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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To only have £100 until 28th Feb

234 replies

Bananadrama99 · 12/02/2019 18:59

As the thread title says, I only have £100 until the 28th of February, when I get paid. I've paid all my bills, rent and travel for this month - the only thing I need to buy is about five more days worth of food (I have a load stocked up from a big shop earlier in the month, so I'm pretty much okay on that front). I live in London with my DP and we have no DC.

AIBU to think the next two weeks will be a struggle and also extremely boring?

OP posts:
anniehm · 13/02/2019 11:03

That's not very tight - plenty of people don't have coppers by the middle of the month. Yes no budget to go out but you could buy a bottle of wine and some popcorn for movie night at your house, go hiking and take a picnic, go to a (free) museum etc plenty of options with £100 which can cover transport and a smaller treat eg ice cream as opposed to a meal out.

waffleblanket · 13/02/2019 11:29

I'm surprised no one has suggested a chicken. You can feed both you and your dh for 2 weeks on one chicken op.

SheldonSaysSo · 13/02/2019 11:54

I think a lot of posters are being unfair to OP. Everyone has different ideas of what it means to be struggling financially depending on the wage/lifestyle they are used to. It may have been a bit insensitive as many people would love to have £100 however it doesn't mean OP shouldn't post about it. Those that are offended should scroll on by if they don't have any useful advice, nowhere did OP say that they were the poorest person here.

As for advice, maybe spend the next two weeks doing jobs you keep putting off. Such as having an early spring clean and you may find some things to eBay too. Walks are good in most weather and you could have a night in with a film and DP.

Londonmummy66 · 13/02/2019 13:42

Library books are free, even in London....

feelingverylazytoday · 13/02/2019 13:53

£10-15 for food, pay for your travel pass, and whatever is left over is for fun. Wouldn't call that a struggle or boring myself, just normal life. Maybe try and look at it as a learning experience, OP, learning to enjoy yourself and cook some cheap nutritious meals without spending lots of money.

youarenotkiddingme · 13/02/2019 14:16

Everything is relative.

I have been in the position of walking around a supermarket with a calculator making sure I don't go over my budget.

Emergencies on CC which I paid off as much as I could afford.

Now I'm not in that position. But if I don't have £200 in my 'spare' account at all times (that's not counting my money in main account) I feel worried. Sometimes when you've had nothing - having nothing is scary because you know what it's like.

Interceptor999 · 13/02/2019 14:30

You have more to live on than a lot of struggling families. Get a grip

Friedspamfritters · 13/02/2019 14:33

I guess If I'd got down to my last £100 I'd want to consider saving in the future - even if it's just £15 a month. That said I wouldn't be at all worried in the short term. I'm not good at budgeting but could easily get enough food for 2 weeks with a lot less than £100.

Putitdownnow · 13/02/2019 14:52

Love your reply post, op. Good for you.

At no point has the op said she was poor, or gloated etc. £100 over 2 weeks for two people with no dependents who want to have a nice time in London isn't much. One meal out would be about £40 and a trip to the cinema with sweets etc about £30 and then maybe meet a few friends for some drinks swallows the rest. Hardly living the high life.

The poster who mentioned cancer? Get a grip!

KlutzyDraconequus · 13/02/2019 14:58

Putitdownnow
Why would someone worried about money do any of those expensive things?

Get a grip.

If someone can't budget the money they've got, they shouldn't bleat that they've got no money cause there's a difference between blowing finds on bullshit and having no funds.

Vixxxy · 13/02/2019 15:26

A hundred after bills doesn't sound too bad. Thats pretty much what we have every month!

AngelaStorm73 · 13/02/2019 15:38

Can't believe all this squabbling over whether £100 is a lot of money or not

It's not a lot of money FFS there are people who piss that away on a meal and drinks out for lunch for the sheer hell of it

That's what's wrong with this country, that the people who treat £100 as loose change just get on with it, while people who have FA argue about who's the worst off.

It's not a competition! For some not being able to socialise is a big deal and some are struggling to feed kids which is also a big deal. Nobody should be struggling this hard. We should all be able to have a better quality of life in one of the richest countries in the world. Get angry? Sure, but with the powers that be a who keep us all poor, not each other. Get angry about sub standard housing, universal credit, 0 hours contracts, food poverty etc. Etc. Otherwise put the pitchforks away!

helpconfused · 13/02/2019 16:14

me too, but I know I need petrol, gas, packed lunch stuff for my 3yo :(

Bellasorellaa · 13/02/2019 16:26

op i have that until the 25th i think even less! I will be bored with you at least you have tv, net, kids

Peanutbutterforever · 13/02/2019 16:31

Some of this thread reads like the Yorkshiremen sketch from Monty Python!

Housingcraze · 13/02/2019 16:31

I have each month 7.86 disposalable income a month, for social events!

Bellasorellaa · 13/02/2019 16:31

oh op you dont have kids sorry
just get wine and stay in its going to be warm in london from tomorrow you can go park

Bellasorellaa · 13/02/2019 16:34

storm73 because a lot of people in general always want to be the victim

bibbitybobbityyhat · 13/02/2019 17:22

So £100 isn't a vast amount but it's hardly grinding poverty either. So, once again, I'm wondering why the op posted.

KarmaStar · 13/02/2019 17:26

What is the AIBU?sorry just confused?Confused

TopBitchoftheWitches · 13/02/2019 17:28

I am minus £30 and I don't have an overdraft. We ran out of gas this morning so can't cook anything for dinner but wouldn't have the money to buy dinner anyway so toasties it is for us tonight. I have 4 miles left of petrol.

Do I win? Blush

Queenofthestress · 13/02/2019 17:28

@bibbitybobbityyhat exactly my point, it's a triple digit amount of money, that doesnt exactly scream poverty, so why the woe is me post? Hmm

Eastie77 · 13/02/2019 17:45

Love your response OP. Apparently you're not allowed to mention, discuss or complain about your finances on MN unless you are drowning in debt and walking around In sackcloth and ashes otherwise you're 'gloating' and offending people who have 10p to their name.

Oh wait, I forgot. If you do start a thread asking for advice about your perilous financial state the post will be reported because it's a begging thread.

MN can be great but it's also bloody weird!

Abacab · 13/02/2019 19:00

If you've paid all your bills and you're left with some disposable income then you're perhaps not really struggling as such. Struggling would be more if you only had £100 but you had £200 worth of bills to pay by the end of the week and no food in the cupboard.

But obviously if you're used to going out regularily and now you're stuck at home, then that's going to feel quite frustrating.

I personally find binging on box sets is a good time passer. Dunno if you have Netflix or similar, but if not there's loads of free stuff on All4 or BBC iPlayer. It's quite satisfying to plough through a whole season's worth of content over a week's worth of evenings, especially if you've got someone to watch them with and you'd normally be too busy to commit to watching long series.

Limensoda · 13/02/2019 19:06

Poor sod...ONLY £100 for two weeks. My heart bleeds for you. Start a Go Fund Me or Just Giving page.

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