Ultimate Challenge. 457 days / £16600!!!

Siouxsie32

On the whole benefit debate, is it worse that the mother in the article lives frugally and saves money to pay for Christmas presents for her children than if she spent all the money and borrowed from a Credit Union/Payday loan/credit card to pay for Christmas presents with the possibility of defaulting because she can't afford to repay it? Or are we incensed that she has enough money to be able to put aside the Christmas present money? Is it right that her children receive way more Christmas gifts and don't see mum working when other kids at their school will receive less. I can just hear the playground conversation "Why does your mum work? Are you poor?". I'm not sure who's at fault but I do sometimes (not often, I just have to concentrate on me and not bother about what others do) get riled by the fact that having children seems to be seen as a human right by a lot of people, and if you can't afford it it doesn't really matter because there are all sorts of benefits that'll compensate. I know of someone who is a single mother, gets her accommodation paid and is now moving to a brand new 3 bedroom house because she's just had baby number 3.

Equally, I think the welfare idea was a great one when it started. I'm working so I'll put a bit in the pot to be shared out by those who aren't working when they need it to help them get back on their feet. The problem seems to be there is no incentive for people to get back on their feet. Is it a viscious circle? Can the circle be broken? Is it fair that if you have a child (or 6!), you become entitled to a disproportionate amount of benefits? Is it disproportionate?

It all makes for a very interesting debate.

Happytogetdebtfree

Good morning all, i have been busy with work and tired so had quick reads. Now im days off i can take my time to reply .

The benefit debate is one that we all have issues with, people that get too much and people that dont get what they are allocated, where is the happy medium. Dont all scream at once but majority of people on benefits are poor educated and follow in parents foot steps a woman on benefits earning £1200 per month a little less that what i do. Looking for a job that pays half of that due to education etc is obviously going to stay on benefits and i dont blame them her life priorities will be children and the comfort of what she gets if thats all i have known i wouldnt be looking at human moral! The bill falls with the goverment! why are we overpaying why is it our faults that people didnt excell for higher paid jobs and why do people keep raising prices to discourage people on benefits to work. There is too much human rights involved we live in a world where its harder to see people step forward who care about the rest of the world people they dont know we are going through a time where people promote greed and none caring. Its a subject that pulls at everyones strings and eventually it will come full circle, until then i dont pop my vessells about it at the end of the day all we need is love:rotfl: ive done with that subject its given me brain freeze lol

Now onto the money side of things, alot more people are doing things due to the pressures of money... look around us at the moment we live in a world where greed is the frontal lobe of most money making businesses and loans... rob the poor to feed the rich .... we all have that moment of lbm and realise what we owe and we realise it didnt take 10 years to accumulate that amount of debt but it takes that amount of time to clear and thats when it becomes emotional upsetting and terryfying! im 28 i have less than 40k of debt at 12 years old i thought at 16 i would be grown up etc etc i didnt anticipate i would be dealing with numbers like that for outstanding money it was lack of education " living on the gravy train and been half switched on and half switched off" I dont have kids yet the only discomfort im causing to lives is my own and my ohs, would i have been singing a different picture if i had children who were at school who needed my excess money to live would i be paying off my money id like to think so. But you can see how individuals deal with different pressures, its easy to say money is not everything when your on the otherside, i think we all need medals it was the trait of greed and i want now that got me in my place, because thats what i was brought up like "buy now pay later" was a nice notion i was asleep when pay later was mentioned it sounded like never to me pre lbm :rotfl::rotfl:it happens, its life! Anyway this is an string pulling subject when people are taking there life about money:(. Money is money and it effects everyone in different ways thats why its important to have support and guidance and thats why its ok to be human, im learning valuable lessons now that il pass onto my children when i have them. Money makes the world go round but love and light built it and grounded it and will remain. When i have a tough day at work or an emotional tough day i think of my loved ones faces and my neices smiles and i see just how little monetary value matters because it doesnt make my heart swell like i love you.:A i think ive lost the plot now so subject closed.

