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

liney

[QUOTE]I am living on benefits and hoping to pay £6,000 a year off my debts. 6 times 5 = £30,000. Which by the way is almost twice what I owe on my mortgage.
[/QUOTE]

I dont just make it up as i go along. Honest.

Although the poster later pointed out that they were not a single parent, they do still live on benefits. I have no gripe with single parents. I do have a 'bee in me bonnet' about people who i believe to be taking advantage of the benefits system.

viktory

black-saturn wrote:

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

They didn't - and I was not necessarily referring to posters on this thread. The point I am trying to make is that claimants on benefits can afford to clothe, feed and house themselves and their children. They are not living in poverty. No one said it would be easy but it is do-able. If one wants luxuries then one should have to earn the money to pay for them.

Mandi's orginal post (remember that, everyone ) was stating how hard it is on benefits as a single parent. I agree, it is hard on benefits, especially if you are a single parent. If, however, you can afford to feed, clothe etc etc, then you are a lot better off than an awful lot of people. It is all relative.

krisskross

starlite wrote:

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.

Yes, unfortunately since the present Governments obsession that everyone has a University education it appears to have rather devalued the benefits a degree has on employment prospects and salary.

MORPH3US

starlite wrote:

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.

Thanks for that, so because you don't personally know anyone close to £20k after graduating then i'm wrong?

I'm sorry, but I am 99% certain that the average graduate salary is £20k.

Obviously that will have a large bias towards London graduates but the average is the average, taken on a lot bigger sample of the population than you and your friends.

FYI (and I don't want this to sound like a boast, i'm not that sort of person), I graduated 1 year ago, am in my first job since graduating and am earning £19.5k I am currently applying for a job on £25k. My GF graduated at the same time as me and is on the same wage!

If I had done a masters then I would be gutted if I was "even earn close" to earning £20k

Where abouts do you live? I would imagine (and probably be wrong) that you are very northern?

M

EDIT

Average graduate salary differs depending on who's figures you look at.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/How_much_could_I_earn_/Salary_and_vacancy_FAQs__2_/What_is_the_average_graduate_starting_salary_/p!eaLXbeX

The average of the median figures on that page comes up as £19,683 so not far off my originally quoted £20k

lil'H

MORPH3US wrote:

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

Hey, I made a public post so don't worry abut it being none of your business! OK basically my two jobs are very relevent to my studies (masters is one PM a week) so are building CV, also in line for promotion to Policy and Research Executive postition for the charity I work for, pt, flexi hours, wouldn't be able to gt a post that high up anywhere else as the reason I'm getting it is because they know me so well. Looked at the graduate jobs in my field, and top amount I could get is around £18k around here. Childcare in this area would be £200pw as DS is only eligable for part tiem school a the moment, and rent (cheapest for 2 bed in area) is £750pcm. So total for rent and childcare for a year is £19,400 before bills food etc. Would get WTC and CTC and small amount of HB so wouldn't really be any better off. In addition I would have to leave my son with a childminder everyday, which by doing the MA and two pt jobs I am avoiding. Once I finish MA I will go full time, and my son will be a bit older, making it easier. If I wasn't a parent I would probably agree with you, but taking my sons needs into account as well as my own this way I get two years of struggle yes, but being there a little more for my son. As for going into more debt, fees are being paid, have budgeted for books and travel so shoudn't go into any more debt. (Actually WILL NOT, am detirmined!)

lil'H

starlite_2

Morph - Lucky you, we live in London, and so do many of my graduate friends.

I think that may be half the problem as there is too much competition here for highly qualified positions, but those 'averages' are as misleasing as saying everyone lives on the 'average wage' which includes those graduates whose parents have shoehorned them into high paid positions and those that are exceptionally good at what they do.

starlite_2

lil'H sound like a struggle, but well done for being brave enough to face it and going for what you want!
So many people do just give up faced with such a problem.
Best wishes for you and your family, this time will fly by and hopefully you will be financially comfortable before you know it.

MORPH3US

starlite wrote:

Morph - Lucky you, we live in London, and so do many of my graduate friends.

I think that may be half the problem as there is too much competition here for highly qualified positions, but those 'averages' are as misleasing as saying everyone lives on the 'average wage' which includes those graduates whose parents have shoehorned them into high paid positions and those that are exceptionally good at what they do.

Ouch, thats got to hurt!

Got friends who have moved to London and every time you mention the high cost of living they always ballance it out (as do we) with the higher sallaries to make up for it.

Sounds like thats not the case!

Have you thought about moving away from London or are you stuck there / do you like it there too much?

M

starlite_2

We are stuck as OH is into a tied contract in the city, admittedly this will reap good rewards at the end, as they are training him in fsa cousrses and he is almost bound to be promoted at the end, but still a pain!
Now we have children we'd like to move slightly outside, but the sattelite towns of london from which he could commute seem to be more expensive than london itself..lol..

MORPH3US

@ lil'H,

Agree with starlite above, sounds like you are cramming a lot into life at the mo but well done for managing it and working hard to make the best of your circumstances!!

M