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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To use a Food Bank if I also had a holiday last month?

392 replies

NoseAboveWater · 09/12/2016 17:20

Checked my account this week and it's not good. I've had a few job options not work out. I now have an offer for February for part time so I'm obviously very happy, however it is minimun wage and freelance so I feel cautious about taking on a payday loan just in case. Not eligible for proper loan from bank as no income right now.

I went on holiday with a new bf last month before things got so serious with my money situation. Part of me thinks I need to prioritize rent and bills I can just about pay until new job starts, if I don't really buy food for the second half of December - I have plenty of food for about a week. However, I should not have gone away so it's my own stupid fault and so really don't deserve any help from the Food Bank. I've been hanging around supermarkets late for a few days trying to get reduced items but not having much luck. Been looking online for information about getting thrown away food from restaurants at night, not found anything yet, but if anyone knows where I could get that that would be great?

I cannot ask family or friends and certainly not bf. Wwyd? No children btw it's only myself so no worry there.

OP posts:
BusterGonad · 09/12/2016 20:40

Waggy....Martin Lewis advises you should have 3 months worth of savings. I think you get the prize for the most helpful comment. Well done! Yes everyone on minimum wage paying for rent, bills and food can obviously also afford to have 3 months worth of wages in the bank! Crikey I've heard it all now!

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 09/12/2016 20:40

I don't want to hear it either, WaggyMama. Have some grace could you? Or at least keep your 'hopefully... create savings' to the confines of your narrow mind.

woowoowoo · 09/12/2016 20:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nongoddess · 09/12/2016 20:42

woowoowoo "I will be donating to my local foodbank tomorrow as a result of reading this thread. Perhaps all us supportive posters can do the same over the coming week." I agree. Good thought.
OP, to echo other posters, you're in need. Get yourself referred and don't go hungry! xx

PavlovianLunge · 09/12/2016 20:43

Everyone should ensure they have enough to tide them over.

You really don't have a clue.

ohtheholidays · 09/12/2016 20:43

You can go to a food bank OP and should!

I'm sorry your Mum's no help and that you've been made to feel that you can't ask friends and family for help.

Local churches will always help out as well,they keep by some of the food that they collect from the Harvest Festival for anyone that's local and struggling,you don't have to be religious and they won't expect you to start attending the church.

Sunday afternoons are usually a good time to pick up lots of reduced items in supermarkets.

If you could put up a list of what you have at home some of us might be able to help you come up with some ideas to make the food stretch a bit further.
In the past I lived off £20 a week for me and my 2DC for all of our food and cleaning,toiletries and I managed to keep my sons well fed.

WaggyMama · 09/12/2016 20:44

My advice was to the OP's first post, before she later revealed she has MH issues - when all the do gooders arrived to slate everyone else as usual on here Hmm

BIWI · 09/12/2016 20:45

Well why didn't you read the rest of the fucking thread before posting your oh-so-helpful post?

MadisonAvenue · 09/12/2016 20:46

OP, can you give us the rough location of where you are? There are some lovely kind people on this thread who want to help you if you feel that you now won't use a food bank.

This can happen to anyone. It's reminded me of the time, 20 years ago, when I was off work sick and following a dispute with my area manager and the fact that I didn't want her to know why I was off sick, she refused to accept my doctor's note and refused to pay me. We were renovating a house so all savings had gone on that and after direct debits and bills had been paid the bank account was down to just pence and we didn't have an overdraft or credit cards to fall back on. I'd forgotten all about that but now I've remembered I know just how horrible and desperate a situation it is to find yourself in.

BusterGonad · 09/12/2016 20:47

Waggy you don't need to have mh issues to be skint and on a crap wage! Confused

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 09/12/2016 20:48

You last posted at 20.34 WaggyMama. If you'd read the thread and the updates, why were you still blurting out that judgemental, non-helpful crap?

That's why you're being picked up on it, because you're carrying on.

Champagneformyrealfriends · 09/12/2016 20:48

Ffs are people seriously saying you shouldn't use the food banks?! I donate to our local food bank frequently and you'd be absolutely welcome to any food I donate. Hell, come and eat with us every night op.

Wtf is wrong with some people-somebody is struggling and gets ripped to shreds?! Angry

alotlikeChristmas16 · 09/12/2016 20:48

Yes roughly where are you located op? I'm sure you'd qualify for help.

Lanaorana1 · 09/12/2016 20:49

Food banks are not for single... people they are for... families...

Single people need food banks way more than 'families' because parents/step-parents/carers get much, much more from the state in cash.

Or did you just mean single people don't deserve to be saved from starvation? Because that's reasonable too.

EmeliaHerveyHenryFitzroy · 09/12/2016 20:49

OP, can you give us the rough location of where you are? There are some lovely kind people on this thread who want to help you if you feel that you now won't use a food bank.

Yes, please do say generally where you are. I'd help.

crashdoll · 09/12/2016 20:50

Waggy by the time you'd posted, the OP had already disclosed her situation. You can call people like me a "do gooder" if you like but it doesn't sound like you know much about food bank referrals. I do and I say that the OP doesn't need to be hungry because of opinions from ill informed people.

WaggyMama · 09/12/2016 20:50

Well why didn't you read the rest of the fucking thread before posting your oh-so-helpful post? err... because I posted before her big reveal - why don't you RTFT before accusing me ?

GatherlyGal · 09/12/2016 20:52

If you are near Leeds there's a new "anti-supermarket" in Pudsey. It gets food discarded by supermarkets. You pay as you feel ( or as you can).

Good luck OP and all you judgemental PP I hope you never find yourselves in a shit situation needing help and being given useless sanctimonious advice instead.

Dizzybintess · 09/12/2016 20:53

OP I hope you read the helpful comments and ignore the more sanctimonious ones. We all make mistakes.
Please ask to be referred to the food bank as they will help you.
Alternatively ask for support at a church.
One shop I would never have thought of looking in for cheap things is waitrose, however last month I did poppy collecting there.
Every night at 7.30 there is an insane amount of food reduced and it goes down to pennies!!!
Last time I had chicken for 30p and dips for 7p!! Bargain!

Dizzybintess · 09/12/2016 20:54

Also If you are in South Wales PM me x

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 09/12/2016 20:54

How stupid.

OP's last post was at 17.58 - yours, WaggyMama was at 20.34. Do you have some kind of time machine thing going? It wasn't a 'big reveal' either. Your posts are horrible.

Put your spade down maybe?

creakyknees13 · 09/12/2016 20:56

err... because I posted before her big reveal - why don't you RTFT before accusing me?

Waggy, you were still going on about how she shouldn't have gone on holiday a few posts down, so that's bullshit. She revealed pretty early on that she had MH problems and anyway, 'you should have done this' is not helpful advice to someone who can't afford to buy food. How the hell do you suggest that someone on minimum wage builds up three months worth of savings?

WhatLizzyDid · 09/12/2016 21:04

YANBU - you need to eat Flowers

WhatLizzyDid · 09/12/2016 21:05

I really hope OP comes back and reads the more recent supportive comments

Mrsbird311 · 09/12/2016 21:08

I volunteer in a food bank , we don't judge why you need a food parcel, most of our clients need food parcels because they have not managed their money properly so stop beating yourself up for needing a helpful hand, the guy who founded our food bank would be gutted to think somebody was struggling because they've been a bit silly with their financial planning, give them a ring, explain that work has fallen through but should improve in the future , I'm pretty sure they will help you out, if you feel bad you can donate after Xmas when you've sorted yourself out

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