Its a wonderful life... Want to try.....?? A Single parents View.. !!xx!

krisskross

black-saturn wrote:

not once did I find that the ones on benefit had a disposable income of £500 a month and neither did they fritter their money away either.

I think there is some confusion here over the term "disposable income" When I use it I mean what is left AFTER housing costs. I don't think I have ever suggested that anyone on benefits has £500 a month to fritter.

black-saturn

I've looked back and it was liney who said that, I apologise, you all seem to blend into one after a while

viktory

This thread is going round in circles now. Single parents have a tough job and not enough is done to make absent fathers pay thier dues. Benefit claimants are not given enough money by the taxpayer to fund a lavish lifestyle, but then benefits are not supposed to be a lifestyle choice - it is supposed to be a safety net, with the aim being to get off benefits and back into work as quickly as possible. There are also those who blatently lie, cheat and steal to get benefits that they are not entitled to.

The fact is that everyone has lifestyle choices, even those on benefits. I chose to smoke and run a car (sometimes at the same time!) I can afford to as I work full time. When I was a claimant I couldn't afford to as they were luxuries. Wanting a better lifestyle for myself and my children was what prompted me to go to college, get some qualifications and get back into work. Now I am reaping the benefits.

I certainly haven't seen anyone that is so poverty stricken that they cannot afford to feed, clothes and house their children.

black-saturn

viktory wrote:

I certainly haven't seen anyone that is so poverty stricken that they cannot afford to feed, clothes and house their children.

When did anyone say they had? If that was the case it would mean the benefit system is failing.

starlite_2

Surely M&S is just glorified ready meals anyway? Don't get it myself...even if we could afford their ridiculous prices I wouldn't.

Becles

black-saturn wrote:

They do it by saving. I might be on an income of around £600 a month but I've still managed to save up for 2 years to take my whole family to Egypt for a week. Took me ages though :rolleyes:

That's you and you've said in other threads that you are very thifty in daily life enabling you to save up. How long would it take you to save up to go on a 3 week Carribbean holiday staying in your own rented villa with a hire car? These people manage to do that twice a year.

Their mother has admitted one pf her children claims benefit frauduently, and the other has been in serious trouble with the authorities before.

When you've got people like that managing to claim enough money to fund the luxuries they brag about, yet you read about more deserving people on here scrimping and saving just to get by, it just doesn't seem fair.

I would report them to the benefit fraud hotline, but I'm scared of reprocussions due to the connections one of the sons has.

Becles

Sorry I've gone off on a right rant there I just hate benefit fraud.

lil'H

I'm a single parent, and young at that so fit into all the steroetypes! I had my son aged 19, had fallen pregnant by an older man after which point I discovered he had been hiding a serious drug habit from me. (OK we weren't in a long term relationship and pregnancy was unplanned, but I wasn't going to bring a baby up around drugs). I spent a year on income support after DS was born, but had worked right up to due date to save for everything i needed, 8-6 M-F, and 7-midnight tues weds thurs, with 12-3 &6-midnight sat - whilst pregnant. The year I had off was to give my newborn baby the best start emotionally, is that so bad? After that I spent three years juggling uni and a job, as well as bringing up my son. I kept childcare hours down and studied in evenings when my son was in bed. Yet due to the complicated student finance system, during those three years I was around £3000 a year WORSE off that I was on benefits, not only that but clocked £17000 student debt. Now I have graduated with first class honours, and as I can not get a council property (don't believe the hype people, i'm on an 8 year waiting list round here) I am paying private rate rent and can't get a job that would cover the rent and childcare. So for the next two years I will continue to struggle financially, whilst working two jobs, and studying for a masters in order to increase my earning power. Yes I could find a job and put my son into childcare everyday, and still claim some housing benefit in order to get by, however he is 4 surely he deserves his Mum to pick him up from school, even if it is only one day a week.

I've had people tell me I'm a bad mother, must spend my money on drink and drugs, they think my parents must looks after DS all the time as I must be out clubbing, those comments, all from complete strangers! And my son gets to hear them too. OK this is largely due to my age but I'm sure single paretns who are older get attitudes just as hurtful.

I'm doing all I can to create a life for myself and my son, and it isn't easy, don't judge me, my son is loved and secure, he is happy well fed and knows he has a mother who is there for him. THere are a lot of children who can't alsways say that. I am educated and trying to do all I can, in fact one of my jobs is speaking in schools to pupils about the reality of being a young single parent, I tell them all of this and they are shocked. People need to stop and think sometimes, and thank you to the OP for starting this thread and giving me a chance to rant!!

lil'H

MORPH3US

lil'H wrote:

So for the next two years I will continue to struggle financially, whilst working two jobs, and studying for a masters in order to increase my earning power.

I'm sure you know what you are doing lil'H, but IMHO, you would be better off getting a graduate job than studying a masters.

In my experience, work experience is as important if not more so than education. If I was you, i'd spend the two years getting some experience (whilst getting paid £20k+) and then progress that way whilst earning money for it, rather than get in lots more debt to get a masters to still have no work experience and start in the same place as someone with a degree!

Don't know your circumstances though and its none of my business really, like I said, I am sure you know what you are doing!

M

starlite_2

sorry but lol at your assumption'' (whilst getting paid £20k plus) '' I do not know a single person on that amount, two years after graduation.
My OH doesn't even earn close to it and he has a degree and masters.