that and see if you can find anyone on Facebook that does house clearance and reselling, they usually deliver cheaply in the local area too. Definitely get the Olio (free food sharing) and Too Good to Go (end of the day food that would otherwise be wasted sold for a low fee) apps too.

Post on local facebook/free sites, people will be glad to help and it can be fun planning your own home from scratch. Good luck!

I would speak to your employer for sure - salary advance might be possible

I would also talk to your bank about an authorised overdraft for a specific period of time - if you show them your job offer email, they may well give it to you. I did this a couple of times in similar situations

Why not start with a house share? You can get to know the area better & pick where you want to live longer term & save up for furniture etc. And improve your credit rating at the same time.

Just in case the flat doesn't work out, i highly recommended looking at spareroom.co.uk for a house share in the interim. Probably much cheaper than your own place and might allow you to save more once you start work. You can always upgrade to your own place in 6months / 1yr. I used this website for 5yrs when i first moved to London in my early career and was a great way to meet people.

Edit to add that often rooms on Spare Room dont need a deposit as well.

There may be charities with donated furniture and electricals for reuse. Do you claim uc?

Do you have an overdraft? Could the relative whose your guarantor loan you a couple of hundred to get you through?

What's your Plan B incase the flat doesn't accept you? There will be a lot of prospective tenants.

Am looking at quite a few flats but have told relative that’s viewing it for me if the door locks, it’s got running water, heating and electric to just say yes and we can worry about the rest later. It does look a good flat.

Sharing definitely an option too. Much as family keep saying I shouldn’t, they aren’t the ones paying all the bills at the end of the day.

I will look into trying to get a credit card definitely and will try to go to the bank. I’ve filled out a form for my uni for hardship funding and explained situation.

The massively frustrating thing is I cleared out my mum’s house only two years ago which was full of furniture but I couldn’t afford to move any of it or store it. Meant that a perfectly good fridge freezer, etc etc all had to go to other people. To be honest that might have helped my mum as she’s only getting £40 a week (to cover eg clothes, toiletries) after her care is paid for but I lie awake at night worrying about these things.

I’m desperate to pull myself out of current situation by getting this good job. Hopefully it works out somehow. I’m determined.

Your moving to Darlington? Good news is that rent and cost of living is way less then your probably use to if your currently in the south. Will you definitely need to use public transport? It's a relatively small place, so there are a lot of places in walking distance.

B.A but working in Darlington yeah, I'm actually moving down from central Scotland but I'm inner city so will definitely notice a huge saving - I'm currently £800pcm for a single ensuite shared kitchen! Yes using public transport, I don't drive so will need to get the bus to work.