Ok whats the secret?

pebblespop

brighthouse will give people large electrical goods with smallish weekly payments - there's no scary credit checks!!!

everyone has different priorities for spending their money. i think nothing of booking holidays but wouldn't like to spend £100 on a night out while some people i know say they can't afford a holiday but are out drinking all weekend every weekend.

it's all about your priorities. i don't believe any of these people have it all - they probably are cutting back or not paying something else, or are in debt upto their eyeballs.

sarahg1969

This morning, my sister was horrified to discover how much she's entitled to, now that her partner has left her and her child. She works 3 days a week, and was making plans to go back full time. Only, today she discovers she's better off doing the 3 days!

With tax credits and whatever else it is she's getting, as well as the contribution from him towards the bills (all above board), she'd have to be earning £30k to take home the money that she's now entitled to!

She'd never get to earn that much in the kind of work she does. It's astonishing, really.

Meanwhile, DH and I work full-time (and more) and just about manage to tread water.

frenchconnection200

My friend has four children and consequently gets more in tax credits per week than I earn, yet I could only afford 2 children due to childcare costs. Once you are in the council house/low income/lots of kids system the goverment throws a lot of money your way.

The TUC has just done a study which basically shows that your working class/middle income paying taxes are supporting the non working and low income people paying little or no tax and the rich who can afford accountants to dodge their own taxes.

I'm not having a pop at anyone claiming benefits before anyone has a go at me, it's the system that is wrong. However I really feel that the word goverment mug is written across my forehead.....

Penny2myName

frenchconnection200 wrote: »

My friend has four children and consequently gets more in tax credits per week than I earn, yet I could only afford 2 children due to childcare costs. Once you are in the council house/low income/lots of kids system the goverment throws a lot of money your way.


I'm not having a pop at anyone claiming benefits before anyone has a go at me, it's the system that is wrong. However I really feel that the word goverment mug is written across my forehead.....

My youngest used to live at my mum's and whilst he was at my mum's I was over £100 better off working part time, with him back home I would be lucky to scrape by at £20 better off, but if I was to factor child care costs in, I would actually be worse off. So yes the system is totally screwy.
This is the main reason I have gone back to study, so as to be able to get a decent paid job/self employment (studying to separate tracks at moment).
Also seaching for something for next 12 weeks till I start the degree course, as being stuck in house 24/7 will send me nuts.

archer5

frenchconnection200 wrote: »

My friend has four children and consequently gets more in tax credits per week than I earn, yet I could only afford 2 children due to childcare costs. Once you are in the council house/low income/lots of kids system the goverment throws a lot of money your way.

The TUC has just done a study which basically shows that your working class/middle income paying taxes are supporting the non working and low income people paying little or no tax and the rich who can afford accountants to dodge their own taxes.

I'm not having a pop at anyone claiming benefits before anyone has a go at me, it's the system that is wrong. However I really feel that the word goverment mug is written across my forehead.....

I agree with you. Tax Credits pave the way for 'more' income without working OR should I say 'more' children bring more tax credits and higher expectations of what else am I 'entitled' to.... Like a fridge to go with the new flat they just got. Myself and one of my colleagues could not stop laughing whilst our co-worker had to explain 'no fridge for your new council home.... you have to buy your own'. There is a difference between giving to a soul who has just left care or HMP and a new begining. There are also those who work the system. In our line of work we ae able to tell. I too am a government mug. I too need a new car and I too am treading water. But I can sleep at night not worrying I'll get caught out... And people do eventually.....

Aspiring

nirelandguy wrote: »

I'm on a day of today, and I have noticed one thing, the amount of women around here who stay at home to look after the children while there partners work.

I live in a working class area, people around here are not doctors/lawyers etc, they are builders/factory workers and the likes.

Yet they all seem to go away reguarly on little breaks, have nice cars, the best clothes, have nights out, some don't even work and go on holidays and have the best of everything. I watched people across the street move in about a month ago, a mother, daughter and grand daughter, none seem to work, yet in the space of a month we have seen new sofa's, house painted, electronic deliveries,not bad for people that don't work.

My OH works, I work yet we can't afford a night in a B&B, and its all well and good saying "Aw they are in debt to the eyes" is the entire street in debt to the eyes? I doubt it, and besides the unemployed can't get credit.

