To have cried in asda

[Littlemissdan]

Is it just me that the whole cost of living thing is getting too much for? I actually had a (very small and no one watching!) cry in asda when I saw some reduced bakery goods because I didn’t know if I could afford them alongside my entire smartprice shop. £30 I had for a 2 week shop including nappies, and it just broke me that I actually had to wonder if I could afford a 55p treat for my kids. I can’t believe we’re living like this, 3 years ago we were comfortable and now I’m relying on the free school meals half term vouchers.
Not really looking for advice or budgeting advice here, just a bit of solidarity really :(

You need to watch the BBC programmes currently on iPlayer which show benefits claimants cheating and lying and using the system to fraudulently claim tens of thousands of pounds and multiple crates of free food which could go to the really needy, not into the pockets of people capable of but not willing to work.

Well to watch BBC iplayer we'd have to be able to afford the TV licence, maybe we can't 😑

I'll take your word that they're are loads of people out there robbing the system and stupid enough to be on TV shouting about it

[quote Innocenta]@LoisLane66 It would be terrible to give "handouts" to people so they can... eat...

p.s. shame people like you can't buy a soul.[/quote]
But if you leave them and their children to starve, they’ll have an incentive to ‘put the effort in to get back on their feet’! They won’t do that if they’re not starving, will they?! They’ll just sit at home watching their flat screen TV’s! 🤦🏻‍♀️

@LoisLane66

There are many people who fraudulently collect said handouts and many who have no appetite for work if they can live by other means. Don't tell me that I'm the only person who knows this or thinks this. I personally know a neighbour who cheats the system and that's not me supposing, she brags about it.

Mate, it’s a thread about someone who can’t afford a 55p treat for her kids. 55p! Read the room.

I have...and don't disrespect me by calling me 'mate'.

It is the least appropriate time in living history to insinuate that the poor are fraudulent when it is well known that the rich are the ones who have seriously cashed in from offshore trusts and crony contracts on an altogether different level.

Op works and is upset she can't afford a 55p treat for the dc

Why do some people have to turn everything into benefit bashing

@LoisLane66

I have...and don't disrespect me by calling me 'mate'.

Sorry pal

I'd have gone for duck or love

I was ::thisclose:: to a “bruv”

How many fraudulently claim extra benefits compared to the amount of people who genuinely don’t have enough money? Because I’d rather a small % of people defrauded the system and everyone could heat and eat rather than 0% fraud and some people going without.

@Icantfly

How many fraudulently claim extra benefits compared to the amount of people who genuinely don’t have enough money? Because I’d rather a small % of people defrauded the system and everyone could heat and eat rather than 0% fraud and some people going without.

👏

@LoisLane66

You need to watch the BBC programmes currently on iPlayer which show benefits claimants cheating and lying and using the system to fraudulently claim tens of thousands of pounds and multiple crates of free food which could go to the really needy, not into the pockets of people capable of but not willing to work.

Did you read the John Harris piece posted upthread?

Don't tell me that I'm the only person who knows this or thinks this. I personally know a neighbour who cheats the system and that's not me supposing, she brags about it.

Rather than go by your own opinions and anecdotes, I wonder if it might be helpful if you consult actual govt. statistics about the level of benefit fraud. NB: it's worth reading the report for special notes about 2020-21 and noticing that "fraud and error" are bundled together.

The main points from the report are:

—3.9% of total benefit expenditure was overpaid due to fraud and error
—The estimated value of overpayments was £8.4 billion
—1.2% of total benefit expenditure (or £2.5 billion) was underpaid due to fraud and error

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-2020-to-2021-estimates#:~:text=This%20report%20provides%20estimates%20of,overpayments%20was%20%C2%A38.4%20billion

Can we not turn this into a benefit bashing post please. Lois you’ve made your point. This isn’t the place for it.

@stuntbubbles

I was ::thisclose:: to a “bruv”

🤣 any minute now ...

I know people who have had nothing. I know people who have been homeless and actually ON the streets, not sofa surfing or able to buy treats however cheap. They have taken the help offered with both hands and built upon it. There is no shame in taking help freely offered, only pride stands in the way as I found out on another social media site.
The OP's initial post was very sad. As a mother of 5, I'm aware of how much we want to shield and care for our children, even to the point of doing without ourselves. I myself was going to offer help but found it had already been offered by others and refused, which one has to respect. I have had offers refused too on other sites but there have been some which were accepted and no more was said. It's not something to shout about.
I leave it here.

I'm so shocked working people have to live like this! I'm so sorry x

Sorry pal 🤣

@LoisLane66

There are many people who fraudulently collect said handouts and many who have no appetite for work if they can live by other means. Don't tell me that I'm the only person who knows this or thinks this. I personally know a neighbour who cheats the system and that's not me supposing, she brags about it.

You're very fond of the word "handouts" aren't you?

@Littlemissdan

Can we not turn this into a benefit bashing post please. Lois you’ve made your point. This isn’t the place for it.

Sorry - I hadn't seen this when I posted.

This is what divide and rule is all about. People moaning about 'benefit scroungers' while we pay for ministers to heat their stables.
No wonder they laugh at us.

@LoisLane66

There are many people who fraudulently collect said handouts and many who have no appetite for work if they can live by other means. Don't tell me that I'm the only person who knows this or thinks this. I personally know a neighbour who cheats the system and that's not me supposing, she brags about it.

You mean like the companies who claimed furlough money frAudulantly which the goverment has written off?

Meanwhile the most vulnerable families are left to struggle

Just a heads up OP that your thread has made it into The Mirror. www.mirror.co.uk/money/mum-cries-asda-cost-living-26623854?int_source=nba#comments-wrapper

Oh dear probably best to not read the comments

It's not unreasonable to be upset at not being able to afford food. £30 for a fortnight is very tough especially at the moment, it's not sustainable.

You can be referred to the foodbanks that need referrals by CAB, by HVs etc.

I'm going to offer a few practical things because I don't want to not say them incase they help you or someone else but it is absolutely not saying you wouldn't be struggling if only you managed your poverty better - it is so fucking hard.

It's just sometimes people have been living like this a while and have cut everything down to the bone already so are on such low grocery budgets because it is all they have and sometimes if you've just been thrust into it you can be tight on money for food because your money has gone on other payments first because you haven't had time to adjust your budget for new circumstances.

The priority should be (in this order):
Groceries (you have to eat)
Basic Utilities (you have to be warm and be able to put the lights on)
Rent/Mortgage (you have to have a roof over your head)
Transport and Childcare (the costs of getting to work to pay for everything else)

Then e.g. Council Tax etc and other important bills where the consequences of not paying are severe. Unsecured debt comes bottom after all your essentials.

Citizens Advice can help with budgeting, advising about debt management, checking you are getting all the help you are entitled to, e.g. with childcare costs and including referral to the foodbank etc.

I'm not saying that it's easy to get appointments when you are working and absolutely poverty begets poverty in that if you have more margin in your life then you can make cost savings like the infamous electric bike but sometimes you just don't have enough money to save money.

It's also hard when you are unexpectedly pushed over the breadline because you may have payments for things that aren't essential and you wouldn't have chosen on your new budget but which you can't immediately cancel without penalty. Or a change like moving into cheaper accommodation has moving costs etc so you feel stuck.

I'm sorry that you are going through such a hard time, I have absolutely been there with the realising that I simply cannot afford something under £1 and it feeling awful.

You've nothing to be ashamed of. Not the poverty, not the emotional reaction to it. Nothing.