A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

scrabbles_2

A Mr T branch got closed by protesters earlier over that advertisement. That article has some very interesting (and fairly cynical) quotes from both sides.

Don't often shop at Mr T - only when my illness stops me walking further - but am very tempted to return my clubcard with a note explaining why.

anguk

GreyQueen wrote: »

Mar, that's absolutely disgusting. Blood is boiling once again. Can't believe it is a DM journalist speaking up, pigs will be flying next............

Seems to me that the reduction in the spending power of ordinary wages has been masked for a long time by women bringing in a second wage to the home, whether full or part-time, and that the redistribution of wealth from tax-payers in general to taxpayers-in-particular via the tax credits system is nothing more than welfare-for-corporations, so that they don't have to pay the going rate for their employees.

Be nice to see a set of politicians with the b.alls to set the minimum wage at a level you could actually live on, legislate to control rents, build affordable social homes which cannot be sold under Right to Buy and generally behave as if they had a spine.

Oh, silly me. There I was forgetting that they are a bunch of sanctimonius gets in the pockets of the wealthy, with one eye on their future boardroom and "consultancy" careers and the other on their big fat pensions.............:o Is it very long until the next general election? My MP-at-the-moment appears to be a complete idiot...........and a Coalition idiot to boot.

My router hasn't come, the weather went nasty and I haven't got to the allotment at all. Gonna poke into some charity shops in a while as am going a bit stir-crazy indoors. Plus I think I want some chocolate.

My MIL used to say this quite often. Back in her day the majority of women didn't work, in fact she had to leave her job when she married because FIL was a policeman and when she married her job became "policeman's wife". All of her friends and family gave up work either when they married or had children. But as she said back in those days one wage normally supported a family and you could also get a mortgage on a normal average wage.

Then women became more independent and kept working when they married or went back to work when their children went to school so there was more money coming into the house. But it was a double-edged sword because prices went up and now we're in a situation where it's very difficult to survive on one wage and almost impossible to get a mortgage with one average wage.

She said that independence and more equal rights for woman gave us choice at first, you could choose to stay at home or you could choose to go to work, but now many women have no choice but to work because it's so difficult to manage on one wage.

Of course there's other factors too like in those days you were poor if you didn't have enough food to eat or your kids didn't have shoes, nowadays some people class themselves as poor if they haven't got the latest TV or car or go on a holiday abroad at least once a year.

I think a 2nd wage in households has masked the problems and rising prices but I do also think that societies expectations are much higher now. I'm also not sure what I think about tax credits, they're an excellent idea in that they are a Godsend to some families but I do think they've allowed employers to get away with paying the least amount of wages possible because they know the state will top up those wages. I think we've also seen a decrease in the amount of fulltime jobs available since the introduction of tax credits, it's much cheaper for companies to employ people on a part-time basis.

I just find it shocking that companies are making even bigger profits thanks to our tax money.

katieowl_2

ginnyknit wrote: »

Where are all these jobs coming from ? Manchester is that bad that the only person I know who has got a new job lately is a guy whose plight was written about in the local paper and was offered one job from it! All the supermarkets are cutting back on staff and office jobs are rarer than hens teeth :mad:

That's what we keep saying...if you look locally here in the papers there a handful of jobs a week if you are lucky. You then have to actually want to be/be qualified to be a part time, min wage care assistant, or a part time min wage catering assistant. Nine time out of ten you need to also have a car (that you already have and can afford to run on a min wage part time job) If you actually spot a rare job in Carmarthen, an hour away on the bus, you can only contemplate it if it is within the hours the bus runs...last bus back is at 5.20, so no working for any of the shops that close at six, or want you there for a late shift, or an early morning cleaning job... unless you have a car, that you can afford a tenner's worth of petrol a day for :mad: So brilliant for the young unemployed round here!!!

I've not seen more than about three office jobs in the two odd years DD's BF has been here and looking for work.

