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

fc123

mewbie wrote: »

I haven't got time, or the will to live to read all of this. So can I ask what the conclusion was? Is Max a git or not?

btw - I think not.

Max is luvverly, as usual, just having an issue with surviving temporarily on JSA.

Thing is, Max probabaly won't have to worry about it for much longer as he is bound to be snapped up by some employer at some point.

TBH Mewbs, you should try to wade your way through the entire thing...just to remind yourself that this IS InternetLand.

I am slowly giving up on IL...It's getting too confusing. Who is who etc etc. So a gradual goodbye from me at the moment....

Dithering_Dad

lostinrates wrote: »

No he's not a git, we like him, but he's overdressed and need to learn not to expect caviar everyday for breakfast.

(joke Max)

Agree, he's not a git and neither is dopster. The only thing that seems to seperate them is that max knows what it's like to be in the sh 1t and dopester doesn't.

fc123

Dithering_Dad wrote: »

Agree, he's not a git and neither is dopster. The only thing that seems to seperate them is that max knows what it's like to be in the sh 1t and dopester doesn't.

The thing is...this mode of communication brings out the stuff that is buried a little deeper ...the things that one doesn't want to continually discuss day in and day out in ReaLife Land with mates/partners continually.


But the things that we are all a tiny bit OCD about (in a minor way) seem to be accentuauted on here. Dopestar is a bit cross with the current situation, fair enough, but I am sure he's had experiences that have been just as hard to deal with....could be an extra reason for the anger. Not my place to speculate.

Anyway, the stuff that bothers me is swum out and I have given it up..the therapy on here, for the time being...makes one vulnerable to personal attack.

Shame really as I had plenty of angst to bore you all with too.

dopester

fc123 wrote: »

But the things that we are all a tiny bit OCD about (in a minor way) seem to be accentuauted on here. Dopestar is a bit cross with the current situation, fair enough, but I am sure he's had experiences that have been just as hard to deal with....could be an extra reason for the anger. Not my place to speculate.

It isn't anger - sorry it appears that way - it is the issue only.

All of us hope Max finds new employment soon enough. He is in a fairly good position in that his home is paid off. He doesn't need to service a mortgage. He'd only need a job which will help him better what he'd get on JSA benefit, even if it weren't to be his preferred job.

Thanks DD... but if I have to entertain thoughts of leaving the UK, sharing in a HMO, or buying a motorhome and living in it... because I can't justify purchasing a house at current asking prices, then I don't think there is much difference between myself and Max for not knowing what hardship and unfairness is.

Dithering_Dad

dopester wrote: »

It isn't anger - sorry it appears that way - it is the issue only.

All of us hope Max finds new employment soon enough. He is in a fairly good position in that his home is paid off. He doesn't need to service a mortgage. He'd only need a job which will help him better what he'd get on JSA benefit, even if it weren't to be his preferred job.

Thanks DD... but if I have to entertain thoughts of leaving the UK, sharing in a HMO, or buying a motorhome and living in it... because I can't justify purchasing a house at current asking prices, then I don't think there is much difference between myself and Max for not knowing what hardship and unfairness is.

Sorry dopester but I can't remember your back story, but I guess you're waiting for prices to fall to a level when you can buy?

When that happens and you commit the majority of your hard-earned savings to it, perhaps even becoming mortgage free in the process, I'm sure you'd be singing the same tune as Max if you then lost your income.

I'm positive that you would NOT start proceedings to sell up, losing a lot of those hard-earned savings, without having a bloody good grumble at those people who seem to milk the system and don't lose their savings.

In fact, I doubt very much that you would consider selling at all, TBH.

amcluesent

Knowing how profligate the Socialists have been with our taxation, surely the only rationale response has been to evade tax? Many Labour MPs who 'flipped' their houses, claimed 2nd-home allowance and capital gains exemption on the same property show us the way!

Max_Headroom_3

dopester wrote: »

What a load of rubbish. And you suggest JSA isn't enough for food and energy and clothing - you risk getting caught if you think it isn't and feel that gives you justification for stealing from private business.

I'm sorry, but house values have trebled in many areas over 10 years. Trebled in value.

It is a ridiculous argument that people expect JSA should now pays lots more to keep unemployed people who own their houses without any mortgage, and in near the same lifestyle they are used to.

Part of the much needed adjustment in house prices is from sellers who find circumstances mean they have to sell, and sell at lower prices in order to find a buyer.

You really can't get past this "trebled in value" business can you? :rolleyes:

How does that help? I can't spend that "profit"!

We've been through the whole "cost of displacing someone from their home", and the fact is someone who does own their home is a heck of a lot cheaper to keep there as there are no accommodation costs at all, just day to day living expenses.

Your last paragraph sums up your real interest here.

Part of the much needed adjustment in house prices is from sellers who find circumstances mean they have to sell, and sell at lower prices in order to find a buyer.

That's what this is really about for you isn't it? Get everyone with homes having to sell and you hope it'll push prices further down for you.

Nice.

Max_Headroom_3

Dithering_Dad wrote: »

Sorry dopester but I can't remember your back story, but I guess you're waiting for prices to fall to a level when you can buy?

When that happens and you commit the majority of your hard-earned savings to it, perhaps even becoming mortgage free in the process, I'm sure you'd be singing the same tune as Max if you then lost your income.

I'm positive that you would NOT start proceedings to sell up, losing a lot of those hard-earned savings, without having a bloody good grumble at those people who seem to milk the system and don't lose their savings.

In fact, I doubt very much that you would consider selling at all, TBH.

Precisely so.

Max_Headroom_3

dopester wrote: »

Thanks DD... but if I have to entertain thoughts of leaving the UK, sharing in a HMO, or buying a motorhome and living in it... because I can't justify purchasing a house at current asking prices, then I don't think there is much difference between myself and Max for not knowing what hardship and unfairness is.

I guess though that the difference is that your hardship is being forced out of home ownership by (in my opinion very skewed and unsustainable) market conditions. Not much that can be done about that although rest assured, those market forces are running very much in your favour now, if not perhaps as quickly as you'd like. Incidentally, it's a situation for which you have my deepest sympathies. I'm only in the position I'm in (homeowner) because I was born earlier and I'm well aware of that and understand your very justified frustration.

My "hardship" is down to a bureaucratic system that is badly flawed and rewards the wrong people for the wrong reasons whilst penalising those that actually really need it. And it's a system I'd never realised was as flawed as it is, I only found out by personal circumstance, as will many others. And I suspect they'll be as upset by it as I was when I found out.

Oldernotwiser

Max_Headroom wrote: »

I'd be interested to know whether you have really lived on £64/week and shared with (and easily and instantly disposed of) dodgy lodgers.

Or whether it's all airy fairy theory...

I shared properties until I married and bought a flat in my thirties; that must have been more than a dozen places. After I married, we had sharers in about 4/5 times when money was tight - I won't bore you with the horror stories but it's easy enough to ask them to leave.

I lived on the sort of income you mention when I was a student (as far as I can relate that to monetary values years ago).

I do try not to express opinions on things I know nothing about.