To be scared of getting a job in case I'm worse off?

[BenefitScrounger]

NC and prepared for a flaming.

I've been claiming JSA for over two years now and am on the Work Programme. I have no qualifications and all I could get (I think) is a minimum wage job. I have been lying about my attempts to get work because I think I am better off out of work.

At the moment I get full housing benefit plus council tax, free dental care/prescriptions (if I need them) and £71 a week to live on. My bills aren't covered obviously, but they're not huge, and I have lots of free time to indulge hobbies etc.. I don't feel the need to buy stuff very often as I'm not into fashion/beauty and I eat cheaply. I can afford to eat out once a week with a TasteCard. The only thing I miss is holidays abroad but I'm not sure I would be able to afford them if I got a job anyway.

If I got a full time minimum wage job, would I be worse off? Just thinking of travel expenses, student loan repayment and time lost - not sure if I would still get any council tax benefit?

Has anyone had experience of this? By the way, I'm childless and live alone.

lol at

I would LOVE a dog but really can't square it with working FT, out the house for hours, soon to move into a flat.

Yes, talking aboyt the dogs because don't want to feed the goadwanker.

I finally convinced my boyfriend to get a dog (he's a proper cat person) and was all set to go get a rescue dog, now he's decided he won't get a rescue dog as he's very skittish around dogs and doesn't want one with potential behavioural problems. He wants one from a puppy so we can train it ourselves. Of course now we're buying one I want my dream dog which is a pug and they are waaaay out of our budget. He's convinced we need to to save up for one now

I was just being honest in my op.

No one's given me a good reason to get a job other than it would boost my self-worth and everyone else has got one.

My self-worth was fine until I started this thread. Might go and hang myself now though!

I didn't say I felt NO responsibility by the way. Just only to friends, family and women.

Ta ta.

StuntGirl, get a rescue dog, a friend got one that was so frightened that it hid all the time. It's now a much loved family pet.

I would love to give a home to some poor unloved dog :( I get all weepy just thinking about them. If it were up to me we'd be like the Obsournes, dogs everywhere!

Political leaflets? I would be with the Green Party but for their prostitution stance. No one else though, so prob go back into carer work if at all possible. Thanks v much x

And what about cats??
Eh, Eh? I have two, this thread is doggist

Toombs, you aren't a nice person.

Can't warm to cats, sorry Lady. The way they stare at you freaks me out!

Na they're all furry and purry.
And if you can't get a dog due to work hours, two kittens and a catflap is the way to go.

I can't either, Stuntgirl. I'm biased because I'm allergic, maybe, but although I admire their don't-give-a-shit attitude and intelligence, I will always prefer dogs for their goofy loyalty.

I'm considering googling 'green party prostitution', but I can't think of a phrasing where that doesn't go badly wrong...

I like my boyfriends mum and dad's cat, but probably because it thinks its a dog Their old cat was terrifying by all accounts. It used to bring in dead chickens it had killed from down the road :(

If you want to weep have a look at this site www.oldies.org.uk/ - specifically for elderly dogs without homes.

I could cry when I see a dog with silver whiskers.

I remember once me and dd cried because we saw an old man in the shop up the road buying one pie and one bottle of orange barley. He has a mangy looking dog on a battered lead outside. he went and collected his dog and the dog looked at him with such devotion, the old man then shuffled off with his lonely shop. Me and dd convinced ourselves that he led a sad and lonely life and then thought what would happen if the dog or man died (drama queens). Wonderfully we saw him a few weeks later with a jolly woman who was evidently his daughter, a load of kids, the dog bounding around and the man looking very happy.

I can be as sentimental as Dickens when I put my heart in it.

Did you honestly expect people to turn around and say "Nahh no point working, live of benefits, that's what they're there for after all!", OP?

Cats are very affectionate. Mine all give me cuddles, and the youngest kitten (Pickle!) sneaks in the bed in the middle of the night and snuggles up to me.

Nah, my cats are goofy loyal. The ginger one sleeps by dh's feet, the black one sleeps on my side and the tabby has the chair. They all come downstairs with me trip me up in the morning because they know I will feed them. The black one is the most intelligent and dog like - he has been described as a cat who thinks he's a dog.

But, they are expensive. I reckon with insurance (coz animals get ill too) and cat maiding when we are away and food and flea drops, etc., the total cost pcm is about £150.00. Yep, £150. Who was it who said dumb animals didn't cost anything? Well, they don't have an NHS.

look at this little scrap

That dog has got a better hairdo than me.

I stopped reading on page 16. What's the point, the op is clearly thick.

I'm a little worried about BenefitScrounger. Maybe she is real and she just has mental health problems and therefore coming across a little strange.

BenefitScrounger you have friends. Have you asked them these same questions, what to do they say?

Am I thick? Guess that's why I'm unemployed then.

I don't really speak to my friends about this. They don't get on my case about it, so it doesn't come up much.

My partner tells me I'll be on about the same, financially speaking, if I work but understands that I find being in work very stressful so never pressures me.