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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask what you would do if you has absolutely no money but

141 replies

ashamedmum007 · 22/03/2023 20:52

Needed some desperately?

I have to move in the next two weeks. I have virtually no furniture, no sofas or beds. What I do have probably won't survive a move. I have no white goods as they were included in my current rental. I have no car currently as I could afford to keep it on the road so cantmove myself. Working more to earn more isn't doable. I have 3 kids I'm solely responsible for. No financial help from there father just £1000s of unpaid debt via cms ill never see. I have nothing of value worth selling. I can't get credit due to the ex-husband. I have seeked help through charities and been declined. I can't get an advance from UC as I've earned more than £2600 in the past 6 months. I don't have family prepared or able to help. Nor any friends who would be in a position to help. I've scoured Facebook market place, neighbourhoods and Freecycle etc for furniture but always get let down. 3 times I've found sofas waited in for them to be delivered only to be ghosted and them not show. No cooker. No washing machine. No fridge. No beds. No sofas. Not even curtains or lampshades.

What do I do next?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
Oblomov23 · 22/03/2023 21:44

Out local WhatsApp group for our town is beautiful. If anyone is in need of food, donations, beds, washing machines, sofas, anything, it's provided, delivered. Reach out to yours?

Snugglemonkey · 22/03/2023 21:45

lipstickwoman · 22/03/2023 21:15

I wish I knew where you were OP. Im trying to empty a house and would much rather give it away to you than sell it for peanuts to chancers

We are similar. Just about to move and taking the opportunity to seriously streamline.

Snugglemonkey · 22/03/2023 21:45

lipstickwoman · 22/03/2023 21:15

I wish I knew where you were OP. Im trying to empty a house and would much rather give it away to you than sell it for peanuts to chancers

We are similar. Just about to move and taking the opportunity to seriously streamline.

Snugglemonkey · 22/03/2023 21:45

lipstickwoman · 22/03/2023 21:15

I wish I knew where you were OP. Im trying to empty a house and would much rather give it away to you than sell it for peanuts to chancers

We are similar. Just about to move and taking the opportunity to seriously streamline.

Iam4eels · 22/03/2023 21:45

Try your local food bank too, our nearest one often gets donations of furniture as they post them onto the local selling pages as free to good homes.

Mochalatteeyeahyaya · 22/03/2023 21:45

Did you pay a security deposit when you moved in to the private let ?... If you did ,can you not ask your landlord to use this as your last months rent ? Or ask that instead of giving you the money back, they let you have the furniture from the house that they may consider not using again ?.

CornishTiger · 22/03/2023 21:46

You need to find an organisation that can help you with a grant application to glasspool grants.

Do you have debt? Christians against poverty can help with that as well as help with budgeting. They might have access to grant schemes too.

Also what industries have you worked in? Benevolent funds may be available.

Cornishclio · 22/03/2023 21:47

As you don't have money to hire a removal van I would wait until you move in then make do with bare minimum. Can you borrow airbed to start with? You have a microwave. Are you working?

Snugglemonkey · 22/03/2023 21:47

I would definitely recommend the suggestions to put a short request in any local FB groups. I have given away lots this way. It is mutually beneficial.

Phonemonkey2023 · 22/03/2023 21:47

Could you ask your kids school to put a request out to the parents - ours did that when one of the families had a fire and lost everything.

VestaTilley · 22/03/2023 21:48

Contact De Paul and Emmeus (check spelling) charities- they do furniture (I know De Paul definitely do) for people who don’t have any money.

Can you contact Refuge? They might know if charities who help women furnish places when they have to move.

Good luck OP; it sounds very hard. I hope things improve for you.

Mochinated · 22/03/2023 21:50

Prioritise.

Sleep. You have mattresses and bedding. Bed frames arent needed.

Dishes. You have hot water and a sink. Dishwasher not needed.

Clothes. You have a local launderette. Washing machine not needed right away. Advise you to wash and dry ALL clothes before leaving old house. Think of it as saving you money and giving you some breathing room in the next few weeks.

Cook. You have a microwave and kettle. Cooker not needed right away.

What else is essential? Fridge?

SweetSakura · 22/03/2023 21:51

VestaTilley · 22/03/2023 21:48

Contact De Paul and Emmeus (check spelling) charities- they do furniture (I know De Paul definitely do) for people who don’t have any money.

Can you contact Refuge? They might know if charities who help women furnish places when they have to move.

