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Original poster

When you've been skint, what's the Kindest thing someone has done?

69 replies

CharlieUniformNovemberTango · 30/05/2012 08:05

I've posted on the thread about a the cruellest things people have said and done when you've been skint but I thought a reverse thread would be a lovely idea.

Let's restore our faith in human nature :o

Also, feel free to post if you've done something kind to help a friend in need. It might give someone some inspiration :)

OP posts:
peppapighastakenovermylife · 30/05/2012 08:08

Lovely idea Smile

I've had Tesco deliver to friends before so they have food including treats and stuff. Or I've gone and done a shop and dropped the food round. Not much - perhaps £30 as we don't have much spare money ourselves but it always makes them smile.

Original poster
CharlieUniformNovemberTango · 30/05/2012 08:08

I put this on the other thread but thought I'd mention it again - When my mum was struggle her neighbour told us her big chest freezer had broken so could my mum make use of a big bag of food as she'd never be able to use it all up.

A week later my mum asked the husband if the freezer was fixed and he was very confused because they didn't even have a chest freezer. I think she knew my mum was proud and wouldn't have accepted her offer :)

OP posts:
Original poster
CharlieUniformNovemberTango · 30/05/2012 08:11

Oh and some ^very* kind mumsnetter has just helped me out of a bind by offering some smart shoes for my son to wear to my brothers wedding. It really has taken some of the pressure off and I was so relieved and touched by her kindness.

Thank you so much INeverFinishAnythi :)

OP posts:
inmysparetime · 30/05/2012 08:11

The greengrocer/butcher put extra food in my bag as he packed it. When I queried it (worried it would tip me over budget) he said it was overstock and he thought I would find a way to use it and stop it going to waste.
Someone once sent me a £50 note anonymously through the post.
I have given a crockery set, a cutlery set and a tv cabinet to someone who was splitting from his partner and setting up a flat.
It all comes around when you need it.

TitsalinaBumSquash · 30/05/2012 08:16

Several very kind Mumsnetters have donated me maternity clothes and it has made all the difference to me, forcing my bump into too small clothes was aggravating my morning sickness no end, I also got a lovely sling so baby will be able to stay close, leaving me my arms to tend to my 2 others.

Years ago, my eldest was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, we were whisked to a London hospital 4 hours away out of the blue, no luggage, no money no nothing, I was by myself with a newborn DS2 and a 2 1/2 year old DS1, Mumsnetters came out in force to send us things to the hospital to make life easier, our lives were upside down for the next year and there was a collection on here by a lady who I am still friends with that allowed us to take the boys on a short trip to Butlins, we really needed it and I will never forget the kindness.

TheQueenOfSheba · 30/05/2012 08:19

When I was homeless and pregnant (20 odd years ago), a stranger gave me 50 pounds. I have never forgotten her kindness.

Pochemuchka · 30/05/2012 08:23

When I was younger I did a job where i had to outlay and reclaim expensive travel costs. The owner of the company didn't pay me them or my actual wage, saying that because they hadn't received my p45 they couldn't. (I was very young and very naive!). This went on for nearly 3 months (of no income and huge costs) and I couldn't afford to pay my rent/live. I tried to put my foot down and she became completely uncontactable - I worked in London, she lived in Liverpool - and I had to take her to tribunal. I was completely skint as I'd used all money for travel (we're talking £40 a day!) and hadn't been paid a penny.

Some people I knew through my brother let me live rent free in their house until I got sorted and my brother gave me some money for food etc. (he wasn't exactly rich at the time!)
They really made me feel welcome when I stayed there and even got me a summer job until my old job in a school could take me back in September.

Luckily the employment tribunal wasn't contested and I got some money back fairly soon (no expenses and a cap on the weekly wage but enough to put a deposit down on a new rented flat)
I am really grateful to them all as things could have been so much worse.

ontheedgeofwhatever · 30/05/2012 20:59

I was in floods of tears on a bus because my purse had been stolen with the £25 I'd worked hard to save for my mothers 60th birthday. A complete stranger came over and when she heard what was the matter just gave me £30. I asked for her name and address and promised to pay her back one day and a year later was able to send her a cheque (interestingly although she wrote and thanked me she never cashed it). It made a huge differerence as it would have taken weeks to replace it myself. Never forgotten her kindness

BibiBlocksberg · 10/06/2012 00:02

A MN sent me £20 by PayPal in march this year.

Insurance company had taken a big payment not due to them out of my bank account leaving me with nothing for two weeks.

