Dole in Galway manageable?

d-gal

Reading thru the dole thread in the Irish Economy section and got me wondering. Do people in Galway think that the dole is manageable for the average person?
Personally I think the cost of living is not that bad in Galway. Food is especially cheap. Without even thinking about Aldi/Lidl/Tesco the likes of Terryland Fruit/Veg and many butchers (constant deals) are awful cheap.
Galway is a fairly compact city for majority. Cars are not essential. Simple example is walking from Liosbaun Ind Estate to the prom takes around 40mins. Do not think that is a insanely long amount of time and thats one side of the city to the other side.
This is more just comparing other parts of Ireland and not taking a dig at anyone on SW. Hopefully people on the SW might even get some ideas from this thread if they are finding it hard to budget as well!

Mrs OBumble

It depends on whether you get rent-allowance or not. With RA, it's live-on-able, without it's not.

Whether you get it depends on whether you and your landlord are willing to do a deal and tell the CWO that your rent is below the threshold for RA. In many cases, this sort of deal also involves the tenant making an extra, under-the-table, payment to the landlord of the difference between the threshold and the real rent.

inisboffin

JustMary wrote: »

It depends on whether you get rent-allowance or not. With RA, it's live-on-able, without it's not.

Whether you get it depends on whether you and your landlord are willing to do a deal and tell the CWO that your rent is below the threshold for RA. In many cases, this sort of deal also involves the tenant making an extra, under-the-table, payment to the landlord of the difference between the threshold and the real rent.

Yes that's exactly the main issue ive heard for any friends on Dole/Rent Allowance. Also for some odd reason your allowance is, I believe higher for living alone, whereas sharing a house can lower food and heat bills if you share. Also folks on rent allowance often don't get the extras like help with fuel if they live with others who work. Many landlords are taking advantage of the 'under the table' oddity with the system.

rent somewhere cheaper?

empacher

i make 120€ a week as a student. I can do a 60€ shop that last me three week. pay my rent 250€ and bills. and still afford to go out once a week.Before someone suggest it no i don't get handouts from my parents as i am from galway so me renting is for my benefit and its as convenient to stay at home. I think there shouldn't be rent allowance except for people with kids and the likes.

Buglim

Hi very interesting column on rent allowance from the Journal. Rent allowance in its present form is just unsubstainable.

http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/column-rent-supplement-is-supporting-squalor-%e2%80%93-and-keeping-prices-high/

inisboffin

Buglim wrote: »

Hi very interesting column on rent allowance from the Journal. Rent allowance in its present form is just unsubstainable.

http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/column-rent-supplement-is-supporting-squalor-%e2%80%93-and-keeping-prices-high/

That is a very interesting article

"I would be careful about believing that reform of rent supplement will push rents significantly further down in all segments. Within Dublin, for example, there is a noticeable difference between Dublin’s southside, where maximum supplements are still just 50%-75% of average rents, and the North city and West Dublin regions, where particularly for two, three and four-bedroom homes, the figure is over 100%. Where rents are well above supplement rates and not only stable but rising at the moment, there’s little to think that reduction in supplement rates will have an impact.

It seems like that varies widely depending on the area. I don't have exact figures for Galway but I think it is similar to 50% here, on top of which the people have to pay 25 quid or something. Maybe someone has exact figures?

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

i make 120€ a week as a student. I can do a 60€ shop that last me three week. pay my rent 250€ and bills. and still afford to go out once a week.Before someone suggest it no i don't get handouts from my parents as i am from galway so me renting is for my benefit and its as convenient to stay at home. I think there shouldn't be rent allowance except for people with kids and the likes.

Empacher, I lived on something (relative to the economy) similar for a while when I was a student. I think it's way easier to do this when one is younger and at college (not saying it's a bed of roses though, mind!). I do think this changes completely if you are in your 30's, 40's or older and suddenly find yourself laid off.

