Great 'what do you pay more for if you're poor?' Hunt

Jacks_xxx

StupidBOY wrote: »

I've read this thread seems like a lot of problems and few solutions or ideas

I think the reason that most people have posted about the things that you pay more for if you are on a low income is because that's what the original post is asking for.

StupidBOY wrote: »

Transport 2 families work together
One buys an all day ticket and goes in to town in the morning
Other goes into town in the afternoon

That's workable - possibly - if you know a similar family who require the same tickets as you, and who are able and willing to cooperate - you've got to remember that most low income households work at more than one job so it might be hard to coordinate on the same day round family and work commitments.

But -aren't bus tickets non transferable so they would be breaking the law?

StupidBOY wrote: »

Split the cost.

Internet 3-5 families work together
Buy a second hand laptop or computer off eBay 100-200 + Dongle [now much cheaper](shared cost)
Mobile internet (T mobile do not charge for over limit so no surprises!)
Cost £1 per day [don’t see why if not organised need more than this]
[read small print for fair use mine is a 3hr limit then reconnect so use it all day just reconnect a few times]

The initial outlay and their share of £31 a month is just not possible for many on a low income.

Even if they knew 3-5 families they could do this with.

On eBay you usually have to pay using Paypal. Don't you need a debit or credit card for that?

Wouldn't you also need a mobile phone?

Can you do that on PAYG because many poorer families wouldn't be able to get a contract?

What about paying for software and licences and insurance?.

In addition, carrying a laptop between 3-5 houses on a regular basis in some crime ridden poor areas is just asking for trouble.

StupidBOY wrote: »

Supermarket shop 2 or more families work together
Order everything pay one shared delivery charge.
Everything is itemized by product and price........easy
Use supermarket checker web sites to find the best over price, few minutes work if you save between you £10 + [previous transport cost] end of the year you should be on to a winner.

Poorer families can't afford the internet, often don't have the credit or debit card necessary to pay for the delivery over the internet, and lack the spare money to spend a lot in one go which would enable them to take advantage of all the special offers.

Even if they could surmount these problems and order enough to make the delivery charge worthwhile. Supermarkets don't deliver to your door in blocks of flats where lots of low income families live. They don't deliver to multiple locations so you've got to get the stuff to the other people you've clubbed together with.

Many people fall into the low income bracket because they are ill disabled or elderly and cannot carry a lot of shopping in one go which is why they shop locally and pay convenience store prices.

I don't mean to shoot you down in flames when you're trying to be helpful, but to suggest that there are easy solutions to all of this is to deny the problem.

Caroline73_2

I don't consider myself poor but I live a small house as it's what we can afford. Friends and family who live in larger houses have much more storage space than us. This means that I cannot always take advantage of 2 for 1, bogof, bulk buying etc.

On the other hand it has the advantage that I am forced to sell older things to make room for newer things. I don't have the space to put it in the loft/garage/spareroom.

Jacks_xxx

Caroline73 wrote: »

I don't consider myself poor but I live a small house as it's what we can afford. Friends and family who live in larger houses have much more storage space than us. This means that I cannot always take advantage of 2 for 1, bogof, bulk buying etc.

On the other hand it has the advantage that I am forced to sell older things to make room for newer things. I don't have the space to put it in the loft/garage/spareroom.

Very true. I hadn't thought of that, even though we suffer from lack of storage space ourselves.

scillo

noochie wrote: »

I would love to buy my daughter some decent shoes for school, i can only ever afford cheapo plastic ones that last her about 2 months as she walks a long way to school and back every day, it would be great to be able to buy some £50 leather boots that will last the whole winter but i never have that sort of cash spare.

Have you checked ebay? I know you can't try the shoes on, but if you err on the side of caution and buy them slightly too big for your daughter then she'll grow into them at some point!

