How do familys on low income survive?

['daiking']

You can argue till you're blue in the face about the actual figures (everyone will be different) but you can't deny the trend

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/average-household-bill-higher-than-average-salary-tele-9fcab114cf14.html?x=0

[expostmanpat]

Households spend £1,542 every month on utility bills, rent or mortgage payments, the weekly shop and other bills. It equates to annual bill of £24,100.

with maths like that I'm not surprised

['daiking']

with maths like that I'm not surprised

That would be the equivalent gross wage :p

Bills up nearly £650 from £17860

Monthly net cost £1542 vs. £1497

[allclownsareevi]

Its my phone/ internet for when i'm away from home all week, i go over my minutes and fair usage quite a lot, but it keeps me sane as i can go all week nearly with next to no other human interaction, this truck driving is lonely work i tell you!!!!!!

Fella, do yourself a huge favour and get yourself on a bigger and better contract. There's loads out there man. Some companies are doing 3000 cross-network, anytime minutes a month and unlimited internet for £75. That's a saving of over £1500pa.

If you talk for more than 3000 minutes in a month I have disturbing news Gary. Biologically speaking it means you're a girl. Now stop being a girl and get it done.

[btccseat]

Some people will never have money, it doesnt "stick" with them!

Spend what you earn, not what it costs to keep up with your mates.

I dont go out drinking, smoking, drugs etc.

Cheap holidays once in a while. Food is cheap, FACT. Its prepacked, ready preppared crap that costs money!

Car isnt on finance, mortgage is found each month plus 10% that i can over pay.

What i do though is work very hard, have three jobs. One manual farm work, construction work on a weekend, and i also run my own internet business.

[allclownsareevi]

Some people will never have money, it doesnt "stick" with them!

Spend what you earn, not what it costs to keep up with your mates.

I dont go out drinking, smoking, drugs etc.

Cheap holidays once in a while. Food is cheap, FACT. Its prepacked, ready preppared crap that costs money!

Car isnt on finance, mortgage is found each month plus 10% that i can over pay.

What i do though is work very hard, have three jobs. One manual farm work, construction work on a weekend, and i also run my own internet business.

Talk about coming across as preachy.

[CJS-90]

Right. I've just graduated from Uni and looking for a job. I currently have a small part time job only earning about £160 a week and I live with my parents who I do give rent to. Not much but enough to cover my electric and food. When I wanted my vRS I saved for it. Didn't want finance so paid cash. I was careful with my money and I still am. I only went on a night out once a month if that and didn't waste money on new tech/games that came out straight away and would wait until they went down in price. I still buy brand name clothes but from Tk Maxx or places like that. It's the same thing but cheaper because it's "last season". Like I care if it is!

Sometimes I think I do waste money but when I look at other people my age who have maxed their overdrafts and have extra loans on top of their student ones I just think why. Most of them earn more than I do but yet how do they spend so much? And it's not like they have much to show for it. No nice car or they don't have a house or flat (I don't but I'm working on it) and still live with their parents. I understand town does get expensive and "designer" clothes can be expensive but not that much. I still have a nice car, PS3, HDTV and other expensive items but the only debt I have is the student loan fees. I only took loans for the fees and nothing else. I did have grant as well due to my family being low earners but so did most of my mates in Uni.

As for my parents who are low earners they really have to watch their money. My dad was made redundant 10 years ago but since then has had a heart and back problems along with other things so is now disabled. He's 57 and has worked all his life. My mother had to stop working and had a spine op to stop a disk damaging her spinal cord. If she hadn't had it done she may not be walking now. She now is in constant pain and can't lift anything heavy but yet she isn't "disabled enough" to deserve disability allowance. So if he hadn't had the op and would have wheelchair bound she could have had it. Makes me sick that so many degenerates get it just for being fat and lazy.

Because of this the only money coming in is my dad's disability, a small amount of income support and that's it. When we buy a new car we try and save a small amount every week and we run the car into the ground until we absolutely have to buy another. We've just bought a 58 plate Swift so we should be fine for a good few years yet. We have to try and make everything last as long as possible. Cut costs everywhere we can. We don't do full food shops in Tesco or Sainsburys but buy bits of it from Farmfoods, Lidl's, Somerfield wherever it's cheapest. We don't go on holidays. If we go anywhere it's to visit family in England. We have nothing on credit cards and our only "debt" is a small mortgage. I was always brought up that if you can't afford something you don't get it. This is something I think everyone should do that. If I want something I save up for it. The thought of finance make me cringe. Paying more for something because you wanted or needed it (i use the term "needed" loosely) right away when you could have saved a bit more for it. All good things come to those who wait and when I finally bought my vRS it felt much better.

