Could you live on £100 a month?

[UndertheCedartree]

That's how much I have left after paying my mortgage (interest only) and bills. I am currently undergoing treatment for my mental ill health so am unable to work. I have always worked up until my nervous breakdown. I also recieve Child benefit which I use for the children's clubs, clothes, presents and treats. I also get a food bag from the food bank weekly. It is tough going. Any suggestions of how to cope/how to save money or get more money appreciated

Where I live you can have weekly food bank vouchers. After three you are referred for a benefit and financial check and any other help that you may need. Even when some families are receiving all their benefit entitlement they are still struggling and subsidised with a food voucher.

OP I would have a benefit check, however families claiming benefits and paying a mortgage are considerably worse than those who rent.

You can get foodbank vouchers trustell foodbank usually allowed 3 in 6 months or after that you scan get emergency etc .... it all helps and loads of people use foodbank a I've advised more working family in foodbank s ...

@Nanna50 @leigh39 . I see . Honestly didn't know that but now I do.

Yes if it doesn't include food.

Some churches offer weekly bags. It's not the same all over the country you know.

I've lived on less and tbh I'm not a very big spender. I guess it depends on your lifestyle. Im not into luxury brands. Aslong as the bills are paid and I can afford to eat and feed my family then I'm good.

Just to make clear £100 is what I have for food, toiletries, washing powder, cleaning stuff, clothes, transport. I also didn't make it clear I'm recieving UC. I can't claim PIP as I'm an inpatient and home Fr - Sun

Those who manage it could you let me know how?

Thank you for the kind answers and ideas - really appreciate it. A lodger wouldn't be possible. I have cut the clubs back but to remove them completely would affect the children's wellbeing and would also be looked on badly by social services.

Re:foodbank - one local one does a bag a week but it is only 7 items plus bread. The Trussel trust is 3 in 6 months but you get a food for a full 3 days. You get about 4 big bags.

How many children do you have and what ages? Do they get pupil premium through school? I know with our school that this helps pay for trips, uniform and clubs, and they can get free school meals.

Does the £100 include the child benefit or is the CB on top of the £100? What else do you have left to pay for with this, if the bills are paid?

If you haven't already, have a look at your bills and outgoing to see if there is anything that can be cut back on or negotiated with the supplier (e.g. Look at mobile phone contracts, switch energy suppliers, ditch Sky/Virgin for something like Freeview or Now TV, etc). For cheap meals, look at Jack Munro online and perhaps borrow her cookbooks from the library if they have them, or even some student cookbooks. Sell on no longer needed toys and clothes to get a bit of extra cash. It's also quite therapeutic having a clear out! You could also do the same with your things.

And have a look at Money Saving Expert, lots of help and advice on there.

Are you having to top up your rent and council tax? Have you tried applying for a discretionary housing payment for rent shortfall and. Discretionary council tax payment for any council tax shortfall.

You apply for both from your local council. You will need to show that your outgoings exceed your income.

Have you had a Work Capability Assessment for your UC. If you are that unwell you are receiving in patient care you may well be eligible for an extra amount of money called a Work Capability Element.

My daughter gets a free school meal and pupil premium pays for trips and an after-school club.

I really want to look at getting cheaper bills. I don't have a mobile phone contract or Sky but want to look at switching suppliers etc.

The £100 is seperate to the CB but I always see that as for the Children's things. I spend the child benefit on their clubs, their clothes and toiletries, birthday/christmas presents and treats like a bag of popcorn to have while watching a film. I also put £10 a month each into their child trust funds. I then dip into the CB at the end of the month when I'm desperate but I try not to.

I have a mortgage so not getting any help with that. I have just completed a medical questionnaire which apparently should have been done when I first applied for UC as I was in hospital. Council tax said once they make a decision on it then I can get a disregard on my council tax. If I was paying that bill too - I'd have no money atall. I didn't know I'd get more money - it would certainly be appreciated.

Depending on how you feel about going along many churches offer some sort of assistance. The one I attend offers a free hot lunch once a week and routinely feed up to 100 people. They also have some free food such as bread to take away.

People are assuming all foodbanks are the same. The trussell trust is a charitable franchise with set rules and regs. They are recognisd by the benefits agency. Independant foodbanks can do as they plea. My friend runs one and gives food no questions asked to all comers.