Some things that I see have changed for someone older:
Rents - It gets harder to find house shares as you get older, and perhaps have kids, even part time. Not sure how easy a 1 room apt would be to find for 250 at the moment in Galway.

Food is cheaper when you share with people. See above.

I often ate rubbish as a student. No one to give you nutritious meals at the weekend, you simply have to mind yourself a bit better at weekends.

Free social interaction - A million things to do for free (if you put your mind to it) on a wet winter's night in college if you are broke. Not as many as you get older.

Dental bills - again, less covered on medical card, teeth get older, more dentists visits needed. Same for doc.

Car payments - if you get laid off you can either sell your car (depending on where you live) or continue to pay for it. Buses cost money and rents are more expensive closer to the city.

Basically, as the article mentioned quoted, this system leaves little haggle room for a place for those on RA. The whole system is quite demeaning too it seems

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

i . I can do a 60€ shop that last me three week. pay my rent 250€ and bills. and still afford to go out once a week.

Empacher, not to get at you but could you maybe break down your 20 euro a week shop? *specifically* for someone living in Galway City, as those are the restrictions we are discussing here.

I'm honestly curious how you'd do this to include food, toiletries (and sanitary products if female/razors if male and you shave) laundry soap, fuel etc for 20 quid for one person in a week. If you are figuring in heavy items like sacks of spuds, I assume car costs too? I enjoy cooking myself, and know eating badly over an extended period can cause health problems. As someone mentioned, it could be of benefit if you have money saving tips for eating and even, as you said, managing to go out once a week on 20 quid in Galway!

*edited to ask:
You seem to say that includes bills too? Do you have a phone? A TV?

Mrs OBumble

empacher wrote: »

i make 120€ a week as a student. I can do a 60€ shop that last me three week. pay my rent 250€ and bills. and still afford to go out once a week.Before someone suggest it no i don't get handouts from my parents as i am from galway so me renting is for my benefit and its as convenient to stay at home. I think there shouldn't be rent allowance except for people with kids and the likes.

Congrats for shopping so well - I could feed an adult for E22/week (provided I was shopping for 2+ people), never took it down that last bit.

But looking at your figures per week, you mention:
rent of 75
food / cleaning / personal hygiene is 20.

Bills .. you don't say, but lets's guess 5 for a cellphone + internet. That rounds the total so far nicely to 100. Then allow an average of 10/week for heat.

That gives E10 per week for going out - and for clothes, footware, job-hunting costs (printing CVs, bus fare to interviews), doctors bills, birthday & Christmas presents, contents insurance etc. Not sure that even I could make it stretch that far.

And you're lucky to have such cheap accommodation too.

inisboffin

JustMary wrote: »

Bills .. you don't say, but lets's guess 5 for a cellphone and Internet.

Tell me more?! 20 a month for calls and Internet? Is it doable?

restingpilgrim

JustMary wrote: »

Congrats for shopping so well - I could feed an adult for E22/week (provided I was shopping for 2+ people), never took it down that last bit.

But looking at your figures per week, you mention:
rent of 75

Not sure how you get this but 250 per month is only around 57 per week which is a big difference on a tight budget

Buglim

JustMary wrote: »

Congrats for shopping so well - I could feed an adult for E22/week (provided I was shopping for 2+ people), never took it down that last bit.

But looking at your figures per week, you mention:
rent of 75
food / cleaning / personal hygiene is 20.

Bills .. you don't say, but lets's guess 5 for a cellphone + internet. That rounds the total so far nicely to 100. Then allow an average of 10/week for heat.

That gives E10 per week for going out - and for clothes, footware, job-hunting costs (printing CVs, bus fare to interviews), doctors bills, birthday & Christmas presents, contents insurance etc. Not sure that even I could make it stretch that far.

And you're lucky to have such cheap accommodation too.

