tightening our belts

Smoking takes the edge off hunger, and is easier to access than prescription medications for stress and anxiety. I’m not condoning a nicotine habit, but I understand why those in poverty may choose to smoke.

The gap between rich and poor in this country keeps getting wider. Social mobility is more difficult than ever. The media, both social and otherwise shows us the super rich being profligate with their wealth and spending to excess. Yet across the world people continue to die of malnutrition. One might say ‘twas ever thus’ as my mother used to, but we have a very different world than when many of us were children. Our solutions to its problems both individual and in a wider social and political context, will be different. I personally don’t know how it will all pan out but I am quite sure that similar problems will exist when I am no longer around! I just hope for a fairer, kinder future for the world and its people.

jane1956

how many who "are struggling to feed the family" have smart phones, get nails done order from deliveroo etc???

I believe that if you are claiming benefits you need a smart phone (or a laptop/computer with internet access) to do so

The people I really feel for are pensioners and the disabled on a fixed income. Younger fitter people can always get themselves some kind of side hustle to add to the family income. This avenue may not be open to older people and those with mobility issues.

People going on strike are saying rightly that unless they get a rise above inflation it will still be like a pay cut. What about the elderly who are on a very low pensions and if they are on a work pension might be also very low ? If we have a little money invested we are probably just earning 0.05 interest. We have no means of taking a job to help as too old or jobs would rightly go to younger people.

Who is fighting for us ? We can’t go on strike.

geekesse

Smoking takes the edge off hunger, and is easier to access than prescription medications for stress and anxiety. I’m not condoning a nicotine habit, but I understand why those in poverty may choose to smoke.

The cost of smoking:
10 a day costs over £38 per week / £165 per month.
20 a day costs over £76 a week / £330 per month.
No-one in poverty could possibly afford this.

I think there’s a balance to be sought here. It is true that many people today consider things “ necessities “ that were once counted luxuries. Cell phones, food variety and just an abundance of things and clothing. All of which were either absolutely unavailable or simply out of reach for most folks 40 or 50+ years ago.

And there are many who have reached adulthood in an era of easy credit and low interest rates which has encouraged spending beyond our means.

But it isn’t possible in every case ( or even many cases) to go back to the vegetable garden/penny punchibg/ austerity measures of bygone days.

I’ve helped my own children find ways that they can economize that suit their lives as they are instead of the life I led at their age. Each generation must find its own way.

Cooberpedi no don't apologise you've raused a good point. I agree that over the years it's become a land of plenty and unlike people of a certain age some don't really know what it is like to manage on basics and low income.
Some need help with understanding the concept of managing on very little, home cooking and budgeting.

There will certainly be people who are struggling. As most ordinary folk will be cutting back I still find it hard to understand how people have managed to buy very expensive phones, pay £40 a month subscription when there are packages for £6.00, have nearly every tv package you can imagine. I visit a mall about twice weekly and the nail, eyebrow bars are mobbed. I do not live in an affluent town, quite the contrary and yet without fail I see people, even children, with takeaway cups from the well known coffee shops. There is a way of life now that a lot see as "essential" whilst others deem to be extravagance. Bought 1st house (a doer upper) @ 8% interest and that was normal. Lived with the 15% very early 90s. No government aid was offered then. It's the fuel and food costs that the majority ofpeople need help with but a little bit of learning to make do wouldn't go amiss for some.

4allweknow The ones in the shopping malls are the ones that have the money, those who are desperate for every penny, needing to use food banks, worried sick about paying their rent and fuel bills and those just above that level do not frequent shopping malls, and do not flock to the nail bars there.

At a shopping mall you are seeing a skewed sample of the affluent population, not a random sample including everyone in the population.

Here in the UK we haven't had serious issues with strikes, water shortages, power cuts etc. since the 1970s. So anyone 40 years or younger has lived in a land of milk and honey with plenty of food, water, energy, petrol. Also holidays abroad and virtually no interest rates on their mortgages. It will be a huge shock to them realising these things are not a god given right and they may have to pay through the nose for them or do without them.

jane1956

how many who "are struggling to feed the family" have smart phones, get nails done order from deliveroo etc???

Those people aren’t in the majority of the poor.
Plus, you need a smart phone if your claiming unemployment benefit.
You can get a basic smart phone for under £20.

I have just got rid of my landline because it was pointless expenditure. It wont be smart phones people get rid of.