So do you only need to feed yourself and your kids Friday to Sunday? Who has them the rest of the week?

Same question as above - who is looking after the children in the weekdays?

Sorry OP but you probably need to share more info if its not too identifying. If you are an inpatient Mon-Thurs then they feed you (and as PPs have queried I assume someone else looks after and feeds the children then), then the 100 pounds is only for Fri-Sun which seems very doable but if thats wrong then is more of a stretch, and I'm sure you'll get great advise once the full picture is clear.

So you are fed and housed Monday to Thursday and presumably your children are also fed and housed or at least fed by someone else. So you have to feed them 2 meals on a Friday (free school meal for lunch and 3 meal sat and Sunday? But you get 7 items and bread free every week? You absolutely should be doing ok, perhaps no luxuries but doable.

The children’s trust funds can wait until you’re better / back in work

I have, it's very possible.

Problem is long term things brake and yo have no money to replace them. Short term its doable

I think it's doable if you're only actually feeding yourselves 3 days a week. Is that the situation?

Have you applied for a warm home discount from your energy supplier? If not may be worth looking into.

Sorry - I need to be more clear. Mon - Thurs I am in hospital. I still need money during that time for snacks (meds make me super-hungry), washing powder, toiletries and tobbacco (I know this is bad but unfortunately I started using it as a coping mechanism after my breakdown) and e-cig carts for when I can't smoke. I also need clothes as I have put on an awful lot of weight from the meds - so trying to buy a couple of cheap bits every month. During the week the children stay with a family friend - sometimes at hers and sometimes at my house so I still need to feed them. Then at the weekend we are together. Generally we only do free things like the park, beach etc. But sometimes they have parties and I need to pay for transport and a present. Also we sometimes need to get things in town which costs transport money. I sometimes treat them to ice-cream or a bag of popcorn. I would love to take them swimming but not possible. We will be in this situation for around another year (been doing it for 18 months already)

For those saying they have done it - please can you give me a breakdown of what you spent on food etc and tips as to how you did it so cheaply?

I will look into a warm house discount, thanks fricksake

I help in our local food bank, for each referral we give three days worth of food a week for four weeks. They can get up to three referrals every 6 months. So maximum 12 food parcels in a 26 week period.

I can really surprised that it differs all over, I thought we were following the guidelines.

Unfortunately, I think that your smoking- whether tobacco or e-cigs is a luxury you cannot afford. How much of your money would that free up if you could give it up? Can you speak to the hospital about support for quitting? You would probably get access to patches, etc for free- I know local GPs offer these services.

I honestly think that the one thing you need to prioritise from your £100 and your CB is food. Why are you still trying to put money in their child trust funds? Think to yourself, if you got to 18 and got told that you had a bit of money in the bank, but that your mum and you had to rely on a food bank for however many years to give you it, would you honestly want it?

As for parties, ice creams, etc- well that £10 each a month can be used towards that instead, maybe. I honestly think that's a much better use than savings.

Bills- yes to the warm home fund, as someone else has pointed out. You have internet access, so fill in a form on compare the market- are you on the cheapest provider for your utilities? Are you in credit, so you are actually allowed to switch?

In hospital, are you paying for the TVs, etc, there? Those are ridiculously expensive, so if you are, would you be cheaper to sign up to GiffGaff or somewhere with a high internet usage allowance, and watch on your phone or a cheap tablet instead?

Snackwise, you are probably going to have to take cheap snacks with you if you really can't manage on the 3 meals a day hospital provides- although, to be honest, I actually think you need to try for a week. Your stomach is used to feeding at a certain time, and you might find that after a week it shrinks a little and adapts, and those 3 meals are OK. If not, is there a patient kitchen you can use? Take a loaf of bread for toast, or pasta pots from Aldi? If you do really need snacks, then limit them- Make a big pot of pasta for the first couple of days on a Sunday night, and take a multipack of crisps and a pack of cereal bars. But, to be honest, I don't think you can afford to snack, sorry- feel horrible saying that.

Sorry to dripfeed but just to add I have a job at the hospital and get paid £5 per week (sometimes less if I can't do it some days) I use this for tobbacco so don't use a lot from normal money. Also I sometimes have to pay my train fares home at the weekend which I can claim back but it takes ages so that can leave me very short (train fares are £23)