Struggling

[Sarahlouisemamofgirls]

Afternoon. Does anyone know of anywhere I can get food today for me and my daughters. Struggling to make ends meet completely now as a single mum to 4 and no food banks are open today. Thankyou

When will you get some money?

Have you considered taking in ironing….?

I recieve wages from work on Thursday then il be fine afterwards

Taking in ironing?

Are your credit cards and overdraft maxed out?

What are those? 🤣 I don't have either sorry

So potentially unless you’re honest with the school / SS… you and your children will have nothing to eat until then.

Swallow your pride.

Any joy with olio?
Have you put up the anonymous FB post?

Hi @Sarahlouisemamofgirls I'm really sorry to hear you're struggling.

Are you absolutely sure you've checked all coat pockets, piggy banks? Do you have an overdraft or any debit card or other bank card with credit on it? No friends or family who can lend you £5 or feed you all?

If you absolutely have no access to money and food, I would echo what a number of other posters have said - contact your local churches and mosques.

Your children need to eat a sufficient amount today and if you can't get anything from a church or anywhere else maybe you do need to call the Social Services out of hours team for support. I don't want to lecture you, but it is a bit concerning to hear that you can't feed your 4 children today or tomorrow. Presumably you knew your food was running out? It's really important to contact food banks etc in good time to make sure you don't run out of food on a Sunday.

I'd also speak to Citizens Advice to check you're getting everything you're entitled to. Are you getting Child Benefit for all 4 children? You can get UC child element for all 4 children from April so that should hopefully help. If you earn at least £846 per calendar month you won't be affected by the benefit cap (assuming you might otherwise be ). Good luck!

Won't help you now but if you are working I would apply for a credit card today. As long as you pay it off each month the interest free period will give you a cushion each month if money is tight.

So what have you tried already OP?

Olio
Facebook
Church
Mosque
Street food charity
Neighbour (did you actually ask, or presume they couldn't help?)
Ring a friend

You seem remarkably relaxed bearing in mind you don't get paid till Thursday

Can you explain how you got that impression please?

Swallow your pride and go with the anonymous Facebook post. There will be somebody in your area willing to spare some bread or cereal or a couple of tins. Tomorrow get up early and take the children to school. Have a quiet word with whichever member of staff is available about the situation. If there’s a school breakfast club they’ll feed the children free rather than see them hungry, and can help with a foodbank referral.

Yeah tried all ollio near me was just some sweet mince pies which the kids won't eat. I've managed to get sorted now luckily thankyou xxx

If I were your friend or neighbour, I would want you to ask me for help. I would help you, feed you all and stock you up till Thursday. 99% of people would do something.

So swallow your pride op and ask.

That is good that you have managed to sort something OP.

If that was directed to me, I think it's the 'we're taking it day by day' and the laughing emoji about the credit cards that gave the impression you were quite relaxed.

I guess I don't think having no food can be taken 'day by day'. If food is running out, plans need to be made to ensure everyone gets fed!

Also the OPs parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews and the same on the children's father's side?

Are not one or two of all them able to lend a bag of pasta, beans, eggs, bread and milk etc?

In the real world, there are some people who just don't have Family that are around/ alive, whatever, who can help them. Most people thankfully might have those who can/ will.

Really good to hear you got sorted!

It would be good to know where you managed to get help on a Sunday afternoon (may be useful for future posters too), if possible. Was it a church/ mosque or somewhere else?

Yes, I agree,it would be great to hear and could help others! Glad it was sorted

I’m really glad you’ve managed to get things sorted.
I mean this kindly, but please reach out to services to try and make sure you don’t end up in this situation again. Especially if it happened back in October too. Whether that be contact CAB re your benefits, local services for family support etc.
You can plan ahead too. When you get paid, make sure you buy a big bag of cheap pasta and something to make sauces (jars or chopped toms, tinned tuna etc) and some basic cereal / UHT milk. If you buy a bit of stuff like this each month and put it away, you shoukd have a little store to tide you over times like this (though hopefully it won’t happen again).

For the sake of others @Sarahlouisemamofgirls , how have you got sorted?

Yes that was directed to you, you can't judge someone by messages and a laughing emoji you don't know me from Adam I laughed genuinely at the comment because we don't all live on credit some people live in a real world where we don't have a price of plastic to save us in every situation. I'm not laughing about my own situation. Intact it was very serious I was genuinely in dire need of help hence the post. And yes some people do live day to day borrowing a couple of quid here and there just to get by were not all perfect And up our own asses

But the good news is that you’re now sorted.

How? There will be others in similar
Situation that may benefit