It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

The_Thrilla

Hippeechiq wrote: »

You go girl! :T :T :T

ETA: My apologies if you're of the male persuasion

Apology accepted.

The_Thrilla

morag1202 wrote: »

The 5% rate is unchanged.

Is it? I've not been down the public library yet to read all about it in the FT. They shouldn't be charging VAT on utilities, whatever the rate is.

pumpkinlife

I remember growing up in a single parent household under the Tories. Honest to god, I thought yesterdays budget was mild. I had had visions of the scrapping of Tax Credits for households earning more than £16000 a year; I saw VAT being whacked on food at 20%, the minimum wage being scrapped, all bands of the public sector (from cleaners upwards) having there wages docked.... So its bad, but it could have been worse. Apparently being a bit of a doomer on these things is good for you. I have woken up positively chirpy this morning in comparison with yesterday.

I do not mean to sound trite; and that some who are already overstretched are going to feel disproportionate amounts of pain. I am lucky that at the moment we have low outgoings, good health and could sell the car if we needed to. I am just glad that I prepared for the very worst yesterday; and that I didn't get it. I just hope it doesn't derail the economy totally, else we will all know pain.

BigMummaF

The_Thrilla wrote: »

Is it? I've not been down the public library yet to read all about it in the FT. They shouldn't be charging VAT on utilities, whatever the rate is.

It wasn't supposed to be on bills when VAT first came in, but got added on later. It has been at various levels since & apparently the bluddin European bigwigs have said we can't remove it now :mad:

I really must find a list of what has VAT on it so I can start gathering supplies..I was surprised to see toothpaste is taxable, which is prompting my search. We use a shop's own now but it's already gone up 6p in one go...

TudorRose

I have been following this thread for a long time but have not posted on here before.

I too woke up relieved that yesterday's budget did not appear as bad as it could have been.
Like lots of people I thought that there might be VAT added to food etc.

Although on a very low income, like many of you on here I have always spent time saving money & being OS - will just have to try harder now!

The budget will however affect my business which I am still trying to get into profit. The VAT on elecrticity is at the full going rate for businesses so that will affect me in the New Year and although I will be ordering my new stock in the next few months most of it will not be delivered before the end of the year so that will affect my prices.

Good Luck everybody. I think we'll need it

lauren_1

I have rather bad heartburn after my 'was spagbol now chilli' dinner last night :mad:

I found a brilliant way of making those large sandwich wraps last and get them soft enough to use as tortillias, bung the bag in the microwave for a minute, works from frozen too:D

Moneywise, its dire, food for next 2 weeks is around £35, my HB went in 20 days early (apparently i get 2 payments in june) and i cant be too sure of when my IS goes in, might be after my rent comes out.

Larumbelle

charlies-aunt wrote: »

Can i just say (in a very small voice) I work in a jobcentre but I aren't 'orrible - customers often tell me that they request to have their appointments with me cos I'm so nice! But I aren't permanent staff either .

I do understand where you are coming from with your comments - there are a lot of long serving staff who certainly have 'attitude' ...not just to customers - temporary & fixed term staff are tolerated by the old timers as a necessary evil.

Charlie's Aunt - I am sincerely sorry if you felt that I was lumping all staff in together, I really didn't intend that. Thank goodness there are people like you there! I know from experience that 'the attitude' is really tough on other staff, because they have to put up with it all the time. So good on you, and don't let people like them (or people like me) get you down! :grouphug:

IMHO the way you treat the least fortunate people you encounter is a measure of you as a human being (or as a government department, or as a society.) I think that too much of this budget will hit the less fortunate disproportionately.It made me really angry, Osborne rebutting this criticism by saying that 'we all have to do our bit' as if somehow poorer people were trying to wheedle out of their share.

Larumbelle

Also, thankyou to everyone who wished me well I am fine now, we tightened up our budget enough that I can work part-time, in a job I love, for a business I respect. Who could want more? So it was a real blessing in disguise.

Anyone else planning to stock up on VAT-able essentials? I will be, but only when such items come up on offer. My top priorities to stock up on are loo roll, toiletries, and cat food. But we have a Costco being built at the moment :j so I am hoping there might be some good deals there when it opens.

Optimisticpair

Hippeechiq wrote: »

Well said! :T

I was made redundant in January and I am more hard up now than I have ever been in my life, but I don't claim JSA & I don't claim Tax Credits, even though I am entitled to both, because I don't need some snooty bint with a stick up her @r$e, looking down her nose at me like something she's stepped in because I'm making a claim....been there, done that (once) and no amount of money is worth being treated like that......as you quite rightly say mardatha some things matter a lot more than money

Same here I'm not claiming. My X rays and tests so far do not show anything wrong with me therefore it would be impossible for me to prove a claim to be genuine. No amount of money could possibly compensate me for the gross indignity and emotional torment of having to plead, jump through hoops, and feel that my honesty is being questioned.

I understand there are nice people in such offices who have to follow rules and it is necessary to prevent fraud and agree with it but it's a battle I can live without.

I'll spare readers by refraining from having a rant about this.

pagangirl

I have come across both helpful/extremely unhelpful staff at the local jobcentre, now worried what new budget will bring benefits wise for me as work ended 31/12/09, on JSA til 18th May, advised to go for ESA as not fit to look for full time work. On making phone application - printed customer statement sent to me had 11 mistakes, including the fact that I am registered blind. New claim still not sorted properly.:mad:

Have now just returned 20 page form in to ASOS as they needed to know ins & outs of health issue (embarrassing - yes, very).

It's ok my doctor saying that I should have no problems with them, as I am genuine, but if I get a jumped up so n so at my medical - where does that leave me????

Also was planning to retire at 60, full pension not now available for me till I am 63-64. If government hike that up to retiring at 66 - don't know where I stand. If I want to retire at 60 - do I get anything or nothing. Free bus pass or not. Head is all over the place - not like me, coz I'm usually quite grounded.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!
sorry for rant !