money and benefits

[bednobs]

i often see people on here asking about benefits and quite often about means tested benefits. the reply comes back that if you have between 6-16000 in savings, you wont be eligible. Fair enough. Now what i want to know is how many people actually have this sort f money in savings? �1000 in savings seems huge to me, let alone 16,000! do you have savings? Big or little? Would you like to save more? How does one go about saving when everthing is so blooming expensive?

[CheekyChops]

Ha ha it made me laugh today when I went to sign on for the first time in my life, he asked if I had more than �16K ibn savings, I replied that I didn't have 16,000 pence, never mind 16,000 pounds!!!

I guess it applies to people who have been made redundant and received a payout and who are trying to claim JSA. That's one of the reasons I never claimed it before, I had too much money - didn't last long mind.

[gilf]

I (or specifically my wife and I) have about �30K.... most of which will form a deposit when I purchase a house.

However even after that will try to maintain about �6k in savings as a buffer.

We are in the fortunate position of both having (or had as the wife was made redundant just before christmas) well paying jobs and no children. Therefore we are able to save a large amount a month. If anything we haven't saved nearly as much as we should have over the last 3-4 years.

[barry1010]

You have to pay yourself every week or month exactly as if you are an essential bill. Even �10 a week is �520 a year. Put that money into a savings account and don't spend it.

[Skyline D]

It's not fundamentally difficult in theory. One goes about saving by spending less than one earns. Might not be easy for some people, especially in low paid jobs, but there are millions of people who do save.

[spudqueen]

I have some money which my Mum left me when she died. I have spent some, but have kept some as 'emergency' money. I must admit I didn't have any savings until then,