Still can't get over the fact that a perfect stranger did that for me and probably never will. So kind.

The two old boys next door to me telling me that they will lie for me and take my cats to the PDSA for free if they need any treatment as one of them is on benefits (no need thankfully but it's still a kind offer)

babygsmummy · 10/06/2012 12:04

Before I was made redundant I used to buy my friend about £50 worth of shopping each pay day as she is a single parent who is also a student,I would always tell her it was the stuff I wouldnt eat that my mum forces on me when I visit,she only got on to it when the girls got the things they asked for,Im not so clever to think my mum wouldnt give me angel delight or jelly babies.

When I was made redundant in feb,she helped me with my benifits/upset and emotions without me asking,she also helped me join loads of baby clubs to get stuff for free as Im due in 2 weeks.Its true a friebd inneed is a friend indeed.

nicest thing for me was,many years ago my train from london was diverted to chester instead of liverpool,it was also xmas eve,I had to give the taxi driver money before he would drive me to liverpool,half way he got stopped and arrested for drunk driving and the police left me at the side of the road by a petrol station.The owner of the petrol station gave me money for and organised a taxi home for me.When I took the money back 3 days later,sadly he had passed away and his wife wouldnt take the money from me.He was a lovely man,god bless him.

msbuggywinkle · 13/06/2012 17:39

When a close friend's DH was made redundant a fortnight after she had given birth, a mutual friend organised us all to take them dinner every night for a month.

She pitched it as 'we know you won't have time to cook' and organised a rota and what to cook so it didn't end up repetitive, it was an amazing feat of organisation by one particular woman!

Original poster
CharlieUniformNovemberTango · 13/06/2012 17:44

I'm glad this thread is still going :)

I was sent some bits recently to help with my brothers wedding. It really lifted a lot of the stress as I couldn't afford the last few bits of clothing or shoes for my son to wear.

I've also been offered money or credit for my phone by strangers on here. I couldn't accept it but I was and always will be very very greatful. This is a wonderful place :o

OP posts:
veritythebrave · 13/06/2012 17:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BiddyPop · 14/06/2012 10:43

I never know who to give things to. So I give enough food for 2 families to a charity close to work (plenty of familise in need in the area) reasonably regularly - like a week's shopping but just no non-perishables.

I also, as I hate to give cash to the guys on the street, give my coffee shop loyalty cards that are fully stamped to a couple of the homeless guys that I recognise as homeless rather than just begging for drugs money. They then get a hot drink from the coffee shop when they need it. (I have agreed with one local CS owner that I can pay to get a card fully stamped for money rather than a loyalty thing for this purpose). And as I often bring in buns to work, I go a specific route those mornings so that I will see these guys if they're out and give them a few from the box first.

I give my sis most of DD's outgrown clothes for her 2 kids, and have thrown in things that DD has "never worn" (sometimes I have nothing suitable for a boy, even though DD often wears boys clothes, and sometimes I want to have something new for DNiece - but she won't take them if she knows I've bought them specially). Or buy new things and run them through a wash once.

I also sent her a load of seeds this year, as I won't be using them and she will on her allotment (I don't have time for mine and have to give it up at the end of the season).

I know another sis has organised a T*sco home delivery for her - a decent food shop to last a few weeks - and not said anything to her too.

I like the ideas though that are on this thread.

Shakey1500 · 14/06/2012 10:54

This doesn't sound massive but meant an awful lot to me at the time.

Years ago, when I was a jobbing actor (as opposed to a "proper" one!) I was doing a panto tour. The family I was renting a room from lived MILES away from anywhere, back of beyond. I was returning from a weekend home on a Sunday, got to the main town, only to find there were no buses to "back of beyond". I only had enough money for the bus fare, too proud to ring and ask the family for a lift so started walking. Tried hitchiking, no-one stopped. And I only knew the bus route so all around the houses. It took me hours to walk, it was stiflingly hot. When I fell through the door, the family were just having their Sunday dinner. I was FAMISHED (and must have stared). They plated me up a dinner, with a glass of red wine and it was singularly THE best meal I've ever had Grin Told you it wasn't massive!

I worked on the tube for a while and used to leave a couple of ciggies for the old boy who slept in my stations doorway, while he was sleeping.

CouthyMow · 14/06/2012 10:59

A kind MN'er posted me some winter boots. It was without doubt the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me. U spend what money I do have for clothes and shoes on the DC's, and my cost £10 3 years ago boots had holes in and were letting in the water.

She knows who she is, and Thanks.

