To use the kids Christmas money to get me through January?

[darkmorning]

In a way I don’t know why I’m asking as I don’t have a choice really, but if the overall consensus is absolutely not I suppose I can use a credit card or something.

PIL gave both children £50 for their savings accounts. I’d have to put the cash in my bank account and transfer to their savings accounts: plan is to do this after I’ve been paid in January. Should I? Or is this just horrible?

As long as you definitely pay them back i don't see the issue. But give yourself a hard deadline for repayment and don't let it slide - otherwise it'll always be 'oh, I'll do it next month' and you'll have stolen their money.

Go for it. Needs must and I'm sure they'll benefit from it anyway.

It depends on what ‘getting through’ means.

Do you need to buy food or pay a bill? If yes, do it.

You should ask for a food bank referrral.

Fine if you're actually going to pay it back next pay day. Not fine if you're going to not pay them back or make it go on and on until June.

I think that's fine. You're still transferring it - just staying in your account a bit longer.

Tbh with cash gifts I normally keep the cash anyway and transfer it over from my account when I'm next moving money about anyway. No rule saying it has to be instant!

You're not the first and definitely won't be the last. As long as you put it back I don't see the problem

If you need the money for genuine family expenses, and know you can and will pay it over in January, it's a fine option.

Are you sure you will,pay back, as things must be very tough for you to consider doing this for these small sums. So won’t the same issue arise in Feb?

Honestly there’s no way I would qualify, I earn well, just too much month sort of thing and high costs.

I have to fill the car with fuel too which will
be around £70, and the £30 left is for food and so on.

Actually if you're going to pay it back next pay day then use the credit card. Both lots of money aren't yours and need to be paid back.

I’ll make absolutely sure it doesn’t -
to be honest I am leaning towards credit card anyway as I do feel really guilty.

Also does the car have to be FILLED or can you get away with less?

But what will you do next week/month, when there's no tempting £100 to tide you over? How will you cover the outgoings, plus the £100 to put into childrens' savings? This is a bigger problem than 'shall I borrow children's savings money ' I suspect.

What if they wanted to use it in January? You'd have to tell them what you'd done then.

It does need to be filled really: we have to get to PIL NYE which is 40 miles so 80 miles round trip. Then I’m back at work the following week: it’s not a massive commute (9 miles) but obviously adds up.

You should just use the credit card then - if you pay it off on payday there's no interest, so there's literally no difference between using the kids' money and putting it on a credit card.

Have you borrowed their money before?

Sorry, who, the children or PIL? They couldn’t use it: it’s going into their ISAs they can only access when they are 18 and they are both preschool.

Let’s be honest, with the best will in the world, they won’t get the money back if you do this.

There will always be another reason.

When's pay day?

My mum used to do this every Christmas and birthday and never pay it back. It's not good. Is your husband working too? Why are you so skint, if you're earning well? Have you had genuinely unexpected expenses or are you living beyond your means?

To be honest, I wouldn't. How were you planning on paying for January had your kids not been gifted money?

If you're absolutely on your knees desperate because you've had some unexpected costs crop up then I guess there isn't any other choice, but if you've overspent because 'it's Christmas' then I personally don't agree, and I'd definitely be rethinking how much I spend for Christmas in the future.

Just seen your update re. needing fuel to see PiL- in these circumstances I would class this as living beyond your means if your unable to pay for fuel without using your children's money and I would decline the invite based on lack of finances. As previously mentioned, next year you then budget these costs into your Christmas plans so not to leave yourself short.