£35k tax free for working 20 hours a week....

[BitchyWitchy]

In response to the 'Benefits' thread, I thought I would post this...

We took the decision to reduce DHs hours a few months back as we realised we are better off with him working part time than full time and this is what we get WEEKLY (4 DCs):

Wages (20 hours per week) £209
Housing Benefit £188 (leaving £7 for us to pay)
Council tax benefit £19 (leaving £3 for us to pay
Tax Credits £196
Working tax credits £13
Child benefit £60.50

Thats over £35K tax free! DH's fulltime wage was £34k before tax.

Also get free prescriptions and dental care, discounted kids activities and leisure centre membership. DH is home 5 days a week and I am loving having him around to help out with the DCs and doing stuff with them which he could not do when he worked 50 hours a week! 3 DC are at school so we get quality time with the youngest.

We are also doing free OU degree courses so we can get better paid jobs in a few years.

Wish to bloody god we did this earlier when we were BOTH stressed out working fulltime and brought in LESS that what we get now after childcare.

We shall enjoy this until 2013 I can tell you! I don't give a monkey's what anyone thinks of us. DH is still working after all and who would really continue working fulltime knowing they get all this? It may not be right but while it's on offer, should we refuse it?

Oh and you haven't been very well, have you, Big Momma? So why ...?

Grannieonabike - Very few savers have lost any money. I think those in who had offshore accounts with Icelandic banks may have, and some with investment accounts backed by Lehmann's but those aren't exactly 'vanilla' savings.

Anyway, those who are objecting to the OP's main point seems to be that people should be nicer than they are. Which would be great because we wouldn't have to stop child benefit for HRT payers, as they wouldn't claim it unless they needed it anyway.

I feel a bit lost with the last few pages, are Op and Bigmommaof4 the same person?

I think Xenia's point is a good one. The point is that we shouldn't be cross with the OP for claiming what she is legitimately entitled to claim (even though the tone of the OP was unpleasant).

We need as a society to find a way of stopping this sort of exploitation whilst still protecting the vulnerable and those in need.

And before you all pile in, we also need to find more and better ways of plugging tax loopholes enjoyed by the multibillionaires.

I think I can be cross with people taking the piss, we are not mindless robots programmed to claim whatever we can regardless of the consequences.

'Four kids is a two-person job imo, especially if one is a baby.' I don't agree either, unless one has a disability. I had 4 in 5 years with twin babies and had to manage while DH worked and plenty of lone parents have to manage aswell. I have 5 now and also had to look after them when DH worked even though one had severe reflux and was in/out hospital...

I could not manage four kids on my own or even with dh so we don't have four. We also could not afford to have four kids and pay out of our wages for me or DH to be at home so again that is not a choice we have made.

Of course everyone has a right to children, two even but four and expect the state to pick up the tab - this is all planned remember. This is mad.

People shouldn't have what they cannot afford or care for. So if it's one stay at one, two then two etc. Agree completely what Vespasian says do not expect others to pick up the tab!

Usual caveat applies re those who have a family and then fall upon hard times/illness.

OP - you and your tosser of a husband should be completely ashamed of yourselves but you won't. However, I hope to god that you've thought about your retirement as the state won't there then for you to sponge off.
P.S just because you will have a degree won't make you more employable, hopefully potential employers will be able to see how despicable you are.

Riven, you didn't know what would happen so you and your circumstances are exactly what the benefit system is there for. Not for the OP and her family.

I have a lot of respect for you.

Well I hope this (and several other posts i've seen over the weekend) pus to rest the contrant refrain I'm always hearing on MN that milking the system and leading a nice life on benefits hardly ever happens.

Happens far too much for my liking.

I have 4 DC's my husband works full time and I work part time. We have no family nearby to help and manage between us. We get nothing apart from child benefit and CTC. People like the OP make me sick I was unemployed for 18 months recently and still claimed nothing but as soon as I could I grabbed a job opportunity . I hated being out of work and love feeling useful as well as contributing to the family pot. I would NEVER expect someone else to pay for my choice in having 4 DC's and in fact I would understand in the current climate if CB were only paid to the first 2 DC's. OP you are a sad pathetic individual with nothing better to do than stir on here. You must be particularly vacant if the only barometer you have for good parenting is how often you bath your children! In fact you must really struggle with life if you can't possibly manage 4 healthy DC's without so much help, maybe you should lower your standards a little.

See my earlier link. The OP has come to MN previously to ask for advice. Then repays with this slap in the chops. Nice.

Feel a bit queasy TBH.

Gmajor, taking your point I think we should ignore future threads or posts from OP and hopefully she'll go away permanently!?

Just because you have a hard life - why would you wish it on others? If you keep your head above water, you deserve a lot of respect for coping, and a lot of sympathy too, if you have a hard life. But personal attacks? Why? (Even though this OP has rather set herself up for it ...)

Tootles Namechanging will make that impossible unfortunately.

A bit miffed because the OP is obviously doing this to entertain herself. Fair enough. This is AIBU. I started a thread about handbags recently for the same reason.

HOWEVER I knew that no-one was going to be deeply hurt/offended by my OP. BitchyWitchy/Momma is well aware of the upset she will have caused and I struggle to comprehend how she could derive pleasure from this, I really do.

I know you're right but I wish we could.

As you say, having a bit of fun re handbags is one thing. Something like this though, especially at a time like this is particularly insensitive.

Ah but therein lies the rub.

Some people have no moral code. They don't mind who they upset or offend. Tis sport.

I have come to the conclusion that most of us will never understand the motivation of such people.

Suffice it to say, that those who seek to make others unhappy, are nver happy themselves...

Cue Op returning to say, I'm completely happy me,lol, far more happy than you lot of losers. You should hear me laugh, when I'm cashing my benefits cheque with my shit hot husband and clean children.
Laugh. We never fucking stop in our house. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha......

I can't see that 4 DC is a 2 person job either (exceptions obviously for diabilities etc).

Admittedly I only have 3, but I had them very close together (20 months between DS1 and DS2, and 20 months between DS2 and DD, meaning I had 3 under 3.5). DH worked a 45 hour week throughout, apart from paternity leave (or holiday before paternity leave existed). I was made redundant whilst on maternity leave with DS1 and was unemployed for about 4 weeks between the end of my meternity leave and starting a new job when DS1 was 4.5 months old. I went back to work (PT) when DS2 was 6.5 months old and when DD was 4 months old. When DD was 6 months old I also started studying with the OU, which I finished this year.

I think the kindest thing I can think of to say is that perhaps the health problems you talked about on the other thread are related to some kind of depression and that is leading you to post this kind of thread. Perhaps your health problems mean you feel you can't cope with your children without your DH at home. In which case I hope you get it sorted out soon.