True but what you have mentioned above is manageable on the €188 (this does not include the many benefits include the Rent Supplement, the Mortgage Interest Supplement, Fuel Allowance and the Smokeless Fuel Allowance, medical card, among others). Many of these benefits need to be scrapped to bring the cost of living to a true level.

I am also speaking from the point of view of someone who lived on the dole for 12 months in the late 90's when the my benefit was €60, which I was able to do easily. Average inflation has only been running at approx 4% so the increase in benefits has not equal to inflation as it should be.

We also have a problem of over 40+% of our unemployment is now long term, high benefits are one reason for this.

It's more than possible to live on the dole payments of €188 per week in Galway and 95% of the country.

inisboffin

I don't think it's so much that dole money is low, it's really connected to rent - whether or not you get rent allowance. People who are older and have been laid off,have a really hard time finding suitable accommodation or for a couple. I know some would say 'beggars can't be choosers' and people might have to share houses with partying students, but sometimes the younger people living there may not be open to sharing. Heating in the cheaper small granny flats is often horrendous and an electric bar heater the only source. These cost a fortune to run!
The examples I am drawing on are from 2 people I know. They are not dossers by a long shot.

Yes - some people do take advantage of the system, but not everyone!

Buglim

Agree 100% inisboffin, system is totally flawed and not the individuals who have to live within that system. At the same time this statement only applies to those looking for work or going back to college etc and not individuals who are willing to work the system.

empacher

I shop just for myself so for the 60€ I get porridge, cornflakes, bread, Yogurt, Granola bars, milk, apple juice. 15€ that covers breakfast for 3 weeks.

Ham, cheese, chicken, and a bag of mixed salad, Bananas, apples, beans, spaghetti hoops, that covers lunch and snacks. about 15€. Lunch and snacks covered.

Pork, Chicken fillets, mince. Pasta, rice, sweetcorn, carrots. Sauces. 20€ Dinner covered.

Toiletries, Spray, gel, toilet paper, shampoo. 10€

As you can see I eat quite healthy, don't waste money on biscuits, taytos, sweets fizzy, drinks, I don't tend to buy brand names. example nature valley granola bars are 3 something a pack. tesco granola bars are 3 packs for 2€.


Internet and tv (sky) is 20€ a month, I spend 20€ on credit a month, free calls and texts. spent 100€ on oil the last day. esb works out at 37€ bi monthly.

so per week I've got 20€ on groceries, 57€ on rent, 10€ on tv,bb,phone, 5€ esb. so that's 92€ per week. some weeks i'll only have 90 euro in wages, some weeks 150€. So I've to budget accordingly.

So really €188 + rent supplement, benefits. Is to me quite comfortable to live on. Taking into accountant its for someone, whose renting without kids. Not someone who has a mortgage and kids in school.


€188 a week for me would be a life of extreme comfort

d-gal

inisboffin wrote: »

Empacher, not to get at you but could you maybe break down your 20 euro a week shop? *specifically* for someone living in Galway City, as those are the restrictions we are discussing here.

Just taking a quick look at galway advertiser.
SuperValu:
Bag of carrots 50c
500g of steak mince 2.50

Joyces:
Bag (10kg) spuds 3.49
12 pack of walkers crisps 2.00
50 sausage rolls 1.49

Divilly butchers:
10chicken fillets 7.99

That's 18euro randomly. I suppose if u added some oats, beans, quick soups and noodles you would be well under 25 still. Nothing amazingly healthy but still plenty to eat with some left over and majority of students eat worse than this!

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

I shop just for myself so for the 60€ I get porridge, cornflakes, bread, Yogurt, Granola bars, milk, apple juice. 15€ that covers breakfast for 3 weeks.

Ham, cheese, chicken, and a bag of mixed salad, Bananas, apples, beans, spaghetti hoops, that covers lunch and snacks. about 15€. Lunch and snacks covered.

Pork, Chicken fillets, mince. Pasta, rice, sweetcorn, carrots. Sauces. 20€ Dinner covered.

