to not understand why so many poor people...

[nybom]

...are being called "poor" if they can afford:

• cigarettes/drugs
• dogs
• large amounts of takeaways/ready meals
• ready cut fruit, brands, air freshners and other superfluous crap, kids drinks/other products specifically tailored to kids
• to go out drinking
• FF babies
• to leave lights on, have electrical appliances on standby, not to use energy light bulbs, to keep the water running, to put on half a load of washing, to leave heating on at night
• to maintain artificial nails, to have hair extensions
• buy loads of beauty products
• to leave their car engine on whilst going shopping/standing in a traffic jam
• to have themed children's birthday parties with loads of props
• and most of all: have CREDIT cards so they can overdraw

i'm talking of regular habits not just occasional behaviour...

several of my friends are on benefits, so the observations are firsthand and not just assumptions.

a friend of mine (single mum on benefits) got a party bus for her DSs last birthday party (besides loads of presents), this year he's getting a wii (and loads of other presents). WTF?

why don't these people simply save more?

i on the other hand spend less than 100 pounds on a family of four (whilst buying high quality, fresh, organic products) by buying 50% of my shopping reduced/offers, at local markets and a lot of things (like toiletries) from pound shops or discounters. we buy value toilet paper (amongst other things); and i go to the hairdresser twice a year, and only to the beautycian for special occasions such as weddings. the children don't get any toys or clothes from us, as there are enough family and friends who don't know what to buy for christmas/birthday parties. so the kids basically don't cost us anything. we have one credit card and we make sure NEVER to overdraw because of the high interest rates.

i simply don't get it...

praps she means tinned pineapple, that's sliced innit

FAQ- Perhaps we should stop claiming our benefits, move into cardboard boxes and eat potato peelings. Would be more fitting for a situation, and at least then we'd have the moral high ground of lving well within our meagre means..

I have never seen those tubs i think i must live a sheltered life, shopping wise

I buy pre-cut apples so that DS2 can have them in his lunch box. I tried getting the servants to cut them cutting them myself ( he cannot bite well) but they went brown.
I am no longer fit to reign. I shall have to step down and let Chaz take over

You can buy pre cut fruit in the supermarket, like maccies fruit bags only bigger packs, like half a melon, sliced up for you, its usually along side the sandwiches and people tend to buy it if they have nipped out of the office for some quick lunch

rest assured, pai definitely doesn't know me.

nice try, girls.

why should i answer to your questions whilst being bombarded with polemics and insults?

again, for those who are too enraged to read my posts properly: poor people can choose to do as they like. i have no porblem WHATSOEVER with that. i accept that most poor people work very hard to give their kids a future. poor people are not inferior to rich people. i don't see myself as being superior to anybody.

you are constantly making wild assumptions about me whilst at the same time telling me i am ill-informed which i am not.

now back off and calm down.

slightly off the track.. but a small point i'd like to make.. regarding savings and benefits.. many years ago ( so it might not still be relevant) I became a single mum on benefits.. ( I had been working.. but circumstances dictated I needed to use benefits)... anyway.. when I had been working..and paying tax.. I had also been saving.. and I had to use the majority of my savings up before I qualified to get benefits..(which is fair enough)..
so I went careful with my benefit money and saved little bits.. which meant I could afford parties and to have my hair cut.. and to get the dc's new clothes.

I am not even going to discuss the FF.. because I didn't have a choice.

but saving on benefits is really hard to do.. and you have to go careful with the amout you do save.

nybom.
I didn't insult you in my post. Did you want to answer me ? .

And I am perfectly calm thanks. And a bit old for 'girl' but thanks anyway.

Can you define poor? what level of income makes you poor? can you be a home owner and still be poor?

You say poor = people with not a lot of money, but how much money, or less money makes you poor?

do you acept that child benefit is not means tested?

(Don't know why that's annoyed me but it has )

You must admit though, the tone of your post was a tad offensive. And quite mad-sounding.
And the 'they do this, i do that' could be construed as being ever so slightly superior.

What is your original post about then nybom?

Child Benefit is a tax-free payment that you can claim for your child. It is usually paid every four weeks but in some cases can be paid weekly, and there are separate rates for each child. The payment can be claimed by anyone who qualifies, whatever their income or savings.
Straight from DirectGov.
There you go, StealthPolarBear!

This list you gave:

• cigarettes/drugs
• dogs
• large amounts of takeaways/ready meals
• ready cut fruit, brands, air freshners and other superfluous crap, kids drinks/other products specifically tailored to kids
• to go out drinking
• FF babies
• to leave lights on, have electrical appliances on standby, not to use energy light bulbs, to keep the water running, to put on half a load of washing, to leave heating on at night
• to maintain artificial nails, to have hair extensions
• buy loads of beauty products
• to leave their car engine on whilst going shopping/standing in a traffic jam
• to have themed children's birthday parties with loads of props
• and most of all: have CREDIT cards so they can overdraw

Are you saying you know one poor person who does all of the above? or do you know several poor people who do some of the above? Can you be a little more clear cut and give an example of one person you know who spends money on luxuries beyond their means? (because i think i can give you and asnwer: - CREDIT CARDS, they are living on borrowed money dear)

VinegarTits...

Perhaps 'poor' could be defined as can't actually aford luxuries (not the likes of wii's/camera's/latest phones/laptops/trampolines)?

And Irresponsible defined as...has them anyway

So would I be correct in thinking that this whole inflammatory thread is about your grievance with the 'mis-use' of the word 'poor'?

mind you it should also be said I'm extremely lucky that I have no children/adults in my house with special diatry requirements (I can serve up just about anything and will be eaten - and won't make anyone ill), I don't have to make frequent trips to hospitals/doctors - costing money in bus fares, taxis or parking.

DH doesn't need a car to find a job, nor do we need a car to be able to get around with children/adults with disabilities.

All things which can add a dramatic strain on the budget in a benefit claiming family.

sheep - there's 5 of us - and we go through between 25-30 pints !! (DH rarly drinks coffee and only has it on his breakfast, I don't eat breakfast and DS1 and 2 only have milk on their breakfast).

I have someone in my life who will argue until blue in the face that they are poor and cannot afford school shoes, so child muct be allowed to go in trainers....

...yet they smoke 40 cigs a day and a litre of booze a week.

...they adopted 2 dogs recently

...may as well live in MacDonalds

...& CHOOSE not to work

But 'can't afford' school shoes (£10 from showzone) becasue they are 'poor'.

Poor or irresponsible?

a litre of booze isn't that much......unless you're talking single malt whisky

Nybom, how can you be so sure that Pai doesn't know you or isn't one of those mysterious "poor people" of which you speak?

Is it because you don't actually know any "poor people"?

So vinegartits, was OP talking about people who live on borrowed money without ever having the ability/aspiration to repay?

FAQ - Vodka!

The brand bought costs around £8.99 a week.

I bought the school shoes in the end, they cost a tenner

A litre of booze is less than a bottle and a half of wine. please tell me this isnt excessive drinking for a week, because i have days when i thnik thats a reasonable alcohol consumption for an hour.

I know that Ellie but the OP is refusing to answer!!