to think its a disgrace that marks n spencers do not accept healthy start vouchers?

[superv1xen]

i think its disgusting.

as if they are saying, we are marks and spencers and are posh, therefore don't want you single parents shopping here with your "poor people's vouchers", piss off to asda, you are lowering the tone.

the look on the cashier's face when i tried to use my vouchers in there, snobby bitch.

aibu?

i would imagine that very few recipients of healthy start vouchers would be wishing to spend them in M%S so it would not be worth the expense of setting teh tills to accept them. re training the staff and then orgainsing the administration of them afterwards.

it is simply not financially vilable for them.

and would be stupid of the recipient to wish to spend them there as they do not get anywhere near their value

I've never had a problem with the fruit and vegetables that I've occasionally bought from Lidl.

I had a look on the Healthy Start website. I find it odd that they only allow fresh fruit and veg and not say a bag of frozen peas,which are healthy,go far and are cheap.

My local market used to accept them, the co-op does, so does the corner shop, but not the local veg shop. It's crazy.

And why do people always have to attack anyone who asks about benefits on here? I don't think there is all that much difference in the price of fruit or a pint of milk, and maybe the OP was really in a rush because she was walking barefoot begging for a job, whipping herself in shame or whatever people think those of us with the bad taste to be poor should be doing.

Next you'll be attacking parents on low incomes for not feeding their kids healthily or something.

If you have a problem with the benefits system, don't take it out on the poor souls having to rely on it. One day it might be you having to be looked own on while you try and buy your kids something healthy. Have some bloody compassion, ffs.

cupcakesandbunting

"I suppose it's easier to be carefree when it's not your money though"

• how rude.

do you think i CHOOSE to be in the situation i am in??

YABU to think its a disgrace.

YANBU to expect the sales assistant to be polite.

I probably wouldn't go to M&S with the vouchers,as their fruit and veg is expensive and I could get better value elsewhere,but if they accepted the vouchers then why shouldn't the OP go there if she wishes?

It is her money.It was given to her, it's hers. It's for the OP to decide how to spend it not anyone else.

Superv1xen, whether you choose to be in your situation is irrelevant. What you choose to do WHEN you're in that situation IS relevant.

I'm not beating down on "poor people" or people on benefits. I've said in previous threads that I am a massive fan of the welfare system. I like the idea that my taxes might be helping lower income parents. I do not like the idea that my taxes might be helping lower income parents shop in bloody M&S when I have to buy my Smart Price bananas. Do you not see the point I am making? You're entitled to your vouchers but don't take the piss, fgs.

If she was in M and S I really don't think its a problem that she thought she could get some fruit from there..how strange to think that was wrong ...

well the "dine in for tenner" is great value, wine, meat, pudding and side dish for #2.50 average! the chicken did repeat on me though

agree YABU if you poor enough to get em, get dahn to Asda!

I still don't see the problem.

The OP is given £3.10 to spend on fresh fruit and veg. The amount doesn't change if she spends it on Smartprice bananas in Asda rather than 4 nectarines in M&S.

She'll get more for her money certainly in Asda but if she wants to get 4 nectarines that week as a treat from M&S then why not? She's sacrificing quantity for quality but I think she should have the right to make that choice.

I don't get this idea that because one pays taxes that one has the right to dictate exactly what people should buy with their vouchers/benefits.

DP's employer may pay his wages but that doesn't mean he can tell us what to spend it on either.

Usualsuspect, you're missing the point.

Do you not avoid certain shops because your budget dictates this? Is it that wild a thought to think that someone in receipt of healthy start vouchers might be on a very tight budget so might not want to buy fruit at a premium price just because it's the nearest shop?

No I get your point ..just don't agree with it

thank you letthereberock!!

my thoughts exactly!

YANBU to expect the staff to be polite.

YABU to conclude it's a 'disgrace' a place like M&S doesn't take them.

..for the reasons letthereberock said

I wouldn't say it's a disgrace, as M & S aren't a supermarket but don't see any reason why people shouldn't use them at M & S. btw when I was skint and lived in a city centre flat, I would get basics (bread/cheese/milk) from M & S, it wasn't really more expensive than Tesco Metro, and saved me a bus fare to Asda/Morrison. I agree with lethereberock - this is getting like the pre-cut fruit thread ...... that the undeserving poor shouldn't dare to have M & S fruit or veg...

I suppose it's like the age-old people on benefits/plasma television debate, isn't it?

Some people get miffed when people on benefits seem to be able to afford the extravagances that some of us can't, even though it's the some of us that are subsidising those extravagances.

Its 3 quids worth of fruit ffs not a plasma tv voucher

Is there also a list of acceptable fruit the OP is allowed to buy?
Is she getting a bit uppity if she decides to buy a mango or two rather than a bag of apples?

Bananas have to be imported. I'm not sure she should be allowed those, Smartprice or not.

Usualsuspect misses the point again.

I'm not comparing a tv with fruit fgs. I'm comparing THAT argument with THIS argument i.e people on hand-outs being able to buy stuff that people who pay for their hand-outs cannot.

Can I make it any plainer for you?

haha letthereberock!!

Buy a bloody mango! But buy a 68 pence mango from the greengrocers/tesco instead of a £1.30 one from M&S.

YANBU to expect not to get a snobby look.
YAB a teeny bit U to be cross that they dont accept them, as PP's have said, unless in exceptional circumstances, most people using the vouchers would go for the place that offers the best value, and thats unlikely to be M&S.

But just a point to consider for all those having a pop at OP for shopping at M&S, surely it is false economy (and worse for the environment) to spend money on bus fare or fuel to go to a supermarket offering better value, doubtful that the saving by shopping in a supermarket for a bit of fruit and veg would cover the cost of getting to the supermarket IMO. Just a thought before you all leap in.............

Getting your apples from M+S probably costs 10p more though, it is hardly a massive extravagance, is it?

Plus, if people are buying plasma tellys or whatever, then they must be cutting down in other areas. If you can't afford whatever, you must be choosing to spend your money somewhere else.

We don't have much, DP is on just over minimum wage, I am a sahm, but we manage to eat well because it is our priority. We seem to get more meals out of our food as well because we are careful with it. It makes me when people say they can't afford a veg box like us, then throw away perfectly good portions of food that could be frozen or reused. Or say they HAVE to work overtime, and you find out it is because they HAVE to spend loads of money on stupid things. But then they are somehow inherently supeirior because of some bizarre ticklist of where you get your money from.