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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Prof Green and poverty..Anyone watching?

58 replies

user1483390742 · 25/09/2017 22:54

How does a homeless mum of 3 have an iphone? I have 3 kids and work full time and i can't afford one! What does poverty really mean?

OP posts:

LewisFan · 25/09/2017 23:05

Maybe she had it before becoming homeless.

tygr · 25/09/2017 23:12

Yes and it's making me cry. Those kids are having to grow up so fast.

GBroGal · 25/09/2017 23:20

What does poverty really mean?
It seems to mean knowing that your landlord is selling up and being unable to afford to move util you're evicted, so you have to wait until you're - literally - on the streets with a piece of paper confirming you're homeless before you can find somewhere else. It seems to mean a 10yr old coming out of school in tears because she doesn't want to move again - and has no idea where she's sleeping tonight.

WishingOnABar · 25/09/2017 23:23

I would say poverty means not being sure of having access to essentials - food, housing, heating, clothes. Sadly it seems to be becoming more and more prevalent in the uk at least that ordinary families are in poverty, and not just for those out of work

GirlOnATrainToShite · 25/09/2017 23:23

What are people in poverty "allowed"?

Clearly not an iPhone which could be a gift, paid for by someone else, owned before she became homeless.

Autumnskiesarelovely · 25/09/2017 23:24

I don't know, as it is so relative. Having outward signs of wealth is more important the poorer you are. But savings, extra tuition, choosing a good school, mortgage so you can feel that you are invested in place, that goes out the window, and the divide between us grows.

Ginkypig · 25/09/2017 23:24

There are lots of reasons.

Iv not seen this particular show so I can't comment on this particular person but

I was homeless and have known people personally from my time then who were very very poor and also later through work have met many people who are both homeless and or in very real poverty but have managed to get hold of the occasional luxury (like an iPhone) normally if I'm honest it's because someone has sold it to them cheap.

I think your post comes across at the very least ignorant and at worst deliberately nasty. This thread has left a bad taste in my mouth.

Ginkypig · 25/09/2017 23:28

Oh and let's not forget the other group Iv worked with who through no fault of there own has had their life blown up from under them after they have all the things on finance that they took out when life was going well and are then left with things like phone contracts etc that would cost more up front to get out of than they could ever find so they try to keep up the payments

WishingOnABar · 25/09/2017 23:31

I would add that in order to find a property or a job it is assumed by many agencies (including the council) that you have access to the internet, in which case a mobile phone would be essential to helping to dig yourself out of a crisis. It may well be an old phone or given by a concerned relative or friend to ensure her safety.

LuluJakey1 · 25/09/2017 23:34

The family in the north-east with thw two children - I felt they were on the point of having a breakdown they were so struggling . FFS moving a lightbulb from room to room so no one dan put it on and waste electricity in another room. That couple looked so fragile and those kids so good and worried.

HelenaDove · 25/09/2017 23:35

Ive only caught the last 20 mins.

meltdownsanonymous · 25/09/2017 23:37

This sounds good! What channel is it on?
You can buy iPhones cheaply second hand. I did.

ooodile · 25/09/2017 23:38

You watch a show about poverty and the only thing you can make comment on is a woman with an iphone?

HelenaDove · 25/09/2017 23:39

Kelly Louise Only 10 years old and having to be so mature for her age.

Threenme · 25/09/2017 23:40

My I phone was free. I've had it a year. It has another year to run if i was made homeless tomorrow I can't really sell it as it's technically not mine to sell. I'd also still have to pay for it. What would you like me to do with it?

SkintAsASkintThing · 25/09/2017 23:41

I have an iphone 😊

Im also bloody skint, I was given it years ago when a friends contract ended. Is that ok ??

Threenme · 25/09/2017 23:43

I'm not watching but I bet they even have a TV too cheeky bastards!

HelenaDove · 25/09/2017 23:45

I know many MNers already do this but please if you can donate sanpro in the food bank collections Girls not much older than Kelly in similiar situations are having to skip school cos they cant afford sanpro.

Sinuhe · 25/09/2017 23:48

GirlOnATrainToShite answer to your question, people in poverty should be allowed some personal belongings ... that includes a mobile , or other items of value. It's called dignity.
Nobody in a first world country should be left with nothing... Sadly the trend in this country suggest otherwise.

Lurkedforever1 · 25/09/2017 23:49

Yanbu op, as soon as she got the eviction notice she should have thrown her phone in the bin. Then she could have been the deserving poor.

It's always good to pretend that everyone in poverty must just have got their priorities wrong, that way we can pretend it isn't happening.

For the record op, you can get an iPhone a lot cheaper than a landline. Especially if you're on benefits in a rented house. Unless of course you are posting on cellular data from an ancient brick Nokia.

MsGameandWatching · 25/09/2017 23:50

My goodness yes! She really should have been wearing rags and they should have shown them all eating gruel for breakfast, then we would know they were really poor

BlackeyedSusan · 26/09/2017 00:13

people tend to think of an iphone as vvvv expensive without knowing that you can get secondhand ones. (presumably some of the older models as others have upgraded)

more and more stuff becomes online and it is harder to manage without internet access.

one school round here also requires kids to have an iphone (innercity)

DonkeyOil · 26/09/2017 00:13

Having outward signs of wealth is more important the poorer you are. But savings, extra tuition, choosing a good school, mortgage so you can feel that you are invested in place, that goes out the window,......

at the idea that a phone is an outward sign of wealth! And the lady in question can't even afford the deposit for a new rental property, let alone a mortgage. You can't save, when you've hardly got enough money to feed your children, btw.

.......and the divide between us grows.

You're not wrong there, but let's not make the mistake of blaming that on those who spend their meagre resources on food for their children, rather than extra tuition.

Fannylodger · 26/09/2017 00:16

I paid £29 outright for my iPhone second hand on eBay. An internet, calls and texts sim only contract on ee is £15 per month.

Fannylodger · 26/09/2017 00:17

Please tell me how else a homeless person can get use of internet, phone, etc, for £15 a month? One call a week from a phone box would likely set you back more than that. Especially to the council or dwp where you're on hold for half a year.

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