First two paragraphs completely apply to me too (apart from i'm not a graduate, i'm an undergrad going into my last year of uni). I have the same situation, where I feel quite skint all the time, however am quite content in knowing the only debt I have is to the student loans company. A lot of my friends that attend uni tend to earn the same as, if not more than me, yet they're maxxed out in their overdrafts (yes, notice the plural!) and persistently moan they're skint - yet they think it's fine to but branded clothing spending £130 on a pair of jeans and justify it by saying 'they're smart'. The same applies to my friends who went straight out of school into working. To be fair, most of them are at the back end of an apprenticeship, having worked 4days a week and spent one day at college, doing engineering courses and graphic desgin courses. But yet, even though they earn significantly more than me (I earn around £150 a week, as it stands, with it being summer, and they earn around £200-£250 a week all year round) yet they always seem skint? I think they're all foolish for financing cars, buying expensive clothes, going to expensive places when we go out etc etc. They ask me how I do it, I tell them, yet they still go out and continue to relish themselves in their expensive lifestyle and again, moan that they're skint?

Some people just never learn.

[lfc958]

Does anyone here who say theyre running 'skint' ever look at Martins Money, website, to take the time to look for , cheaper utility bills, cheaper mobile phone usage, credit cards that offer money back ( provided you pay it all off ), try the non branded food items, a lot of times they are just as nice but lots cheaper. ( there is a program on BBC2 on a Wed evening, where a family is looking to save money, & have found that the cheaper jaffa cakes are just as nice as the main brand, and up to 10p per packet cheaper, the curry sauce they were paying over £1 for has found the cheap 9p ( yes 9 Pence) jar is just as nice.)

We do costo for the more expensive items, like meat , chicken , fresh coffee, washing powder/liquid, and whilst the bill can be around £110, we only spend this every 6-8 weeks, and found our weekly shop has dropped given we are not buying specially fresh meat every week,

When purchasing on the inetrnet , use cashback sites, & along with your cashback card, and possibly get double cashback.

If you really want to save some money, then Martins Money is right, you do have to take time and effort to do this, but in the end it can be worth it.

[robmawer]

they think it's fine to but branded clothing spending £130 on a pair of jeans

Although if those jeans then last 10 years, £13pa for jeans isn't a lot. Value doesn't always have to be cheap.

[oilburninnut]

Does anyone here who say theyre running 'skint' ever look at Martins Money, website, to take the time to look for , cheaper utility bills, cheaper mobile phone usage, credit cards that offer money back ( provided you pay it all off ), try the non branded food items, a lot of times they are just as nice but lots cheaper. ( there is a program on BBC2 on a Wed evening, where a family is looking to save money, & have found that the cheaper jaffa cakes are just as nice as the main brand, and up to 10p per packet cheaper, the curry sauce they were paying over £1 for has found the cheap 9p ( yes 9 Pence) jar is just as nice.)

We do costo for the more expensive items, like meat , chicken , fresh coffee, washing powder/liquid, and whilst the bill can be around £110, we only spend this every 6-8 weeks, and found our weekly shop has dropped given we are not buying specially fresh meat every week,

When purchasing on the inetrnet , use cashback sites, & along with your cashback card, and possibly get double cashback.

If you really want to save some money, then Martins Money is right, you do have to take time and effort to do this, but in the end it can be worth it.

Think i also forgot to mention i'm lazy

tho i think i really need to sort my phone contract out!!!!

[MartynVRS]

First two paragraphs completely apply to me too (apart from i'm not a graduate, i'm an undergrad going into my last year of uni). I have the same situation, where I feel quite skint all the time, however am quite content in knowing the only debt I have is to the student loans company. A lot of my friends that attend uni tend to earn the same as, if not more than me, yet they're maxxed out in their overdrafts (yes, notice the plural!) and persistently moan they're skint - yet they think it's fine to but branded clothing spending £130 on a pair of jeans and justify it by saying 'they're smart'. The same applies to my friends who went straight out of school into working. To be fair, most of them are at the back end of an apprenticeship, having worked 4days a week and spent one day at college, doing engineering courses and graphic desgin courses. But yet, even though they earn significantly more than me (I earn around £150 a week, as it stands, with it being summer, and they earn around £200-£250 a week all year round) yet they always seem skint? I think they're all foolish for financing cars, buying expensive clothes, going to expensive places when we go out etc etc. They ask me how I do it, I tell them, yet they still go out and continue to relish themselves in their expensive lifestyle and again, moan that they're skint?