Good luck OP; it sounds very hard. I hope things improve for you.

It's this charity you mean, I think https://emmaus.org.uk/your-local-emmaus/?region=all

And op I second the suggestion to try benevolent funds linked to any jobs you do/have done. A lot of professions /types of work will have an associated benevolent fund.

Also I would go back to the school, they ought to have someone who can signpost you to local organizations

Your local Emmaus

There are Emmaus shops right across the UK helping formerly homeless people rebuild their lives. Find your local Emmaus on our website today.

https://emmaus.org.uk/your-local-emmaus?region=all

Runningonjammiedodgers · 22/03/2023 21:51

Some energy providers can give you free white goods. Bulb and EDF both did/may still do. Google your energy provider and see what they offer.

PopethYnIawn · 22/03/2023 21:52

What is your job? Maybe there is a grant related to that, I can Google for you.

What jobs have you had, and is their dad ex military?

Viviennemary · 22/03/2023 21:53

Why are you so hard up if you are earning £2600 a month. You can probably survive on the bare essentials and build up by using charity shops. Also agree salvation army might be able to help.

WomensLandArmy · 22/03/2023 21:54

Zarach.org help with beds if you need them. Charity that takes referrals from schools. They are online with more info. Think they may do other stuff too.

Justmeandthedog1 · 22/03/2023 21:54

Your HV, a social worker or a friend or family member can refer you here. https://www.52-lives.org/. Furnishing new accommodation is the most common thing they do.

Welcome to 52 lives - 52 Lives

https://www.52-lives.org/

Aoneslicesandwichisonlyahalfsandwich · 22/03/2023 21:55

@Viviennemary op said 6 months.

Original poster
ashamedmum007 · 22/03/2023 21:56

Viviennemary · 22/03/2023 21:53

Why are you so hard up if you are earning £2600 a month. You can probably survive on the bare essentials and build up by using charity shops. Also agree salvation army might be able to help.

In the last 6 months. If you earn more than that in 6 months then you aren't eligible for the UC loans.

Other places I've been to declined. Emmaus is the place I went from the local council and everything was over £200 which is more than I can afford.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll start looking into the other places suggested

OP posts:
pompei8309 · 22/03/2023 21:56

Viviennemary · 22/03/2023 21:53

Why are you so hard up if you are earning £2600 a month. You can probably survive on the bare essentials and build up by using charity shops. Also agree salvation army might be able to help.

2600 in the past six months, read properly

Godlovesall26 · 22/03/2023 21:57

@ashamedmum007
Weve been really skint before. It’s only my opinion but I would try to secure to start :

  1. ideally borrow camping sleeping beds, or get a large size cheap inflatable mattress or 2 depending on how much of you there are, and you’ll have to make to with co sleeping for a while. Hopefully you can find some warm covers in a charity or church or similar, or it’ll have to be again the large cheap synthetic ones. (Anything like sheets or duvet is a bonus or otherwise a waste of money).

  2. One of those plug in one or two fire hobs, ideally even a microwave, but the first is cheaper to be able to cook cheaper things like pasta

  3. If you have a budget for a fridge of course that’s ideal, but if you don’t it’ll have to be like everyone housed in temporary Airbnbs and similar for a while, so tinned non perishable goods.

Remember this won’t be forever, you can build it up with time💚.
Keep the conversation open with your teens, they’ll be ok, really. Remember the most important is a roof, rent, food, bills, and toiletries (especially if you have teens), you’ll be ok if the rest isn’t optimal for a while.

You mentioned a washer but I really would put that aside for now, you can buy a regular soap and an extremely cheap batch of hangers and hand wash, then you hang them pretty much anywhere.

You can do this

Somethingneedstochange78 · 22/03/2023 21:57

When I left my ex we had nothing hardly. Okay I took the fridge freezer and microwave. We had kitchen utensils crockery and cutlery etc. A friend gave me a sofa. I managed to scrape enough money together for a bed for my daughter. Son slept on a blow up mattress I got for a fiver because he wouldn't sleep in his toddler bed. I slept on the sofa. But it takes a lot less than you think to start a home from scratch. I was left with £19 after but happiest I had been in years.

RageAgainsttheBanks · 22/03/2023 21:57

We bought a three piece suite for £5 off eBay when we first moved. We also got a dining table, chairs, bed side tables and a few other pieces from other sellers. Every item was under £20. Then hired a van and collected it all in one day. You can filter eBay for items near your location and get some good bargains.