Living on benefits....

[banjosister]

I get so sick of people who say they can't afford this, that and the next thing because they are on benefits.

I am speaking from experience.

I was much better off on benefits than I am now that I work full time.

What's your opionion?

BB xx

[natalie_1982]

I don't envy anyone who lives on benefits for the simple fact that you can never say that you have earned what you have and that is a horrible feeling.
My sister in law has never worked a day in her life; she has a 7year old daughter and one on the way. I know my SIL is depressed and frustrated because she cannot afford a lot of the "nice" things in life, however the only person stopping her from working is her lazy, lazy self (I am not tarring everyone on benefits now, but trust me, she is incredibly lazy). At the end of each week she is financially better off than myself and my husband, we both work full time but after the mortgage has gone out and the rest of the bills she is left with more money than we are because she doesn't have to pay for anything (rent / council tax, etc), yet she moans and hollers and whinges that she can't afford anything, she criticises us for not giving her money yet she smokes 20-40 a day (when i smoked I had to smoke rollies because I couldn't afford to smoke tailor made).
My general impression is that people on benefits have the impression that those of us who work have an easy life, and we don't know how hard it is, but I see it completely the opposite. Yes, you have less money going into your bank each month when on benefits but you sure as hell have a lot less going out too.
At the end of each day when i go to bed I know that everything I have I have worked for.

[Bewlay Bros]

My opinion is you were NOT better off on benefits. Maybe financially, but general well being and mental stimulation, let alone interaction and pride, puts workers much better off.

I retired very young in life quite comfortably. I was soon bored witless and decided to get a job. Not for money (though the pay is very good) but because I was going slightly mad watching daytime TV and looking at regulation gym knicker sites.

[banjosister]

BB,

I was better off on benefits and I wasn't bored as I had a young child, I went into work as soon as he started preschool.

I have to say that I really did appreciate having benefits, otherwise I would not have been able to stay at home with my son.

What gets my goat is people who say they cannot afford to eat properly becuase they are on benefits. It is cheaper to buy fresh produce that is in season than to buy pre-packed foods.

You will often find that the priority for some of these people is ciggies, pc's, sky, home phone etc.

A lot of people think it is their right to have these things and moan because they don't have enough money to buy the essentials.

Bb xx

[banjosister]

Hey Tasty,

I agree.

I am not saying that all people on benefits are cheats but I remember my first husband saying that he would not even contemplate working unless he got x amount per month!

As BB says: Maybe financially, but general well being and mental stimulation, let alone interaction and pride, puts workers much better off.

What gets me is that they moan about it!

Bb xx

[natalie_1982]

That about sums it up Banjo - SOME people have their priorities wrong. My SIL for example, always has ciggies and has Sky+ (something we can't afford) yet complains she can't afford essentials like bread for her daughter's school lunch or gas / electric money.

On one occassion she told me she had no money for food for her daughter's dinner (who was about 3 at the time) so I lent her �20, with which she got a taxi to burger king to get their dinner and a taxi back again. Needless to say, she hasn't had money from me since and if she has needed anything like gas I have told her to give me the metre key and I will put it on, if she needs nappies I would buy them but she will never get cash from me ever again.

[banjosister]

Hey Tasty,

That's the problem. We are now in a situation where we cannot remove the benefits.

Why would anyone who has been on benefits long term want to go out to work and bring in less money?

I guess it's too late now. Fortunately not everyone is the same.

BB xx

[tufty7]

I don't think anyone has to be jobless these days, unfortunately we are not always in the job we want , All people on long term benefits should be checked up on , to see if they are actively seeking work , As for people on invalidity benefits , they too should be checked to see if there disablement has improved sufficient to enable a re introduction to work,
I am however of the opinion that people do not have to be in a wheelchair to be disabled, there are loads of illneses that incapacitate people sufficiently to stop an employer being interested in them , I mean who would employ anyone that is well for a few days and ill for another few days ??

Got to agree though the people I know on benefits enjoy on the surface the delights of sky , the latest mobile and drive a car ,