Some people just never learn.

Exactly.

['daiking']

Does anyone here who say theyre running 'skint' ever look at Martins Money, website, to take the time to look for , cheaper utility bills, cheaper mobile phone usage, credit cards that offer money back ( provided you pay it all off ), try the non branded food items, a lot of times they are just as nice but lots cheaper. ( there is a program on BBC2 on a Wed evening, where a family is looking to save money, & have found that the cheaper jaffa cakes are just as nice as the main brand, and up to 10p per packet cheaper, the curry sauce they were paying over £1 for has found the cheap 9p ( yes 9 Pence) jar is just as nice.)

We do costo for the more expensive items, like meat , chicken , fresh coffee, washing powder/liquid, and whilst the bill can be around £110, we only spend this every 6-8 weeks, and found our weekly shop has dropped given we are not buying specially fresh meat every week,

When purchasing on the inetrnet , use cashback sites, & along with your cashback card, and possibly get double cashback.

If you really want to save some money, then Martins Money is right, you do have to take time and effort to do this, but in the end it can be worth it.

I've seen that peanut-headed ***** on tv several times this week. Its a shame as he has a serious message but cannot help but behave in that disturbing manner.

The other thing in relation to this thread is that there is a significant difference between 1) trying to make your money go further and 2) seeing your spending power diminish. Martin can help you with 1 but in scenario 2 he will eventually have you living in a cold, dark carboard box subsisting on saw dust and not able to help you any more because "money saving" was the never the problem in the first place.

[D15VRS]

No 2 persons are the same, live in different areas that's a problem. I see young people today getting married, 300 guests, Big stretch Limos, Honeymoon in an exotic Country, In Mega Debt before they start, no wonder they start to fall out. All that debt could have been a Lump from their Mortage. We both work full time but never waste money, £5 in your pocket means you cannot spend £10. It all comes down to common sense, but Greed takes over keeping up with the Jones's, rings a bell.

[MartynVRS]

I bought jeans in Tesco for £3 for work as I know they will get wrecked eventually. I still have a pair that I bought 4 years ago.

Edited 22 July, 2010 by kai_mitsurugi

[allclownsareevi]

I bought jeans in Tesco for £3 for work as I know they will get wrecked eventually. I still have a pair that I bought 4 years ago.

don't do much work then huh?

[MartynVRS]

don't do much work then huh?

I bought a few pairs at the same time. A few have been ripped over the years and ended up in the bin. The oldest pair I have is covered in adhesive, paint and other inground dirt but are still going strong.

[VWD]

How do family's on low income survive?

They don't - they exist . Or they get creative - I know one family where wife works ,but hubby ,official does nothing .She gets family tax credit - he gets paid cash in hand . Another is off sick , they claim all going benefits , but he's running a nice little car repair business from home .,with the odd car sale and occasional security job on the side .DHSS fraud squad - don't make me laff - "It's too difficult to get evidence" they say .

[Clunkclick]

I don't understand. The UK economy is twice as big in real terms as it was 40 years ago. There were fewer categorised poor people then than there are now.

Why should the socially/educationally/economically diasdavantage have to jump through all these hoops to the point of self-criminalisation, just to get by, when the economy is twice as big.

Is all this necessary just to keep the middle class in a better off state than its ever been ?

Something is seriously wrong with the income and wealth distribution mechanisms in this country.

The forbears of the impoverished UK population of today all contributed to the industrial ouput of this country in the past that made this country what it is today. Without their input, the middle class wouldn't be enjoying the lifestyle it does today.

And how do they repay them, by cutting the legitimate life-support to their heirs and successors.

Things are a little different across the channel.

Nick

Edited 24 July, 2010 by Clunkclick

[cheezemonkhai]

How do family's on low income survive?

They don't - they exist . Or they get creative - I know one family where wife works ,but hubby ,official does nothing .She gets family tax credit - he gets paid cash in hand . Another is off sick , they claim all going benefits , but he's running a nice little car repair business from home .,with the odd car sale and occasional security job on the side .DHSS fraud squad - don't make me laff - "It's too difficult to get evidence" they say .

