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It is tough NOW. So how are we coping
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A big :T to the ladies who have been secretly hoarding away some money against the bad times which may be to come. I think the nation as a whole owes a very big debt to unsung heroines like this who hold families together by their forward thinking and their steady prudence. I don't know why it is, but it often seems to be people like this, who by their quiet sacrifices, do what needs to be done to hold the fabric together in difficult times. These are difficult times but let's hope redunancy doesn't happen for any of you.
I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments and ......but if your OH does get made redundant and has to claim Job Seeker Allowance (Income Based) or Income Support - you will have to 'fess up about your savings and if your combined savings are over a certain amount, it will affect how much benefit you are entitled to.
You can claim JSA (Contributions Based) but that only last for 6 months
HM Revenue & Customs (aka Tax Office) notify DWP of interest paid out so its impossible to 'hide' money from Big Bro and you would get into hot water if you tried.
OH & I have both worked continuously since leaving school and since we have both been in low paid jobs, choose to live carefully and save what we could for the future. My OH is redundant after 33 years and since we have savings put by to help our daughter through uni & I work full time - he will get nothing when his JSA (CB) runs out.
I feel despondent about the future and very bitter about the system - it penalises the responsible savers and allows the reckless & idle to get the pick of the benefits.:heartpuls The best things in life aren't things :heartpuls
2017 Grocery challenge £110.00 per week/ £5720 a year
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Hello everyone, I'm really glad to see this thread up and running again, because I do think that we still face difficult times and there is always so much support to be found here. This time last year I couldn't even see how we would get through the next couple of months DH had lost all his overtime (which we needed to make up a decent income) and then he was put on a four day week. I was not working due to health problems. Our eldest son was made redundant and was finding it very difficult to support his little family and our youngest son had alot of his work cut and struggled to pay rent for his flat in London. Life was and still is very tough, but thank God we're all still here and battling away to make ends meet. It's amazing how resilient and thrifty we can all be when we have too and I'm sure that it's that same resilience that will help us through whatever gets thrown at us next. Keeping positive does help -even though it isn't easy and it doesn't help when you're trying so hard to help yourself but the system doesn't let you. Hugs to all those that need them.Sealed Pot Challenge 7 Member 022 :staradmin:staradmin:staradmin
5:2 Diet started 28/1/2013 only 13lbs lost due to Xmas 2013 blip.0 -
Oh yes...also glad to see this thread still here.
The phrase comes to mind "I'll take your hand...if you'll take my hand ...and we'll both take their hand"....and thats how we will get through this....0 -
Hello Everyone
Glad to see that this thread is back up and running! Things here have been tough for us the last few months and I sometimes feel we are not getting anywhere and with things due to get worse it is a worry. However I try to focus on the fact that we are a young healthy family and as long as we work together we will get through! Hope you are all staying positive.Taking responsibility one penny at a time!0 -
A big NannaC hello and welcome back to all. Like everyone else things are getting tighter for Grumpy and me, although we are lucky to have no mortgage. I will admit to neglecting our come the revolution [store] cupboard, in the past few weeks however our small chest freezer is full to bursting. Our local co-op reduce their items in the mornings and got lots of lovely root veggies for pennies the other day + a couple of the half price chickens. Will be looking on Supermarkets web sites this weekend to look for some store cupboard bargains.0
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charlies-aunt wrote: »I feel despondent about the future and very bitter about the system - it penalises the responsible savers and allows the reckless & idle to get the pick of the benefits.
I couldn't agree more. I just hope whoever gets into power at the next General Election will have the courage to do sort this issue out once and for all. But the moment any politician dares to put their head above the parapet and say what needs to be said, there is a huge public wail of protest and the politicians run scared counting all the potential lost voters.0 -
I couldn't agree more. I just hope whoever gets into power at the next General Election will have the courage to do sort this issue out once and for all. But the moment any politician dares to put their head above the parapet and say what needs to be said, there is a huge public wail of protest and the politicians run scared counting all the potential lost voters.
May be we should start a MSE political party!0 -
Oh yes...also glad to see this thread still here.
The phrase comes to mind "I'll take your hand...if you'll take my hand ...and we'll both take their hand"....and thats how we will get through this....
What a lovely phrase ceridwen. I have never heard it before and its very comforting and inspiring. I'm sure others will agree.Sealed Pot Challenge 7 Member 022 :staradmin:staradmin:staradmin
5:2 Diet started 28/1/2013 only 13lbs lost due to Xmas 2013 blip.0 -
Ceridwen thanks for your post - I'm new to this thread, and am feeling very low tonight contemplating our finances - your post made me feel a little better
I will explain more another day - but in a nutshell, I've been married 2 years, both DH and I had credit card debts when we married, him more than me, and we've been trying (not very successfully) to pay them off. I've lost two jobs because I have severe depression and agoraphobia, and so DH has to bring in all the money - he's self-employed and the work just isn't there. We are just about paying the bills, but get default charges from the bank all the time and it's incredibly stressful just trying to make minimum payments on anything. I hate being in this situation, I feel so stupid to think it was ok to go into debt. We can barely afford our rent and we live in a studio flat. It's no life really.
So how are we coping? We aren't really. We are scraping by, and trying not to be stressed out of our tiny little brains.
Sorry for such a negative post, I think you are all amazing, and long to be like the ladies who are managing to put something by for emergencies"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together."
Sealed pot challenge no.576 Loose change pays your debt challenge #2 no.1 Wannabe flylady
Weight lost since 9 June 2009: [STRIKE]5.5[/STRIKE] 6 lbs0 -
charlies-aunt wrote: »
OH & I have both worked continuously since leaving school and since we have both been in low paid jobs, choose to live carefully and save what we could for the future. My OH is redundant after 33 years and since we have savings put by to help our daughter through uni & I work full time - he will get nothing when his JSA (CB) runs out.
I feel despondent about the future and very bitter about the system - it penalises the responsible savers and allows the reckless & idle to get the pick of the benefits.
I don't blame you for feeling despondent (though I hope you feel better soon) and agree that the current system is all biased against those of us who struggle and try to be responsible. Can't see the status quo changing though until the powers that be grasp the bull by the horns and make some hefty changes to a system that allows benefits to be a lifestyle choice by some members of society. No-one should be better off claiming benefits than those in work.
Good luck - I hope your husband finds work soonPeople Say that life's the thing - but I prefer reading
The difference between a misfortune and a calamity is this: If Gladstone fell jnto the Thames it would be a misfortune. But if someone dragged him out again, that would be a calamity - Benjamin Disreali0
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