Broke for a month

[Temporarilyskint]

i know the way these threads can go - I am not asking for money and while I think it is incredibly sweet when people offer I won't accept

Sorry for above disclaimer.

Have namechanged as I'm a bit embarrassed and my ex stalks me on here.

We've no money. Well, £40. That's to get through to the end of the month.

We have no oven, or microwave. We do have a toaster.

No access to credit.

Fuel costs are high due to having to take my son to school. Not sure if there's a way around this. (He will hopefully be starting at a new school which is local in 2016 but for now it's tough.)

Fussy cats need food.

Argh. I am partly posting for advice, and also partly for emotional sounding off as I'm fed up of thinking about money.

£10 on a microwave from cash converters or equivalent
£5 on a big bag of potatoes

jacket potatoes with whatever is in the cupboards
pasta ditto
see what offers there are on root veg at Lidl

cats will eat what's put in front of them - when they are hungry they will eat

car fuel - check online for best deal within 5 miles

being skint is awful but its hopefully temporary

are you entitled to a food bank voucher?

I don't have £10, just at the moment.

I've got a bit of child benefit going in which should keep heads above water hopefully

The oven isn't working (moved recently) and have never had a microwave

Freecycle? Sometimes people will respond to a wanted ad for someone who's just moved.

LL to fix oven urgently?

Car-share for a month on school-run? Ask school, maybe, if there is a temporary hardship fund for ideas?

Do you have any food in your cupboards? If so make a complete list of it, you may well have a few possible meals there.

Do you have any cards such as Nectar that you could cash in?

Would you get a food bank voucher?

Any relatives who would make you a couple of meals?

I'm not sure either, I guess that's the problem really! I'll get £80 on Friday but £50 or so of that will have to go into the car

Fussy cats will get over it! Start weaning them half-and-half now with cheaper options...

Do you have a thermos flask? I cooked pasta in one when my oven was disconnected Boil the kettle poor over and close up for a good 15 mins. Also great for cooking frozen veg.
If you give a meter reading to your fuel provide are you likely to be in credit even a bit for them to refund?

I don't know, they just refuse to eat it and then walk around mewing and annoying me!

Yy to cats. Seriously. They won't starve. Really. Mine bigger off and eat voles when we're on holiday and the cat sitter comes in and dutifully puts down iams twice a day. Fussy bastards.

That's a good idea about the flask thanks.

Ignore them mewing. They will only be fussy for so long!

Do you have bills to pay?
Do you have food in the cupboards?
Is the situation temporary until the end of the month, or likely to persist?

Hopefully be sorted by the end of the month. I hope!

OP, look on facebook if there are any local 'freebay' or 'freecycle' type pages in your area. Whereabouts are you? Why don't you have an oven?

There's an oven here but it doesn't work. If I turn it on it causes a trip in the electrics and they all blow.

And good old ebay of course if you can sell anything for collection.

I doubt I'd be eligible but anyway there wouldn't be anywhere to put it. The oven is one that's built into the kitchen unit (small kitchen) I guess an electrician needs to have a look at it but obviously I can't afford that just now.

Op- help is available. Are you in employment? There are various crisis grants you can access. Make an appointment at your local citizens advice, or even social work department. Where abouts are you?

Yy re cats being mewing. They'll learn to eat what they're bloody well given.

5kg pots £2.50
Value penne pasta 30p ea
Value rice 50p
Value tinned tomatoes
Lentils & pulses
Value eggs
Value cheese
Value/reduced bread
Value spreads
Cheapest apples
Marked down bananas
Value carrots
Value peas
Value corn
Value onions
Value bacon/sausages
Porridge oats

Your need a microwave at the least

Lots of things that can be made with boiling water (my stock camping meals!)

Noodles (really cheap)
Cous cous
Soup
Some pasta pots etc

Not perfect food but at least they're hot.

Supplement these with bread (reduced at the end of the day), and whatever veg you can get cheap, or tins

Local buy and sell sites, if you put in a request you might find someone has a microwave they're getting rid of for free? I'd have given my last one away if someone would have collected.