Original poster
CharlieUniformNovemberTango · 14/06/2012 11:16

Yes - this nest of vipers have such a soft side to them :)

But shhhhhh, don't want to ruin their reputation.

OP posts:
WhyIRayLiotta · 14/06/2012 11:36

This thread has cheered me right up. A lovely thing someone did for me - years ago while I was at uni, I was making my way to the bus station to get the bus home to my parents for Easter. I walked to the station - and went to the bank machine to get out money for my bus home - and the cash machine swallowed my card. I didnt have keys for my house as I'd given them to my housemate (who had then left for her night away) I was standing by the bank machine - quietly freaking out - I had no money / keys / friends in the city - I didn't even have enough money to phone home. It was Easter Sat so no banks etc. Then a taxi man who'd been parked nearby came over and asked me if I was ok.... I explained what happened and he said don't worry and offered me £20 ( my bus fare was £15) I was so unbelieveably grateful. It was completely kind. I asked for his name / address etc to return it - and he gave me his name and taxi number and told me to drop it at the depot which was close by.

I did drop it back in a thankyou card - I left my number and asked that he let me know that he got it. I never heard back. I really hope that he got it - it was a big depot and I wasn't sure about the man who took the letter and said he'd pass it on. I'd hate for the lovely kind man to think I just took advantage of him and never repaid his kindness.

QueenofJacksDreams · 14/06/2012 12:10

We're really struggling right now and have been for the last year or so and I made a comment on a thread just before Xmas that although we didn't have a lot of gifts for my DD we had shelter and food and love and that was enough. A wonderful kind MN'er though sent me a PM asking to send my DD a little something it was a doll that my DD has played with every day since getting it and loves to bits she knows it was from a kind lady on the internet who wanted to do something lovely for her and there were tears all round at Xmas over this story.

I don't think I could ever thank her enough for such kind hearted behaviour and instead I try to pass it on where I can helping out people where I can with food from our own supplies and hopefully one day I'll be in a position to help out so much more.

The only problem is its sparked an obsession in DD for these dolls! Grin

I read this on another website yesterday and it really makes sense in what we should all be doing "Today you, Tomorrow me"

becstarsky · 14/06/2012 12:32

I'd just been to Sainsbury's and put food for dinner in my basket... and my card was bleeped - insufficient funds, so I had to leave all the food there. (Which it turns out was due to a bank mistake Angry) I was walking home trying to figure out how the hell I was going to feed my DS that evening, feeling utterly miserable when I saw a big box of food on my neighbour's front wall saying 'Please Take'. They were going on holiday and had put out everything that would go stale while they were away. I nearly cried. She popped out when she saw me and gave me carrier bags to take it all home with me. We had full cupboards and I was so, so grateful.

JuliaScurr · 14/06/2012 12:38

I had an anonymous whip round when some pensioner friends were left with no money and no roof by bastard 'rogue' builders

Had to tell them it was me in the end; they were freaked by random £few hundred through the letterbox

JuliaScurr · 14/06/2012 12:39

that ^ shouldn't be here Blush

twolittlemonkeys · 14/06/2012 12:46

When we were skint just after the birth of DS2 as our boiler had broken down so I had to get a job at McDonalds in the evenings after DH got back from work. One night, got back around 2am to find a huge box of groceries/toiletries/cleaning products on the doorstep with an anonymous note.

bananaistheanswer · 14/06/2012 12:51

The kindest thing I've had done for me was when I was really broke, struggling and had no money to the extent I was going through the day not eating anything, just topping up on machine drinks at work, my childminder had dinner waiting for me a few times when I'd go and pick up my DD. I almost cried the first time she did it as I was just so hungry, and she always made out it was just left over dinner that would go to waste if I didn't have it (which wasn't true as she has 3 teenage kids and a husband as well as a dog and cat).

Convert · 14/06/2012 12:53

My Dad is very rpoud and would rather die than admit he was struggling but he has a problem with his legs which measns he can't stand up for very long and so really struggles to work. He asked me to do an online shop for him every few weeks as his car had broken and he lives in the middle of nowhere.
He would give me a list and his card details and I would do the order. When I got his Christmas order list I sobbed for ages. I had just spend about
300 200 quid on my order and there was nothing special on his at all.
I did the order but then added loads of stuff, cheese and crackers, chocolates, pate, an indian takeaway, biscuits, wine, mountains of it.
When the shopping arrived he called me because he was worried that he'd got someone elses shopping and he would be charged for it. It broke my heart. He was so happy and it made me very proud to be able to give just a tiny bit back of what he has given me.