I was just wondering what the secret was, do you know? Someone obviously forgot to tell us as we both work, probably the only couple in the street that do yet we are the worst off and going no where fast.

I can't even say they are pretending to live by themselves and claim benefits for single parents or whatever as we are the only ones who rent, the rest all own, the mind boggles.

I could extend this to work and my own family and they are all not in debt and not really any better of than us salary wise but yet money is no object.

SO WHATS THE SECRET??? GO ON YOU CAN TELL ME

Well, you've already said there is no point mentioning they are in debt up to their eyes - is the entire street up to their eyes in debt? Quite likely = credit crunch. A recession caused by the demand (and up take) of credit. But, you've said you don't want to hear that

Maybe, they are members of this website? Save enough Tesco vouchers (+ some 'wombaling') can easily pay for a week away at Butlins, or, save a couple of years, a week abroad.

Cook from scratch and use basic cleaners can save a small fortune when added up and tucked away (as opposed to ready meals/take aways/eating out/subway for lunch) maybe they are keen cooks? Or simply, cook/freezer savvy? Perhaps they grow their own veg and preserve the surplus?

Perhaps they only purchase food from the reduced counter/dented tins stands in supermarkets? Maybe they don't waste money at supermarkets and use markets for veg, local butchers for cheap cuts and £ stretcher/Aldi/Lidl/Netto for their tinned/baking/paper goods?

They may be "unemployed" now, but perhaps they were not when they took out their mortgages/credit agreements?

Maybe they Ebay/work from home/shift work/suppliment their income at Boot Fairs? They may be into prostitution, sex chat lines, internet !!!!!!? Maybe they all got together and robbed a bank? Perhaps they are growing and dealing in drugs? Maybe they are part of a huge !!!!!phile racket? The mind boggles!!!!!!!!!!

But my real irritation with your sour grapes post is this: Your post begins by observing "the amount of women around here who stay at home to look after the children while there partners work"

Do you have a problem with women of working partners who stay at home to look after their children?

Do you think being at home looking after their OWN children is somehow lesser than sending them to a nursery so that others can be PAID to look after their children, just so they can have the status that would suit you of "working"?

Bringing up your own children, budgeting, making ends meet and having a bit left over for some (perceived) luxuries (like long weekends away) should never be looked down upon.

I stayed at home while my husband worked. We went to Butlins twice a year for long weekends. I worked damned hard saving money, cooking from scratch, finding the best deal (as opposed to impulse buys). My children went on school trips to the Isle of White, France (numerous), shows at the West End etc.

No *I* wasn't in paid employment (as your post begins) my husband was/is; no, we didn't rent (we were mortgaged). My children walk around in brand named clothes: but only because I buy them in the sales, a year in advance. Savvy shopping, you see

Grow up! Stop hankering after the perceived lifestyles of your neighbours and start appreciating what you DO have. It's very easy to make assumptions about other people. It's easy to presume that they are better off than you.

Go walk a mile in their shoes before you make such sweeping judgements.

If you want to know the REAL secret, it is this: those who you perceive are achieving, are finding a way to realise their own dreams, by their own standards. Who knows how they are prioritising.

If you want to achieve YOUR dreams and aspiriations I would suggest you stop focusing on those around you and you start making your dreams your reality.

However, as one of those "women who stay at home to look after their children whilst their partners (husband, actually) works" aka putting their own life on hold for the benefit of the family - I've earned more for my family by doing so than I would have done by going to work, paying 25% of my wages in tax, another sum in national insurance and then the bulk of the rest going to childcare payments and another substantial amount paying out on trips/toys/clothes out of guilt for not spending time with those children. Moneysaving at it's most bog basic really

Focus on your own business and stretch for your own dreams.

frenchconnection200

A friend of a friend told me last week that she is trying for a baby and when said baby arrives she isn't going to work again till its a teenager. Now I happen to know neither her or her OH earn brilliant money and they live in a council house so she must know that tax credits will come up trumps for her. Very nice if you can work the system.

Buddingblonde

Any CAB or Welfare Rights office will do a better off calc for you re: tax credits and benefits. You can only work with the system as it is at this moment in time so make sure that you are armed with all the information you require before deciding full time is best for you.

