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.

sorry if it's been suggested here, already, but have you tried Freecycle?

www.freecycle.org/

You could post a request for re-usable nappies, for instance. And look to see what's on offer, for free, in your area, that might help you at this time. I've never seen food offered or requested - though sometimes plants/seeds are if you're in a position to grow your own (even if that's pots in the kitchen).

Approved Foods website? www.approvedfood.co.uk/

For once the hype is accurate - you can save 70% off food on this site - sell by dates immanent but there's a good range.

How old is your dd? Could it be time to give toilet training a go? I had to train my youngest far earlier than I would have done otherwise due to a skin issue and to my surprise 1 day of accidents and then she was fine.

I have about 20 size 5 nappies a mix of pampers and tesco. I'm on my phone and unable to pm you but if you'd like them pm me your address and I'll send them first thing tomorrow. You may be able to get referral to a food bank through a local children's centre I know some near me do this

I've PM'd you also OP.

I also have a large amount of 5+ nappies that are not needed. Don't live anywhere near you but I'd be happy to post. I've been there and it's awful.

Turn2us are a useful resource, they have a benefits calculator and list of grant giving charities; www.turn2us.org.uk/Find-Benefits-Grants?gclid=CMrhwq7O68UCFSLKtAodvUsA0Q

Many industries have charitable funds to help in times of difficulty. If you want further info PM me.

Lovely MNers as per usual. I hope one of these suggestions works out for you OP. I would definitely give £10 to a friend in need and never expect it back!

Pm'd you OP

Hope you have a better day today, OP.

My church runs a food bank that needs no referral, just turn up if you are in need, unfortunately nowhere near Kent but a local church may run something similar.

I'm sorry I didn't manage to get back on last night. I have been replying to all your lovely PMs since 9pm!

I haven't caught up on the thread since I posted, though will read through & reply next, I just wanted to update quickly.

DH found around £13 in change through hours of searching every tiny nook. He has also put an old bike up on the FB page, and we will put on DS1's football boots (that the school insisted on, and he hasn't needed once ) We also have a very large ikea shelf, that has been unused for the last 2 years (plasterboard walls) No idea what to price the last 2 for though?

So I am pretty much sorted for nappies now, thanks to everyone who pmed and offered to send some. Its a relief, as I was stressing so much about it. DD wore her last one to bed, and I found 2 swimming nappies for her this morning, which were completely useless. I chose to accept every single offer of the nappies, as I really couldn't do otherwise, and I appreciate it so much. To tide us over, DH went out a little while ago & picked up the value ones that were recommended £1.40 for 20, which is amazing.

I had 2 offers to buy the M&S voucher from me, and so that is being organised today, and will help massively.

I also accepted an offer for lunch bits for DC, and so that's another relief.

So we are ok for nappies, have £11.60 left and a dc lunches are sorted. DH has walked to the local supermarket to buy milk, and see if they have any good reduced items. Will let you know when he gets back.

I will post what we have in cupboards, as I really want to take up offers to help me see what I can do with what I have.

I am going to catch up on thread now, and be back to post asap!

Op, if you're selling something brand new then I think asking half the price you paid is fair.

Op I just wanted to say that you'll get through this.
My mum was frequently, through no fault of her own, in your position, and when we were having plain rice for dinner for the 3rd night in a row she would make up stories about us being stranded on an island, we made treasure maps with old tea bags and made dens to eat it in, we could only have rice because it's all we had with us.. Sounds stupid now but at the time we thought it was amazing, and only looking back do I see how awful it must have been.
Smile, laugh and cuddle those dc of yours, because any food is better than no food and your doing the best you can.

Well done for accepting the offers of nappies, and amazing job in finding the small amounts of money and stuff to sell!!

Morrisons value nappies size four and five are £1.40 for twenty and are just as good as regular nappies. A friend told me this and I didn't believe her but they really are. Unsure about other supermarkets. Whereabouts are you op? I have four dc in various sizes of nappies if you are local.

Well done for accepting help sweetheart, we've all been there.

Cross post glad you have nappies.

expatnscotland sorry, I wasn't ignoring your suggestion to sell M&S voucher on FB. DH was going on put it on this morning, along with his old bike. However, I got 2 PM's on here, offering to buy it for full price, so that is being organised today.

Fourarmsv2 Yes, we have a toaster that was faulty, however receipt is lost (which is frustrating, as we do keep track of them usually) and they wont accept it back without it.

CaptainSubtext I'm sure, we don't have anyone to borrow from. Especially because we cant pay back for quite a while.

TinkleWinkle We found an email, informing of the date change for direct debt. We just didn't see it, as got filtered into junk mail. So cant really do anything, I don't think.

Dowser One of the offers for nappies was for spare cloth nappies, which I accepted.

BronwenllI will look at freecycle, and update if I find anything

RandomMess DD is 2years. I would toilet train her, just cant afford the potty right now

GlitzAndGigglesx & Buildmeabuttercup I'd like to take you both up on your offers of nappies you have please. ? I have accepted quite a few already, so hope its ok to say yes still? I dont want to ever be in the position I was in earlier, with no nappies. It was awful.

I'd love to help in any way I can. Will pm you.

BeansInBoots Your DM sounds wonderful. Its lovely that you have such lovely memories of your childhood, no matter the financial problems. It goes to show, money really doesn't equal happiness.

This is a lovely thread, kind MNers helping someone out who needs it. I'm sure in the future OP will be helping others out whether financially, with food, or advice, or a listening ear or anything. Pay it forward, when you can, OP . I hope things get better for you very soon.

One thing I do is I have LOADS of makeup. So I go through and decide what I don't need and I sell it on Facebook sites specifically for selling makeup. Buyer pays postage ao I just need to parcel the stuff up, which is cheap enough (not this week, but maybe for future) if you have anything like that that's a longer term bringing money in solution

Margaritte, I do hope things start looking up for you soon, what a horrible situation for you to find yourself in. How lovely of all the MNetters offering help and also how lovely to see someone asking for advice then welcoming all suggestions with open arms, with that kind of attitude im sure it wont be long before you find a way. Just wanted to say good luck :)

Yea of course! They're only sitting in a bag taking up space. PM your address some point today and I'll send tomorrow

I'm so glad it all worked out for you, Marg, and I hope your week is a little brighter and things start to pick up soon.

Have a look at this. They help everyone, no need to be Religious.
St Vincent de Paul charity

When I went I went through a similar shit stage I resorted to buying morrisons/Tescos ultra value nappies. They were around £1.50 for 20 (size 5) and surprisingly they were absolutely fine.

Good luck op