Kat the bike how dare it demand a £128 xmas present, everything at this time of year always feels that more budget changing! But your clever and you always find a way :T

To everyone else hello hope you are well ive run out of steam my big post has frazzled my head xx

scattymam1

loving this thread, u seem very positive...i love the idea of working the debt out daily, you've inspired me to go work it all out. i read that article too about the lady who saved the 2,000 for christmas, hats off to her if she's been frugal and saved, but i think the issue is how can anybody on benefits be able to save that much...i don't work as i have two littlies but my husband works and is on a decent wage, we have had to sell on ebay like crazy to afford gifts this year, we don't drink, smoke or go out. our debt has been cost of living from wages being cut cos of the recession, etc; my husband has now been promoted at work so i need to work at using the extra to pay off the debts. need to be more pro active about this and what better time than now as all christmas presents have been bought, and the new year is approaching. i have made a lot of gifts for christmas this year, hope they go down ok!!! will be following this thread as i am determined to pay off my debts asap and have a holiday for the first time in 6 years ;D

short_bird

Either have a look at the "Mortgage Free In Three" blog or there was a thread on here called "61p and 3 nappies" from the same person. She has very little income but makes every penny squeak...:D

Happytogetdebtfree

Hi scatty :~) good luck on your dfw journey xx

NinjaSavingKat

Good Morning all - and the newbies that have poked there heads in! Scatty and Short-Bird!!

I have had a super start to the day being stuck on the tubes, with emergency evacuation in one of them, a walk to the next station and a round trip back to my destination! Treats!

Yes this subject of benefits is tentative, produces many many differing circumstances that convey a separate stand point for each individual and up-bringing. I think this highlight - what you said as well Happy - that education has to encompass all skills a child will need to face the big wide world. This includes financial understanding! I was taught by a very kind, patient woman that what I want has to be earned, that you can live a frugal AND happy life and that credit card use has a consequence...( so I got a loan instead...:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:)... But seriously, my loans are not frivolous but there is always that implication of interest, the time it takes to pay back could have been dealt with in a more productive way.

I regretted getting my bike loan as soon as it was approved. I knew I was rushing it but was determined to be on a bike sooner rather than later... I should have waited but then would never have been able to afford to live so far out of London if I hadn't...

Happy - I often think where I would be if I saved like my mother pressed me too. £100 a month for the time I have been in London would have been a nice £13200. Imagine that??? I keep thinking about how much food I used to waste at Uni....

Yes good on this mother for saving the money - but she doesn't pay rent? She doesn't pay for petrol or travel money to get to work at 0600 in the morning?? She is saving the money that you and I pay in taxes to live a high life.

She claims she is better off on benefits and would not get a job unless she could continue her luxury lifestyle, which includes designer outfits, holidays abroad, clubbing, lunches out and expensive gifts for her daughters Zelekah, two, and Zakirah, one.

I haven't had a holiday for over a year and even then it was for a friends wedding whereby my hotel was so horrid it had no air-con in 40deg heat? I don't begrudge a mother who has to stay home and care for her children because child care is so expensive - my friend has to do it. But she isn't on holiday, her partner works HARD to look after her and the littles... can this £2000 not be put towards earning some skills? I think its her gloating that has annoyed me the most... she should be a little more ashamed of herself despite her fantastic saving skills..

But you can see how individuals deal with different pressures, its easy to say money is not everything when your on the other side, I think we all need medals it was the trait of greed and i want now that got me in my place, because that's what i was brought up like "buy now pay later" was a nice notion i was asleep when pay later was mentioned it sounded like never to me pre lbm :rotfl::rotfl:it happens, its life!

Happy explain that quote above. I don't get what you meant by deserving medals - you mean for surviving in a consumerist state and staying solvent? Or dealing with pressure's of advertizing etc? Are we not capable as humans in saying no despite how we were brought up? I agree that there is a massive industry driving us towards buying everything in site, telling us we won't be happy without the latest gadget...but where will it end? There is only so far people can be pushed.... Tell me how you were brought up regarding finances. Its very interesting how differing lessons were given .. if you don't mind though...

Is it right that her children receive way more Christmas gifts and don't see mum working when other kids at their school will receive less. I can just hear the playground conversation "Why does your mum work? Are you poor?".

Siouxsie what is more detrimental to a child's growth... being told they can't have something as Mum can't afford it or being told they can have whatever they want? Or have I picked up your comment above wrong...? I would assume more children have issues with another child being in the wrong trainers than caring whether the mother is working or not....but most children have both parents working in the house, and this shouldn't ostracize them. But maybe I am not down with the kids...

I agree with what you are saying about children being a right. If you can't afford 6 don't have 6. Simples. And yes it is disproportionate to a certain degree but I see this situation getting a whole lot worse, poverty rising in the UK and the gap widening between the "have's" and the have not".. which is why I intend to look after me and only me from now on..(oh and family)..

Killer the link is added for you to read below....and well done on your survey earnings!!! How is work for you?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2246104/Unemployed-single-mother-benefits-spends-2-000-Christmas-20-presents-children.html?offset=100&max=100#comment-22880974

Hmm I have a lot of reading to do to day. I keep seeing more and more articles about this subject. I want to read up on the benefits system to see what happens and what I could claim if I was that way inclined..and about the housing market.....and supermarket scams... and and and....Just to much to take in...!