Toiletries, Spray, gel, toilet paper, shampoo. 10€

As you can see I eat quite healthy, don't waste money on biscuits, taytos, sweets fizzy, drinks, I don't tend to buy brand names. example nature valley granola bars are 3 something a pack. tesco granola bars are 3 packs for 2€.


Internet and tv (sky) is 20€ a month, I spend 20€ on credit a month, free calls and texts. spent 100€ on oil the last day. esb works out at 37€ bi monthly.

so per week I've got 20€ on groceries, 57€ on rent, 10€ on tv,bb,phone, 5€ esb. so that's 92€ per week. some weeks i'll only have 90 euro in wages, some weeks 150€. So I've to budget accordingly.

So really €188 + rent supplement, benefits. Is to me quite comfortable to live on. Taking into accountant its for someone, whose renting without kids. Not someone who has a mortgage and kids in school.


€188 a week for me would be a life of extreme comfort

Sorry to pick it apart, empacher, but I still don't quite get it with the breakdown you gave.. while this might work for you, It would not work for everyone. As I mentioned your ESB would skyrocket if you had a bar heater as your source. You must live in town, no busfare or bike expenses? Your place is very cheap. And you are cooking for one, so I assume you don't share? That rent is very low.

So if I understand you correctly, per week:

You spend 20 on groceries, 5 on bb 5 on phone, 57 on rent, 2.50 on toiletries, 25 on oil, 9 on esb and 10 per week going out - am I getting something wrong? To me, that is 133.50?

Now you mentioned that 10 of that is going out and your wage fluctuates, so I see you could remove that tenner, but where does the rest get cut from when you have low paid weeks.

TV license, how do you work that out? Lightbulbs?

Clothes, bedding?

Dentist/doctor?

Tea/Coffee? Do you drink them. Surely you can't have them out

One bag of salad budgeted into your lunch for three weeks?

I see not one green vegetable in your dinner list for those 3 too. I am a bit of a veg pusher tbh, I've seen my housemates in college get sick from not eating enough.

Tampons/Pads? You must be a guy?

What do you do for going out - again I am not trying to get at you, just asking? Obviously your tenner per week would be the first thing you'd cut, but what would you do? Have tea in a pub? Please don't take this the wrong way, I have a friend who is really struggling, and cutting corners would help, I am just trying to see it.

inisboffin

I think people think of the rent supplement as an entire sum of money on top of the dole. Often it isn't - the system sucks. It should be an all inclusive means tested amount, so people can bargain with landlords like the article says.

People have to pay x amount anyway (not sure what it is? Maybe 25?) out of the 188, then often have to fork out anything up to (I've heard) 200 quid a month 'under the table to the landlord.

Just Mary mentioned job-seeking expenses too. A fiver a week ringing landlines won't go far on phone credit. Stamps? Printing? I think people are forgetting basics that are above *survival* mode. I think we *want* people to get jobs if they can, no?

What do they wear to an interview? How do they get there? There is a bigger picture!

inisboffin

d-gal wrote: »

Just taking a quick look at galway advertiser.
SuperValu:
Bag of carrots 50c
500g of steak mince 2.50

Joyces:
Bag (10kg) spuds 3.49
12 pack of walkers crisps 2.00
50 sausage rolls 1.49

Divilly butchers:
10chicken fillets 7.99

That's 18euro randomly. I suppose if u added some oats, beans, quick soups and noodles you would be well under 25 still. Nothing amazingly healthy but still plenty to eat with some left over and majority of students eat worse than this!

You'd be amazed how many people get a care package from Mammy for the week, and a decent meal or 5 at the weekend. Not to mention having their laundry done, and the odd bottle of multivitamins!;)

Little things like 'coming back to the flat' with a 'present' of block of cheese, a pound of butter, sugar for tea, heck, a tub of curry powder used to make a hell of a difference with how I ate in a week back in the prehistoric days :P

I remember having a little too many colds as a student, in the times when my food consumption was, well, the last thing on my mind!