Re: how can everyone else manage and not you? It is debt - the amount of people who put holidays on the credit cards and electrical goods and furniture on the never never at interest free is huge. It is very rare to find anyone these days without some form of debt.

System

Aspiring wrote: »

Well, you've already said there is no point mentioning they are in debt up to their eyes - is the entire street up to their eyes in debt? Quite likely = credit crunch. A recession caused by the demand (and up take) of credit. But, you've said you don't want to hear that

Maybe, they are members of this website? Save enough Tesco vouchers (+ some 'wombaling') can easily pay for a week away at Butlins, or, save a couple of years, a week abroad.

Cook from scratch and use basic cleaners can save a small fortune when added up and tucked away (as opposed to ready meals/take aways/eating out/subway for lunch) maybe they are keen cooks? Or simply, cook/freezer savvy? Perhaps they grow their own veg and preserve the surplus?

Perhaps they only purchase food from the reduced counter/dented tins stands in supermarkets? Maybe they don't waste money at supermarkets and use markets for veg, local butchers for cheap cuts and £ stretcher/Aldi/Lidl/Netto for their tinned/baking/paper goods?

They may be "unemployed" now, but perhaps they were not when they took out their mortgages/credit agreements?

Maybe they Ebay/work from home/shift work/suppliment their income at Boot Fairs? They may be into prostitution, sex chat lines, internet !!!!!!? Maybe they all got together and robbed a bank? Perhaps they are growing and dealing in drugs? Maybe they are part of a huge !!!!!phile racket? The mind boggles!!!!!!!!!!

But my real irritation with your sour grapes post is this: Your post begins by observing "the amount of women around here who stay at home to look after the children while there partners work"

Do you have a problem with women of working partners who stay at home to look after their children?

Do you think being at home looking after their OWN children is somehow lesser than sending them to a nursery so that others can be PAID to look after their children, just so they can have the status that would suit you of "working"?

Bringing up your own children, budgeting, making ends meet and having a bit left over for some (perceived) luxuries (like long weekends away) should never be looked down upon.

I stayed at home while my husband worked. We went to Butlins twice a year for long weekends. I worked damned hard saving money, cooking from scratch, finding the best deal (as opposed to impulse buys). My children went on school trips to the Isle of White, France (numerous), shows at the West End etc.

No *I* wasn't in paid employment (as your post begins) my husband was/is; no, we didn't rent (we were mortgaged). My children walk around in brand named clothes: but only because I buy them in the sales, a year in advance. Savvy shopping, you see

Grow up! Stop hankering after the perceived lifestyles of your neighbours and start appreciating what you DO have. It's very easy to make assumptions about other people. It's easy to presume that they are better off than you.

Go walk a mile in their shoes before you make such sweeping judgements.

If you want to know the REAL secret, it is this: those who you perceive are achieving, are finding a way to realise their own dreams, by their own standards. Who knows how they are prioritising.

If you want to achieve YOUR dreams and aspiriations I would suggest you stop focusing on those around you and you start making your dreams your reality.

However, as one of those "women who stay at home to look after their children whilst their partners (husband, actually) works" aka putting their own life on hold for the benefit of the family - I've earned more for my family by doing so than I would have done by going to work, paying 25% of my wages in tax, another sum in national insurance and then the bulk of the rest going to childcare payments and another substantial amount paying out on trips/toys/clothes out of guilt for not spending time with those children. Moneysaving at it's most bog basic really

Focus on your own business and stretch for your own dreams.

Oh get of your high horse, the point I was trying to make was, even though me and my OH both go out and work we are worse of than those couples where only 1 works.

natsplatnat

Aspiring wrote: »

But my real irritation with your sour grapes post is this: Your post begins by observing "the amount of women around here who stay at home to look after the children while there partners work"

Do you have a problem with women of working partners who stay at home to look after their children?

Do you think being at home looking after their OWN children is somehow lesser than sending them to a nursery so that others can be PAID to look after their children, just so they can have the status that would suit you of "working"?

If anything I think the OP was envious of the women with working partners who could (apparently) afford to stay at home with the children, and would have liked to stay at home - but simply could not afford to!