Is a single mothers benifits enough

dmg24

weymuffred wrote: »

I beg your pardon but you are becoming personal again dmg24. Look at the news and you see that debt is at its highest and people are loosing everything.

Chill out Dave/ Fred.

People are 'loosing' everything due to taking out mortgages that they cannot afford, and living lifestyles beyond their means (and I am talking about expensive cars and holidays, not day to day essentials).

So back to my question, should everyone that is better off on benefits give up work?

viktory

black-saturn wrote: »

I don't know whether work ethic has anything to do with it. My parents both worked full time and left me to my own devices in the evenings and in the school holidays (they didn't bother with childcare) and now I just resent them for thinking their work and material possessions were more important than me. I'd hate to think I missed out on my children as much as that so i did the opposite.

Here we go again. That old chestnut. So your parents treated you badly? Sorry to hear that but please don't tar all parents with the same tired brush. I worked when my children were relatively young and I can assure you they haven't suffered or felt that I cared more about material possessions than them. I worked to keep a roof over our heads, put food in their bellies and, most importantly, to have a sense of pride and achievement.

pandas66

dmg24 wrote: »

Chill out Dave/ Fred.

People are 'loosing' everything due to taking out mortgages that they cannot afford, and living lifestyles beyond their means (and I am talking about expensive cars and holidays, not day to day essentials).

So back to my question, should everyone that is better off on benefits give up work?

I've never worked it out, I've been a single parent/lone parent family for nearly 14 years.

I work 2 jobs now, as I want more, kids want more and the damn puppy wants more :rotfl:


and I pay into a pension incase the pot is dry later on!

dmg24

weymuffred wrote: »

It really all depends on where you live.

So move areas! I know several families who have left London and come to live in Nottingham, and now have a considerably better standard of living. It may seem an impractical option in the short term, but when you consider the longer term, it does make sense.

PasturesNew

dmg24 wrote: »

I think you have hit the nail on the head here - you will find a way to earn the money that you need. You have what those that would rather stay on benefits without good reason lack - motivation and ambition.

(If ever you want a reference just give me a shout!)

I could do with a job

No, seriously though, for the first time in my life right now I am able to choose who I work for and what I do. Which is great. Never had that luxury before.

Before it was: get laid off one day, next day desperately searching/appling for "ANY job I can do that will cover the basics" until the first offer comes in, then do that one until that company shuts/moves/downsizes/gets bought. I've been through almost 2 jobs a year for god knows how many years, never being able to "choose" who I work for... always knee-jerk reactions.

It's lovely not to "have to" work now. Although I still am. I am temping! Not been a secretary for over 20 years and here I am typing my days away for the same money I was doing it for 20 years ago!

PasturesNew

dmg24 wrote: »

So move areas! I know several families who have left London and come to live in Nottingham, and now have a considerably better standard of living. It may seem an impractical option in the short term, but when you consider the longer term, it does make sense.

Nice idea. Pretty impractical for most people.

I just moved. 200 miles. I've spent £5000 so far doing it, including the 6 months rent up front you have to pay as you aren't working and that makes landlords twitch. And you can't get a job from miles away as the cost of interviews (if you can get the time) is a fortune.

I was lucky. I am single. I sold a house and "completely started again" in a big town, far from the small/rural area I was in. Without selling my house it would have been hard to do it.

If you've no money, the last thing you feel like doing is gambling on getting a job miles away.

viktory

black-saturn wrote: »

How dare you say my children are a burden on the tax payer :mad:

How dare you say a pensioner and her husband who have worked for 90 years are a burden on the taxpayer?? You don't like the accusations when they are coming your way, do you?

You know nothing and talk crap.

Bogof_Babe

I think Black Saturn has inadvertently answered the original question, a few posts back. If she was able to pay off her debts while on benefits, debts that presumably were racked up before she went on benefits, then obviously the benefits she was getting were more than was needed for day-to-day survival.

And I'm sorry but anyone who takes money out of the system rather than putting it in is a burden on the tax payer. This includes people in prison, in hospital, in centrally funded care homes, in schools... etc. etc.

Unavoidable costs, but there is no denying that they are a burden. The only hope (except for the care home elderly) is that at some stage they will be able to even up the balance by putting something back in to the economy.

dmg24

pandas66 wrote: »

I've never worked it out, I've been a single parent/lone parent family for nearly 14 years.

I work 2 jobs now, as I want more, kids want more and the damn puppy wants more :rotfl:


and I pay into a pension incase the pot is dry later on!

Good on you pandas, you have found a way to make things work for you and your family.

You clearly work very hard, I wonder if others are afraid of hard work? x

black-saturn

viktory wrote: »

Here we go again. That old chestnut. So your parents treated you badly? Sorry to hear that but please don't tar all parents with the same tired brush. I worked when my children were relatively young and I can assure you they haven't suffered or felt that I cared more about material possessions than them. I worked to keep a roof over our heads, put food in their bellies and, most importantly, to have a sense of pride and achievement.

I'm glad that you think you have achieved something. If it worked for you thats fine. Personally I wouldnt be able to live with myself if I sent my children to a nursery or childminder when they were young and hardly saw them.

My parents never treated me badly. I always had a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food in my belly and I'm sure they had a sense of achievement. But I would have given up all that at the time to have my parents at home looking after me. Life isnt about material things at all. Hopefully it won't be too late for you to realise.