To think you're not poor...

[RunningjustasfastasIcan99]

AIBU to think you're not poor if you can afford SKY TV? Felt a bit irritated that on "rich house poor house" this week the "poor" family had massive Tv's in the kids bedrooms and sky tv. I know they didn't have a ton of money and were in the bottom 10 %. But really?

The second judgemental post I've read today. Why would anyone think it's ok to criticise other people's lifestyles? Maybe we can have a breakdown of how you spend your money OP so we can judge you too? Or is this another 'I'm jealous because I can't afford it' post?

butterfly my sky is 35.00 per month.

Kissthealderman. Enlighten me. What am I ignorant of? Budgeting? How to live on a budget? How to prioritise spending? Poverty?

some that's how I pay so little. I threaten to leave and mean it!

I ended up in an argument once with my DM's partner. He said that people in Africa aren't poor because some Africans go to car boot sales, buy second hand games consoles and send them back to Africa - ergo they are not poor... 🤔

You'd probably get on swimmingly with him, OP.

I don't have Sky. I won't bore you with why I won't ever give them a PENNY ever again,
so I don't know how much it cost.

Posters are saying they pay £35 quid inc internet.

So how the hell is that an indicator of feckless spending?

OP
you are a fool.

I don't know for sure if this is still the case but if you move into a house with a dish already up and you have / buy a box you can get various channels without paying anything

There is a group of people who spend everything they have when they have it and do not save for a rainy day.

there is a group of people who could not save nor have sky tv even if they wanted to.

also the bottom ten percent will have quite a spread of income between the bottom 0.1% and the 9.99 percent.

I don't know if this is still the case, but it used to be that sky didn't do a credit check (I think) so people with less that stellar credit ratings could get a TV and broadband package when some other (cheaper suppliers) wouldn't give them one.

Maybe some people do waste money on Sky when they should - according to the smug middle classes - do without and use that money for something more worthy. The only trouble is, being poor is depressing and exhausting and always thinking about what you can and can't afford is soul destroying.

I've been there. I'm not there now, but I remember facing each day with dread and the TV and yes, sky, got me through the long lonely weekends when I couldn't afford to go anywhere and do anything.

Totally agree, but that’s the problem these ppl spends their benefits on tvs and sky that they don’t need instead of bills and food! Pisses me right off.

We're headed for full house here: budget, prioritise spending . . .

When my husband retired, the only real change I made was to cancel the Sky subscription. I could still use the box to get some channels, but we didn't for long because the dish needed to be replaced so we just now have Freeview.
So having Sky doesn't need to mean spending huge wads of cash, although I'm sure you can.
It worries me that we seem to be returning to the Victorian (and probably earlier) idea of the deserving and undeserving poor. I chuckled at the spare chair joke, but it isn't so very far from what some people would be happy to see happening.

You do know that you can be in the bottom 10% and be working. Or you could be disabled. You might have been made redundant and are having to suddenly survive on 1 wage instead of 2. I hope none of you that are talking about scrounging, better spend their money on food etc recieve tax credits. Cause I really think you need to give us a breakdown of your spending habits so we can judge accordingly...

Why do these threads always descend into benefit bashing???

Yabu and ridiculous.
TV's have not been luxury items since the 1950's.

well, they should be working night and day, the feckless bastards, shouldn't they? I've got Sky, and I threatened to leave, it's easily not £35 per month for a basic package.

That programme, they seem to have gone for people in the top 2 % wealth wise, and then people that are not right at the 98-100th % - they should explain exactly where the families sit in the top and bottom 10% at the start of every programme..

Descend into benefit bashing? The very first thread started it!

Btw I was working full time in my profession (architect). It just a terrible set of circumstances and an abusive ex with a gambling problem. But still, I got judged and it was assumed by some that I could have just got another job (was already working 60h weeks and commuting 2.5h a day) as well as suffering from depression.

Running I do think there is a subtle dig or jibe. If they wanted to show how the struggling family were in need they would not be editing footage where the poor family owned things that the rich family didn't. Channel 5 are notorious for poverty porn. Even the title 'Rich house , poor house' is a misnomer; as I can't recall any of the families really being poor. Many were house owners, they eat, are clothed and have Sky TV They may not have dinner out every week or dc in music !essons, but they have the necessities.
If anything the programme shows that the rich family feel they are working too hard and don't get enough happiness in return.

I have Sky, what's more, I'm benefit scrounging scum at the moment. The reasons why are none of your damned business.

Sadly poverty is about much much more than big televisions and SKY TV.

I have a mahoosive television which I got while on benefits. If I had been filmed about poverty during that time the OP would have said the same about me. What she wouldn't have known is that Amazon GAVE me the TV in exchange for a review of it. Yes...that's right...an £1100 television (at the time..
I believe they are under £500 now) for FREE as I am part of a customer review programme. I usually review books and make up etc and the TV was a once in a million years thing.

Despite being on benefits at the time I never saw myself as poor. Why?

I am intelligent, I'd worked for Just over 30years previously. I had all the mod cons needed to cope. I had a full range of cooking equipment and I can cook.

Contrast that with a young single parent who has had various poorly paid jobs and perhaps come from a neglected childhood. She might get the same benefits as me but there would be a world of difference in how we coped....or not. Poverty is about more than money and possessions...although these help.

And yet again people in the bottom 10% are vilified. Because it's easy to tar everyone with the same brush. We had the big TV, Sky , cars etc then a relative became ill with dementia and DH had to take in a carer role and I was the sole wage earner.
Guess what? We didn't immediately sell the TV and pay £360 to cancel Sky.
We were incredibly lucky in that I eventually found a much better job and after our relative passed away we were able to start a business for DH that was pt but lucrative. So I've been on the bones of my arse and thank my luck stars that I'm not there now. There but for the grace of God .......

Enlighten me. What am I ignorant of? Budgeting? How to live on a budget? How to prioritise spending? Poverty?
Let's start with your being judgemental about things you know little about. As I said, I'm benefit scrounging scum and I have Sky. You know neither my reasons why, nor how much I pay, but are happy to judge me.
I know how to prioritise my spending. I know how to budget. But again, not your place to judge nor mine to justify my spending.

The only thing I have judged Gilead is the term "poor"

Just to wind a bit more, I've heard some single mother's declaring that they're 'skint', but then get their gel nails done the following day! I bet some mrs buckets would scream at that one . When you're poor any spare money does become disposable. If there is no mortgage , gas electric, kids food and bills paid , why the hell not add a bit of sparkle .

From my experience most people without tv subscriptions choose not to. No one gets all pissy with this generally- however kid at school quite often feels embarrassed and wants nothing more than to binge watch boxsets and feels like a social misfit :(