No Money For presents For The Kids

mandi

Do you have a credit union close to where you live.. Short term they could maybe get you over this crisis, with a small loan. In the long term , ask for any benefit to be paid by cheque directly to you , until you can open another account.

I do feel for you, but I wouldnt worry about presents, you can make it up to your neices, and newphews, when times are better .

http://www.abcul.org/page/index.cfm


Good Luck

itsnotfair_2

I'm not sure where you are in the UK but The Salvation Army give out food parcels to those in need. You often need a social worker or doctor to give you a letter explaining your need. In my area people get the letter and come and ask. They usually put on meals for needy regularly, too.

bestpud

I strongly advise you to contact your bank and if you get no joy, go along to the CAB and ask them to help you. They are much more likely to help when the CAB is involved in my experience.

Credit Unions are very good but most require you to have saved regularly for a while before they will loan out money. Certainly worth thinking about once you are more on your feet though.

Don't worry about presents just now - that is the least of your worries and your family know the reason.

viktory

If you have nieces and nephews that you want to buy presents for, you obviously have fairly close relatives. Are they aware of the situation? Can they not help out with food parcels, even if they have no spare money to lend?

[Deleted User]

viktory wrote: »

If you have nieces and nephews that you want to buy presents for, you obviously have fairly close relatives. Are they aware of the situation? Can they not help out with food parcels, even if they have no spare money to lend?

yes they are aware of the situation. My bothers barely make enough from working to cover bills etc so they wouldnt be able to help me when they have 2 take care of their families. But they would help if they could. Ill just have to borrow afew tins of food from them and see if i can borrow some food from my cousins. made me so mad that they didnt give me a crisis loan even when they knew the bank swallowed the lot. for some strange reason my bank (alliance and lecister) charge me £5 a day if am over my limit plus the charges and intrest. I never had a £5 daily charge from halifax, just the charges and intrest.

As to the subject of the banks now allowed to take benefits, they probably can. Cos if u work for £200 a week and have £200 charges they would take the lot leaving u with £0. So i cant see why being on benefits would be any different?

But thanks guys anyway about the places to get food from. Ill have a look around the town tomorrow at churches and that and see what i can do. Plus ill have to defo get another bank account so this doesnt keep happening. I guess ill also have 2 try and not use any electric lol (Brave smile there!)

98sidney

Maybe you could make your presents check out the celebrations board, loads of ideas on there, journal jar, or jar of 365 facts, sounds silly but check it out..

You could have your nieces and nephews for the night at yours so your family could go out or they could just have a quiet night in without the kids, as a mum of 2 that would be a great present..

If you are on metre it may be worth ringing the company you are with and explain your circustances they may be able to put emergency credit on there for you, worth asking anyway..

Do you have a nectar card?.. If you do remember every 500 points is worth £2.50..

How about having a garage sale to raise funds for food, electric, or join your local freecyle site and see if you can sell items on there..

Sorry if you were near by I would help more..

98sidney

I also think you will find the bank by law has to leave you with a certain amount to live on when you are on benefit so chase your bank up tomorrow

PasturesNew

If you live near supermarkets, on Xmas Eve you might find some stupidly low prices for food in the last hour (or an hour after they've closed in the skip, still sealed).

MrsTinks

Banks can't take means-tested benefits to pay overdrafts or debts. The legislation is as follows:

Social Security Administration Act 1992
Miscellaneous
Certain benefit to be inalienable **

187- Subject to the provisions of this Act, every assignment of, or charge on-
(a)benefit as defined in section 122 of the Contributions and Benefits Act;
(b)any income-related benefit; or
(c)child benefit,
and every agreement to assign or charge such benefit shall be void; and, on the bancrupcy of the beneficiary, such benefit shall not pass to any trustee or other person acting on behalf of his creditors.

** inaliable = not to be forfeited

The problem is often that people don't realise that banks shouldn't take it and unless you get very stroppy with them then they will! and getting them to cough it back up is a nightmare... Hence better to open a new basic account to have benefits paid into and treat any charges and overdraft as a debt.
Come and join us on the Debt free wannabe board - you'll find a wealth of information and ideas there as well as help in dealing with the bank to get that money back if at all possible...
Have you been to see the CAB or one of the other debt charities like CCCS? I would give them a call sooner rather than later and let them help you put together an action plan. Can almost promise you step one is open a basic account with a bank you do not currently owe money to
And for your nieces and nephews... why not do a gift voucher? something like "trip to the park to play on the swings", "afternoon playing board games" etc

Money_maker

Is OP still living with his mother? If this is the case and she is still on IB, she may be able to get some help with electricity etc.
Good luck