The recession, benefits, the safety net, and the learning curve

PasturesNew

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You're right, 1 bed houses exist (usually called starter homes) - not many studio houses though. (I wish I'd never made that bloody joke!)

If there was a joke I didn't see it. This is in keeping with my disability ... which is known to completely miss jokes as I take things literally.

I don't know if that happened. I can't tell.

cocktail

PasturesNew wrote: »

The single career benefits claimant has less outgoings than a single working person who is temporarily on hard times.

If they are in rented accommodation they don't have to pay for:
- buildings insurance
- any boiler maintenance and similar contracts
- buildings maintenance and fixes that are essential/sudden
- job hunting activities (buying newspapers, stamps, photocopying things, travel to interviews, a few smart bits and pieces to wear at interviews)
- haircuts for interviews (you can go twice as long between them as it doesn't matter)
- phone calls for job hunting

took the horse to the waterhole, wouldnt drink........
then found out it was a donkey

Oldernotwiser

PasturesNew wrote: »

The single career benefits claimant has less outgoings than a single working person who is temporarily on hard times.

If they are in rented accommodation they don't have to pay for:
- buildings insurance
- any boiler maintenance and similar contracts
- buildings maintenance and fixes that are essential/sudden
- job hunting activities (buying newspapers, stamps, photocopying things, travel to interviews, a few smart bits and pieces to wear at interviews)
- haircuts for interviews (you can go twice as long between them as it doesn't matter)
- phone calls for job hunting

A single unemployed (working) person will have the same housing expenses if they're renting.

If you've been working recently you probably have plenty of interview clothes, it's when you've been unemployed for a long time that interview clothes become a problem.

lostinrates

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You're right, 1 bed houses exist (usually called starter homes) - not many studio houses though. (I wish I'd never made that bloody joke!)

The popint is that its not a joke: lots and lots of people in decent employment can only afford a studio FLAT or one bed anything. Its not funny when you see that people on decent incomes (regardless of situations like Max's) can only afford one bed anythings or shares, where as the young man in my previous example could.

Its not funny, thats why we're not laughing.

SingleSue

Max_Headroom wrote: »

Which lifestyle change do you recommend, the "not eating at all" lifestyle, or the "not using any gas, water or electricity at all" lifestyle?

In my case, I do them in rotation :rotfl:

Seriously, it is a begger to adjust to the new income and it can seem very miserly (and depressing!) in the beginning but you do come to terms with it and start being able to manage. I have said in a previous post that I sold my lovely and much loved book collection to afford the heating, new school uniform and yes food, I have also sold a huge chunk of my lovingly collected Piggins over the last year to again get us over humps, pay for MOT's etc.

I would love to know where I am going wrong and how some on benefits can afford the plasma televisions and holidays abroad...well actually I do know, I am too honest and do things by the letter, I even declared the money I got from selling my books and piggins!

Oldernotwiser

PasturesNew wrote: »

If there was a joke I didn't see it. This is in keeping with my disability ... which is known to completely miss jokes as I take things literally.

I don't know if that happened. I can't tell.

You didn't miss much - I was just trying to lighten the mood!

bo_drinker

Isn't an element behind how low jsa is so as you don't get too comfortable on it and get work asap, I am sure it used to be. Obviously if the work isn't there then that's a different story, just those that make the rules haven't caught up yet.

mewbie_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If you've been working recently you probably have plenty of interview clothes, it's when you've been unemployed for a long time that interview clothes become a problem.

No matter how hard times have been I have always, and I mean always, worn clothes to an interview. Apart from a modelling job which I was turned down for anyway.

lostinrates

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You didn't miss much - I was just trying to lighten the mood!

We keep our pet mewbie for that

lostinrates

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

A single unemployed (working) person will have the same housing expenses if they're renting.
.

No they dont: their landlords do.