...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...