Should I use a food bank in my situation?

[Lionking1981]

I am 200 pounds down on my normal wages this month due to taking unpaid parental leave when my Dd was ill. Overspent the first week of the month trying to occupy the kids. Then my oven broke and had to replace it. Been living out the freezer and store cupboard since. To cut the story short, I now have 30 pounds to survive 10 days til payday. I have 3 small joints of lamb in the freezer, a box
of waffles and some fish fingers. A few tins of baked beans, tomatoes and soup in cupboard.

My friend says to go to the foodbank but I am super uncomfortable about it. We earn over 40k between us and i don't think food banks are there for people like us but it is going to be really hard to feed a family of 4 on this. However, we will be fine next month. Would you just make do for the 10 days?

A 3 bed flat in East London for example could easily be 18 grand a year in rent.

Thanks all. I am not going to use the food bank. Was just wondering really about the criteria. Can this be deleted please? I don't want this thread to put anyone off donating to food banks

It already has for me.

It should be doable, you have lots of food in anyway. Glad you decided not to use the food bank. I don't think the thread needs deleting though

I think it's very sad that so many are unwilling to help, until someone is in deep poverty, rather than when they hit a short term difficulty. If I give to a charity I don't then mull over wether or not the person that receives it deserves it. What is so wrong about helping those who need temporary help, if you can afford to? If you spend too long thinking about any charity, then you'd never give. If you're willing to stop giving to a food bank, because of the op, or someone on here has told a story about someone taking the piss, then shame on you.

Agreed. I don't know but I suspect it's the people with the least experience of poverty of being the most judgemental.

Doubt if the OP would get a food bank referral anyway

I don't really understand your reasoning. You were £200 down. Then you overspent on entertaining the kids. Then you bought a new oven. Did you not think to prioritise your spending? Surely you budget for the roof over your head and the food in your children's bellies before anything else?

^^this.

Sorry op, I know it's not helpful now but maybe use this as a 'wake up call' to have a better look at your finances.

Maybe put money away every month for a 'school holiday fund' then when it's gone, its gone but at least your not spending food money on entertaining them.

Or save up for if you have to stay off when kids are ill (as this is usually inevitable). Then it makes it less stressful.

If you can't afford to save a small amount for emergencies on that salary, you need to have a serious look at your spendings/outgoings.

I hope you manage to get sorted anyway until payday. Lots of good ideas on here

I can't get my head round the mean-spiritedness of those who would deny people foodbanks donations on the offchance that food might go to people they didn't feel deserving enough. Who does that?

"I am not going to use the food bank."

Glad to see that, not that I think you would ever have been allowed to anyway.

I don't think you are the sort of family that they were ever intended for.

"Then my oven broke and had to replace it."

Can I ask how much you paid for your new oven? Would there have been a cheaper version (or could you have bought it over short term credit ... six months, for example)?

I don't believe I'm 'mean spirited'

I donate weekly

If I honestly thought donations were going to families with 40 grand incomes who'd overspent in the holidays. I'd cease.

On reading some excellent posts I don't believe that's the case. So I will continue.

Call that mean spirited if you choose

I can't get my head round the mean-spiritedness of those who would deny people foodbanks donations on the offchance that food might go to people they didn't feel deserving enough. Who does that?

Mean people.

Not the case for me RidingWindHorses and I am sure not the case for many others. I would say that it seems as though it is the well off who can afford to be less choosy about who they give their money. An easy donation to a faceless cause.

Perhaps people with less, realise better just how limited and precious money can be and hence the need for not just giving it away to people who don't really need it.

Off topic but I have a question about food bank donations...i often shop at approved foods as you get cheap products in bulk. Sometimes they are a bit out of date but generally it's stuff that doesn't go off (like spices etc that may not be as potent but still totally usable). I have quite a lot of extra bits that I don't need, would the food bank be able to use these or would they have to throw them away because they are out of date?

She may well do, Portia. Temporary cash flow issues were exactly the reason food banks were initially set up. It's why they used to only give 3days food and would only allow you to attend 2-3 times a year.

Unfortunately they are increasingly having to support people with longer term issues. But the blame for the that doesn't lie with the OP or people using food banks for the purpose they were initially intended for.

I've been on both sides.

I often find its the people who have the least that tend to give more.
The people who I know that donate are just about managing themselves that's why they would get angry at someone in OP situation getting help as that's not what their donations are for.

I agree with those posters saying that they wouldn't donate to a food bank if it was regularly going to families who earn £40k and "need" a foodbank because they've spent too much on days out with the kids. However, I do have some experience of food banks as someone who refers people to them and know that almost everyone using one does so because they are desperate and because they have been let down by the system, or by an abusive partner.

I will continue to donate to our local food bank and take the risk that occasionally there are people like the OP who might get help who really shouldn't.

OP you really need to do some budget planning. And you need to prioritise your spending. If replacing your oven is going to leave you unable to buy food, then you manage with your hob until you can afford a new oven.

Again riding it is not deserving enough, it is POOR enough. That is the purpose of a food bank - to give food to the poor.

I give to charities even though we only have income from ill health benefits but I do try to make sure the charities use the money to its best effect and keep their overheads low etc. It is called being responsible with a precious, finite resource.

There is no need for anyone to stop giving - simply choose a foodbank that means tests or has similar critieria.

Idont you would need to ask your local food bank. I know the local one won't accept them, unfortunately. It's possible the local homeless support groups might accept them.

However, I would agree that not everyone has credit cards, and really, probably that is wise. If you aren't going to pay it off in full, on time, each month it will cost you to use it (in interest), so you need to be disciplined.

To my mind, if you don't have the money, you shouldn't spend it

This post really shows up how some have no idea how the other half live.

Is it really so hard to grasp that some people have such low incomes that they cannot pay off monthly credit card costs in full? That they have to pay it off slowly? That is precisely where it becomes expensive for people on a tight budget.

I live on a very low income because I have a long term health condition which means not only can I not work FT and I can't work consistently PT either.

I have had to put on a credit card purchases such as private medical tests that I needed urgently and would have had to wait over a year on the NHS for. (I was advised to do this by my GP).

A pp has pointed out above of a 40,00 income, if the OP lived in London, 20,000 could be spent on rent.

The OP gives the impression that they normally manage quite well, so its unlikely that they are spending most of their money on rent.

It's just that she's had a few expensive things crop up at the same time without the money put by to deal with them, it's put them into a difficult position.

Hopefully she will have a look at her budget and if she starts putting money aside if there is some spare, she'll be able to cope better next time.

it is not deserving enough, it is POOR enough

It's the same thing.

The OP gives the impression that they normally manage quite well, so its unlikely that they are spending most of their money on rent

That may simply mean that she's normally good at budgeting, we no idea.