There'll be no buying jars of honey and lemons regularly, and soft tissues, on the budgets we're mentioning above!

d-gal

inisboffin wrote: »

d-gal wrote: »

Just taking a quick look at galway advertiser.
SuperValu:
Bag of carrots 50c
500g of steak mince 2.50

Joyces:
Bag (10kg) spuds 3.49
12 pack of walkers crisps 2.00
50 sausage rolls 1.49

Divilly butchers:
10chicken fillets 7.99

That's 18euro randomly. I suppose if u added some oats, beans, quick soups and noodles you would be well under 25 still. Nothing amazingly healthy but still plenty to eat with some left over and majority of students eat worse than this!

You'd be amazed how many people get a care package from Mammy for the week, and a decent meal or 5 at the weekend. Not to mention having their laundry done, and the odd bottle of multivitamins!;)

Little things like 'coming back to the flat' with a 'present' of block of cheese, a pound of butter, sugar for tea, heck, a tub of curry powder used to make a hell of a difference with how I ate in a week back in the prehistoric days :P

I remember having a little too many colds as a student, in the times when my food consumption was, well, the last thing on my mind!

There'll be no buying jars of honey and lemons regularly, and soft tissues, on the budgets we're mentioning above!

No there would not but in terms of dole, it isn't about living in luxury, it should be bare minimum.
Being honest tho if you go into terryland fruit and veg, everything is ridiculously cheap. Same with late evenin shopping in Tesco, plenty of things reduced down 80/90% less, just to get rid of it. My uncle is on SW at the moment and gets a lot of his stuff later in the evening in Tesco. Freezes a lot of it and saves a bundle

inisboffin

d-gal wrote: »

No there would not but in terms of dole, it isn't about living in luxury, it should be bare minimum.
Being honest tho if you go into terryland fruit and beg, everything is ridiculously cheap. Same with late evenin shopping in Tesco, plenty of things reduced down 80/90% less, just to get rid of it. My uncle is on SW at the moment and gets a lot of his stuff later in the evening in Tesco. Freezes a lot of it and saves a bundle

Yeah, stuff like tescos and terryland are great tips, but again, if you are walking distance from them ( carting 10 kilos of spuds won't work for everyone).

The point I am making is that it is easy to get *stuck* on survival mode. There is NO money for extras like having a cup of tea in town, where perhaps you might meet a friend and get a job lead. NO extras for posting CVs to a job in Dublin, and definitely NO extras to get a gobus up for an interview. What if your freezer breaks? Who fixes it? When your cr*ppy landlord takes 4 days to get back to you and you lose a month's food? Or you can't ring him back as you have no credit?

Laundry to look neat for a job? Nope, have to wait until you can afford it. There IS no room for an emergency. If you get sick you are f*cked. It's depressing, and much more so for anyone who has just lost a job, and is not in college. Sit at home, no money for a cup of tea in town, and too cold to put the fire on.

My point is this system can *also force* people to stay in poverty. Hand to mouth is doable, but it is very hard to get out of.

empacher

inisboffin wrote: »

Sorry to pick it apart, empacher, but I still don't quite get it with the breakdown you gave.. while this might work for you, It would not work for everyone. As I mentioned your ESB would skyrocket if you had a bar heater as your source. You must live in town, no busfare or bike expenses? Your place is very cheap. And you are cooking for one, so I assume you don't share? That rent is very low.

So if I understand you correctly, per week:

You spend 20 on groceries, 5 on bb 5 on phone, 57 on rent, 2.50 on toiletries, 25 on oil, 9 on esb and 10 per week going out - am I getting something wrong? To me, that is 133.50?

Now you mentioned that 10 of that is going out and your wage fluctuates, so I see you could remove that tenner, but where does the rest get cut from when you have low paid weeks.

