Another benefits question

[FunkyCherry]

I believe benefits should be there to help people that NEED help to maintain basic living standards.

AIBU to think that you don't need benefits if you can afford any of the following:

Fags
Alcohol
Plasma tv
Holidays

Also, what would you add to this list?

You'd add biscuits????

Meat.
Fresh fruit and vegetables.
Fish.
Milk.

Vegans manage fine without these riduclous luxuries and there is nothing wrong with tinned carrots and dried peas. It's a perfectly acceptable nourishing diet and I for one am SICK of paying for scrounging benefit junkies to eat pies.

yes biscuits - I mean you don't need biscuits do you???

Windows.

They aren't paying taxes for the upkeep of our Great British Land, so they shouldn't be allowed to look at it.

oh - and doors coldizt - if we shut them in their homes then they won't be out on the streets bothering everyone else will they?

Oxygen.
It should be privatised for the good of the economy.
Can't afford it, can't live.
Benefits system sorted.

washing machines - they can hand wash their clothes.

hoovers - get a broom and sweep it - that's what my mum used to do and I'm not that old - no reason they can't do the same

actually don't know why you've specified plasma TV's - surely any TV is surplus to their requirements?

Books - they can go to the library (apart from the fact that I've alrady locked them in their homes)

oh - and toys - any mothers that are pg or have chidlren should be given one hoop, one piece of rope and a ball.

Bonus payments should be made to those families who can get at least one child up a chimney or down a mine.

This is where my thinking came from: Was at a checkout recently and the lady in front had basket of food and asked for packet of fags too. I just thought if you can afford to pay six pounds for a packet of fags, you don't really need the 3.10 fruit/veg benefit voucher.

Based on your responses, I think I over-simplified things, so okay, IABU.

Maybe people on benefits shouldn't be trusted with money at all and should be given a food parcel every week and their bills paid direct from the DWP. Although are gas, electricity and water really a necessity or are we just mollycoddling these ne'er do wells?

I'm surprised you shop in the same store as these kinds of people.

So which of the four things I mentioned do people think are essentials?

perhaps we should ask you what YOU think are essentials.

FFS, they don't have PLASMA TV's. They have FLATSCREEN TV's

World of differnce (about £3k difference)

A 28" LCD can cost as little as £200. my 'benefit scrounger sister' has one, but only because my parents upgraded and she got the cast off.

STOP BEING SO FUCKING JUDGY YOU TWAT.

[ahem]

quite frankly have either had it from before they ended up on benefits (you sometimes people with REALLY nice stuff end up on them >>), have taken out credit at ridiculously high interest rates, or been given it - ditto holidays - (although the latter is easier to save up for and do on the cheap if you're nifty with you budgetting).

can I just reiterate:

NOBODY ON BENEITS HAS A PLASMA. THIS IS DAILY MAIL BOLLOCKS

(ahem)

Jareth - I don't even have a flat screen - that's just about the only nice thing we never had - well I lie we had a really nice TV that we bought 8yrs ago, it was really nice...........THEN - one of those ones that are about 6ft deep and weight 10 tonnes but a good one.

Obviously 8yrs down the line it's well - a bit dated - so as the LL here had an equally old clunky TV (Sony though - so not a bad one ) here I let exH keep the old one.

Just because someone has a holiday, doesn't mean they have paid for it, someone else may have booked it. Same goes for Teles, just because someone has one, doesn't mean they have bought it, it may have been a gift.

And why shouldn't someone on benefits buy a luxury item from time to time if they budget their money well?

I just consider the things I mentioned luxuries to be purchased with disposable income.

So someone who is careful with their income, by being energy efficient, walks rather than drives/gets bus, uses blankets instead of heating, buys cheap food etc.. shouldn't be allowed to buy something nice with the money they have saved?

I don't have a flat screen myself (JVC 10yo piece of crap here) and we have a combined income of £60k, but can't justify £500 on a new TV when the old one {decides to} work.

btw, we hvae tesco vouchers to a mad amount (DP buys his london travel on his CC) so any lovely trip away will be paid for with those

I smoke - and I have the odd drink (about once a month - probably less if I've not had company). I went on holiday this year for 3 weeks (ok ok ok - 2 weeks of it was spent sharing my brothers 14th floor 2 bedroom council flat and enough junk to fill a palace, and the 3rd week of it staying in a friend's home while she was away)

If I choose/manage to budget my money to squeeze in and save for some frivilous extras then if I you don't mind I'll pay myself on the back rather than saying "oh now we mustn't do that because we're only allowed the absolute bare essentials). Although to be fair I am allowed to keep £20 a week of the money I EARN at church - so that helps a LOT.

I would like to remain fairly sane if that's ok with you - and if I shut myself at home and never ever do/buy anything for myself/my kids that puts a smile on their face I would't have a chance of staying half sane.

and no, we're not fucking rich.. far from it. To all the bastards who bought a house in the early 90's - you have NO FUCKING IDEA.

£200k house. shit area. terrace, tiny rooms. £1200k pcm.

Yes.. we're fucking rolling in it DP does his 70 hours a week in his HIGHLY skilled job.