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Original poster

omg I have £25 to last til payday - help!

115 replies

fraggletits · 10/08/2011 18:38

due to various large bills last month and this - plus subsequent bank charges from being overdrawn - we are now left with £25 to last til 27th August Shock

so before I commit financial suicide and go for a payday loan I was just wondering if anyone had any serious money crunching inspiration they would be willing to share?

I have lots of pasta in the cupboard, some mince, some pork chops and salmon in the freezer - that should last all next week. I also have some frozen veg. But that's about it - and obviously we're not making any plans for the weekends!

thanks very much

OP posts:
TheMonster · 12/08/2011 08:15

Thanks, Anifrangapani, I shall head there tomorrow. I even have a nice big pot to plant one in.

SquishyCinnamonSwirls · 12/08/2011 09:23

Did you manage to speak with the bank to get some of the charges refunded?

nickelbabe · 12/08/2011 10:35

a bit of advice from Money Savvig Expert here about getting back bank charges
the bit you're interested in is the Hardship part.

ninedragons · 12/08/2011 11:46

Yeah, I know some of the medical stuff sounds (and is) quite revolting, but like everyone else I'd do it if it were necessary to feed DCs. I agree that I'd rather go hungry if it were just me, though.

Some of it isn't bad - I did one in my skint post-university days that just involved taking a photo of my retinas. Easiest 20 quid I ever made.

Pootles2010 · 12/08/2011 14:09

Its not all bad at all nine, my dp has done it through our work, he just had a load of plasters on for 24 hrs. Only issue was ripping them all off!

applepudding · 12/08/2011 16:08

Is there any scope for you to look at changing your bank in the future? We bank with Smile on the Internet and have free overdraft facility - I think its about £500 - we pay debit interest but not charges. I don't know if this is something which just applies to existing account holders but you could have a look?

Original poster
fraggletits · 12/08/2011 16:41

hi - yes squishy, just phoned the bank and they've given me £25 back as a gesture of goodwill. They said all the other charges stand though.

That now means I have £45 to last me til the end of the month which is a darn sight better than the £20 I had this morning!

apple, I'm with santander and would move if I didn't have an overdraft - not because of charges which ultimately is my fault, but they're customer service can be a bit dodgy at times and the concept of Faster Payments online seems beyond them.

Still feeling positive - thanks again everyone. Onwards and upwards :)

OP posts:
belledechocchipcookie · 12/08/2011 21:25

Barclays charge you £8 for going over your limit, I'd switch.

lenak · 12/08/2011 21:33

"I'm with santander and would move if I didn't have an overdraft"

Do you mean that you need your overdraft or you can't move because you are continually in it?

If you could live without an overdraft, move banks anyway and then treat the Satander overdraft like any other debt and pay a bit off each month.

kayah · 13/08/2011 14:47

not so muc hdoe your DC's, but for you to add flavour to pasta - Sainsbury's economy cooking bacon - £1/600 g

you can chop it, fry, add a handfull of frozen peas and that woulf make good pasta dish with spaghetti

I would add few drops of lempn juice to cut through fatty flavour (v,cheap in Liddl, I think under 50 pence/lemon shaped bottle)

Original poster
fraggletits · 13/08/2011 19:46

thanks kayah sounds good.

lenak, I'm continually in my overdraft at the mo, so if I moved banks I would have to pay it back to them. That's why I'm staying with them.

OP posts:
TheMonster · 14/08/2011 16:05

We've just walked the dog in the fields nearby and come home with 4 cabbages that the farmer's truck had dropped Grin

HannahHack · 15/08/2011 22:19

We are in a similar position, £20 till pay day for food though no kids so its not as stressful.
I am pleased to see so many people have suggested foraging as I am pleased to have 3kg of mirabelles in the freezer which will do a few puddings to bulk out dinner, I will just stew them and have them with a bit of basics yogurt. I also have plans to go out blackberrying soon for the same reason. I have also found a hazelnut tree near us but ned to work out what to do with unripe hazelnuts. (we are pretty urban in central woking btw)
More sensible ideas include eating a lot of batter based things, ie veg fritters (sweetcorn in 24p a can at Sains) and toad in the hole nd clafoutis.
Good luck!

FantasticDay · 15/08/2011 22:31

You need onions, potatoes and Aldi Super6 vegetables/fruit. Make a curry with plain flour, oil and water chapattis. Lentil soup. Dhal and rice. Jacket potatoes and baked beans. Eggs poached with packets of discount noodles (and throw in some super 6 veg). Eggy bread (with cinnamon if you already have it in cupboard), spag bol, salmon fishcakes, stir fry veg with pasta. Good luck x

kayah · 16/08/2011 00:37

unripe hazelnuts - yummy :)

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