to wonder what the fuck to do now? (Immediate financial problem)

[Margaritte]

We are on a very tight budget for the next couple of months. We know this, and have got advice from StepChange & I posted a thread on here for recipe /shopping advice.

However, today our card declined trying to pay for £22 or so worth of shopping. We were not expecting that, and now I am very worried and starting to panic

We have some food in for dinners. No packed lunch food though, for ds1 & 2 and dh. We have no milk (well, enough for a bottle tonight for dd) and are down to 3 nappies.

Payday isn't until end of next week, so have to do something until then.

Its ok, perhaps they thought about posting heavy things, or changed their mind or whatever. It doesn't matter, and like I said, at least I can use it now for an oven

OP did you find out if Christians against Poverty could be any use to you?

Do I use it the casserole / freeze it ? yes and yes. You can eat the meat and veg today and freeze leftover as stew. If you have too much stock/gravy you can freeze and use as a base for soup.

I eat the potatoes that have the juices on? yes you can.

Lolimax I went onto the website & clicked on the 'I want help' section. Was a place to enter my postcode, and it seems the only thing they have in my area is the Cap Money Course. That would be quite helpful to go along to, and they do it over 3 sessions ( from what I saw) Although it is 13miles away from me and so I wont be able to get there.

Suggestions for additional income v1

With thanks to confusedofEngland, codandchipstwice, emms1981, LotusLight, r2fedup, somewheresomehow, ZombiePiglet, Goringbit

• Apply online for a Nectar card if you are anywhere near a Sainsbury's. You may get points just for joining up (not sure) & you can do surveys online through Nectar Canvass & amass up to 250-500 points on a good week (worth £1.25-£2.50 at Sainsbury's, although you have to spend them in increments of £2.50). These appear pretty much straight away & can also be used on fuel, so are very useful.

• Other survey sites such as Valued Opinions are good & pay in vouchers: www.valuedopinions.co.uk/ Also Nectar Canvass: www.nectarcanvass.ssi-partner.com/ and One Poll: www.onepoll.com/ and Tesco Orchard: orchard.tesco.com/ Another site is: www.i-say.com/Home/tabid/36/language/en-GB/Default.aspx?returnurl=%2fnosurveysSurveys%2ftabid%2f167%2flanguage%2fen-GB%2fDefault.aspx

• Sign up for product testing. Mumsnet product testers: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_product_tests If you email this address they will tell you how to sign up [email protected]

• BOTH of you sign up to do market research e.g. DC can be researcher (£15) and parent goes as chaperone (£25) - and gives quality 1-1 with a DC. www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=market%20research%20london links to lots of agencies - you are supposed to sign to only one but DH and you don't have to sign up to the same site.

• This is a good site for freebies: www.latestfreestuff.co.uk/todays-freebies/

• Avon Representative: www.avon.uk.com

• Sell your skills (leaflets through doors) - ironing, lawn mowing, dog walking, cat feeding, leaflet delivery, cleaning (DO NOT OFFER CHILD-MINDING IN YOUR OWN HOME - YOU MUST BE OFSTED REGISTERED FOR THAT.)

• Bar work, shop work (one parent available Saturday for additional work/other parent works on Sunday)

• Sign up to Qmee which puts a linky thing on your computer and if you click on the Qmee link to the web page your searching for it gives you a few pence a time (around 5/6p) which can be sent to your paypal account: www.qmee.com/

• check if you have outstanding Tesco vouchers: m.tesco.com/mt/www.tesco.com/clubcard/unspent-vouchers/?sc_cmp=tp4_aff_1503186

Thanks also to Girlwhowearsglasses who advised having invoices and records set up from day one of raising additional income.

Can I ask all posters who are supporting Margaritte to check if they have Tesco Vouchers they have never used: m.tesco.com/mt/www.tesco.com/clubcard/unspent-vouchers/?sc_cmp=tp4_aff_1503186

Would you be willing to use them to help with basic food for Margaritte?

Right, I am almost through to the end of this process of MNetters transferring their Tesco vouchers....

1. Spoke to Customer Services
2. Spoke to Club Card Voucher Admin
3. Spoke to Head Office
4. Voice Mail left on Coupons Operation Manager's phone

I am trying to find a way where we can all transfer our £2.50, £5.00 vouchers to Margaritte's family so that she can on-line shop herself.

I've only skimmed this but for fuck's sake, people, do not send Tesco vouchers and goodies to some poor randomer off Mumsnet. This stuff never ends well.

And you are the MNHQ police are you?

