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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:
boredandrestless · 16/05/2012 17:54

Apparently the amount of people in my town using food banks has dramatically risen recently - can't say I'm surprised!

thewashfairy - do you have a PDSA in your area? They help out pet owners on low incomes.

DS 'accidentally' came home in his plimsolls yesterday, I suspect it was a gentle way of telling me he needed new ones as they are in a right state, then tonight I notice his school outdoor shoes are worn down at the heel to reveal a hidden layer of cork, also worn down. So I now need to buy two pairs of school shoes.

5madthings · 16/05/2012 18:00

god this is :( and maddening, we have had times where we have been utterly skint, scrapping together all our coppers to buy nappies for ds1 when we were at uni and not knowing how we are going to be able to pay the bills, cancelling direct debits as there wasnt the money to pay them etc.

thankfully now we are ok, we are not rich and we do struggle if big bill comes in sometimes and i have to say bday money that dp and i get does just go into the general bank account and ends up being spent on the kids. we have to budget carefully but we are ok.

i am another one with clothes for childrne, little girls clothes, i shall have a look through and see waht sizes, mainly up to 15mthsish, plus lots of shoes, they are good quality shoes that my boys have outgrown and are just sat in a cupboard, esp good if you have a child with wide feet! pm me if anyone is interested :)

boredandrestelss what sizes do you need?i have geox, ricosta etc shoes all sat in a box in a wardrobe, 4 boys worth in various sizes so bet i have a pair to fit!

thefirstmrsrochester · 16/05/2012 18:01

Curry, oh yes, PM & chancellor should see this thread. After all, we are all in it together Angry

It's just relentless isn't it? Being skint.

And it's a fact of life that school shoes wear out at precisely the same time as the bank account reaches rock bottom.

thefirstmrsrochester · 16/05/2012 18:04

Will resolve also to go through my dc clothes and give to any needy recipients Smile

Magneto · 16/05/2012 18:13

"If you were rich you could live cheaply" is so so true.

To pay the car insurance monthly is an extra £200 over the year.
If I bought a yearly season ticket for my trainfare I would save £150 a year.
If you can afford the big joints of meat in the supermarket you can get up to 5-7 meals out of the one joint if you economise.
If you can afford to buy your kids the decent brands of clothes/shoes then sell it on ebay a year later when they have grown out of it you can pretty much guarantee almost all your money back.

These are just some of the things I could do, which wouls save me money if I had the money in the first place!

5madthings · 16/05/2012 18:18

yes we buy our car tax 6mthly most of the time and yet its more expnsive, so unfair.

ditto electric pre payment systems etc, i thought the governemnt were meant to be stopping the poor getting charged more for having to use these systems.

you can always save money if you can afford to do direct debits or buy in bulk, pay all in one go, its the same with insurance etc as you say!

veritythebrave · 16/05/2012 18:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lardylump · 16/05/2012 18:53

when you have £9.50 left in your bank account and you cant get it out because:

A) its less than a tenner and the bank wont let you go overdrawn
even if you are allowed to overdrawn by 50p the local machine charges you £1.85!
b) the bus fare into town is £2.50 there and £2.50 back
c) you worry that 10 miles will finally be the last 10 miles in your shoes!
d) can walk the 5 miles there because its downhill, but the walk home nearly kills you.

etc
etc
etc

maxtrue · 16/05/2012 19:13

Even though my life is spent checking out deals/discounts etc there seems to be a small comfort in that I am not the only one on here and also the crowds gathered around the discounted goods in supermarkets

and the poor bloke with his pricing gun to price drop cold goods being hounded by the crowds

I am a single parent with 2dc have always worked etc but lost my job last Nov...spend all mornings cruising the net applying for jobs its just so demorilising (spelling?) just not getting anything much back...and every interview is spent fantasising about what life will be like to be able to have money again...then I dont get the job...such a roller coaster.....

My car is 20years old next year and winced at the MOT today...worrying it wont pass...nothing short of a miracle it only cost £118!!! Not that we go anywhere petrol is too expensive...

Thank god for primarni though! Wink

New trainers for my dd this week
Mates take me for coffee/breakfast - have a dear friend who loves getting pissed with me but refuses to allow me to buy any booze....I tell you what my good good friends that are here with me now will never be forgotten

Magneto · 16/05/2012 19:22

In case it helps anyone who might not have seen it -

www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/discount-voucher-codes/tesco

Tesco are doing an "extreme couponing" thing at the moment and the link above shows you how to get £50 worth of shopping for £18. I've not tried it yet (but I'm about too...)

MustControlFistOfDeath · 16/05/2012 19:56

I've got lots of clothes that DS has outgrown - lots of vests, sleepsuits/trousers/tshirts in various sizes from newborn up to 18mo. If anybody needs any please PM me.

Sadly there would be no point sending this thread to Dave, he doesn't actually give a shiny shit. Sad

bbface · 16/05/2012 20:13

This thread has been a major wake-up call for me. I live in a bubble, I had no idea. Sounds daft, but I sort of just imagined that in this developed country no way would people have to actually go cold and hungry. Pretty sure David would care, but I doubt he has read something quite so simple, straight-forward and affecting as this thread. I hope Mumsnet HQ uses this thread for good xxxx

PrematurelyAirconditioned · 16/05/2012 20:18

Oh hell, I hate these threads Sad. This one is even worse than the last one.

