Dispatches - Growing Up Poor

[TurquoiseKiss]

Did anyone see this? I'm half way through on catch up - very tough to watch.

[dottypotter]

Noticed there are some really awful abusive people on here. They aren't able to even get their point across without swearing. Once you start getting abusive you have lost. You cannot cope with someone who does not see things the way you do. You have to resort to bad language it doesn't do you any favours.

[OlaEliza]

And again, a lot of people have a shared sink to use, no place to dry them and/or cultural barriers and issues surrounding menstruation that might not lead to them want to use mooncups and cloth pads. Also, as stated, mooncups don't suit some people, so giving them away when they're as expensive as they are isn't really workable

Not everyone has those issues. Reusables can be given to people that don't 🤷

[HeIenaDove]

You are not pro choice Eliza. You are the opposite.

[jobbymcginty]

Just watched it so heartbreaking. I wish I could do something to help, I'm pretty poor myself but would love to do something help . Really playing on my mind. I would send my sons out grown clothes to those is need but don't know where to send them to. I give to charity shops but that doesn't help the people that can't afford to buy a coat etc

[OlaEliza]

You are not pro choice Eliza. You are the opposite.

The planet is dying. Everyone should be encouraged to use reusables. Why shouldn't people that have to be provided with their sp?

Disposable products are full of chemicals and reusables have been proven to reduce pain and bleeding for some.

Have reusable products take away the anxiety of his you'd cope with the next period. Instead of wondering what you are going to do.

Why would you want to argue against reusables for those that can use them?

Arguing for arguments sake.

[HeIenaDove]

Im not arguing against reusables so you can quit the gaslighting shit.

Im arguing against people like YOU trying to force women to use them because they are poor

So quit the gaslghting.

[Juliette20]

And how many types of mooncup should women have to purchase and try before they give up?

As they are such a cheap option.

People just pile on here to have a go at women, environmental reasons my arse, it's misogyny, pure and simple.

[OlaEliza]

I'm not forcing anyone to do anything.

It just makes sense to me that if you need a product regularly, and can't afford it, then something reusable that you only have to be given once, makes sense.

I use cloth pads and a mooncup myself, so it's not like I'm saying 'use these inferior products' while I use Tampax and keep all that bleach and single use plastic for myself.

Anyway, I'm off out to spend the money I save on san-pro every month in the pub 👋

[Juliette20]

The planet isn't dying. We may severely reduce or obliterate the human population and numerous animal species with our actions, but the planet will carry on merrily without us.

[Juliette20]

Anyway, I'm off out to spend the money I save on san-pro every month in the pub

How selfish. Haven't you ever considered the environmental issues associated with the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks? Water consumption, waste water, solid waste and by-products, energy use and emissions to air. Plus all the energy consumption by the pub itself. What a hypocrite. You should really stick to water, and be giving the spare money you save from reusable sanitary products to environmental charities.

[DuckWillow]

Thing is Dotty, as long as there are people on the planet there will be poor decisions and unplanned pregnancies. Nothing can be done about that....it happens either deliberately or not.

Our benefits system supports those who cannot support themselves...in these cases it’s the CHILDREN who are being supported via their parents. We don’t turn parents away because their children will suffer...and indeed ARE suffering under the current system.

Part of the reason I was reluctant to read this thread initially was because I knew there would be people like you who either didn’t watch or DID watch and then sat picking every little thing apart to sneer that “one or two smoked” (yup that’s an addiction...look it up) or “one of them had a pet” . Well whoop de doo to you for noticing and begrudging children who have lost everything else their beloved pet. Did that sneering judgement make you feel better about yourself in some way? Or are you one of these “deserving vs undeserving” poor people who says these people deserve to be poor and judged because...


They have a dog
They smoke
They have a mobile phone

While disregarding the shit life has thrown at them in terms of abuse, having to flee areas, living hand to mouth because money is very tight as a result.

Honestly it’s people like you who make me despair for humanity. What’s in that gap where your compassion should be?

[ReanimatedSGB]

Many poor people prioritize having a mobile phone because guess what? You have to be able to use the internet to hunt for work or access state support. And you can't go online at the library because so many of them have been closed down. And you can't go to the internet cafe because you will have to pay for it. Also, many people who bought phones when they were working are locked into contracts so they can't sell or pawn the phones and have to keep paying the bills for them...

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Really if you have a household income of 20 thousand or more,they should increase the tax rate.The extra tax will go to those who have nothing.Those on 20 thousand or more would not miss the extra 300 or 400 hundred a year,and it could help enormously those who have no money.