Moving on!!!

I sold two items on eBay - amounting to £16, I have £44 leftover from petrol money, £15 emergency funds from Mummy, £40 possibly from work elsewhere = £115 for the bike repairs. Might have to pray for one more £10 eBay sell before Friday afternoon!!

So I walked to the cinema last night from the nearest train station and back again - 2.33 miles. Exercise complete.. wrecked and so no Christmas cards written..Whoopsie! Can't do them tonight either..

Right ...I'll get on to that reading.

Onwards and Upwards...

Happytogetdebtfree

Hi when i said we deserve medals i meant that it takes a courageous person to stand up in pitch black turn on the financial lightbulb and find a way of dealing with it in such a way that allows them to continue on and make changes to an old lifestyle to create a new one.There is no easy road out of anywhere everything takes time and patience and self acknowledgment.... Do i begrudge my tax going on benefits no because i dont worry about the small things id sooner it went toward helping someone than cushioning an mps extravagent lifestyle, while im utilising energy begruding someone whos getting my wage in benefits im missing out on the world my journey path is individual as are everyone elses my lesson isnt to worry how other people do there journey but to be aware and acknowedge that sometimes people just do things the way they do things.

I didnt get financially educated, i thought i could ask for money and pay it back at a manageable amount monthly which i did; however i never thought it important to know how much i owed until i had my lbm now my true lesson is patience and waiting and appreciating the reward of saving:rotfl:

Everyone is capable of saying no i hold different values to my dad surrounding money, he would be in no immediate rush to pay things off i am, what i was purely meaning was a child who is brought up with parents who get 1200 in benefits a month and have all the latest gadgets will probably be attracted to that lifestyle because we need money to buy nice things, we only know what we know. This sort of talk makes my head hurt

xx

killerpeaty

This is not going to be a popular opinion, so I will write it in little writing. Having read that article now, I really don't... care? I mean, not about anyone's opinion about her and her use of money, but about her. I think she must be very bored, it appears she doesn't have much of a social life (hence saving lots) and to counter that she doesn't have an escape from the kids (not saying she or anyone hates to spend time with kids, but no one can spend all their time with the same people!). I think it's just sad that her kiddies don't have a different view point (also not having a go at single parents, but most do give their kids exposure to different people), which admittedly is another assumption based on her lack of spending. On benefits in general I prefer the pot to be there and maybe abused but still there. My brother and sister-in-law need it and it's really tough to get into that damn pot!

Work sent me home sick yesterday, I called in sick today. I'm genuinely terrified that I'm going to be let go already. I did however already earn £10.85/3.50, ordered £10 (paypal) and received £4 (paypal). However, one of my test products has asked to go home... I can't find the packaging. Plus I really don't want it to go. :-/

How's the reading going?

Siouxsie; I do agree that the number of kids a family tries for should be carefully looked at financially. But.. I say this as a twin... My family was supposed to be 2 kids not three! Ha ha. What do you think about the removal of child benefit from the top 15% (I think) of earners? If you don't mind my asking.

Happy; I can definitely see your standpoint. My dad and I had very different attitudes to money regardless of how old I was, I never was one who needed the expensive "it" toy but he always needed the latest gadget :rotfl: I'm curious, when did you notice a difference between you two?

Hi scatty, where would you like to go on your holiday?

Hi short, I'll look it up : )

@unicorns; I tend to fill my time with researching financial things and surveys. I'm sure you will find a hobby to fill the time. : ) My sister-in-law does crafty things ,my sister does graphic design and my brother does some sports journalism blogs which gets him sent gifts from real life journalists! O:

NinjaSavingKat

Happytogetdebtfree wrote: »

Do i begrudge my tax going on benefits no because i don't worry about the small things id sooner it went toward helping someone than cushioning an mps extravagant lifestyle,

Here Here!

NinjaSavingKat

Killer - you are right. Ultimately I don't care either..her kids could break free of the cycle you never know.. but we need to be important to ourselves only this year.. so 2013 is all about me really.. I also fully recognise the need for benefits in general.. my brother and best friend being the main recipients I would be concerned over but like you said, the ones that really need it find it hard to get hold of....shame..

I doubt you will be sacked for being ill - there is enough news coverage of various bouts of sickness flying around so I should assume you probably cause the germs from one of their long timers who came to work knowing full well they are ill and spluttered it all over you.. unless its your Fibro playing up then i really hope you are okay and drinking lots of tea while surveying etc... Hugs to you!!!