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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not understand luxerys these days and poverty.

156 replies

milton2591 · 27/11/2013 20:43

what do you class as luxury's ?
what do you class as living under the breadline?

OP posts:
Original poster
milton2591 · 27/11/2013 21:23

really angi how many people is that for ?

OP posts:
Original poster
milton2591 · 27/11/2013 21:24

headwallbang I agree - they don't really take that in to account.

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 27/11/2013 21:25

Luxuries are things you can manage without, but that you save up for, as a treat. What that means, in concrete terms, is going to vary from one family to another, one budget to another, and one situation to another.

Attaché moment, as we are paying maintenance for two children at university, a holiday is a luxury we can't afford. But there are other things that we budget in that I see as luxuries - running two cars, for example. We could manage with only one, but life is much easier with two (we live in rural Scotland), so it is a luxury we budget for.

AngiBolen · 27/11/2013 21:28

For a family of five.

I just tweeked by putting in our actual childcare costs, mortgage, water, electricity, council tax, etc....and we need an extra £135.18 a week more.

Tell me about it! Grin

We can just about afford everything we need, and a very cheep holiday once a year, but there is nothing left for things like saving for new carpets, etc.

MuffCakes · 27/11/2013 21:30

It's not bollocks I had a few letters saying this is the minimum its legal to live on. You get the same amount anywhere in the country, housing costs are to do with housing benefits not what the gov sets out for living on.

You don't have to live in an area with a high rent that is a luxury.

issey6cats · 27/11/2013 21:30

according to that calculator i need £16000 a year wages and i actually earn £4000 a year so no luxeries for me like having the central heating on when i want, no expensive food and certainly no new clothes and have to find £170 a month out of the original amount to make up shortfall of housing benefit

Original poster
milton2591 · 27/11/2013 21:30

oh I want to know mine but wont let me click the link .. whats the site ?

OP posts:
IamInvisible · 27/11/2013 21:30

According to that calculator we need over £40k for a basic standard of living. DH doesn't earn that, I don't work. We don't qualify for tax credits, I don't think we should because we don't need them.

We have a lot of luxuries.

2 cars
Full Sky TV package in 2 rooms
Holiday abroard
Can go out for coffee and cake
Go to concerts/cinema if we want.

We don't smoke or drink. We live very rurally so don't have takeaways, I wouldn't anyway I resent the money they cost.

I think everyone prioritises things differently. My DSis smokes, drinks, likes going out with the at least twice a month, has weekends away with the girls and buys loads of clothes, then moans she has no money.

JustGettingOnWithIt · 27/11/2013 21:34

There is no minimum legal to live on. Thank God. The days of being arrestable for not having sixpence in your pocket have gone!

Original poster
milton2591 · 27/11/2013 21:34

I live on about 19k a year, its doable - ish .

OP posts:
daisychain01 · 27/11/2013 21:35

Maybe we should recast the notion of luxury v essentials because it can be a misleading concept. Someone who is comfortably off will have no problem going to the cinema but someone earning a low wage will often need to make an "either / or " choice. Either we go to the cinema this week or we can spend the money on more food. A depressing choice to have to make.

To me, a luxury is anything that is enjoyable, life enhancing or a feel good factor. The essentials rarely make you feel good, they tend to be things that are needed to survive.

I saw a young woman in the chemist today with 4 children. She bought a big box of gift toiletries. Either a Christmas gift or perhaps a treat for herself. I stood there wishing it was a treat for herself because she obviously had her hands full in life and deserved something lovely!

Any reason you are asking this AIBU question, milton?

gobbynorthernbird · 27/11/2013 21:37

I think it is the difference between living and having a life. (Hopefully) nobody will starve in the UK, but there's a balance between hungry and caviar.

Headwallbanging · 27/11/2013 21:37

Muff when housing benefit is counted as an income for benefit cap purposes then the minimum you are expected to live on is indeed being reduced.

