To be ashamed of what poverty has reduced me to?

[iAmSiri]

Today I took a big wad of loo roll from a public toilet because I didn't have the money to buy some.

I struggle every week to make ends meet and today, although I fortunately had money to feed dc, it just wouldn't stretch to include toilet paper.

I had a smart phone before I was made redundant and had to go on jsa, I could have sold it for £8, hardly worth it. maybe the op is similar.

youareallbonkers The OP has explained that she needs broadband to job seek and her children will need it for school when they start the new term. Research quidco and see how cheap broadband can be.
You should be saying there but for the grace of God go I. Unless you've been in the same situation as the OP stfu!

And if DC are I'll and OP can't get out of the house to the library to use the one working computer, and gets sanctioned for not doing enough job searches, that will be BRILLIANT won't it?

There are about five PCs in the job centre. I live miles from town though. The bus there and back a few times a week would cost me £15 My monty wifi costs less. Plus I can apply for jobs much quicker this way. I also need to be able to check my email every day for any responses to job applications.
I have a mobile phone because my friend was kind enough to give me her old one when she got an upgrade last Christmas

Btw our local library closed down.

Loo rolls, soap, wash powder, towels/tampons, nappies, wipes. All useful madmother

Oh, piss off, bonkers. Without proper internet access the op will end up getting sanctioned for not applying or the requisite number of jobs.

Do find out if you can access any other help, op. Even if you're not eligible for the food bank I they may be able to signpost you to other resources. Or try sure start, health visitor etc.

This makes me so angry.

Lovely of all the mnetters to offer you help but this shouldn't be their place, or that of food banks to feed you. You shouldn't be in this position. I know you have implied you're unemployment and I'm not saying that in that case it's OK but it makes me even more angry that working people are in your position as well, meanwhile, what was it on the radio this morning, the average CEO earns £5,000,000+ per year.

Why aren't we more angry about this?

FFS stop having a go at the OP because she has broadband. I have broadband yet we are bloody poor. We're tied into an 18 month contract. 18 months ago we had plenty of money, then one of us lost our job. Shit happens to people and it's crap anyway without people having a go at you.

Don't feel you have to justify anything to the sort of posters who just come on MN to be cunts.

I wish they would just fuck off.

Youareallbonkers, it is virtually impossible to look for work without easy access to broadband. When I was looking I needed it all the time. If I had relied on the local library I would only have had access to it in short bursts two or three times a week.

Also, kids and schools regularly require use of the internet at home for homework, letters to and from school etc.

In addition, having home internet access can be a requirement for many jobs. It was for mine.

Please inform yourself of a few key facts before jumping in with your judgmental comments. Also, reading the thread would help.

You don't need to justify anything, Siri, god knows what bonkers's problem is, but the rest of us are right behind you.

Grrrrrr some people just haven't got a bloody clue.
Take no notice OP people that live in glasses houses and all thar

A bonkers poster won't scare me. I've been through such a lot these past few years I have very thick skin now. I actually feel sorry for people who show such a lack of understanding and empathy.

OP I just wanted to echo some of the other posts - do not feel ashamed. I hope you see better times, and soon.

Good for you siri, she doesn't know what's around the corner so hopefully karma will strike.

I am skint and I have broadband and a smartphone - iPhone svp!

1. I bought the phone 4 years ago, contract long expired so it's wifi only 2) broadband as part of bt line - £75 sainsburys voucher and £30 quidco
2. my library is 2 hours on the bus and £12 return
3. £1/day for phone and Internet? Fucking bargain
4. council emailed me to ask if I wanted fsm/clothing grant
5. fuck off

Siri, why are you ashamed?

Do you know the number of people, some of whom are actually rather wealthy, that go in early to their workplace to use the showers so they can save paying for hot water at home?

They are not ashamed! Why should you be?

I was once so skint I went into a Travel lodge and washed my hair in a sink in the ladies because I had no money for the key meter at home. Was I ashamed? NO! I actually thought it was quite an ingenious solution at the time.

It is not as though you ripped the sink of the wall in that public loo and sold it on ebay, is it? You haven't moved into the public loo and barricaded the door. You haven't taken over the ladies for the purposes of drug dealing.

Give yourself a break.

Ridiculous comment to imply the op shouldn't have internet access. How do you expect her to do just about anything or to you think her and her children should be further excluded for normal life. I'd like to get her children have shoes as well so would that also mean she can't be that poor, after all poor children in the past didn't have them.

Aw Christ op I remember doing that with toilet roll years ago when I was a student and money was pretty tight. It didn't feel good then. I'm sure it's not improved. But please don't feel down about it, I am sorry I can offer nothing practical except moral support abd a hope that things can improve like they have for me.

And those of you bitching about the Internet and mobile can fuck right off, I highly doubt op is posting on her iPhone 6 using her fibre optic. If you had to live with the job centres current requirements for jsa claimants maybe you'd think more before you flapped your gums/ flexed your fingers.

Don't be ashamed.

Can I suggest googling free samples. You'd be surprised what you can get and it would help tide you over or build up a stock of emergency stuff.

Also, a kind mner is sending me some nappies she isn't using, saving me about a fiver. Can I pay that forward by sending you something you could use? You can do the same one day.

bonkers your responses are vile. Should the poor lack access to communication? Poverty is isolating enough without having access to internet and phone questioned. Internet access is now considered a necessity in UK, not a luxury btw as so many things, including vital parentmail from school, job adverts and applications, are based on an assumption you have it.
Do you question yourself? Your lack of kindness? Your inability to imagine how it must be day in day out to live in someone else's position?

OP our local food bank gives out all sorts of cleaning products: laundry powder; washing up liquid, bleach etc - all the things that just tip the budget beyond reach. Good luck with your job search.

Thanks

I know what it's like for a few unlucky breaks to floor you. It can strip you of everything and how bloody hard it is to keep going!

The worst thing of all is the way you feel so devalued and stripped of dignity and self worth. So easy to lose sight of who you are and how great you really are. But really, you are so much more than a salary, human worth should not be measured by a price tag, or a bank balance.

You are being brave and strong and resilent just to keep on going, keeping on trying and getting through this rubbish patch. X

And I'm sorry about this, but is it wise to add in the expense of cat food and insurance/vet bills if you are struggling each week? I love cats but if it's difficult now it's only going to get worse.