Kate

Byatt

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Hello BRUNO - Mumi is back frum Scottyland an a nice man atta airport letted me go inside it to meet her whenna big tin pigeon flew back in, was good cos lotsa peoples comed and talked to me and got licked! I is hopin vat you had a good visit to a Vetty Person this mornin an you are now all in one piece. Mumi sez vat Scottyland is very nice an has a lotta culture fings spechly in Edinburgh an she went to a Zoo and sez Pandas is black an wite an cuddly - but so is I so she coulda stayed here an looked at me He He ! She sez its gotta lot of good fings like museums anna Castle anna lotta Arty Galleries an nice places to hava meal an I is glad she is home agen but not today cos she has maded me go out inna rain for a walkie an I is now drippin in frunt ova fire . I is sendin a special slurp to Auntie Byatt to makes her feel wet - oh sorries BETTER! Plese let Docky Kno you is awrite - luv frum Doc xxx

Hello Doc, thanks for thinking of me and sending a special slurp. I miss my pooch and her wet doggy smell... glad your mumi is back home now.

paidinchickens

westcoastscot wrote: »

PIC I have crumbled discs at the bottom of my spine caused by my arthritis - it's been two years now and my life has had to change out of all recognition. Best advice is to try and pace yourself always - good days and bad. Sorry to sound so negative - am going through a sore phase at the mo - (it's why i have periods of absence from the boards - i'm too depressing to be around when i'm like this!). Fingers crossed you recover quickly, as lots of people do, and get back to your old self once again.

Day to day I keep active in small ways, bob between active and sitting for short periods to rest, but always sitting with good posture - no lolling on the couch or in bed for me - I have an upright padded rocking chair which is fantastic. In the care take lots of breaks and give yourself time to recover after a long journey.

Take it easy for a while, WCS

Oh you don't sound negative, I want practical advice not sugar coated rubbish

My hat goes off to anybody who is in absolute agony everyday of their lives and I really don't know how they cope. One of the things I thought about while laid up was the poor people on disability benefits. How on earth are they supposed to fight for their money and be in a lot of pain, I didn't even have the strength to shout at DH never mind take on the Gestapo. It just proves the really sick will lose their money from not fighting and the blaggers will keep the money as they are well enough to argue for it :mad:

SDG31000 wrote: »

westcoatscot try this one........Live your life, so that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan says "Oh cr*p, she's awake" "

I love this sooooooooo much :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

PIC x

mama67

SDG31000 wrote: »

I had a letter yesterday to let me know that our tax credits are stopping in April as DH earns too much. He might on paper but that £9.97 a week makes a big difference to me. I hate asking DH for money and now a 1/4 of my income is going. I did look into doing some selling at a Country Market, but the closest one is still too far for me to get to on foot or on public transport with a ton of cakes. Oh well, it just means that my saving for Christmas is going to be severely curtailed and my charity shop buying might have to stop. I do know that we are lucky compared to lots to people on here and I do appreciate what we have, apart from the credit card debits

Right, time to shock the neighbours and to do some Zumba on the wii.

Take care everyone xxx

We've just had a similar letter through yesterday as well, and will be approx £20 short a week.

paidinchickens

What are the new limits for tax credits if you have three children living at home?

ETA sorry that sounded really rude. Please does anyone know what the limits are (how much you can earn) when you have three kids at home???

Byatt

PIC & WCS, and all those in pain of some sort, squishy hugs. It is so debilitating and like you say PIC, it takes up so much energy and time.

LavenderBees

Byatt wrote: »

PIC & WCS, and all those in pain of some sort, squishy hugs. It is so debilitating and like you say PIC, it takes up so much energy and time.

Ditto from me. I'm really sorry to read that you're in so much pain. Also Mardywotsit...doesn't sound great either, though personally I'd like the weight loss, too.

I've been following the thread as usual with great interest. The Tesco "free working" scenario totally horrifies me. Those of you who have already commented have done so with understanding and have been very articulate. I also don't understand tax credits etc, as luckily am not in a position to need them (if in fact I'd qualify for any which I suspect not) but I really feel for those of you whose income will be cut. £10, £20 per week is a lot of money over a month or year to try to make up.

Thank goodness for MSE forums to help us all make the best of what we have.

Wishing you all well with whatever personal hurdles you have.

LB xx

westcoastscot

paidinchickens wrote: »

Oh you don't sound negative, I want practical advice not sugar coated rubbish

My hat goes off to anybody who is in absolute agony everyday of their lives and I really don't know how they cope. One of the things I thought about while laid up was the poor people on disability benefits. How on earth are they supposed to fight for their money and be in a lot of pain, I didn't even have the strength to shout at DH never mind take on the Gestapo. It just proves the really sick will lose their money from not fighting and the blaggers will keep the money as they are well enough to argue for it :mad: QUOTE)

a large part of my job is supporting people to deal with issues like this - it's getting harder and harder for folks.

The hardest thing for me is coming to terms with the fact that it won't get any better, only worse. I'm trying to have a positive impact on how quickly it deteriorates, which is the best I can do, but its one step forward and two backwards most of the time. I'm trying to work towards as secure a financial future as I can since I suspect there won't be much in the line of benefits for folks like me by the time I get to needing them

WCS