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.

Have you tried isolating which fuse is causing the problem - we had this once and it was a socket that had got wet. If you turn all the trips off, then turn them on one at a time and try to put the electric back on, you should be able to identify which one is causing the whole house to trip out? Hope this makes sense, if not say, and I'll try to explain a bit better

I know what you mean, and I've been on it since 6 - will try again a bit later but just need to have a cry. It'll be all right, will manage but one thing getting through with a kettle and broadband and a washing machine but I don't even know how I'm going to afford the laundrette.

(And I'm not asking for advice, don't start having a go anyone as I'm really and truly not up to it. I'm just saying how I feel.)

Costa I am so grateful as thanks to you I did find some sockets I didn't know about (it's an oldish house and some are in funny places) and turned them off and it seems to have worked - thank you so very much. I'm worried to turn them on again but there's one in the bedroom that definitely is ok so I can at least dry my hair. Think it might have been the fish tank (there's no fish in it perishing don't worry.)

In sorry, but I agree with a cour of the posters, you have been offered some great advice but seem unwilling to take any advice other than how to boil eggs or sell something (the latter being something fairly obvious in such circumstances tbh).

You are in a situation now where you don't even have any power to prove light/heating and possibly hot water (depending on how your boiler is powered) for your children. I'm afraid you have to swallow your pride and Al for help before this does become an issue where SS will get involved whether you like it or not.

Ok well I'm not going to SS, maybe it would be best for the children if they went into foster care or more likely their dads in the eyes of SS but it's actually not.

Op, I'm sorry I've not read the entire thread, BUT... Can you speak to your hv about accessing council funds? Mine helped me get a "social community grant" from the council for a cooker and she's currently helping me get a grant for transport (nursery 12 miles away).

Worth a shot?

Fuses have gone again but my hair is dry at least. I'm really not prepared at all to involve outside agencies - sorry if that angers some of you but I'm not.

I'm sorry you're going through a shit time op. I know you repeatedly say no, but I think you need outside help. We of course don't know the whole story but if it is just a cash flow problem for a month they will not take your children away. They will be much more concerned that you seem to be avoiding the authorities and they'd worry about what you're hiding.

Wss - avoiding is more of a red flag. They are not out to get you, it's easier for them to help someone who wants to be helped.

Tbh, I find it utterly absurd that you appear more concerned with having good hair than feeding your children.

Glad it helped - I wouldn't turn them back on, just leave on what needs to be on. We also have a problem that we can't have eg the washing machine, oven and dishwasher on at the same time (we're not in the uk and it's fairly normal here) so could that be a problem, that somehow the circuit is being overloaded? Toasters, kettles and hair dryers are also notorious culprits - anything that heats really

I just wanted to wish you well OP - please ignore the people who are having a go.

Did you know you can cook potato waffles in the toaster?

Yes camping stoves are easy, well the two I have are - http://www.halfords.com/camping-leisure/camping/camping-cooking-equipment/halfords-portable-gas-stove?cmmmc=Google+PLACampingCamping+Cooking+Equipment--169121&$ja=tsid:60494%7Ccgn:GoogleShopping%7Ckw:169121&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istItemId=xmxpxit&istBid=tzxa&$ja=tsid:35522%7Ccid:356616244%7Cagid:24765778804%7Ctid:kwd-49939691219%7Ccrid:86548716604%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:3535974565028252587%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:1o1&gclid=CNX93rS2iskCFUcUwwodaA8AaA these ones]] They have a safety catch which you have to engage before you can turn the knob to light the gas, same way as you would on a gas hob.

try this link and the only reason I've suggested borrowing is so you don't have to pay out from what you have left. Gas cans can be picked up for £4 for 3 in poundstretcher. Or I think pound land may sell them too. But either way, they are worth having as even under norm circs, when you have a power cut you can heat water and cook. We're an all electric village and have had days of no power before so I've become an expert at rustling up meals for 6 on 2 camping stoves!!!

