I got caught shoplifting

[RoseBiscuitll]

I really didn't know what topic to choose for this

I'm mortified, I got caught shoplifting in boots today, I was stealing baby milk and a facial moisturiser. I'm so ashamed of myself. It was in the city center aswell. They didn't call police but they took my details, took a picture and told me I can't return to the store again

Will this picture and my details go around to the other shops near by or will it just go to the other boots shops.

I can't believe I was stupid enough to do this! I'm so embarrassed and also feel really guiltily!

Btw SOME benefits arent enough to live on. I know ... I worked at citizens advice, a homeless centre, trussel trust, womens aid.

Lots of people don't buy moisturiser and have perfectly ok skin. 🫣

I also worked at a support agency.
If someone is getting the correct benefits then they should be able to manage - it won't ever be a luxurious life, clearly.
Problems arise with things like sanctions or PIP not being awarded when it should, and also people struggling adjust to a lower income (seeing wants as needs etc).

Oh get in the bin with this bullshit. I don't feel like I need a car. I do need a car.

For starters, there aren't any buses within walking distance of my house. I also need it to be able to go literally anywhere. I am in a huge amount of pain and travelling on public transport or walking any great distance is beyond my capabilities.

I'm sure you don't think it's essential that I'm able to leave the house at all - but I strongly disagree. I'm only 40 years old. I don't want to be permanently housebound if I can avoid it.

If you want to convince yourself that I'm some louche simpleton who is making bad decisions and pissing money up the wall, do it privately. I don't want to fucking hear it.

Where did I say you couldn't choose to keep your car? Unfortunately the reality of it is that choosing to keep the car means less money for other things. Please do look into PIP.

If you actually read the whole post instead of reacting defensively to one part you would see that it was supportive and offering you advice about other benefits which could help you.

She didn't have the money for something as simple as a bit of moisturiser because she has an expensive phone contract and spunked £120 upfront on a brand new cot.

You can't spend £45 on a phone contract AND buy a brand new bed upfront AND treat yourself to moisturiser all in the same month if you are on a limited budget. People who work have budgets too. When you pay for something big one month, you don't just steal something you want because you think you are entitled to treat yourself.

There are always some who think they can do poverty better than others aren't there? Those who are commenting like that sound like Tory MP's.

Good luck to you op - I hope things get better for you soon.

Well said

Well said.

Except that's really not true.
Do you know many people who don't have to set some sort of budget?

Yet another stark reminder that MumsNet is incredibly upper middle class, Jesus some of the comments on here re; those on benefits or PIP are frankly disgusting...

@PaillettenBedeckt That sounds really hard. I've been in similar situation on basic UC, and especially when I was sanctioned for three months for missing an appointment due to my health condition. I had a young child at that time too. Please try and claim PIP, you will be entitled to it, although I know it is hard to go through

Well that will teach you to waste all that money on a cot/bed for your child OP because if you didn't you would have had enough to buy milk and everyone lives happily ever after. Some clueless people on here who have absolutely no fucking idea but pretend they do. Congratulations to them for having such a brilliant moral compass and if they ever needed to feed their children they found a job (on the same day and got paid just in time for teatime) problem solved.

That statement contains a value judgement, though. I wouldn't cease to exist if I stopped using moisturiser, but I'd feel bloody uncomfortable. Carping about something as cheap as moisturiser just feeds into the whole 'deserving poor on bread and water vs feckless extravagant poor living a life of luxury on other people's money' narrative the Tories spent 14 years (this time around) building.

Why are you assuming folk are 'upper middle class' exactly?

Which comments are you referring to as I genuinely don’t think there have been any disgusting comments about people on benefits or PIP?

OP made a decision to spend the money which she could have spent on moisturiser on something else though.

I'm not choosing to keep it any more than I'm choosing to be disabled. I need it.

Fuck me, now it's not essential to be able to leave the house. You people will say anything as long as you don't have to admit poverty exists.

I've already explained in detail about my attempts to apply for PIP and I don't intend to explain it again.

Still, at least I'm only physically disabled. I could be the type of person who came on threads like this to tell people they are choosing to be poor. I should count my blessings.

I think folk were referring more to the phone contract - it's possible to pay much less than that for a decent phone!

I've literally just read and responded to one so open your eyes.

That wasn't my point, and I think you know that.

Not at all. It probably helps that I drink a lot of water and don't drink alcohol, smoke, or work outside. I only use it now because I have money to spend on luxuries and treats.

Sadly, you are looking for excuses to kick off instead of actually reading the posts

Bless you. This is what our country has come to.. can’t afford to feed our kids. Did you manage to get some milk?