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

old_motters

I would like to wish everyone who is seeking employment at the moment, the very best of luck. These are tough times and I hope you all come out of it not too worse for wear.

ceridwen

PasturesNew wrote: »

As a single person IN work I found things a struggle. A holiday for one can cost as much as a holiday for 2-4 because the accommodation cost is fixed. Travel in a car is the same for one or four.

As for socialising, when you go out people want to buy rounds or split the cost of meals - and if you can't afford to do that then you're picked on as being "mean"; you're not asking them to pay for you, but if you try to opt for "the £6 mail course only and a jug of water" while others are on starters, king prawn mains, bottle of wine and some beers" then want to split the meal when their cost has come to £30 it's not fair ... so you stop going. You can afford your £6, but not the £18 'split the meal' cost. If you can grip half a cider all night you're called all sorts of names as others want/expect rounds to be bought (expensively and frequently). So you quickly withdraw.

As for making friends when you go out - you don't because others have a family at home and coming out is just one thing they do before rushing back to their family. Others might be planning going somewhere, that you can't afford. And nobody ever wants to "do nothing, for free, just hang out".

Those with families have that contact. Singles don't. Singles aren't all 20-something with loads of friends in the area - once they've got kids/family your paths no longer cross as they mix with people just like them.

Some very good points again P.N. - and, as a single person, I know exactly what you mean. Actually - part of the reason I am an "activist" - ie socially-conscious "animal" forever getting involved in worthwhile causes is that I find its one way to meet/make friends that involves little money and is much less reliant on one's marital status/parental status. People are judged more for themselves - rather than their money or how conventional a lifestyle they lead and theres a lot of other people in the same boat in these groups - besides the obvious satisfaction of doing something useful and interesting (something I badly need - as my job doesnt provide the chance for that).

ceridwen

PasturesNew wrote: »

If you keep your nose clean, you can foster - that pays oodles. Or adopt.

....and it has the advantages of not having to go through pregnancy/giving birth/wondering if your health and looks will get back to normal again afterwards as well.....

Here - that now sounds like a darn good idea Pastures....they get to be "career parents" and we dont have extra children that we have to cough up benefit for.....:T

ceridwen

PasturesNew wrote: »

I thought you liked me

Awwww....Pastures.....<hugs> - well I do....I like a good logical brain in people...

SingleSue

So do I ceridwen....can't be doing with all that emotional all over the place brain.

lostinrates

SingleSue wrote: »

So do I ceridwen....can't be doing with all that emotional all over the place brain.

Huh1

to quote the esteemed Pastures

I thought you liked me

SingleSue

LOL...seems I am putting my foot in it all the time here right now!

To be honest LIR, you have never seemed to be an emotional screaming, cheering ab dab sort of person anyway.

Mind you, if you watched me watching speedway, boxing or F1, you would see that I do become a screaming over emotional pain in the bum...although I do do that with logic and usually arguing about rules or tactics. :rotfl:

lostinrates

SingleSue wrote: »

To be honest LIR, you have never seemed to be an emotional screaming, cheering ab dab sort of person anyway.

Oh how I love my keyboard.

I'm prone to the odd tantrum, twice a year or something. DH has spoiled me rotten, tbh its not good for the ersonality to be treated so well :D. I've very pragmatic: but I can generally fit it a sort of flourish of princess-ness while getting down to practicality:o

Anyway, I was only teasing.

SingleSue

Hehe...yep I knew you was.

We really need an emotion thingy that shows we know another is joking and we are replying in a similar manner.

My humour works so much better in real life with voice intonation rather than internet land with written words.

Edit - Should be a Happy clappy moment for me right now....passed my databases exam today and should be in a good mood as it only leaves one module left of the ECDL but strangely, I am rather out of sorts.

dopester

Max_Headroom wrote: »

Not supporting those that genuinely need it whilst comfortably supporting those that want to make a "career" of it.

So unfair, as you sit in your home which quadrupled in value, with you paying the mortgage off 10 years early instead of putting that money into savings.

Did you ever give any thought for the waste in the system as you enjoyed Labour's miracle boom that could never end, and your home was furiously gaining value?

Welfare will have to be reformed as there isn't the money to keep it running at these levels. If your home had crashed 80% in value I could somewhat better understand your whine, but you refuse to accept it as realisable gain, prior to the wipe-out in value, and all the other benefits STR could bring.

You need to focus on yourself now, getting yourself back in to a good position of either earning, taking measures such as a lodger, selling other assets of value, or quick STRing - and not get sidetracked about other stuff which annoys you but which you can do little about.

There was a thread discussing welfare claiming mothers somewhere else. The money runs out once their children reach a certain age, leaving many of them with a shock.

Example.One woman i know had 3 kids,never worked and got around 300 a week including rent\council tax etc for 20 years.BUT once the children were all over 16 she lost the lot down to 60 a week.At 45 her years of drinking every weekend,sunbeds and smoking made her look 60.Also she could find no job at all,at best perhaps minimum wage but then full rent and council tax.
So welfare didnt help her.Yes she had an easy life for years but it catches up one day.

Now at 45 she has nothing.No pension,no assets,no income.Almost unemployable. That is her life now until 65 and pension credit.

So welfare actually destroys lives.It ensures low paid workers pay too much tax to pay for it.It ensures the !!!!less never escape it.

The fact is welfare must be reformed so that it really is a minimum amount for a few months like it was intended. Then people will actually have to work,make better choices and in the long run have a much better life.