For example - I just found new leather girls' Size 1 shoes for £0.99 (but am a newbie so can't post the link!)

bonnycot

For those who cannot afford landlines and rely on pay as you go mobiles or phone kiosks, these numbers some of which include higher rate tariffs can crucify those on low incomes. Typically these numbers are now needed to call Tax Credit Helpline, Benefits departments and Banks/Building Societies. Even the local jobcentres will not allow you to use their internal phones even after walking all the way there.... it's scandalous that those on the lowest incomes have to pay the premium rates...

rb10

bonnycot wrote: »

For those who cannot afford landlines and rely on pay as you go mobiles or phone kiosks, these numbers some of which include higher rate tariffs can crucify those on low incomes. Typically these numbers are now needed to call Tax Credit Helpline, Benefits departments and Banks/Building Societies. Even the local jobcentres will not allow you to use their internal phones even after walking all the way there.... it's scandalous that those on the lowest incomes have to pay the premium rates...

https://www.saynoto0870.com - brilliant website to avoid exactly what you describe

mum2one

On the school uniform saga - at ours they have to have clothes left in school for the week, ontop of the pe kit- the items for forest school. Wellingtons, Wet proof coat, old trs and top. We had one days notice before the schools went back in September re the forest school course your being held to ransom with shops for wellingtons.
Wellingtons - Sainburys - named pair £8
Good waterproof jacket - £10

They have now mysterious disappeared from the school. All the teacher said was wait and see if someone took it home by mistake........a school jumper, or a shirt yes I could understand after PE, but not a damm bag full of "CLOTHES + WELLIES"

another gripe - apologies if I have already mentioned this, - dd goes swimming each child has to pay £1 each for the coach, yet when I spoke to the education authority, the contribution is voluntry and should be stated as so, never been stated as so, and the 5 parents that I spoke to in the playground who all moaned about having to pay £1 per week, when Isaid - you need more than 1 person to complain - they went as quiet as churchmice!!
x

minuettoallegretto

mum2one wrote: »

another gripe - apologies if I have already mentioned this, - dd goes swimming each child has to pay £1 each for the coach, yet when I spoke to the education authority, the contribution is voluntry and should be stated as so, never been stated as so, and the 5 parents that I spoke to in the playground who all moaned about having to pay £1 per week, when Isaid - you need more than 1 person to complain - they went as quiet as churchmice!!
x

I actually withheld my consent and payment for a particular trip when I could see no point my son going (we'd already been there, and found it a waste of time). Imagine my reaction when he got home from school the day of the trip, to tell me he'd been anyway! Free School Meals, so the kitchen prepared him sandwiches, and they had a "blanket" consent form from previously that they used to cover this instance as well. Not a happy bunny...

MrsE_2

I'm really surprised that cars are being touted as the cheap option on here.
Mine costs me nearly £250 a month repayments (will be paid next year thankfully).
About £250 road tax (per year)
£600 insurance (per year) (have to have business use for a tad of extra commuting - what a rip off).
Petrol £100 pm.
Mots will start in December, servicing, etc........

Public transport doesn't sound so expensive now huh?

Jacks_xxx

From my local station into the city is £22.90 per person per day or £458 a month for Mon - Fri journeys.

It's £4.80 per person to the nearest hospital (off peak) which is 20 minutes away by car.

It's £8 per adult and £4 per child to the nearest Clarks shoes shop...(20 minutes away by car)

It's £4.80 per person to the out of town supermarket.

To my Mum's house (30 minutes by car) it's £24 per person plus a £25 taxi ride.

It's £4.80 per person to the Orthodontists... (Ten minutes away by car)

I get what you're saying but for your costs are the same for one person or a family of five. You can take a car full of people if you choose, and you can take as many journeys as you choose.

If you have to do the orthodontist and the hospital as well as your usual supermarket shop etc only your petrol costs will increase. (And not by much.)

If somebody who lives around here and is reliant on public transport has to do those journeys for a family of five that's an extra £48 to find this week.

Public transport costs double every time you add another person.

The worst thing is how long it takes. If you go to work on public transport you have to walk the children to the childminders and start paying childcare, then walk to the bus top or train station, and wait for the bus or train, then do the journey and walk to work at the other end which takes over two hours.

Then you have to do the same in reverse in the evening.

Somebody with a car does it in 30 minutes each way - so if they've both got three children they pay £30 less a day in childminders fees than the public transport user.

If their child gets ill in the middle of the night they jump in the car. Somebody who is reliant on public transport will have to call a taxi and pay a small fortune to get their child medical help.

It's not a simple straightforward comparison.

(sorry for the long post.) :eek: