I need to earn £400 by Sunday can anyone recommend or give tips/advice?

[Hurtandconfused6537]

Hi

I am really desperate and need to earn £400 by this Sunday. I don’t have a lot to sell but put everything I can on eBay cheap buy it now. Sold 2 items straight away to find out it takes 21 days for them to release the money! I couldn’t even really afford to post the 2 things I sold but I have and then taken everything else off because I can’t afford to wait 21 days as I can’t afford the postage. I have no skills, I’m just a complete and utter failure in all aspects of life but I do want to turn my life around. I am not a permanent employee and work in a college that hasn’t given me hours since June, I recently applied to Asda for checkouts but didn’t get it. I don’t know what to do and time is running out! Is there any websites which pay money that aren’t a scam? Not adult websites, yes I’m desperate but believe me no one will pay to see this anyway

Any advice greatly appreciated

If you have stuff to sell you could use Gumtree, they people will collect and give you cash.

What about cash in hand jobs? Could offering ironing, gardening, dog walking or cleaning to your neighbours?
You say you work in a college - surely the students are back - could you ask for any shifts doing anything?

Are you entitled to any benefits?
Do you have any jewellery that you can sell or pawn?
Can you get a loan from friends or family - NOT a payday loan though.
What is the £400 for? If its to pay something, can you defer payment?

It’s my rent. I’ve put him off one week already, yes but no hours for me and I’m really too nervous to push them and I don’t think the coordinator likes me which is why I applied to Asda. I don’t think I come across well as I really struggle

I’m going to try gumtree as I think if I can sell smaller bits at 10/20 and the sofa/washer I can do it (this is what I wanted to do on eBay until the 21 day thing which is because I’m a new eBayer) just setting it up now, thank you

Landlord won’t allow housing benefit so never claimed it as I’d be kicked out and I lost my own home after my ex left me a few years ago I’m desperate not to lose this one. I’m hoping by next Month I will have a job I’m just so down today can’t stop crying

No jewellery never had any except a bracelet that I pawned in 2 years ago.

Why would the landlord know whether you are claiming housing benefit?

Just claim and dont tell him.

Are you on Universal credit?

Wouldn’t they need to contact him to confirm? I don’t think I’d dare risk him finding out. £400 is so cheap I’m scared of being turfed out. Also I don’t have a car so I’d never afford to even move us, I’m on tax credits and child benefit and my wage when I get it. Using food banks.. we struggle to always have gas and electric, every week I hope I can put some aside for rent but it’s busfares as well it’s completely hopeless! But if I sell this stuff on gumtree I can pay for October and I’m praying I’ve a job come November xxx

Definitely apply for housing benefit, it’s not going to help you immediately, but will help with Future rent. The payment goes to you and then you transfer it to your landlord.
Can you put a Facebook post out on your local page offering cleaning etc as above??

Your LL doesn’t need to know about housing benefit. Call up, they will reassure you.

It’s not sustainable not to if your work situation is unreliable.

Does your DC’s other parent pay towards them?

OP do you not have anything else of value to sell without leaving yourself with no furniture?

I'm sure I'm stating the obvious, but, you scrape together £400 for this months' rent, but you still have no work, so what happens next month? You need advice and help OP, because relying on picking up the odd shift where you work obviously isn't working.

PPs have had good ideas - listen to them.

What else are you applying for, OP? Are you getting job seekers allowance and help applying for work?

What are you qualified to do/have done before?

Presume e.g. pub work etc is not possible because of children?

If you are selling larger items on Ebay you need to do cash on collection, not delivery, it will limit the area of buyers but you will get the cash. Just put on the listing 'Collection only, no couriers, cash on collection, no Paypal on collection only items.' May not sell quickly though.

Actually you can do cash on collection on all of them.

Can you post the things you are selling on Facebook marketplace and then you won’t have the fees and as PP said make it cash on collection.

OP: bar work, waitressing, babysitting, cleaning, ironing, Sainsburys, Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidle, Office work, chambermaiding, care work, hca work. Where do you live? The college near us is always on lookout for early morning cleaners and ssinsburys for shoppers 4am to 8am. Private tutoring?

You are not a failure at life. You have fallen on hard times. Lots of people do. You have enough to tackle without starting a downer on yourself. And that won't get you a job either!

I think you need to be realistic, because scraping together another £400 in less than a week isn't very likely when you have no valuables. Find your local advice centre - it doesn't need to be CAB as there are many others around who are just as good. Tell them what is happening and ask for help. Be realistic that it isn't all going to arrive by Sunday. But if you are regularly unable to pay for housing, food and fuel, you aren't a little bit hard up - you are going under and you need help!

Start there, then go to the JobCentre and don't leave until you have some work. Whatever work! Get any job you can and live with it until you can improve your situation. Don't depend on grace and favour work from the college if they want you.

And if you must, and you really are facing eviction - the landlord cannot just throw you out. They need court orders. Those take time. But if you must, go to Social Services. You have children and they have a responsibility to safeguard the childrens position. It's not something any parent wants to do, but they are not the enemy either.

CAB income maximising appointment. Call shelter for advice. Claim the benefits you are entitled to. 💐

Hi HurtandConfused6537,

Sorry that you're going through a difficult time.

As we usually do in these circumstances, we're just putting our heads round the door with some important reminders.

While we have no reason to doubt the OP (who's a long-term member of the site) we at MNHQ can't ever know with 100% certainty that any poster is genuine, no matter who they are or how long they have been here. As frustrating as it is, we're not able to vouch for anyone here.

So we always ask users to remember that not everyone on the internet is who they say they are – and remind people not to give more to another poster, either financially (in cash or gifts) or emotionally (in time or care and support) than they'd be prepared to lose if things went wrong. We strongly advise against parting with any cash or giving away your personal details, and if you receive a PM which makes you uneasy - report it to us and we’ll take a look.

Sorry to hijack your thread briefly there, OP. We can see you're getting some really good advice and support here already. You might also find some useful information in our guide for dealing with financial difficulty - you'll find links to organisations that can offer you some support in real life.

We hope things start looking up for you soon, OP.

Oh no I wasn’t trying to get any cash at all I’m absolutely devastated you even think that, I literally posted this when I was really low and desperate. I’ve been on mumsnet ages first time I’ve posted about finances I wished I hadn’t now

I have sold my sofa and quite a lot of clothes so I’m almost there, thank you everyone

I know the landlord can’t throw me out straight away but he comes to house for rent I get really scared i darent say I can’t afford it I’ve put him off as it is.. i am struggling at the minute but we are managing I shouldn’t have posted. It was just a low day, sorry I truly am

This won't help you immediately either but take a look at the £10 a day thread on this board, there are good ideas on there for working from home doing surveys and bits. Appen, Prolific and Clickworker are the main ones I do. Cloudworkers is meant to be good as well if you are happy to chat to people. Hope your situation improves.

OP Don’t feel bad, Mumsnet wasn’t saying that you sounded like you were begging, it’s just that they’ll have seen similar posts in the past and know kind people will offer cash, and they want to point out pitfalls for everyone’s protection. You say you use food banks, don’t they have additional money advice as well?

Claim housing benefit!!! It's none of your landlords business. I didn't tell my landlord where my money comes from.

Please don't let it get you down, take a big breath, give yourself a hug and start your life back on track.

Cut back on any unnecessary costs so that you don't end up back here next month and apply for every job you see.

Citizens Advice Centre can help as will job centre. Good luck ❤️

You have to claim UC or HB if you can’t pay your rent.

You must have been aware for weeks that this situation is looming.

Long term, you should probably apply for the council housing list.