TV license, how do you work that out? Lightbulbs?

Clothes, bedding?

Dentist/doctor?

Tea/Coffee? Do you drink them. Surely you can't have them out

One bag of salad budgeted into your lunch for three weeks?

I see not one green vegetable in your dinner list for those 3 too. I am a bit of a veg pusher tbh, I've seen my housemates in college get sick from not eating enough.

Tampons/Pads? You must be a guy?

What do you do for going out - again I am not trying to get at you, just asking? Obviously your tenner per week would be the first thing you'd cut, but what would you do? Have tea in a pub? Please don't take this the wrong way, I have a friend who is really struggling, and cutting corners would help, I am just trying to see it.

sorry the oil isn't a monthly expense, its what i payed, and i'll make it last till the spring so as not to have to top it up again. tv licence is covered under the rent and bins, had to negotiate that before moving in.

two sets of bed clothes on a weekly rotate. Haven't bought clothes for myself since last may. I walk every I need to. I'm living in newcastle which is 10mins to college. Walk everywhere I need to, walk 40mins to work on lough atalia road, 10 mins to college, 30mins to training. 30mins to town if i want a few bevies, and home after. dont wast money on supermacs after a night out. Thats an easy saving of 10€.

Haven't being to the doctor or dentist in years, but am blessed not to have needed to,

Salad just adds come crunch to a ham and cheese sandwich

As for veg not my thing i don't like it. I eat fruit instead, and raw carrots and sweetcorn.


~ Compromises have to be made, I think it was September last time i went to the cinema , don't eat in restraunts, If i need to save up for something, i go out sober. Personally i don't see it as living in squalor more as lying in my means. where as i have friends on the dole, who are out 3 nights a week, and can manage to drop 50€ in the casino and not really be to bothered.

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

sorry the oil isn't a monthly expense, its what i payed, and i'll make it last till the spring so as not to have to top it up again. tv licence is covered under the rent and bins, had to negotiate that before moving in.

two sets of bed clothes on a weekly rotate. Haven't bought clothes for myself since last may. I walk every I need to. I'm living in newcastle which is 10mins to college. Walk everywhere I need to, walk 40mins to work on lough atalia road, 10 mins to college, 30mins to training. 30mins to town if i want a few bevies, and home after. dont wast money on supermacs after a night out. Thats an easy saving of 10€.

Haven't being to the doctor or dentist in years, but am blessed not to have needed to,

Salad just adds come crunch to a ham and cheese sandwich

As for veg not my thing i don't like it. I eat fruit instead, and raw carrots and sweetcorn.


~ Compromises have to be made, I think it was September last time i went to the cinema , don't eat in restraunts, If i need to save up for something, i go out sober. Personally i don't see it as living in squalor more as lying in my means. where as i have friends on the dole, who are out 3 nights a week, and can manage to drop 50€ in the casino and not really be to bothered.

Well fair play to you - I still don't know how you do it with oil. Buying 100 quid a time jacks up the price.

Lordy! Can you pm me the name of your landlord so I can pass it on help out a mate!? Living alone in Newcastle, rent includes bins and tv license for 250 a month?? You have angels minding you - never mind never catching a cold!

I get the dentist though, as there'd be no jammie dogers for you on that budget!
A few bevvies??? Explain that one to me! I was hard pressed seeing how you could manage a cuppa tea!!!

Again, lucky you not getting sick on your diet - fair play to you if you can make it work, but it wouldn't work for everyone at all, even on a health level.


We could go back and forth on here with people saying how many people can live on a turnip, but fact is - most people find it hard. College can lift the spirits too, and depression can set in if there is nothing to do. Yes we can cut corners, yes, people *can* take the p*ss, but an awful lot don't. The stress of worrying about how to afford a box of panadol or go to a dentist if you got a toothache? My point is that how this breaks down would vary wildly depending on your skill set, strength, age, circumstance and health. And an emergency/birthday/bus to a funeral in another county? Can't happen!

empacher

well not to be promoting alcohol but you can get slabs (24 cans for 24€).