I've had a flyer for the local food bank in my pocket for a week, I'll dig up some cans this instant and put them in a bag by the door ready to take there on Saturday.

I'd do a Freecycle run of the kids' old clothes but it's difficult to know whether the people who want stuff are really in need or just going to take it to the car boot sale. I'm waiting for Women's Aid to get back to me but they're obviously busy.

PullUpAPew · 16/05/2012 20:19

bbface Dave knows. Sorry, but he knows. He has met people in this position. He has extremely talented advisors. He meets with the heads of charities representing people just like the ones on this thread. He sits in rooms and nods his head and then he goes away and makes decisions which make this worse for people.

boredandrestless · 16/05/2012 20:21

"If you were rich you could live cheaply" I agree with this and the points already raised, the example I'd add to it is shoes/boots. The amount of soles I've worn right through or the uppers have cracked or split because I can't afford to lay out for decent quality shoes is shocking. I walk everywhere and don't replace them until a hole is worn right through. They just don't last because they are cheap/poor quality.

5madthings - that is a lovely offer but I can't accept. (did you used to have another talk name with 5 in it?) Realised about an hour ago that I am due an annual £25 school uniform grant soon, I am going to call up tomorrow and find out exactly when to expect it as that's what I'll be using for shoes for DS. Thank god I'm due it, good timing for once (hopefully)!

boredandrestless · 16/05/2012 20:23

Dave doesn't give a shit. I'm sorry but he doesn't.

He has met with a disabled MNer with a disabled child and LIED to her face. Made promises he has blatantly not kept. My child has a disability too and so this really rankles me. All politicians have advisors. David Cameron et al are happy for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer. Sad

BertieBotts · 16/05/2012 20:32

I've got loads of outgrown boys' clothes up to about 3 years too. I keep meaning to put them on ebay but worry about the fees in case they don't sell. Plus I'm so disorganised I never get around to sending them. I promised a MNer some about six months ago which I forgot to send Blush

I currently have one pair of shoes which are waterproof. I keep buying cheap ones, but they wear through within months. Pointless. I had a pair of wellies from Topshop which lasted me about a year.

thefirstmrsrochester · 16/05/2012 20:35

A poster on another thread commented recently that the lives of thousands are going to be made much much worse by a bunch of millionaires. Billionaires in some cases Angry

When the chips are down, you know true and well who your friends are.

Will be back to list outgrown clothing soon (I won't be seeing a size 10 ever again so smaller ladies might just come up trumps Envy

Mother2many · 16/05/2012 20:35

chuckles Need thread, as so many of us have gone through it...and still go through it! For me:

  1. Looking at my bare hand knowing I pawned my rings off so DD could go to a birthday party she was soo looking forward to.
  1. Not turning on the heat...put on a sweater!
  1. Only going to the store when it's "dollar daze".
  1. Knowing where the food banks are, and slide in there to get maxi pads/depends.
  1. Not having cable. Can do without.
  1. Not having a land line...
  1. Trying to make oatmeal for breakfast in as many different ways as possible
  1. Having "breakfast" for supper. (eggs/bacon)
  1. Not going anywhere...can't afford the gas.

  1. Also, scooping up toilet paper.

  2. Only hanging clothes outside...cheaper...

  3. Dipping into kids piggy bank, and telling them I forgot their bank in town... just so they don't know... Sad

Such is life sometimes.... obviously some days better than others!

Givingupmyjob · 16/05/2012 20:37

I have boys clothes aged 1-4 and various boys shoes up to size 9. All sitting waiting for godknowswhat in the loft. I have a pair of black school shirts age 6 and a brand new pair of m&s school trousers (also black) with the label still on. School plimsolls hardly worn sizes 8 9 10. Pm me

TwllBach · 16/05/2012 20:42

I do think that it's amazing how people don't realise that there is such terrible poorness right on their doorstep. My boss' mother laughed at me when I tried to explain that the reason I hadn't been anywhere 'fun' at the weekend was because of the petrol costs.

I think a lot of it is that there is still this attitude of 'poor = lazy/workshy" which is just the biggest load of gobshite and makes me really angry. But then on the other hand it can be embarrassing to admit that you are struggling.

Sunflowergirl2011 · 16/05/2012 21:05

So much for Dave and his 'all in this together':( I have lots of girls shoes and clothes up to 18 months. currently cluttering up my spare room, so if anyone would like anything and is near aldershot in Hampshire please pm me.

MikeLitoris · 16/05/2012 21:07

I have loads of little girls clothes, newborn upto 1 year if anyone can make use. And I also have a few bits of maternity clothing.

I've been in this position and am extremely lucky to currently be 'ok' with money.

Makes me so Angry that people are living this way.

Givingupmyjob · 16/05/2012 21:09

Would a dedicated thread be helpful in a high traffic area like chat listing the things we have. Don't want to insult anyone but I bet there are lots of people who would like to help

PullUpAPew · 16/05/2012 21:20

Boredandrestless - when I said Dave had advisors, I meant he already knows this stuff because he has a team of people paid to keep him informed. I 100% agree he does not care.