That's disgusting, I'd write to an MP, after all the current lot claim they are going to cut down on fraud right .

I'm sick of people who "get creative"

By the way ClunkClick the reason we have more people in "poverty" than we did many years ago, is that the last lot changed the definition.

Now anyone earning less than 50% of "average earnings" is in "poverty".

That's something we will never get rid of then, due to it being by definition impossible.

Edited 25 July, 2010 by cheezemonkhai

['daiking']

I don't understand. The UK economy is twice as big in real terms as it was 40 years ago. There were fewer categorised poor people then than there are now.

Why should the socially/educationally/economically diasdavantage have to jump through all these hoops to the point of self-criminalisation, just to get by, when the economy is twice as big.

Is all this necessary just to keep the middle class in a better off state than its ever been ?

Something is seriously wrong with the income and wealth distribution mechanisms in this country.

The forbears of the impoverished UK population of today all contributed to the industrial ouput of this country in the past that made this country what it is today. Without their input, the middle class wouldn't be enjoying the lifestyle it does today.

And how do they repay them, by cutting the legitimate life-support to their heirs and successors.

Things are a little different across the channel.

Nick

Who(m? - are the grammar police about today?) are the middle class you talk about? Its certainly not the illusion of the many working class who now go to work in a shirt, tie and BMW.

[oilburninnut]

One thing that puzzles me is where is the line drawn between working class and middle class? Is it something one is born into? Or is how much you earn the main factor? Or maybe the job you do definrs your social status? What is it which defines your class? I grew up in an ex council semi, son of a mechanic and a pie shop manangeress, i went on to become a truck driver, my wife has a similar upbringing to me, could we ever be middle class? Or do the classes even exist in modern britain?

[VWD]

That's disgusting, I'd write to an MP, after all the current lot claim they are going to cut down on fraud right .

I'm sick of people who "get creative"

Having thought of it - they're possibly right - surveillance and proof are hard to get . Think about how it would get done . And the ultimate test - "are they getting paid " -proof is needed .

[BossFox]

One thing that puzzles me is where is the line drawn between working class and middle class? Is it something one is born into? Or is how much you earn the main factor? Or maybe the job you do definrs your social status? What is it which defines your class? I grew up in an ex council semi, son of a mechanic and a pie shop manangeress, i went on to become a truck driver, my wife has a similar upbringing to me, could we ever be middle class? Or do the classes even exist in modern britain?

I always thought that if you needed to work to survive (I don't call the benefits system surviving, it's existing) then you are working class.

Middle class have investments, own businesses giving an income without visiting full time hours etc...

Upper class just sit in their country estates generating an income from vast numbers of rental properties or a directorship of BP.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that my view. And as most people know, all around the world the gap between rich and poor is steadly getting greater.

Money quite often goes to money. If you are struggling to survive, you are not thinking about what's the best investment generally.

Edited 25 July, 2010 by CT17

['daiking']

One thing that puzzles me is where is the line drawn between working class and middle class? Is it something one is born into? Or is how much you earn the main factor? Or maybe the job you do definrs your social status? What is it which defines your class? I grew up in an ex council semi, son of a mechanic and a pie shop manangeress, i went on to become a truck driver, my wife has a similar upbringing to me, could we ever be middle class? Or do the classes even exist in modern britain?

Sorry to say I don't think you can ever be

IMHO the true middle classes have far higher means and 'status' for wnat of a better word than most people think. I don't think that just being a Doctor, Lawyer, Bank Manager, Teacher/Lecturer, driving a BMW and playing golf is qualification alone.

Its about, typically, having the means to live without having to work, assets to fall back on not just the family home, the desire for self improvement and enrichment. Without being to twee, having a stake in the world and wanting things to be better all round. Circumstances mean some people will drop in and out of some of those but pricinpally the attitude will be there. The middle classes seem to get a bad rep, I dn't know why, I'm not one of them either.

Official definitions may be different but its just my opinion

[Clunkclick]

Who(m? - are the grammar police about today?) are the middle class you talk about? Its certainly not the illusion of the many working class who now go to work in a shirt, tie and BMW.

Exactly. Self-defining, alternatively it's what New Liebor was invented for. (Grammar Timothy !).

Nick