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Original poster

You know you're truly skint when...

999 replies

ratflavouredjelly · 11/05/2012 13:46

I've decided to humour myself and start this thread laughs hysterically. Anyone care to join me with their stories. Maybe we can out skint each other...

So, you know you're truly skint when:
Shopping in charity shops are no longer ironic.
The middle of the month arrives and you panic about feeding the family.
You can not afford the petrol to work.
You're growing your own veg but cannot stretch to compost to enrich the soil.
DS and DD's shoes are too tight (something you never thought you would allow to happen)
Your bra is too tight, buying a new one is out of the question, so you just 'get used' to the pain.
Yadda harumph harumph

OP posts:
ProPerformer · 19/05/2012 21:06

You notice that they now sell bras in the local 99p store and actually buy one as you are that desperate for a new one!!!

Oh to add a happy note here I'll post a little story of what happened to us last week:
DS (3) had been a really good boy all week and had filled his star chart AND got a certificate at Nursary for great behaviour. Normally his 'star chart' treat is just a homemade fruit smoothie or a lolly, but as he'd been so good I managed to scrimp together £5 to take him to the local play centre. On the way there we had a quick look in a charity shop as I needed 'new' work shoes. While there DS saw a 'micro machines' car play set for £3 which I let him play with while I tried on some shoes (none fitted). When I was ready to leave he asked to have the toy as he really l

ProPerformer · 19/05/2012 21:14

(oops sorry hit post by mistake silly phone!)
... Liked it. I tried to explain to him that if I got him the car I could not take him to the play centre that he had been looking forward to going to. He got a bit upset at this (no tantrums, just a sad look) and it broke my heart as he said "Ok Mummy, get this today and do play centre tomorrow! I was in the middle of explaining to him that it would be a while until we could afford the play centre again when a Man and his wife who had been standing nearby came over. The man (looked to be eastern European) said to my DS "You like the car yes? I get it for you, my treat for being a good boy for Mummy and not having fuss!"
I of course tried to refuse but he insisted saying "In my country we do this for children who are good, he good boy I treat him!" He wouldn't even take £1 towards it saying all he wanted was "Your smiles and for little boy to be happy!"
Well I was almost in tears I was so greatful! I made sure DS said 'Thankyou' to the man and hope I can pass that kindness on somehow.

AfternoonsAndCoffeespoons · 19/05/2012 21:14

You read through the whole of this thread (and put it on your 'watch' list) to get some great tips!

itdoesnthurttohavemanners · 19/05/2012 21:21

When you have nothing left to sell on ebay because you have sold everything other than the things you actually need/use!

When you have the biggest smile on your face, because when putting the rubbish out in the communal bins, you find that someone has put a glass TV bench in the bin housing - and you know you can sell it on ebay and make some money!

When you close your ears to your colleagues going on about holidays/new cars/nights out etc because you literally have no clue when that is ever going to happen...you also wish that they would shut up and stop being so insensitive ;)

Lottery win! That's what we all need :)

RandomMess · 19/05/2012 21:24

Aw ProPerformer that story has made my day Smile

TwllBach · 19/05/2012 21:35

Pro that's probably the third time a story on this thread has made me cry - but yours is in a good way Smile

ProPerformer · 19/05/2012 21:40

Random mess - thanks. I have tears in my eyes just reading that back. Bless my DS though, he knows how lucky he is to have that car/play set as every time he shows it to anyone he says "it one the kind man got for me in the charity shop so I could go play center!" :)

revolutionconfirmed · 19/05/2012 21:41

My sister bought my DD a coat from the charity shop today. It's gorgeous and one of those coats that are perfect for those not too warm and not too cold days. It was £2 and I welled up. She loved it so much and my sister just couldn't understand why I was so grateful for a £2 second hand coat :(

ProPerformer · 19/05/2012 21:41

TwllBach - glad it was in a good way!

Gunznroses · 19/05/2012 21:43

When you're garning holes in your knickers and stitching frayed bra straps.
When you have got anything to eat and then pretend your "fasting" Confused

ThatsDope · 19/05/2012 21:46

When your bed breaks and you sleep on a mattress for a year because you can't afford to replace it.

All fine now. Damn the nursery fees years Sad

itsnotjustaslap · 19/05/2012 21:59

Amongst all the crap there is so much kindness of strangers so just wanted to say that if you really can't manage financially it is best to be honest, and share some good stories.

I rang up my son's pre school to cancel his place as I could not afford the fees (even with working tax credits I couldn't afford the extra 30%) because i had escaped from an abusive husband and been made redundant; and really unexpectantly the lovely head rang me back to keep the place and waive the fees. It was so, so lovely and although just four hours a week it is so good to see him so happy socialising with other children that he wouldn't have been able to do otherwise.

KateSpade · 19/05/2012 22:14

I've posted further up on this thread, about how i never want to be in a situation like this, i don't mean that to sound as bad as it does. However, can i ask the posters, how have you got into this situation?

Being realistic, that when i do get a job after i graduate, i will probably be working to pay a nursery, which is extremely depressing!

ProPerformer · 19/05/2012 22:15

Itsnotjustaslap - that is really lovely!

