Job Fears: I am about to become part of the working poor?

nomadical

I've just stumbled across this thread. I really can't understand whole 'I won't be any better off working so I'll just stay on benefits' attitude.

I completely agree, it isn't fair that those who don't (choose not to?) work get rewarded for doing exactly what they feel like doing all day, while those who work hard get nothing. But that's life, that's the way it is.

But think about this: When they do (hopefully) decide to either cut benefits or raise the national minimum wage, all the people who don't currently work will realise they will be better off and would be able to afford flashier cars/bigger TVs/fancier holidays if they did. So you've got to do something to make you stand out from all those other people.

You do that by getting the experience now. You've been given the opportunity, take it. Ok, there's a small chance it won't lead to anything better (that takes the right attitude, too) but you've got no chance of getting anywhere if you don't.

We've all had to do jobs that are less than ideal to get us what we really want. It won't just fall into your lap. I've worked since I was 15, put myself through a hellish 4 year degree course (working for free during this time for experience) came out with £28K of student debt (my loans are all repayable, no grants or anything), and I'm still not where I want to be. But I'm getting there! It will happen because I'm trying to do something about it.

I find it incredible that some people don't have any ambition! Who really wants to sit around all day, how depressing!

bankhater_1965

Taadaa wrote: »

Well you would be 100% wrong then wouldn't you? I have got kids to feed and a roof to keep over my head, if i lost my job I wouldn't have the luxury of saying 'shall I take this job? It's really quite hard work and I won't be able to afford a car and a holiday, so perhaps I won't bother'

For the record, after I have paid my half of the domestic bills, my mobile, credit card, travel to work, put some money aside for car costs eg insurance, and saved some money, I have £200 a month to do as I please with. I mostly shop in charity shops, we don't often go on holiday and I certainly have no intention of buying a new car. Next year I will be in a position to find employment elsewhere for more money, but for now, this is the best solution for me and my family. What I have, I get off my backside and work for.

Oh, and that is for 36 hour week and I commute for 5 hours a day in total by coach, because that is cheaper than the train. So there

good for you !!, but more fool you
pride and other feeling does not put food on the table or pay bills
and you are no better thought of by doing so

bankhater_1965

nomadical wrote: »

I've just stumbled across this thread. I really can't understand whole 'I won't be any better off working so I'll just stay on benefits' attitude.

I completely agree, it isn't fair that those who don't (choose not to?) work get rewarded for doing exactly what they feel like doing all day, while those who work hard get nothing. But that's life, that's the way it is.

But think about this: When they do (hopefully) decide to either cut benefits or raise the national minimum wage, all the people who don't currently work will realise they will be better off and would be able to afford flashier cars/bigger TVs/fancier holidays if they did. So you've got to do something to make you stand out from all those other people.

You do that by getting the experience now. You've been given the opportunity, take it. Ok, there's a small chance it won't lead to anything better (that takes the right attitude, too) but you've got no chance of getting anywhere if you don't.

We've all had to do jobs that are less than ideal to get us what we really want. It won't just fall into your lap. I've worked since I was 15, put myself through a hellish 4 year degree course (working for free during this time for experience) came out with £28K of student debt (my loans are all repayable, no grants or anything), and I'm still not where I want to be. But I'm getting there! It will happen because I'm trying to do something about it.

I find it incredible that some people don't have any ambition! Who really wants to sit around all day, how depressing!

how does it work for people that dont have the oppertunaty like yourself to get a degree as to people that prob spend there lives on the same low paid job which may not pay aswell as beneifits ! the person in question is looking for work and prob has not paid much tax up to now ,them people you say would rather sit around all day that your taxes pay for is the same situation as me , i have paid my tax for your degree which i oppose to ,and you will only be liable to pay it back when you earn a comfertable wage far higher than nmw , if not i have financed you so far , which personaly i would rather go to some struggling family and could make far better use of £28,000 as a tax payer if you fail to pay it all back interest free , these low paid people have loaned you money so you can earn more money than them , but you dislike people on benefits that costs the country money and dont contribute taxes towards your education ! just like yourself

mynameistallulah

bankhater_1965 wrote: »

afraid this is a common thing and a failure of goverment as to any insentive to get work , personaly i would not bother until something alot better comes up , going out to work for this amount is just silly

Since when was it for the government to give incentives to work? Whatever happened to self sufficiency?

McKneff wrote: »

Aside from that it's al down to work ethic, and your parents before you and their parents, ad infinitum.

Yes, absolutely, there has to be something very wrong with someone's background when they have this kind of "entitlement" attitude.

McKneff

bankhater_1965 wrote: »

good for you !!, but more fool you
pride and other feeling does not put food on the table or pay bills
and you are no better thought of by doing so

You couldnt be more wrong, even now, she/he is thought a lot better of on this thread alone compared to the OP and yourself.

