Foodbank - 3 cars

[TalkToTheHand123]

Am I being unreasonable to think a family with 2 cars and a big fancy house shouldn't be using foodbanks regularly? No disability issues.

I would tend to think that someone who has a large house and several fancy cars has more financial options open to them to avoid using a food bank.

I would hope that people in general would try to avoid using charity when they are able to do so rather than absorb charitable resources they don't need.

If you are taking advantage of food banks when you don't need to do because you have other financial options then I think it is immoral, many others will not have those financial choices and options and charitable resources would be best targeted at them because they need it more.

How do you know there’s a low bar?

A 200k house is far from 'fancy'. It seems you would benefit from getting more involved in your local community and actually doing some good instead of judging others so nastily.

Some people drive a company car so it’s not their car really.

I may apply. I'd decline a lot as know a lot of people who take the mick.

Good point, 200 grand would barely get you a two up two down terrace house nowadays!

A £200k house isn't fancy. It's probably the least amount you have to spend in order to house a family of 4.

Yes a £200,000 house would be a run down 2 up, 2 down if you were lucky in both my parents and my in-laws towns (2 different medium size Midlands towns that aren't "rich" areas).

A big house has a big mortgage. Or if you've paid that off then the bills will be high for heating, electricity etc. those things would need to take priority and if there's nothing left for food at the end of the month then of course they might need a food bank. You don't know the circumstances around the cars either.

No, of course they shouldn't. No one should be reliant on charity for food. Its a scandal of our times. I do realise that's not what you're getting at. You're judging people with the trappings of a formerly affluent lifestyle, because you have decided if people were at one time in a position to be able to take on car and mortgage commitments then they should never fall on hard times. That they should never encounter cash flow issues due to delay in payment of wages/business debt or encounter large and unexpected essential exoenditures. And if they do, that they should immediately exchange their cars for cash (and worry about how to get to work later) and quickly swap their large house for a tiny one, liquidising their assets before the children ask for their dinner.

People overstretch themselves financially. Interest rates go up, incomes go down. YABU

It's hadly a bedsit though. I do a lot of community work. This is how I know how many take the mick. I know a few shop keepers who go there to stock up their shops also.

Maybe if you provided more information instead of being so cryptic you would get different responses.

That can be you very quickly. Double income household, mortgage, cars on leases and then one job is lost. How much accessible finance do you have? The statistics for how many households have almost no savings behind them are scary:
43% of adults in Scotland who could not cover living expenses for three months if you lost your source of income, three percentage points higher than England
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-66976492

YANBU I actually stopped volunteering at a food bank because of situations like this.

Food banks are for everyone and some people for whatever reason may need to use them and no one should judge them.

But when you’re getting the same families come in, knowing they earn more than you and go to restaurants, buy branded clothing and have holidays - all of which you can’t afford yourself, you think hang on this isn’t fair on those who genuinely need help.

One guy who drove a very flash car and had a very good job spat in my colleagues face (who was a volunteer giving up her time) because there was not enough food for him and he had just come back from holiday and was going on another trip in a couple of days and didn’t think he should go shopping.

Like with anything, the few spoil it for the majority but I definitely think there should be restrictions for those who are regularly using it and don’t need it.

There is not an endless supply of food or volunteers and genuine people in need miss out because some people take the piss.

When buying expensive items such as a house, you should give yourself a little wiggle room for price rises, make cut backs. There seems to be far too many people using the foodbanks so they can spend on luxuries, ie an expensive handbag for £300.

I know a few shop keepers who go there to stock up their shops also.
No you don't. Don't make shit up.

what the fuck does it have to do with you?

I have an average sized 3 bed semi and we have two cars. One for each adult that go to work in different directions and do school runs.

some months we budget right down to the last pound.

the cars are paid for and generally only cost us fuel each month. If we had a hard month and needed to use a food bank Why would getting rid of a car/s make any sense?

I know a few shop keepers who go there to stock up their shops also

To a food bank?

Watch out for that 🦈 OP!

For all the people saying they should downsize.. selling or even renting out a property could take a long time.. it’s not something easily or quickly done

Yeah, definitely some of these posts are a bit chinny reck'on 😁

It's a £200k house apparently. They'd be downsizing to a garage in most of the country....
Either that or OPs grasp of finances is utterly shite...

Now I think you've 🦈
Shopkeepers using food banks to increase their stock levels?? 🤔

Do tell me who you’d assess as worthy op?