When DH was out of work for a few months recently our DS's Nursary waved any late fees for payment as I get paid on the last DAY of the month but fees were due on the last FRIDAY of the month. It meant we didn't have to worry about paying and extra £50 on top of usual fees which you'd have to do if late paying!
Oh and for 'money saving'... I work in a school and we've set up a 'book swap'. Basically we have a shelf on one of the cupboards in our staffroom where we put any books that we have finished and no longer want and then we can take/borrow any of the books from the shelf!

Another "You know you're skint when..." not from me personally, but one I have heard at work..... A mum was asked why her children were not in school and apparently her reply was "Well you see they have nits and I can't afford the lotion until my benefits come through next week!" As it was a well known fact that these kids really did have nits the school 'bought' the family a bottle of lotion and a comb!

RandomMess · 19/05/2012 22:35

KateSpade, what if you can't get a job and your housing benefit doesn't cover all of your private rent?

It can be as simple as that or you used to earn £40k per year and lived accordingly with a bit of debt and you get made redundant and end up umemployed for 3 years...

marriednotdead · 19/05/2012 22:37

Reading with a huge lump in my throat. I am lucky enough that things are ok for us at the moment, although that changes rapidly if DH stops working (self employed in the construction industry).

I vividly remember sobbing about money on the phone to my DM when DD was young, and being sent £25 which made a huge difference to my month.

It seems trivial compared to many people's circumstances on this thread, but I feel a pang of guilt every time DD tells me she's had another swimming lesson. She's 25 and I couldn't afford the £2.60 per week for her to learn as a child. She still remembers me saying that as long as we had hugs and kisses that we didn't need anything else. That and trips to the free and warm library. She's a teacher now and earning loads more than me but she appreciates frugality in a way her younger DB who swims like a fish may never.

Sending {{hugs}} to all sharing good karma and practical offerings. Your generosity won't be forgotten.

revolutionconfirmed · 19/05/2012 22:56

I got into this of my own stupidity. When I was 18-19 I racked up big debt close to £8k. Add student loans on top of that and it was bad news. I fell pregnant at 19 and got made redundant from my bar job as they were closing. DP has had jobs but none are stable and he always ends up laid off or sacked. I have fibromyalgia and bi polar and it's got worse since DD2 so holding a job is close to impossible. DP quit his last job as I was so bad he couldn't leave me alone at night. I've had jobs that haven't lasted through the probationary period. I get benefits but I'm waiting on a DLA appeal and I'm still skint as with bills, food, clothes for the children, saving for overdraft payback fees (emergency overdraft), £100 to top up the rent from HB etc it barely covers everything. I have got myself into more debt as from my last job WTC didn't stop although they were informed and I've been keeping £60 extra a week just to keep my head above water knowing full well I'll have to pay it back when they find out.

I'm in so much shit.

JugglingWithTangentialOranges · 19/05/2012 23:06

Don't blame yourself revolution - sounds like, like most of us, you're doing the best you can. That's good enough in my book. Hope things get a little brighter and easier soon for you.

You could get advice on the best ways forward with any debt ?

Look after yourself x

RandomMess · 19/05/2012 23:09

It's not called the debt trap for nothing Angry Sad

revolutionconfirmed · 19/05/2012 23:12

The nursery wants £10 off me again (termly money for cooking items etc) & this week I have to buy an iron. I'm wondering if I can manage the £10, school shoes for DD1 for under £15 and an iron for £4 from Argos out of expendable income.

BebeAurelie · 19/05/2012 23:14

When you have spent all night going through the house and putting random stuff on ebay!

I've spent all night putting stuff on ebay but I'm exhausted now and I need to go to bed so the rest will have to go on tomorrow. I've put 18 items on tonight and have another 5 or 6 to put on tomorrow. Hoping it is going to add up to at least £50!

revolutionconfirmed · 19/05/2012 23:23

I hope you get some money for it all Bebe. I'm going to have the most ruthless clear out I can afford to in the hope that I'll earn a bit from eBay to take DD1 somewhere nice for her birthday.

VickityBoo · 19/05/2012 23:35

katespade

Two good-ish Incomes
Too much debt during the boom years
Self certified mortgage
Coping....
Maternity leave
Still coping...
Bad accident
Husband off work for a year
Bam!

Crippling nursery fees with then not so well paid part time job and uncertainty over injury.

Led to mortgage arrears, council tax sending bailiffs at one point, creditors hassling us all day long on phone/letter, utility bills in arrears...

Once that adds up, no matter how much we scrimp and save we can not catch up with debts caused by that negative time.

Life happens. That's how people end up like it. Many different situations. People say 'it'll never happen to me, I'll make sure of it' but maybe expect the very very fortunate ones with savings, you never can be sure.

BebeAurelie · 19/05/2012 23:38

Thanks Revolution, I've just checked and out of the 18 items I put on tonight, 7 already have people watching them and they have only been on a couple of hours. Fingers crossed!

VickityBoo · 19/05/2012 23:45

bebe eBay is exciting once the items are all up but I just get so fed up listing! Seems to take me forever! Well done sticking to it you never know you might do well from it.