So normally I'll invite the lads over drink 4 cans prior to leaving we'd normally aim to be in town for 12:30 which saves alot on spending money in pubs. Drink to cheap pints in town, normally can get two bavaria for less then 7€.

So i'd be far from drunk but still have a good night

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

well not to be promoting alcohol but you can get slabs (24 cans for 24€).

So normally I'll invite the lads over drink 4 cans prior to leaving we'd normally aim to be in town for 12:30 which saves alot on spending money in pubs. Drink to cheap pints in town, normally can get two bavaria for less then 7€.

So i'd be far from drunk but still have a good night

I'll have to leave it at that so. Honestly, given the figures you mention, and what you say you pay for food (can't imagine how good that salad will be on your sambo in week 3), I can't tally the budget you give the same way as you do. (Assuming you butter your sandwiches and drink a cup of tea the odd time and save for your twice yearly clothes buy) too!

....But then again, when I was a student, I had no idea how I afforded to drink either!;)

d-gal

empacher wrote: »

well not to be promoting alcohol but you can get slabs (24 cans for 24€).

So normally I'll invite the lads over drink 4 cans prior to leaving we'd normally aim to be in town for 12:30 which saves alot on spending money in pubs. Drink to cheap pints in town, normally can get two bavaria for less then 7€.

So i'd be far from drunk but still have a good night

as well looking at the promotions in town. 5euro for double vodka redbull in club k. Carbon had 2 drinks for 5euro last night and coyotes had drinks for 2.50 another. Fairly affordable for a student

inisboffin

Again, I don't see how drinking at all is doable, if you can't afford to buy clothes/tea/butter/cheese/alka seltzer any emergency items!


And more to the point. No chips on the way home, or an egg for breakfast after a pint or two? What's the point of alcohol with no money for chips (or condoms *ahem*:p

Alanerin218

The dole is Live-able... but ONLY with Rent Allowance. ONLY. Galway, when it comes to rent, is more expensive than Dublin (mostly because Dublin has a much higher rate for rent allowance)!

I have just moved to Galway as a Student from Tipperary and am having quite a hard time making the transition. In Galway City, you can get Rent Allowance if you pay 550e and under for rent... which BTW is near IMPOSSIBLE.... I couldn't find anything in the city (I am going to NUIG so the city would have been best) so I have moved about 10 minutes from Athenry and they have informed me that the 550e I pay here is too much to be on RA, the allowance for here is only 350e!!! Can someone tell me the last time they saw a house/apt for rent for under 400e? A long ass time ago. LONG TIME!

So now my wife and I are on the dole (Disability Benefit at the moment) and that is 315 a week.... 150 (because my rent is 600) goes to rent($$$$$) right away. The 165 that is left has to pay for petrol($$) into Athenry, to catch the train($$) everyday for school, Groceries($$$) for two adults and a dog lol, Bins($$), Electricity($$), Broadband($$), Mobile Credit($$), Oil..NOT hahaha who could afford OIL! Oh and Coal($$) because we can't afford oil!

If you own where you live or live with a relative and its rent free, the dole is actually a great price, if not, you are screwed.

empacher

Maybe its the fountain of youth syndrome, As a student and a youth i think i developed a decent immune system, a miraculous ability to extract all the nutrients from food, and a immunity to a want for many consumer goods that some people are accustomed to.

I know if i got used to having money it would be hard to get used to leaving in a survilaist student environment.

BhoscaCapall

I was on the dole for some of the year just before they cut it. 204 a week, definitely manageable.

Then they cut it to 100 and it was very different. 65 a week on rent (which is pretty cheap), 30 on food (nothing extravagant at all). That left €5 which was somehow supposed to cover bills, never mind the costs of actually looking for a job (travel, clothes etc). In fact, if I'd actually found a job then I have no idea how I would have been able to afford the associated costs up until the first wage packet (lunch, uniform, travel). My only solution was to skip my rent and then move out.