I think there are elderly people who would happily pass on frugal tips to the young. I'm not talking about my generation of baby boomers. I mean those that lived through the war.

Sago

We do a weekly food bank shop, the list we are given and asked to adhere to is tinned and dried food, UHT milk etc.
People can no longer afford to put money in the meter to refrigerate food.

We use filtered milk craven dale it stays fresh an incredible 7 das after opening!! I've experimented and got it to 10 days in winter! T also has a really long use by date bef ok re opening so can be bulk bought for lots of little guzzlers!!

Gabrielle56 Cravendale needs to be refrigerated.
Many people accessing food banks cannot afford to run a fridge.

Mamardoit

I don't remember governments giving support in the past.

If you couldn't keep up your mortgage repayments you lost your home.

And no we are not in normal times and UK is certainly not the only country in a mess.

Harsh. In days gone by not so many sub prime ortgages were granted! There's 100s thousands who should never be anywhere near a mortgage but we're connec into believing it was aspirational, but it was only so for a government who wanted to stop the practice of building affordable well built council houses! MyDH Fam lived all their lives since 1920sin council homes, now all 3 siblings have own homes and are extremely well off ! One lives millionaires lifestyle in Austria! She got top science degree only tha is to the Grammar schools that helped them break out my DH was senior cop and baby bro. Is security expert ( can't say for whom, have to kill you!!) and secure living was key in 'getting on' in life for those not loaded! Success stories like theirs were very common throughout 50/60/70s until THAT WOMAN got her social climbing claws I. Our national assets rant over... Sorry laydeez!

inishowen

I think there are elderly people who would happily pass on frugal tips to the young. I'm not talking about my generation of baby boomers. I mean those that lived through the war.

Blimey how many left at age 90++?!

Chestnut

Here in the UK we haven't had serious issues with strikes, water shortages, power cuts etc. since the 1970s. So anyone 40 years or younger has lived in a land of milk and honey with plenty of food, water, energy, petrol. Also holidays abroad and virtually no interest rates on their mortgages. It will be a huge shock to them realising these things are not a god given right and they may have to pay through the nose for them or do without them.

Yes! And what's the common denominator? Idiot conservatives who couldn't run a bath trying to run the country! Into the ground more like!

Sago uht milk is exactly the same once opened. The sealed packs can be stored for months but once unsealed and exposed to bacteria etc it's the same. Anyway kids drink milk at apace so doubt it would be hanging around for a week do you?

I worked for the biggest supermarket ….I’ve had abuse from parents who wanted to use their milk/veg tokens for cigarettes or lager !! Went ape-shit when you tell them it’s not possible. These tokens are fir their kids ….they didn’t give a damn about them!! Just their addictions ….and no this isn’t/wasn’t an isolated case …it was daily!

Not only smokers but also self-directed and intelligent people are having to use food banks.

I haven`t read all the posts. but I am elderly, and like the person who started this thread, my parents grew up, indeed got married in the Depression. and yes, times have changed, that is life,, life on this planet continually changes.. not always for the better.

but I recall my childhood, during and after the war, with happiness, we had little, there was little, and therefore we had little to "want" to strive for , to go into debt for..

I think it is a good thing to look back and see how life has changed, and hopefully pick out some good points,, like getting into credit! I started life , as I said, having little to want, therefore credit was not needed... then as I grew up, I got into debt. and worked out for myself what a fool I was to keep paying interest only and never reducing what I had initially borrowed..
of course, there are lots of differences,, many people don`t have gardens to grow produce etc.. but I am not sure the divide between rich and poor has widened , more that there are more rich people, and even more poorer people..

Will equality ever be? just wondering...
and why do mothers HAVE to go out to work,, there`s a thought some of you can shoot me down on! just asking... wasn`t it Thatcher who really started that one? to go to work because one wants to,, but to HAVE to.... there`s the rub.

Saggi, I wonder what proportion of your customers are losers like you describe. My question is not judgemental. I simply agree with Saggi 's "just their addictions".

Gabrielle56

inishowen

I think there are elderly people who would happily pass on frugal tips to the young. I'm not talking about my generation of baby boomers. I mean those that lived through the war.

Blimey how many left at age 90++?!

Not nice Gabrielle56

There must be a number of Gransnetters who were children during WW2 and I know of at least two who were adults then and perfectly compos mentis. Many of us remember rationing which went on to 1953 and our parents told us tales of what they ate, how they survived then.