OAPs and savings

meg72

iris wrote: »

Not if you are over 65;)

It's £10,000.

Is this correct.I have been told its £16,000,unless you are on guaranteed pension credit, when it is more?

sleepless_saver

meg72 wrote: »

Is this correct.I have been told its £16,000,unless you are on guaranteed pension credit, when it is more?

You're right, but between £10k and £16k they would get some HB and CTB but not full (unless as you say getting guarantee pension credit).

Thank goodness to see a sensible point, this thread has degenerated into a complete disgrace and I'm not surprised the OP is upset by it.

seven-day-weekend

margaretclare wrote: »

Translation: A devious, deceptive person, someone who doesn't tell the truth, who twists and turns to avoid detection.

Is that clear enough for you?

I am of that generation. I think that saving was hard-wired into us from a very young age. 'Waste not want not', a lot of sayings like that. I myself was taught to save by taking a few small coins to the school savings bank from my very first day of starting school. I still save. I've been asked 'what are you saving for at your age, why not spend it, go on a cruise or something'. Answer: cruises do not appeal, neither does going to bingo, smoking, drinking or any of the usual ways of spending money.

Having said that, we live simply but comfortably, and if I needed to replace carpets then I would do so. Having savings has been an absolute godsend when we needed e.g. the shower upgrading. I wouldn't say we 'scrimp and scrape', and our income is above the level for any form of means-tested benefits. I can't really empathise with the way your grandparents choose to live, taking food from family members - I'd be humiliated. But it's up to them, isn't it?

Whilst approving of saving, at any age, I personally can't understand why someone of whatever age would go without hot food and accept a new TV from their relatives when they have £1000s in the bank. Just seems stupid to me.

However, to gert back on-topic, I'm sure buying new carpets will not be seen as deprivation of capital.. But that's if the old couple WANT to buy them. They seem content to scrimp and go without and class spending anything on themselves as a waste of money. If this is the way they wish to live their lives, and they are capable of making the choice, then surely this is up to them.

Marisco

margaretclare wrote: »

Translation: A devious, deceptive person, someone who doesn't tell the truth, who twists and turns to avoid detection.

Is that clear enough for you?

I am of that generation. I think that saving was hard-wired into us from a very young age. 'Waste not want not', a lot of sayings like that. I myself was taught to save by taking a few small coins to the school savings bank from my very first day of starting school. I still save. I've been asked 'what are you saving for at your age, why not spend it, go on a cruise or something'. Answer: cruises do not appeal, neither does going to bingo, smoking, drinking or any of the usual ways of spending money.

Having said that, we live simply but comfortably, and if I needed to replace carpets then I would do so. Having savings has been an absolute godsend when we needed e.g. the shower upgrading. I wouldn't say we 'scrimp and scrape', and our income is above the level for any form of means-tested benefits. I can't really empathise with the way your grandparents choose to live, taking food from family members - I'd be humiliated. But it's up to them, isn't it?

And therein lies the difference Margaret, to the op's relatives! Like you I also save, but if anything is needed it "gets got"!! And we are off on holiday next week, it's costing us £124 just for the cats (2) in the cattery!!:eek: We don't get any benefits either (well apart from state pension) and if I did I certainly wouldn't save them, as getting benefits would mean I didn't have enough income to live on, never mind save. And letting relatives "subsidise" me, when I had savings would be awful!!!

I suppose once the very old "scrimp and save, make do and mend" folk have gone, it won't occur. I think there is a hell of a difference between saving for a rainy day, and using it when it pours, to saving and expecting the state to keep you, when you have enough to keep yourself.

sparklysaver

Jesus wept, I have NO idea why I came back here but apparently I'm a glutton for punishment :rotfl:

So, just to justify my entire family's finances, even though at least one person here isn't actually interested and appears to be spoiling for a fight (and I see at least one of her posts that I've replied to has disappeared by the way - funny that ) can I just clarify a couple of things;

They didn't ASK for a new telly, they'd never do that! They got upset and a bit confused when all the stuff was happening with digital switchover, they REFUSED to make use of the government scheme to assist old people, so my brother bought a cheap digibox and told them it was one he had left over now he'd moved in with his g/f. And no-one ever goes round to them with food and tells them we're giving it to them because we know they're poor, it's always a case of "oh, I just had this leftover, would you be able to make use of it, you'd be doing me a favour" sort of stuff, or "oh let me treat you to lunch today, I had some overtime this week". Good god, they're incredibly proud, they'd never accept blatant charity like that.