If living in an outer suburb with high crime rate, poor schools and poor transport links is considered a luxury then all I can say is WOW!

morethanpotatoprints · 27/11/2013 21:37

If you can get to work without a car/don't need one for your job, its a luxury, along with holidays, tvs, laptops, mobile phones, designer label anything.

Poverty, is not having enough to pay for essential bills, roof over your head, food and clothes.

Original poster
milton2591 · 27/11/2013 21:38

oh because I was over at a friends house and we share very different lifestyles but she said we both live under the breadline .. when I don't think I do

OP posts:
AngiBolen · 27/11/2013 21:38

I think it all comes down to how much you pay for housing.

Someone who has recently managed to get on the housing ladder or is renting will have a very different amount left over for luxuries than someone who bought a house when they were young, twenty years ago.

Original poster
milton2591 · 27/11/2013 21:39

headwall sounds like my area haha

OP posts:
LEMisafucker · 27/11/2013 21:41

I think it depends on your circumstances and how you define luxury i suppose.

If you don't need it, its a luxury? Well, i don't need a big mac but i wouldn't describe it as a luxury - however I would offer a BJ to my DP to go fetch me one (everyone knows this).

I can't afford to go camping - does that mean its a luxury (for some maybe, but i'd rather boil my head)

We have a mercedez car, albeit old - i do not consider this a luxury its good value for money is what it is - we paid 7K for it (probably too much) 9 years ago - it only has about 100,000 miles on the clock but mercs are good for 200,000 we have only ever had to have it fixed once and it cost us £70, we will probably have it for another 9 years.

I like Chai latte - they are only £2 but they FEEL like a luxury - some days £2 might be more than i can afford so i wouldn't have one.

I really don't consider a car to be a luxury in this day and age - you would spend far more money and time on public transport and its horrible (ok some people have to commute, so its a bit different) My DP could not do his job without the car (technically he needs a van but we can't afford it just now - that would be a luxury and we wouldnt have to use the mercedes as a builders van Grin)

MurderOfGoths · 27/11/2013 21:43

It's a hard one to get a grip on really, I think for a lot of people who are really struggling it can sometimes make sense to pick luxuries over necessities. While it looks illogical, it can be a way of surviving the emotional fallout of being in that position. Then there's the fact That while we all share the same very basic necessities (food, shelter, water) there will be some things that will be a necessity for some people but not others.

MandatoryMongoose · 27/11/2013 21:46

That link suggests I need to double our households income to meet the bare minimum (£38,000 for 4 including baby and teenager) - and it has set rent and bills substantially lower than they actually are.

That said, I run a car and have the odd take away, the car feels necessary for work (regular change of base with odd shifts and across a wide area), take away is a luxury.

Headwallbanging · 27/11/2013 21:54

I think housing costs come down to priorities, if you want to live in a plush place with a nice postcode and sacrifice luxuries, you're not in poverty.
If you can't afford to live in the most basic of areas, have to make sacrifices just to be able to stay close to family and your support network (single mum of 4, ExH left us - not irresponsible procreating for DMs reading) then yes that's living in poverty.

JustGettingOnWithIt · 27/11/2013 21:55

Muff, that's the minimum benefits paid out. They can legally be garnered, and it's not (yet) illegal to earn (as opposed to pay) or recieve, less than that.

WhatTheHellIsHappening · 27/11/2013 21:56

According to a link above I don't meet the minimum income standards Confused they have social/cultural outgoings as being £99.60. Hmm

whois · 27/11/2013 21:56

Poverty is being stretched to pay for the basics, and having a lack of options. So only just being able to cover rent, gas, electricity, basic food and clothes and travel (to work). Poverty is a lack of options eg can't move out of crappy damp rented flat as don't have enough money to put a deposit down on a different one.

Luxury is having choices, having money left over for savings and pension plans. Money to spend on nice clothes, special food, meals and drinks out, entertainment like cinema or day trips, holidays.

I don't think running a car is a luxery if you need it for work. More like an unavoidable money-pit.