St. Vincent De Paul

LegacyUser

Hey

I was wondering if anybody had any experience of going to St. Vincent De Paul. I'm in a bit of a bad way financially. I moved apartments this month and had to pay the deposit and the first month's rent. I was expecting to get my deposit back from the old place quite quickly, but the landlord's being difficult. I'm dealing with that separately, but, in the meantime, I've run out of money. Been trying to think of things that I can sell, but I don't really have anything, and I don't have anybody that I can ask for money. I don't really have any food in the apartment except for some rice and beans that will get me through the weekend.

I work and all my bills are paid, so I just need to get by for the next week until I get paid. I was thinking of going to St. Vincent De Paul on Monday to see if they could give me food or vouchers. I'm sure they're really nice, but I just don't know what to expect. I can explain what happened, but I would be going in on my lunch wearing work clothes and I don't want to seem like somebody just going in when there are people who would be more clearly in need. I thought about going to a money lender, even though I know it would be a bad idea, but I'd only need about €50, but I wouldn't have a clue where to go. If anybody has any advice or experience I would be grateful, 'cause it's really scary not having anything and I'm trying to ration out my beans at this stage to last me through the weekend and I haven't really eaten much for the last week to try and make my money last.

edellc

Is there any chance you could ask for a sub in work, or even a small loan from petty cash...most places do this for good employees.

Do you have an overdraft on your bank account that you could use and if not why not apply for one it may not help now but if you ever need it in the future then its there.

Do you have friend that you could ask for a loan or a close work colleague.

As far as I know VDP come out to your house and can issue vouchers, I have never experienced them so dont know if you drop in will they just give you a voucher there and then either

Big Bag of Chips

Ring SVP. Someone will be able to help you. It's a horrible position to be in, and it is why they are there.
You should not go hungry.

What harm can a phonecall do, anyway?

I hope you're ok, and keep reminding yourself this is a temporary thing, and you will be back on your feet soon.

Edit: Yes, work could also give you a 'loan' until payday. If it's only around 50 quid, then I don't see it as being a problem.

Molloys Clondalkin

Been there op when I left the off licence world.
If you give them a call they will pop out to the house and have a chat with you
I get paid on Tuesday evening if your still stuck Ill give you a loan of 50 euro. pm me and send me your number if you need it.

merlie

This may be of a bit of help to you, the Capuchins run a day centre in Bow Street, Dublin, just behind their church in Church Street. You can get something to eat there plus on Wednesday mornings they give food parcels to people, you just go down and queue and get a bag filled with essentials and other food items. It will help you I am sure

In the Day Centre, they serve breakfast and lunches for free.

Hope this is of some help. You should also talk with MABS about your situation

Taltos

Molloys Clondalkin - I know your offer was made with the best of intentions but one of our key rules in the charter here is to ask posters not to ask others to PM/contact them in any way. This not only to protect the OPs but posters like you too.

Thanks
Taltos

LegacyUser

Op,

If you go on to the SVP website you will find a number for your area. You can also email a message which will be handled in the same way. They will take some details from you and pass them on to a member in your local conference who will call you. They will most likely arrange a time to call to your home for a chat. They usually visit in pairs. Please don't find this off putting. It's just so they can meet you and work out how best they can help you. They will probably give a voucher for your local supermarket.

I don't think there is somewhere you can drop in. The shops are separate from the home visitation and don't handle requests like this I don't think. AFAIK they are there for fundraising, but perhaps it's different in your area. I think they will probably ask you to contact your regional office. The home visitation teams are all local volunteers, many of whom work full time so most of the work is done outside of office hours.

Don't be embarrassed about contacting the SVP. This is exactly why they exist and they do not judge people or their circumstances. They meet people from all walks of life and won't find it strange to see you in your work clothes. We all need a little help now and again and there's no shame in that. Best wishes with whatever you decide to do.

Molloys Clondalkin

i remember what it was like to be in that boat Just wanted to help someone else out if I could no malice inteded at all.

Witchie

I had to get some short term cash recently fast and got in touch with Providence Loans. They lent me €300 and I am paying €15 a week back and they come to my house every week to collect it. Very nice and easy to deal with and they are legit not like a money lender as such.

The Big Red Button

I'd approach your Community Welfare Officer. Call your local social welfare office, and arrange a meeting. There's a decent chance that you would be able to arrange an interest-free loan this way.

I would strongly advise to stay well away from Providence or similar loan sharks.

LegacyUser

Hi all

Firstly - thanks so much for your advice and replies. Thanks, particularly, to Molloys. That is such a lovely offer when you don't even know me! I wouldn't feel right, but I really, really appreciate you being so kind!

I'm going to ring SVDP tomorrow morning when they're open and see what they say. I've also applied to Providence, who may give me a €100 loan (their minimum) for a total cost of €130 over six months.