I wonder if you and the OP are the same person:eek:

nomadical

bankhater_1965 wrote: »

how does it work for people that dont have the oppertunaty like yourself to get a degree as to people that prob spend there lives on the same low paid job which may not pay aswell as beneifits ! the person in question is looking for work and prob has not paid much tax up to now ,them people you say would rather sit around all day that your taxes pay for is the same situation as me , i have paid my tax for your degree which i oppose to ,and you will only be liable to pay it back when you earn a comfertable wage far higher than nmw , if not i have financed you so far , which personaly i would rather go to some struggling family

Anyone that works hard enough can get a degree, it's nothing to do with financial situation, this is another attitude I don't subscribe to. Everybody is entitled to a loan, which as you said you don't pay back until you can afford to. Therefore, anybody can go to university and pay back the costs later. I didn't get any grants at all, no other help, I survived. I had to sacrifice anything that wasn't necessary (cars, trips out, holidays etc), it's just what you do.

You didn't pay for my education. It is my debt, which will be paid back. I am currently paying it back now (yes, I have a job which pays over national minimum wage, told you my hard work is paying off) and on top of that, guess what? I am paying taxes too. Which is going towards paying for the luxury lifestyles of those who can't be bothered, among other things. During my time at uni I worked crappy part time jobs and unpaid work placements. In the part time jobs I worked enough to put me over the threshold for paying tax, so, going by your theory, I paid for my own education thank you very much.

I didn't go to uni for nothing, I do expect to be earning enough at some point in the future to repay all of that debt (plus mounting interest).

Anyway, I firmly believe that education is where money should be going. The only other benefits that should be available are to those who physically can't work (disabilities etc...).

Of course, a degree isn't for everyone. Nothing wrong with working straight off. Where would we be without our hairdressers/sales assistants/bin men/receptionists?

The point I'm making is that yes, everybody (who is physically able to) should work.

bankhater_1965

McKneff wrote: »

You couldnt be more wrong, even now, she/he is thought a lot better of on this thread alone compared to the OP and yourself.

I wonder if you and the OP are the same person:eek:

thanks for your advice , iv got my state contributions in already at 47 and i have a sucsesfull business , and i talk wrong, well if thats wrong ill keep it thanks

bankhater_1965

nomadical wrote: »

Anyone that works hard enough can get a degree, it's nothing to do with financial situation, this is another attitude I don't subscribe to. Everybody is entitled to a loan, which as you said you don't pay back until you can afford to. Therefore, anybody can go to university and pay back the costs later. I didn't get any grants at all, no other help, I survived. I had to sacrifice anything that wasn't necessary (cars, trips out, holidays etc), it's just what you do.

You didn't pay for my education. It is my debt, which will be paid back. I am currently paying it back now (yes, I have a job which pays over national minimum wage, told you my hard work is paying off) and on top of that, guess what? I am paying taxes too. Which is going towards paying for the luxury lifestyles of those who can't be bothered, among other things. During my time at uni I worked crappy part time jobs and unpaid work placements. In the part time jobs I worked enough to put me over the threshold for paying tax, so, going by your theory, I paid for my own education thank you very much.

I didn't go to uni for nothing, I do expect to be earning enough at some point in the future to repay all of that debt (plus mounting interest).

Anyway, I firmly believe that education is where money should be going. The only other benefits that should be available are to those who physically can't work (disabilities etc...).

Of course, a degree isn't for everyone. Nothing wrong with working straight off. Where would we be without our hairdressers/sales assistants/bin men/receptionists?

The point I'm making is that yes, everybody (who is physically able to) should work.

i have payed for your education till its paid back ! interest free am i correct ?
or have you paid £28,000 already in tax as you say ? rubbish
so you never got income support, housing benefit or council tax benefit while at uni?

Mulder00

OP, you are focusing so much on the short-term. Get some ambition and think of what can be. Yeah, you might not be much better off if you take the job now, but by getting back into work, you not only make yourself more employable, because you'll get some experience, you also give yourself the opportunity to move up.

You shouldn't just look at the immediate benefits, but also the long term benefits of both options.

If I had not taken my first job, because it wasn't a very well paying job, well, then I would never have moved up in the world. It ends up being a vicious circle and you need to get out of it.

Someone who hasn't worked for two years is not the most attractive to potential employers, so if you have the opportunity, you need to grab it with both hands, even if in the short-term things aren't exactly as you want them.

princessdon

bankhater_1965 wrote: »

i have payed for your education till its paid back ! interest free am i correct ?
or have you paid £28,000 already in tax as you say ? rubbish
so you never got income support, housing benefit or council tax benefit while at uni?

You are a wee bit assuming there. Can't speak for OP but I paid for own degree (no loans I paid). I worked since 16 (paid NI and Tax every year). Between OH and myself we pay approx 30K in tax each year, have never once had any benefits - at uni or otherwise (apart from child benefit), never claimed Tax Credits etc.


Ok - Maybe that poster is still paying his loan back - and to be honest there are many many graduates who will never work enough to pay it back, or go on to do more and more study - so I do get where you are coming from

but ...

some are just hardworking, pay more into the system than we will ever take and that is why situations like OP can stick in your throat.

What percentage of the country would be better off on benefits v working? maybe we should all try it - there has to be people with morals and workethic or else the whole govt would be shafted if we all had the same attitude.