If you read this thread and the other previous threads you would know that this OP needs support.

If she is a scammer, it won't end well because many of us have her address!

I actually think this poster is genuine and if people want to send Tesco vouchers then so be it. I would rather that than send cash tbh. Plus MNHQ have already posted a warning reminding people of the guidelines.

I have asked the OP to phone me.

I am confident that my PM exchanges have been genuine, but I'll speak to her on the phone.

I've just come on and caught up since my last post. I'm not quite sure what's happened, although I just wanted to say I'm very sorry if I've offended anyone in anyway.

I didn't come here for financial help I posted was for the tips on budgeting, cheap recipes, ideas for making quick cash etc. I've not asked for anything, or hinted for anything either. I have said no thank you to any one who has offered to help with cash. That's not what I posted for.

I didn't ask anyone for vouchers, or to give me their Tesco points or anything. I am so sorry if it is somehow coming across this way, and I really hope this doesn't derail the thread, as all the advice & suggestions are great & I am finding it an amazing source of support & help. I hope that others in this situation would be able to get some ideas from here also.

I reason I posted here was for ......

Oh goodness, I will get this right- The reason I posted ....

Margaritte - this is my first contribution to your thread, and while I sadly can't contribute materially (and I have read the entire thread, not once have you asked for contributions) I have really benefitted from the advice and support you have received. I am in a similar place financially, chronically too much month at the end of the money, with two disabled DCs and disabled myself. I live in Canada, so specifics to stores and organisations don't necessarily apply. However, I have already used some food stretching ideas and gone hunting for membership cards that might have redeemable points.

Sadly, I read more than a hint of jealousy in kormachameleon's second post. It reeks of "why her, why not me?" And the generousity of Mumsnetters is their own doing, not directed by you...

Margaritte you posted for support and that is what you have got here, ignore the negativity - it always crops up somewhere, the support is what matters, take it and pay it forward when you can. It can happen to any if us and that is why mn wants to help.

kormachameleon - what do you need help with? Where are you? Do you want to find a little support and if not why begrudge someone else's approach?

kormachameleon - people can do as they please, MNHQ has posted a fair warning but Margaritte is clearly genuine.

She has not asked for anything & has come across with dignity and a real can do attitude.

If people want to donate the odd £2.50 voucher, I think it's a great idea - I think it should be a key feature of Tesco / Sainsbury loyalty cards that you can donate your points.

I'm sorry if you are struggling but don't take it out on others.

I draw the line at letting cynicism & mid trust over ride my desire to help someone.

Hope things start to pick up for you. Sad anyone has to do these things.

Try chopped onions and passetta source 35p in tesco to make your own spag bol.
Curry source... chicken stock tea spoon chilly powder table spoon brown sugar add to chopped onions season salt pepper. Add chicken and corn flour.
Sweet and sour source table spoon tomato ketchup brown sugar and vinegar... and water or pineapple juice and cornflour. Cheap cupboard staples..... check nigella for details.

I used to volunteer in a soup kitchen at a homeless centre (Scotland). Not a food bank. Lunches were subsidised but evening "meal" was free.

I use the term "meal" loosely - soup, sandwiches, biscuits, tea/coffee. No variation in the content of soup or sandwiches, but it was wholesome enough.

Most of the service users were homeless, but some weren't - they were either low wage earners or on benefits. They could sit in and eat or take things away in a poly bag.

It wouldn't be great in the longer term, but that isn't an issue here hopefully.

Does such services not exist around the UK?

m.allrecipes.com/recipe/228091/paleo-omelet-muffins/

These look good, will try them tomorrow.

I know it's not ideal or a solution but if you PM me your address or an anonymous shopping order I will gethis a box of nappies, wipes and some money sent to you as soon as I can. I'm really sorry you have found yourself in this position, it's one thing feeding yourself as we often find we can go without and survive on very little but it's hard to see the kids go without a decent meal. I would like to help you but don't want to patronise or offend you.

Margaritte,

Let me know what tasks you completed yesterday and I'll update your list for Wednesday.

Can I explain to everyone that Margaritte didn't ask for Tesco vouchers. I have received PMs from folk wanting to help, and Tesco vouchers have been offered. People often have a £5.00 or £2.50 voucher languishing in their purse (or the voucher is lost but the points still exist). However, I knew that Tesco had changed its rules and you have to present the club card which the points refer to now. (Apparently, people were selling the vouchers on eBay which is against the spirit of the scheme.) I was simply exploring with Tesco whether they would allow some of us to transfer our points to Margaritte so that she could do an on-line shop.