I think you do need to get something to cook on, will you have the funds in three weeks to get cooker fixed or buy a microwave? Because I'm not being funny but an 18 month old should be eating meals also not just toast and custard. They could easily become vitamin and protein deficient on that and ill within a short time. So it's really not ok to continue beyond the month

Can you not ask to use neighbours stuff in exchange for something? Or can you use their oven/ job or washing machine in exchange for helping them tidy their garden/ or offer to babysit for free one evening a week whilst you are using their stuff? Could ask a few neighbours. Elderly ones might be more than happy to if you offer to help them with stuff like collecting their shopping/ doing some household stuff for them for free

Thanks ginger - thank you.

Swiss, this is why I won't involve SS because of people jumping to wrong conclusions bustling round with their middle class bossy noses.

Bit harsh on here, suggesting she's more bothered about her hair. If there's food in the cupboards and a small amount of money for more food the children would barely notice.
The electrics situation is a new one at the beginning of the thread the op just didn't have a cooker. I remember when I moved to where I am now it was a very skint month, the gas oven didn't pass the gas safety and had to be disconnected I'd had so many unexpected costs and I felt guilty on my son, then he told me on the way home from nursery that he'd invited all the tank engines round for dinner he said "it's a good job you got loads of food" I didn't feel guilty after that, he didn't have a clue anything was different he had he's toys in a warm house and didn't miss a meal he couldn't see into the cupboards.
Is the boiler ok op?
The small things feel so luxurious when you've made do for a little while.
One more small thing those re useable toaster bage that are 1.30 in tesco you can cook fish fingers in them.

Why is it harsh? Ime SS (and other agencies) want to help and will do. And of they make ludicrous suggestions they can be told to bugger off. Eg last week my local ss offered to come and teach me how to clean/cook - my hv told them to piss off for being patronising twats.

I do find it odd than OP doesn't wish to try and did help, yet seems desperate to have nice blow-dried hair.

I hope you get what you're looking for op.

OP why don't you get an electrician asap n to fix the electrics? If you use a larger company they will then send you an invoice and you'll have a couple of weeks to pay it, by which time your situation will have sorted itself out a bit.

Of course I wasn't desperate for nice blow dried hair. That's what I mean about unpleasant and judgemental comments.

I had already showered and washed my hair when I realised the problem with the sockets and so I had wet hair and to be honest was cold. Obviously my children are more important than my hair - obviously. It was just that was an immediate problem if you like.

And like I say that is why I won't involve outside agencies - because they start making assumptions and because they make assumptions they assume they are right.

SS Can be told to bugger off? I don't think that's true, I can understand why someone who temporarily strapped would not see themselves as in need in that way.
It's boring being skint and you need to use your imagination sometimes but no one is in danger, skint and poor are 2 different things IMO. If this were long term you would be right someone would need to help, but it's not.

It'll be all right.

I think some people are confusing what's good for the children with what's best for the children.

Obviously I realise my circumstances aren't ideal. I never meant to bring my children up in a dysfunction environment or one that is chaotic but I am aware that despite not wanting to, I am.

Now I recognise SS have a job to do and maybe on the outside its easy to say I can't provide for my children so they should live with their dad - but I know they are better emotionally with me.

For those who insist SS are there purely to be supportive, they are not.

Having social services involves is not a punishment. It's to help you. They're not going to put your children in foster care because of a cash flow problem, they're much more likely to find you a microwave and give you foodbank vouchers or support in the school run.

I don't understand why you don't want any help. The school will have seen this loads of times and may support with meals/ travel short term. You could have a microwave tonight if you ask on Freecycle. It won't publish your name so no one will know it's you who is asking.

No, they wouldn't put them in foster care - they'd give them to their dad. I can't explain as it will out me and now everyone thinks I'm some selfish bitch who only wants nice hair - I'm not.

And I can't use a microwave as the sockets don't work. The lights are on but I can't use any power sockets, it worked briefly this morning - that was when I mentioned my hair - but they went bang again as I was getting us out of the house. So a microwave won't help.

I'm sorry - I didn't know when I started the thread this would happen. But it has and I can't do a thing about it and I obviously can't talk to anyone in real life so I just wanted some support here, honestly that's all.