to be fed up of being skint and feeling like a scrounger?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Really sick of hearing that people on benefits are lazy scroungers.

DP has done three weeks work which he hasnt been paid for. Boss called them in yesterday, expecting them to return to work even though he still hasnt paid them. We have had to sign on just to be able to eat.

The government would say "Just go get another job!"

How? Where are these jobs? DP is very qualified in a lot of different areas of work, and there isnt a single job. The woman assessing his claim wanted him to take a 20 hour pw job over an hour from where we live. So we would be paying for him to travel to work and not much else.

Its so tiring and stressful. Today we literally have £3. We have to move house at the weekend and no idea how we can do it. I am so bloody sick of hearing how lazy people are when infact they arent.

How do we make the government listen? Thats a genuine question! Are there petitions or campaigns I should support? Would writing to No.10 help?

When will this end?

OP imho I wouldn't order anything on account unless you know for sure that you will have the money by next week to pay for it (Im stating the obvious though )

How about seeing your GP and explaining that you are going without food. You're pregnant - this is very serious. See what help s/he can drum up.

Please contact your midwife and tell her of your current situation. YOU need to eat just as much as your child does, because there is another one inside you.

Your midwife will be able to help - they have access to services for people in situations like yours is at the moment. Also if you contact your HV she/he can now prescribe healthy start vitamins for your DD, which can only be a good thing (my DD has them because she's not a fan of milk!) if you are struggling.

Also - I know it sounds mental but if you can find even £2 you could buy a soup bag of veg and a bag of lentils and make a pan of soup that could feed you and DP pretty well over the weekend. If you use tinned tomatoes, an onion and lentils you might even be able to do it for less than that. It sounds like the dark ages, and it shouldn't be happening, but as it is soup is a very good, cheap as chips option. There was a reason people lived on soup - it's hot, it's nourishing and it fills you up.

Hoping things get better for you soon lovely .

OP - I have nothing practical to suggest to help your situation but just wondered what age is your DD? I have some shoes that may fit her, and I would be MORE than happy to send them to you. What age is she? PM me if you like.

DPs boss has left us starving, almost homeless and scraping around for every penny. There is no way he is going to cause DD to miss preschool. Sorry but no.

I have never heard of milk and more but Im not keen on getting into debt anyway...at the min no money is guaranteed!

Thank you all. I feel so much better just talking about it.

Cant afford to get to the gp. Though I really dont think theres anything they could do. Same with midwife. The benefits have helped all they can. Its really just a waiting game now!

We both work and have had to use payday loans in the past to get through the last week of the month.
It's a shame this is all happening when you have another child on the way.
How about becoming an Avon rep?

Is there a childrens centre or salvation army or other charity/church organisation nearby? I work at a childrens centre and if we know of a family in this situation a family worker would get some petty cash make up a food box and put some gas and electric on. Are their any neighbours who might help. If I knew of a family in this situation I would want to help them in any way I could. Do you live somewhere quite rural op? Is the doctors too far to walk?

Wannabee- YES the midwife and GP CAN help you...just ask them to call you. You do not have to go. You NEED food for your baby. Honestly missing a few days of pre-school is not a big deal at all. Please think of your priorities - food has got to be number 1.

WannaBe, if you're in N.I. - it's a long shot but certainly when I lived there the churches were very active. As your situation is (hopefully!) a short-term crisis, might you consider approaching a local minister of religion? He/she might be able to point you at somewhere that could help with food, at least.

Yeah the docs is about 7 miles away.

We are having rice and peas for lunch. So I am eating, I promise you! DP makes sure I get something. It is all a bit surreal. DP trying to make gravy with stock cubes :o

Rice and peas is very nutritious, and filling. If you have some stock cubes you can make any leftovers into a ricey soup for tonight.

Ok, we have lentils. And stock cubes. I have spices aswell. No onions or carrots though or I would make soup.

Would lentils cooked in stock taste alright?

There is a sausage and lentil recipe here on MN. For some reason the lentil part is really, really good. Obviously you have no sausages but my dc adore the lentil part of it.

wanna be no you can apply for a crisi loan now

what else do you have?
spaghetti? any pasta?
because if you have spaghetti you can do "noodles" in your stock cube (like home-made supernoodles)

Another thing you could do - is there an allotment within walking distance?
you could walk down there and offer work in exchange for vegetables (if you explain why they will be more than willing to help)

Oh the noodles thing sounds good. I think we have a bit of spaghetti.

No allotments nearby. We really are in the middle of nowhere.

We tried to apply for crisis loan and were told we should have budgeted the last one better not sure how. That was over a week ago that we got it.

I will starve before I would get a payday loan. We have enough stress without one of those.

You'll come through this. You're doing the right thing, and you'll get through. I wouldn't let the crap stuff stop me sending a child to preschool either.

If they're red lentils, fry for a few minutes in a little butter or oil then add water with stock cube in to make lentil soup.

in the middle of nowhere is good, though - i assume that NI has the same kind of hedgerows as we do in the mainland?

Blackberry picking!
That's dessert sorted!

any farms around you?
you could always look for overhanging fruit (you know, plums and damsons that are hanging over the road)

freebie food site

can't guarantee any of them will post to NI but it's worth trying it.
don't forget to click "no mailings/emails"

i know it doesn't help today but a few days hence it will.

might be some tips here (it looks a bit posh to start)
and herer
and here

wild food - just look for the right month!

Thanks :) some good ideas there

Ilovesunflowers I went to my MP as I am in a similar situation and she has done nothing and not got back to me when she said she would.Good luck OP you are not alone...

Do you have parents that could offer you a meal? It sounds worrying, don't be too proud, you need to look after yourself.
Take any help you can get.
I wish I could cook a meal for you.
Do you have everything you need for baby's arrival?