advice needed

[mumof01]

hi first post on here
so sick of having no money i work and still i have nothing after rent .bills,debts and things son needs i never have enough left to last until payday .so sick of it
atm i have no food in the house well i have afew bits for my son feel so bad because xmas was a wash out couldnt afford much still had fun but feel bad now im worried i only get paid on the 10th and ive no bread,milk and things like that need more toiletries im in a mess and dont no where to turn has any one anyideas .i want to avoid going to social services bad experience wth them when i was younger :( .i no theres food banks but ive been told there for unemployed people plus i feel embarrased seems mad as im posting on here but id feel embarrassed saying this face to face
i have asked freinds for help but everyones the same because of xmas im worried about food and things feel like everythings closing in .
ive just been disgnosed with depression so dont think thats helping but dont no what to do anymore i try to budget it doesnt help .how does everyone else manage xx

Have you checked things like boots advantage card / tesco club card to see if you have any points on them?

Hang in there January us terribly hard for everyone. After the excess and sod it ness if Christmas, and wages being paid early and it being a "long " month... It all feels worse x

hi well today ive rang the cab couldnt get through to the local one but have rung an 0800 number i found who have made me an appointmeent for next week to speak to some one have to take all letters etc .They advised me to ring my debtors and tell them i will be going on to a debt management plan and until thats set up i will be making token payments of £1 to each debtor so im feeling possitive about that i was worried sick of having another pay day come and being left with nothing
The cab said they can do the debt management for me .
ive found £3 on iceland stamps i must have started saving then forgot to buy more .so going to use them tommorow
i dont have points etc on anything else ive checked i dont have boots but i have a tesco clubcard not used it in a while but nothing on that
thanks everyone x

Brilliant. You sound like you're doing really well.

Packed lunches - You could do leftovers (eg pasta bake or stir fry) and if school allows this (I don't know) it could be heated up? Also chunky soup with roll in big flask is another lunch option but I'd add fruit and yogurt or muller rice.

Do try and eat yourself though you need to keep warm this time of year. Supermarket and market (fruit and veg) end if day often have bargains. Veggie soup? Or casserole? Oxtail great for that curries and cheap and tasty bit of meat. Or sausage casserole?

Good luck x

Ps send me your address by mn emaill and i can send spare shampoo etc samples if you like? That I have already. Less bulky than sending bottles.

hi im getting there
im going through the cupboard and ive got enough for son until around the 8th if i dont eat cant belive im in in this mess but i will get through it
yes i was thinking that i could do pasta etc been looking and i definately wont be eligible for free school meals as i get working tax bit daft that but never mind
wow helloboys thats lovely of you to offer that were desperate for toiletries tbh feel cheeky taking it of you though x

I am sure you will get housing benefit and maybe council tax benefit too. Have you looked at the website entitledto ?

the housing benefit and council tax benefit im waiting to hear back from i have put a claim in though but chasing it up was told it could be 14 more days until i hear x

Have you put your details in at entitledto.co.uk to see if you are eligible for anything?

here

Mumof01 do you mind me asking how much debt you owe in total? Best to try and get help to consolidate them, which CAB could help you with. Send me your address - I have a 10 yr old boy and happy to pass on good quality clothes that
don't fit anymore.

hi no i dont mind its around 4500 maybe just under that most of it was thanks to my x .step change are ringing me between 2 and 3 pm ive just done the contact form on there site for some advice think at this point its best to explore every option .
thats really kind moggy72 thankyou so much for offering that x

also sorry i missed the previous comment yes i have used the entitled to site but im going to run my details through again just incase x

No sure if this has been said but foodbank isn't just for unemployed people. Also have you tried the salvation army? Whereabouts in the country are you?

Also don't forget to ask about council tax support as well as hb.

hi yes some one said its for everyone i didnt no that but i feel really embarassed recently been diagnosed with depression etc and feel like im failing if i have to go im sure i will get through this its only until the tenth im in the north west near liverpool not heard of the salvation army though x

you say you owe debt to your ex? Could payments be reduced or postponed. Have you other creditors? National Debtline are good and free, and there are other charity run folk who help with debt. Please never pay to consolidate any debts btw.

does ex/ds' f contribute ?

i owe debt because of my ex when he left i was left with the bills a lot of it was in my name he had a contract phone he left me with that debt and he had sky and left me with that debt some of it is mine aswell but the majority is because of him .most of them started of as little debts but because i couldnt pay they started with the charges etc and its spiralled out of control to the point last month xmas was ruined and we had nothing but im feeling better after speaking to cab etc im hopeful this can be sorted in hindsight i should have got help before now but i was embarrased i guess x

no he doesnt im in the middle of the child support agency tracking him down because i cant even get hlold of him so hoping they do and he wil have to contribute

You can't go a week without food. Did you spend the change you had , maybe go along just before closing and get basics reduced . GP could refer you to food bank , like a prescription. You can always freeze bread so a loaf lasts longer.

i got bread and milk with the change i had but i found some iceland stamps £3 so im going to there when step change have rang i need toilet roll desperate was going to get fish fingers and oven chips for ds with that or 3 ready meals then thats 3 extra meals .
im sorting through seeing what i can sell im sure it will all work out and as long as son is fed im happy .

can you cancel the phone and sky? And I agree about child support, get back onto the CSA and chase it up.

i dont have sky any more we have a freeview box and the phones cancelled but ive been left with the debt so i have to pay it first thing i did was cancel everything he had

Hate to say it but chips and ready meals are unlikely to be the most frugal or nutritious way of using your limited funds. There is a meal planning thread which may help you make the most of your cupboard ingredients and suggest what you can buy to supplement.