To ask a question completly unrelated to AIBU?

[BabyMakesTheBellyGoRound]

There's more traffic here. This past couple of months have been very difficult financially. Yesterday my oven door fell and shattered
I'm on ADs and I need to get a new pack but it costs €77. But I also need a new oven because I have my dc to feed. There's a second hand oven in the local buy and sell adds for €50 but that leaves me without money for my ADs. I get cb tomorrow but I will only have €26 left after bills are paid and coats bought for the older DC (no option there,they need coats). DH hasn't been paid fully this week and is unlikely to be paid on Thursday either as the company he works for is in financial shit.

My question is,how long can I go without ADs before I feel ill again?

can you claim for the oven on your insurance?

Have you checked Freecycle for a free second hand oven to tide you over?

are you in ireland?

you should not have a break in your anti-depressants. are you entitled to a medical card? if not can you contact V de Paul locally - they may be able to help with the oven and/or coats for your dc.

good luck.

Do you have a microwave, hob, slow cooker or grill? No need to use the oven if you can make other meals without it.

Could you rely on your microwave & hob for a week ro two until you can afford the oven to be fixed? Ive had to do that before.

Your priority is your ADs. I agree with StickEm use your hob until you can source a free oven, cheaper oven or save for the pack you need.
It also might be worth going into citizen's advice if you have one. There might be some type of local authority crisis loan available that could tide you over.

Thanks for the replies,I have no medical card and can't afford insurance. Yes I'm in Ireland and I contacted the svdp and am waiting for someone to ring me back. I have a hob,two of the rings work and I could do some vegetables and fried mince,I suppose.

Theres only the community welfare officer for financial help and she wouldn't give you water if you were dying.

Your health should definitely be the priority. Do you have food in/available that can be cooked outwith the oven?

Do you have something like Argos in Ireland? I.e. a homeware shop that has its own store card, and if you buy a big item like an oven it will usually give you a few months before you have to pay it off.

Hob, microwave, slow cooker, grill, pressure cooker if you have one. You can manage without the oven for a little while.

Any friends/ family who can help out or may know of someone who has an oven you can have? Worth asking around.

Definitely put the ADs first, it doesn't take long to become ill again when not taking them (I speak from experience).

Try Freecycle, Gumtree, rely on microwave meals for a while but make sure you keep taking your ADs.

Apply for the medical card, look on freecycle, gumtree and local sell/swap/free groups on facebook for an oven, in the meantime cook on the hob and in the microwave.
Don't the children have coats already? What have they been wearing up until now?

There's loads of stuff you can cook without the oven. Prioritise your health until you have money for both.

It's not just a case of beginning to feel ill again in terms of depression, depending on the AD you can start to have withdrawal symptoms if you stop them abruptly. I think you have to try and manage without your cooker. I hope things get better soon.

That s horrible for you. Can you apply for medical card. Contact your local citizens advice or public health nurse or gp and ask to be out in touch with a social worker to see if they can get you some help? My pal was on ad s and her phn organised home help for her.
Also try gumtree buy and sell etc for coats for the kids - you might find some of them free.
Could you contact your gp / pharmacy and tell them you re having difficulty getting money for the meds and is there another generic brand that doesn't cost as much ?
I wonder if charities like aware might be able to offer some help either ?
Sorry to read you are in such a fix. What ages are your kids ? I have coats from 5 yr and 3 yr would be happy to post on if you need.

Belly I don't know whereabouts you are but I am in Cavan and I have an oven that you are very welcome to borrow until you get up on your feet? Would that be any help at all? Agree with the others, put your health first. I think the SVDP would help with a situation like this.

Also how old are the kids and I will see if I have anything here that would do. Sorry you are in this situation.

can you ask a neighbour if you can use their oven a couple of times, if you are getting stuck for what you can cook just on the hob? I have done this - not specially friendly with neighbour but have done a few loads of washing when her machine broke down and in return she has let me use her oven when we were waiting on a new element for ours.

plenty of people do manage perfectly well without ovens at all so please prioritise your meds, for your sake and your family's, thats whats importnat!

hob only meal ideas -

great big pan of chunky soup, with crusty bread
omlettes - throw anything in - ham,cheese,onion,mushroom,left over cooked veg
chilli & rice
curry & rice
pasta & sauce(various)
risotto
mash & mince in gravy (shepherds pie without the oven)
stir fry

there's loads you can do - it's a pain but try not to panic

Definitely prioritise the medicine. An oven isn't strictly necessary. What kind of things do you normally cook in the oven? We can think of alternatives for you that can be cooked on the hob.