Totally out of good food at this stage, but have crackers and butter and jam from work, so I've been eating that. Not starving!

Molloys Clondalkin

Just be careful with providence you can fall into an easy money trap with them. and be left paying money out of your wages for ages!!!

filmbuffboy

if you are working OP then mabye the bank will issue you with a small overdraft?

another sugestion for the future would be to save 5 euros a week for rainy days such as this.

i save 5 euros every week, a small sum i know, but over a few years it adds up and can come in handy in emergencies :-)

hope you manage ok!

emschlem

What sector do you work in OP?

LittleBook

Hungry wrote: »

I'm going to ring SVDP tomorrow morning when they're open and see what they say. I've also applied to Providence, who may give me a €100 loan (their minimum) for a total cost of €130 over six months.

Stick with the plan to contact SVDP. That Provident loan is @ an APR of over 180%. How that's not criminal, I just don't know.

Podgers

i thought there was a mistake on the calculations of 180%APR but that's dreadful. the problem with the likes of them credit companies you will get sucked into paying them back for ages, €100 sounds like a small amount but its alot when you dont have it and €130 of interest! wow!

St. Vincent de Paul are your best option here, the company i work for deal a lot with supplying people for them.

as my father said to me once its not whats coming in that hurts its whats going out, a person making €200 a week can have more money than someone making €700, it all depends how you control your spending.

filmbuffboy is right, what might be no harm is setting up a credit union account, and put something like €10 direct debit every month into it, i find with bank accounts its too easy to access the money, were with the credit union its away, you cant see it and its safe! plus if you have a few pound saved in it you can get a small loan out without paying over the odds on interest.

Molloys Clondalkin

Excellent advice about the credit union. plus the five euro a week is a small amount even if it was in coins in a jar at least when things are tight there is the price of a slice pan and a packet of sausages there.

I lived on sausages and chips from lidl for a long time but its good cause me likes sausages and chips

filmbuffboy

Molloys Clondalkin wrote: »

Excellent advice about the credit union. plus the five euro a week is a small amount even if it was in coins in a jar at least when things are tight there is the price of a slice pan and a packet of sausages there.

I lived on sausages and chips from lidl for a long time but its good cause me likes sausages and chips

5 euros a week after 4 years is 1040 euros! people say all the time they cant afford to save. 99% of people out there could afford to part with a fiver a week. it all adds up in the long run and you neever know when it will come in handy!

An Bhanríon

You have hopefully gone to the VdeP already and found out what they can do for you.

As regards their attitude to you, I would say that their volunteers are trained to be impartial. They will know by your background and everything you have mentioned here that you really need their help.

No shame at all in going to them. People from all backgrounds get help from the VdeP. You just never hear about it. And part of their service is turning up at your place discreetly. Nobody needs to know if you don't want them to know.


Best of luck.

ennis81

Ring the SVDP they will help you hun, MOLLOYS CLONDALKIN your a little saint
+ 1 to the credit union idea, they've saved me a few times!!!!

LegacyUser

Hey guys - OP here.

I rang St. Vincent De Paul on Monday and two of their volunteers came over that evening. (They give out vouchers on a Monday, so I was very lucky that I got in touch in time!). They came over and we had a chat - which was in no way uncomfortable; they just wanted to establish the facts. They couldn't have been nicer, and they gave me vouchers for Tesco, which allowed me to go out and do a big shop of all the things I needed - chicken, veg, tuna, pulses, and general good food! Have had a few proper dinners in the last few days, which has made me feel a million times better.

I've always known about SVDP, but I never appreciated them so much before. My situation is temporary, but it was so scary - searching for change to see if I could buy beans in Lidl just to keep some energy in me, and going to bed as early as possible to sleep off the hunger. Sounds so dramatic, but that was the state I was in.

I couldn't get an advance from work 'cause the finance guy is on holidays and nobody else can authorise it. I have applied for an overdraft though, but I hope I won't need it!

I'll learn from this, and a credit union account is the way to go. I don't have rainy day savings, but I am going to start this month when I get paid.

Thanks for all your advice! I just hope that anybody's who's in a similar situation can see this post and know that St. Vincent De Paul will help.

deisemum

There are so many people in a similiar position who've gotten help from them. I know people who only wanted a one off helping hand from them and once they were back on their feet they repaid them and contributed to their collections after that.

anewme

OP, I am extremely shocked that people are going hungry in Ireland in 2012 and I am so glad VdeP were there to help. Things will get better for you.

Am going to send a few bob to my local VdeP this weekend. Thanks.

Taltos

OP - as you have gotten the help you need I am going to close this thread.
If you need it re-opened please contact any of the mods on PI in total confidence.

All the best
Taltos