Give over! Household income of 20k or more?? Are you sure you mean household income? 20k is not even median wage for one person. It’s the ultra high earners that need to be paying the extra 3 or 400 in tax a year that you need to be looking at.

20k household income is nothing these days, you would certainly not be a home owner on that kind of household income because you woulsnt be able to afford a mortgage. And rental costs are often much higher than what the mortgage payment would have been anyway. If your household income is that you’re most likely on the breadline yourself.

[dontalltalkatonce]

Abusive is people who legislate, and those who support them, policies that outright punish, isolate and disenfranchise the poorest in society. That is far beyond people who swear. What about the family who lost their child to cancer, dotty, did poor choices make them poor? Can you not even begin to contemplate what that does to a family? I hung onto the cats we had when my child became ill, even after she died. I'd have gone without food to feed them because they were a link to my dead child. Luckily I did not have to. LUCKILY, it was pure luck we didn't wind up like that family! Her illness threw us into immediate and very extreme financial crisis and the system made an utter mock of it.

And honestly, just fuck anyone who has the temerity to state that such people's poverty is their fault and they're just spongers.

[dontalltalkatonce]

Those on 20 thousand or more would not miss the extra 300 or 400 hundred a year,and it could help enormously those who have no money.

Oh, bullshit! That's a fucking pittance for a family and even for many single people, have you seen the cost of housing?

[dontalltalkatonce]

No I'm not lucky my father didn't run off. Today's generation haven't got the commitment.

Bullshit! Sylvia Plath's husband ran off on her and their 2 little kids in the early 60s, after coming from a stable home with married parents. He couldn't handle family life. Aw, diddums. Patrick Stewart's father hung around to beat the shit out his mother regularly but hey, he was committed (to knocking her around, I guess).

[evilharpy]

£20k would equate to around £1,400 a month take home and rents are around £800pcm for a 3 bed, leaving about £600 for food, all utilities, transport etc etc. £400 is half a month's rent. I doubt there are many families on a household income of £20k who wouldn't miss that.

[dontalltalkatonce]

Seriously, Eliza, there are people who don't have two pennies to rub together much less a tenner for an unbranded mooncup that might not work for them and reusable pads. I spent the better part of 50 quid getting my teen daughter kitted out with them and period pants that she wanted to try, and I had the money to buy for her.

Instead of going down the pub why aren't you spending the money donating a set of washable pads and mooncups to charity then?

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

£20k would equate to around £1,400 a month take home. You haven’t included pension payment in that. So take that off too.

[JustAnotherPoster00]

Seriously, Eliza, there are people who don't have two pennies to rub together

I'm on benefits due to my health, I have 43p in my account and I have another week to go until I'm paid, how would some of you like that life? I'm not even complaining I'm in a better situation than I was 2 years ago but thought Id plop a reality turd in for some of you too blind to see what is happening in Britain

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Yep, so after pension, tax etc, take home on 20k is £1300 to live off. Take off 800 rent,,150 council tax, 90 gas/electric, 49 water, 13 tv licence. Already comes to £1,122. £178 left for the MONTH for food and EVERYTHING else. Including TV licence, transport costs, clothing, school dinners, trips, etc etc

If you think households with an income of 20k should be paying extra tax then you’re having a bloody laugh. It’d be the poor paying the even poorer.

[dottypotter]

It's is slot of people's fault they are in poverty. They have children they clearly can't afford. There was someone o. A programme the other week, 5 kids couldn't afford them always at the food bank etc. Five children is alot. Why keep having them. I'd be too embarrassed to go o. TV..

[dottypotter]

Alot not slot.

[dontalltalkatonce]

It's is slot of people's fault they are in poverty.

No, it is not. It is the fault of punitive legislation designed to punish the poor and propaganda designed to denigrate all who are not rich and scapegoat them in order to wag the dog and keep peoples' eyes off the real problem that trickle down economics is utter bullshit and the top small percentage of wealth owners are screwing over everyone else.

I'd be too embarrassed to go o. TV..

They've done a great job then, that propaganda machine.

Poverty is NEVER the fault of children.

[KenDodd]

@dottypotter

Why don't you watch 'Cathy Come Home' if you think life was so great in the past.

I expect sadly we'll see more of this poverty in the future, fully expecting the Tories to win a majority, an awful lot of people think like dottypotter and hate the poor and disabled.