To have frugality fatigue. (Cost of living.)

I am on benefits. I don't get the free hours. I have to fork out the childcare fees and hope UC gives it back. To be honest the thresholds have been lowered by the recent government that things that many were eligible for such as free school meals or free prescriptions are no longer available for them. If it is any consolation I imagine you will have a better pension and maybe own your house (hope I am not presuming much). I don't even get free dental treatment.

I'm assuming your too embarrassed to tell any close family/friend's your situation?. If I had a close family member or friend who l knew was in this situation, I'd be buying them a few groceries or treating them to a coffee and cake out. These days it feels like everyone for themselves. Life really shouldn't be like this but the smallest of things can make life a little more enjoyable.

I'm now living on a pension in France - it's not horrible but 3 days from 'payday' and there is little left in the pot.

I'm a member of a few 'frugal living in France ' type FB groups and I'm constantly annoyed by the boastful posts of 'i saw cheddar cheese half price in Lidl so I cleaned the shelf'.

So annoying in so many ways - yes it's money saving, but you must have lost of spare cash to clean the shelf, and what about leaving some for other people who may need the help.

Global terms and historical UK terms are not relevant - people are talking about their life, here and now, in the UK.

You ARE poor if you have to think every single day how you're going to eek out your income to feed and house your children, and you ARE poor if you can't afford to have much fun in life because you simply don't have the money.

I'm not poor but grew up in an impoverished household - it was bleak.

We were at our most poor around 2000. We were in the cycle of losing most of our savings on private rent deposits because for many it was a boom time and the houses we rented kept being sold and we had to every six months. There wasn't the deposit protection in place that there is now. We were young (early 20's), had a baby and my ex couldn't find work so we were living on benefits which were pretty much next to nothing as that was before tax credits.

I remember scrapping for loose change around the house to buy bread and milk and a bag of pasta so we could make sure the baby got some food.

I did find work but it wasn't a high wage and my ex wasn't a great sah parent.

Whenever I feel frustrated now I remember how bad it was then and I feel a degree of satisfaction that although it's not been great managing as a single parent on a low wage I have kept everything better than it was then!

It does grind you down to a point you can't see a way forward.

I'm sorry, just been nodding along in solidarity with the majority of other posters, but had to stop and double take your post.

Can't quite fathom how limiting heating or meals doesn't mean you're poor - at all.

Unless it's being done through choice such as to feed masochistic compulsion.

I can appreciate I'm fortunate to have my flat with it's central heating and combi boiler which makes me more fortunate than some, and that relatively speaking it's affordable, but my budget is so finely tuned unless the temperature dips well below freezing, the heating will remain an enigma. My new sport is watching my smart meter and trying to keep daily gas and electricity consumption to between one and two pounds, because currently my food budget is 80.00 (ish) a month - yes, a month and I'm trying to keep it that way. There's just me and my cat. And don't tell me to get rid of my cat or I'll offer you out. (Joking, obvs)

BUT I think that makes me poor by average standards.

I KNOW THAT. I know it is also not comparable to the poverty of the past but how does your post help the OP? She needs food banks. I am pretty sure she is poor. I am not saying she is in poverty! Freezing in your house isn't going to be any better because others are worse off.

You’re comparing conditions of ‘global’ poverty with one of the richest and most development nations in the world. Expectations are different; whether you agree with it or not.

I believe the reason for this was for the children's benefit as those with non working families generally speaking had awful prospects so needed to be in nursery more to give them a better chance in life

😹 I have no idea who this lady is but your renditions are hilarious so it doesn’t even matter.

It’s not rude in the slightest.

Trust me not jealous! But the way the government gives out free childcare hours for those on benefits but this was not available to those working full time jobs made no sense. I hear there are some changes there now but unfortunately I cannot avail as my children are now at primary school after having paid thousands in nursery fees!
The thing is ppl on benefits sometimes as get as much or even more than ppl in full time work. Sorry but I find that grossly unfair. No one on benefits should be better off than someone in full time employment.

It depends on your perspective.

In global terms, when half the population of the world lives on less than $6 a day, the fact that we have houses, heating, food, a flushing toilet, education, healthcare, entertainment, communication devices and leisure time makes us very rich.

I know it’s no fun, but poverty it is not.

Try getting a house in Australia. If you think the rental market is bad here.

You may have already tried this OP but have you got the Olio app?

You can get free food (we have olio champions who collect fresh produce from the supermarkets and distribute it) I appreciate you may not have someone close by to collect from or be able to travel to collect tho.

We are also fortunate enough to have a community kitchen locally that does a similar thing, so people can go along and collect a bag of food, I know you don't qualify for state help but anyone can go to these. Anything similar near enough for you?

Are you always so fucking rude?

I hear you OP. I'm very lucky because I have assets but I can't eat assets. I don't qualify for benefits because I have savings, but because I'm self-employed, those savings are for illness or old age. My income is very small at the moment (sometimes only a few hundred a month) and health and other considerations mean I can't work more hours. I'm also tired of dahl and curries that I make up from the contents of my fridge. Every time I save a few pounds and get back to zero, I get a big expense that I have to stick on my credit card.

I fully expect to be one of the people Labour hammer in the budget. Asset 'rich' and not a 'working person' apparently.

Someone posted it above but the olio app is amazing if if is active in your area

I have managed to half my grocery bill through olio collections. The best stuff is collection after 9pm so to really benefit you need to be able to get out in the eve but even if you can't do that you can get best before items at any time. Family of 4 and our food bill is about £60 a week. Need to have a decent amount of freezer space

I haven't brought bread products in a very long time. I once got a whole chicken and a birthday cake.

Download the app and see if if is active in your area. If it isn't and you have time you can volunteer to be a food waste hero. You get to keep 10% of any collections you do plus anything which isn't collected by others.

With olio it is the unsold supermarket food at the end of the day which is collected by local food waste heroes, listed on the app and collected by the community. It is free to use or you can pay £30 a year to not have to watch an advert

I am aware of what poverty is and have some experience of it. However you are poor if you have to ration food and heat. Why wouldn't it be classed as poor? Who rations it if you aren't struggling unless you are Scrooge?

It’s poor form for posters to be saying she should make a better version of dhal or that in Asia it’s eaten most meals. And? Maybe thats not to OPs taste.

Whether she eats it 3 times a day or its an analogy, we can get the point shes making without picking holes in it.

Hope things pick up for you.

Benefits aren't that generous. It isn't something to be jealous of.

I hear you! I also have accidentally come across that YT channel. YANBU about any of it.

Limiting heating or meals does not mean you are poor. At all.

If I could I’d eat lovely organic food from Waitrose every day and have my heating on all evening. But I don’t — I limit it because I can’t afford to eat exactly how I want and have my house toasty warm all the time. It doesn’t mean I’m poor.

Sorry, but not being able to afford any treats and eating low-cost food is NOT poverty.

Not really, I know a lot of ppl moving to Australia and Middle East. Australia is a bit more expensive in terms of paper work, Middle East less so if you get yourself a job before you go. Having lived in UK, Middle East - Dubai/ Bahrain, Singapore and India, I am tempted to go to India for better quality of life.

If you go on ebay you can get for £3.99 I'll PM you x

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