And maybe you would carpet an entire house at once if it was a 2 room flat :rotfl: I know the carpets appear to have become a total bone of contention here, but that was just an example of their refusal to spend money on things that most people would see as necessary. I'm not trying to get them to splash out on luxury shagpile to defraud the taxpayer, I merely wondered if replacement carpets were the sort of thing that were justifiable expenditure BECAUSE THEY NEED THEM.

Anyway, I fully accept that they're not entitled to HB & CTB at the moment, I am concerned that they will continue to try to save money even though they really can't afford to now, I am also concerned that their health continues to deteriorate as they get older yet they won't pay for more care because they're spending their AA on rent instead of using their savings, but ultimately there's nothing any of us can do about it because they're fully capable of making their own decisions, however frustrating I might find them. And, as it turns out, the decision they've made is that they're not buying anything new "at their age" because they don't see the point, and because my grandad would feel like "a twister". So, your taxes are safe from them.

Am now off to further my new career as a "disgraceful" benefits cheat (why is there no rolling eyes smiley when you need it?!). Thanks again to all who were civil, even in disagreement.

seven-day-weekend

sparklysaver wrote: »

Yes, they have plenty of integrity. They're also old, frail and not looking out for their own best interests out of some misplaced sense of pride. I will once more state, just for the record, that I have NEVER wanted them to spend money on things they did not NEED, but was primarily upset because I hasn't realised that they had the means to spend this money all along but weren't doing so. But I'm sure you knew that all along, and I have no idea why I'm giving you the credit of responding to you. Where did your missing post go, by the way? The one where you accused them of fraud based on exactly no information other than your own suspicious little mind?

Yes, this is what it is, isn't it??

I will never understand it, nor what there is to be 'proud' about, but my sister's parents-in-law where exactly the same, not spending money on a washing machine, even though they had plenty of money and the old lady had Parkinsons. (It did mean, however, that my sister, with four children and a responsible job as a district nurse, had to do their washing).

It's actually quite selfish to the rest of the family, but they do not see it like that.

Not a lot you can do to change their minds.

sparklysaver

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

It's actually quite selfish to the rest of the family, but they do not see it like that.

Not a lot you can do to change their minds.

I know; my mum's really quite upset about the whole thing, seeing her elderly parents go without when there's no need, but they're so stubborn. I know it's the way they've always lived and it's admirable in some ways, but it makes it hard for everyone else who loves them and just wants to see them comfortable.

They're not the only ones in the sheltered housing living like that either. I certainly can't see future generations having the same approach to money, many of us are probably too far the other way though.

KxMx

There are some on here who clearly have no experience of trying to get the stubborn elderly to do something they don't want to do, even if it is actually the best way!!

I would liken it to attempting to dig a 10ft hole with a toothpick! Impossible or takes years and years!

meg72

KxMx wrote: »

There are some on here who clearly have no experience of trying to get the stubborn elderly to do something they don't want to do, even if it is actually the best way!!

I would liken it to attempting to dig a 10ft hole with a toothpick! Impossible or takes years and years!

How very true.I have a constant battle with my 88year old Mum to get her to spend anything on herself ,and yes before anyone tells me its up to her I would agree but its so hard to keep quiet when I see her struggling to get up the stairs when a stairlift would make it easier and safer for her.She could well afford it but has in the last two years become obsessed with saving.

margaretclare

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Whilst approving of saving, at any age, I personally can't understand why someone of whatever age would go without hot food and accept a new TV from their relatives when they have £1000s in the bank. Just seems stupid to me.

However, to get back on-topic, I'm sure buying new carpets will not be seen as deprivation of capital.. But that's if the old couple WANT to buy them. They seem content to scrimp and go without and class spending anything on themselves as a waste of money. If this is the way they wish to live their lives, and they are capable of making the choice, then surely this is up to them.

I agree with you, 7DWE. Good nourishing food is an absolutely basic requirement to stay healthy. As we get older, it's quality rather than quantity that counts. And before anyone says 'can't afford to eat properly', rubbish.

We did this place out room by room over a period of years and carpets were part of it. At present I'm having to re-do my entire wardrobe due to weight loss. The local charity shop has done very well from me, but I don't begrudge it.

I believe in saving and as I said, we live simply. But I could not live in the way this couple live. There's being economical and there's being miserly. A huge gap in between.