MSE News: Half of UK 'struggling to next payday', study says

Archi_Bald

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

Well nobody has ever asked me whether I am struggling financially or not

You must hang out in your local high street a bit more often on a weekday morning - - that's where you are more likely to meet a researcher / data gatherer.

Archi_Bald

JuicyJesus wrote: »

So - we can either reduce the cost of living (pretty much impossible to do through government means, as we don't live in a planned economy) or we can increase the minimum wage, which brings all the benefits I mentioned above. What would YOU do?

I would introduce a 3rd option into the equation. People offering services that other people want to buy, at a price that other people think are value for money.

Taking what you are being offered is one option - quite a valid one for many people.

Creating a service that people are happy to pay for is another. My earlier example of the guys offering car valet services in car parks is one of them. Another one is the eat.com (or whatever it's called) website - - where you can order take-aways from umpteen different places via just one single website. Picking up washed bed sheets and deliver them backed nicely ironed is another. Teaching toddlers how to swim. Nordic walking clubs. Or some people even pay to attend a knitting club once a week. The possibilities for making money are endless - - some are obviously better than others, but initiative and determination are almost certain to afford you an income above minimum wage.

And if you don't or can't create your own business, you always have the 'safety net' of the UK national minimum wage. A lot more than people in other EU countries have working for themselves. So stop moaning, get working.

gadgetmind

JuicyJesus wrote: »

It simply isn't as easy as not being bothered to acquire the skills if you have no means of acquiring the skills or supporting yourself or your family in the meantime

So, acquire the skills at school and university, then get a job, then a better job, and when (finally) you can afford to raise a family, do so.

Archi_Bald

gadgetmind wrote: »

So, acquire the skills at school and university, then get a job, then a better job, and when (finally) you can afford to raise a family, do so.

Shockingly simple approach to making the best of your financial life ;)

[Deleted User]

I have been asked, a lady from the ONS is coming to our home to ask us how and what we spend and when. She sent a rather nice letter and some money for us to help. It states that she works for the government and there is a royal seal on the envelope. It says we have been selected out of so many million people. And before anyone says it's not genuine - I have checked and it's quite a normal process. :-)

I don't know what my financial state is like. My debts are from mistakes and not really day to day costs - so can't complain! But would always be good to have more...

izools

gadgetmind wrote: »

It's a two-way street. If you can't be bothered to acquire the skills to earn significantly more than minimum wage then why should someone pay you more than your current meagre skills are worth to them?

Harsh but true.

You'll find however a lot of people who are on minimum wage are entitled to tax credits and / or housing benefit to compensate for their poor income.

You-kip

izools wrote: »

You'll find however a lot of people who are on minimum wage are entitled to tax credits and / or housing benefit to compensate for their poor income.

Completely forgot about that.

I think you'll find the majority of this forum are getting benefits from the Gorvernemt and I mean those who work.

matttye

gadgetmind wrote: »

It's a two-way street. If you can't be bothered to acquire the skills to earn significantly more than minimum wage then why should someone pay you more than your current meagre skills are worth to them?

Harsh but true.

Some employers will pay whatever they can get away with.

My colleague at work's boyfriend fixes air conditioning units and, in a job that he's just left, he was on emergency call out for a week at a time. In most jobs if you get called out outside of office hours, you get paid more. He just got minimum wage for jobs done in and out of office hours.

That's a skilled trade yet he still got paid peanuts. People are that desperate or jobs these days, even people with skills will accept less than they're worth.

Archi_Bald

You-kip wrote: »

I think you'll find the majority of this forum are getting benefits from the Gorvernemt and I mean those who work.

How do you conclude that?

izools

matttye wrote: »

People are that desperate or jobs these days, even people with skills will accept less than they're worth.

Several years ago I had been on JSA for a few weeks (not long), arrived to sign on one day, and was told they had found me a job.

I was forced into being a Web Developer (Brilliant!) ...

For minimum wage.

I was however entitled to tax credits and housing benefit.