Preparedness for when

mardatha

I've always admired the Vikings. I went to the Viking exhibition at the museum in Edinburgh and the silverwork was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. They said the word Viking in Scandinavia was used sort of like the word hooligan here, and the more respectable farming folk deplored them I admire them because they weren't religious or two-faced or downtrodden, they were brave and fearless and just got on with it. A bit like the Romans, I like them too.
Re this new dangerous storm warning it looks like I'm in the red bit so I'm not going to go far until later in the week. Got plenty in and asda is coming to visit me today

Perplexed_Pineapple

Frugalsod wrote: »

The problem is that the media have been lying about the levels of benefit fraud. Many people think benefit fraud is around 50% mark yet even the governments own figures have it as low as 0.7%. Not even 1% is fraudulent.

Frugalsod, we take government figures with a big pinch of salt and I think we have to with this too. I think the figures reflect detected fraud and of course some will go undetected. 50% is clearly ridiculous but 0.7% seems too low, difficult to know though and of course we all judge in the light of our own experiences and prejudices. The percentage depends on the denominator so if you include absolutely everything paid out by the goverment including pensions and tax credits maybe it is 0.7%.

Frugalsod wrote: »

Most benefits go to the very rich via housing benefits and pensioners. Most of the jobs being created are low paid and will require in work benefits. In the past you could buy a home on a single wage and bring up a family on that same wage. Not now. You need two incomes and even very high paid jobs to actually buy a home now unless it is in a very depressed area. So average house prices are nearly ten times average wages which will mean that eventually the entire Ponzi scheme that is the British housing market will collapse. If they were ever to get back to a level like 3 times wages then property would be 70% over valued. So all those who claim that the bubble will continue and that they were brilliant property investors will be wiped out.

How very true. It's a vicious cycle - housing benefit inflates rents for "social" housing which inflates rents across the board, and house prices also. The cash goes from the taxpayer to the landlord with no more benefit to the tenant than before. Housing is unaffordable for many young people around here and I fear for the future of our children if the situation doesn't correct itself. Unfortunately what I think we are seeing now is the start of the correction and a lot of people are going to get hurt, financially and emotionally in the process.
jk0, what's your perspective as a landlord please? I guess it depends on the scale of your liabilities :eek:
Kittie, thank you for the link, I don't know what to make of the predictions, making predictions is hard, particularly about the future as someone once said, still, forumites here should be as ready as anyone :rotfl:

short_bird

we are down to our last 3 squares of loo roll.

Oh, by the way: one person's "welfare" is another person's "subsidy" to enable them to pay their shareholders.

mardatha

Dear Embarassed of Birmingham - this is absolutely shocking. I am disgusted and deeply deplore this awful state of affairs.
Please do not write to this page again until you have rectified this unacceptable state of affairs.

[Deleted User]

Ewwwwwwwww!!!!!

short_bird

we have tissues; we haven't resorted to family cloths or newspaper.

And here's a link to family cloths: http://lunapads.com/blog/2013/05/6-reasons-family-cloth/

[Deleted User]

Sponge onna stick wiv vinegar anyone? 'S only what those ancient Romans did!!!

ALIBOBSY

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

I am spitting feathers at this report

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/20/people-stripped-benefits-charged-decision

Can the Tories sink any lower?

Don't forget the libdems who just seem to let so much slide by just to be in power. Mind you tbh I think whatever party was in power will be forced to make harsh cuts and they all are ensuring they and their rich friends are the last to feel the pinch.

A case in point about politicians is now the tide has turned against the president in the Ukraine even his old cronies and allies in HIS party have voted against him in parliment.

Ali x

Butterfly_Brain

Dear Embarassed of Birmingham, you can get a pack of 18 Nikki Toilet rolls for £3.75 in Farmfoods.

mardatha

I'm seriously considering removing EofB's pinny and rolling pin for this very serious lapse..
:rotfl: