Money Moral Dilemma: Should someone who earns a decent wage use food banks?

JayD

Just be glad that YOU aren't having to use a foodbank! It is not an easy choice to make.

arnoldy

JayD said:

Just be glad that YOU aren't having to use a foodbank! It is not an easy choice to make.

But the choice I and millions of others have made is to live withing our means, go without where we cant afford it, take responsibility, prioritise the family budget (however meagre) for essentials not booze, fags, cars, TV packages, i phones, and takeaways. etc.

Yes I eat leftovers, count the pennies, shop in charity shops, and deny my self things but as you rightly point out it is a choice. Its about taking personal responsibility, doing the right thing and recognising there are millions of us not well off but taking control of our lives and doing what we can in line with our own morals and standards.

yorkie22

I would have thought the food banks would require some sort of proof of her being eligible to get the free food. If she is managing to get food without this she is very selfish. If she can't manage her finances then tough, she should get help with it and let someone more deserving get the help with food. I would be the first to let her know that she is being so *&%$ selfish. Makes my blood boil. 

PennyForThem_2

arnoldy said:

JayD said:

Just be glad that YOU aren't having to use a foodbank! It is not an easy choice to make.

But the choice I and millions of others have made is to live withing our means, go without where we cant afford it, take responsibility, prioritise the family budget (however meagre) for essentials not booze, fags, cars, TV packages, i phones, and takeaways. etc.

Yes I eat leftovers, count the pennies, shop in charity shops, and deny my self things but as you rightly point out it is a choice. Its about taking personal responsibility, doing the right thing and recognising there are millions of us not well off but taking control of our lives and doing what we can in line with our own morals and standards.

So agree with this post - however not everything is so clear cut.

And no, not all food banks don't need proof of referral - as this article highlights:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/food-bank-britain-inside-the-nations-newest-emergency-service-v5mdqncgt

I am all for reducing food waste and if it can be done to benefit those on benefit - great.

I am a child of the 50's - didn't get central heating until mid 70's when owned a home.  Kept warm by adding clothes, electric fire, coal fire, parafin stove - does anybody remember them?  But MAINLY wrapping up warm!  So have a real problem with people expecting to be able to wear minimal clothing in winter at home let alone 20 degrees centigrade thermostat when ASLEEP!

I actually think that the present energy crisis has started to concentrate minds especially in government that indiscriminate use of energy is 'costly', 'bad'.  That we have to find sustainable sources and need help to retro-fit  with insulation, resource friendly upgrades, our non-efficient uninsulated houses asap.

Thank you Russia!

Danien

arnoldy said:

JayD said:

Just be glad that YOU aren't having to use a foodbank! It is not an easy choice to make.

But the choice I and millions of others have made is to live withing our means, go without where we cant afford it, take responsibility, prioritise the family budget (however meagre) for essentials not booze, fags, cars, TV packages, i phones, and takeaways. etc.

Yes I eat leftovers, count the pennies, shop in charity shops, and deny my self things but as you rightly point out it is a choice. Its about taking personal responsibility, doing the right thing and recognising there are millions of us not well off but taking control of our lives and doing what we can in line with our own morals and standards.

I don't think you realise that that lots of people on low incomes and benefits have already cut expenditure to the bone. They have nothing left to cut - prices are increasing, energy costs are going up and wages and benefits aren't anywhere near keeping pace with inflation. 

If you have nothing left to cut and you still can't afford food then what does the person do? Higher paying jobs are hard to get. Housing costs whether mortgage or rent are increasing so finding somewhere cheaper can be impossible.

Do you truly not understand that others are struggling more than you? That improving their situation is not necessarily that simple. 

whydoineedone

When you give to a food bank, you expect it to go to those who really need it, not those who want to spend what money they have on fags and their nails. Funny, there are those who won't use a food bank as they see it as shameful, (absolutely not if they need to do so) and others who don't need to use one and have no compunction in doing so if they can still get their booze etc. These people do exist. 

PennyDD

ece69 said:

There a quite a few comments that make negative assumptions and comments about food bank users. Don’t judge until you have evidence.

I don’t know of any food bank that gives assistance without proof from a local authority, DWP, citizens’ advice or similar. I do know teachers and nurses who use food banks from necessity. Cost of living combined and low/no salary increases for over 10 years have forced them to do so.

The question is "why do food banks exist?”. They would not exist or would at least not have seen the exponential growth in numbers if we had an adequate welfare system along with fair taxation in place.

My Church 'pantry' provides free food for anyone who comes.  No questions asked/no referrals needed.

sarah1972

[DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

Hi Jenna 

Can we keep it on topic and friendly please. 

MSE merely reposted a users topic, they are encouraging a debate nothing else and certainly not a political one.

Thanks 

Sarah 

pickledonionspaceraider

I think mind your business - tbh.  

It is unlikely you know the ins and outs of this other persons finances, what they have to pay for and what their household income is, and if you do know that much info - then you are deep diving into someone elses business

There is such a thing as 'the working poor'

PennyForThem_2

I quite recently gave about £10 to a woman with a cat who was homeless.  She initially wanted £5 to make up amount to pay as DD for storage of her stuff.  We were at Metro Bank (long story) - she had a conversation with cashier then held up £5 note and told me she would buy a bottle of wine with it.

I drink wine - I like wine but I am not homeless and I am not scrimping and saving, nor am I on benefits.  I admonished her - why?  She got money from DWP, she obviously had a mental health problem because she told me that everybody kept stealing from her, but I thought - how would I cope in that situation?  She loved her cat - I suspect she would go without to feed that cat.  

I have absolutely no experience of being 'on the streets'.  I can theorise about how people on low incomes should cook lentils (40 mins simmering), and cheap cuts of meat.  I can shake my head about low level of cooking skills, I can be discriminating about how BBC News interviews really obviously obese about how they are fnancially struggling, and wonder to myself 'well, cut your intake of food!'

I would rather give to a food bank which gets referrals rather than one that gives to anybody so I don't give at all.

I am a rich middle class liberal - I have fallen on my feet through luck, productive husband, willingness to adapt and learn throughout my life (degree at 40), working apart from 5 years off for children through which I got my degree - BUT I have always been cushioned by money.