Mrs OBumble

empacher wrote: »

....30mins to training

~ Compromises have to be made, I think it was September last time i went to the cinema , don't eat in restraunts, If i need to save up for something, i go out sober.

Gotta say, I LOVE you attitude. If more people took the approach of cutting back and saving when they need something, then the country would be in a far better state.

We ate a lot better than you for E22/week - but doing this involved daily trips to the "reduced to clear" shelf, just in case it had something good on it. And regular visits to at least three different supermarkets to get every single item at the cheapest possible price. It really helped that I'd got the landlord to put in a full-size fridge/freezer, so we had the space to freeze stuff.

You mention going to training, though: how do you pay for club-fees? What about boots or whatever other kind of gear your sport needs? Oh - and regular shoes too, you must go through a few with all the walking. (I got some fantastic deals on clothes from the charity shops, never saw any shoes worth buying there, though.)

And it kinda worries me that I'm the only one thinking about contents insurance (costs about E100/year): if there's a fire or burglary and you lose ALL your stuff, then you'll be mightily screwed without it.

I guess some of it comes down to how much risk you can take, and what the options are when something out-of-the-ordinary happens. There's a big difference between a young person with supportive family who can rely on someone (mum, sibling, etc) for some extra cash to get out of a tight spot, and a slightly older person who has no options for that sort of help.

BhoscaCapall

JustMary wrote: »

And it kinda worries me that I'm the only one thinking about contents insurance (costs about E100/year): if there's a fire or burglary and you lose ALL your stuff, then you'll be mightily screwed without it.

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

inisboffin

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

I seem to recall one landlord actually requiring it when I rented years ago. It was a really nice house though and one of the housemates had it and put my stuff on it as I was only there for a few months.

Does it cover robbed oil?

Mrs OBumble

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

Yeah? So what do you do if the house burns down, and you're left with literally nothing but the clothes you're standing in?

empacher

You'd be surprised how long a good pair of assaics running shoes can last:D I train in Thai Boxing and BJJ (no jokes please:p) I've had all the gear I use for two years, Buying good brands makes for long lasting stuff. If im really stuck for something I just drop very obvious hints, coming up to Christmas or my birthday. luckily enough there college clubs, so the training is virtually free. 40€ a semester.

BhoscaCapall

JustMary wrote: »

Yeah? So what do you do if the house burns down, and you're left with literally nothing but the clothes you're standing in?

So you think that when in a situation where one is struggling to buy enough meals etc, it is sensible to forfeit some of the little money you have for something as freakishly unlikely as your house being burnt to the ground?

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

You'd be surprised how long a good pair of assaics running shoes can last:D I train in Thai Boxing and BJJ (no jokes please:p) I've had all the gear I use for two years, Buying good brands makes for long lasting stuff. If im really stuck for something I just drop very obvious hints, coming up to Christmas or my birthday. luckily enough there college clubs, so the training is virtually free. 40€ a semester.

But buying stuff every 2 years/6 months whatever is *still* buying stuff, no? Living on the bare minimum leaves no money to save. Not everyone is lucky enough to have flush friends and family to drop hints to either. And how do *you* afford birthday presents for loved ones, or is it just one way.

I'm sorry, all the small thingss total to a chunk of change over time. This is all almost fine in theory but when you break it down, simply doesn't add up.

d-gal

Alanerin218 wrote: »

The dole is Live-able... but ONLY with Rent Allowance. ONLY. Galway, when it comes to rent, is more expensive than Dublin (mostly because Dublin has a much higher rate for rent allowance)!

I have just moved to Galway as a Student from Tipperary and am having quite a hard time making the transition. In Galway City, you can get Rent Allowance if you pay 550e and under for rent... which BTW is near IMPOSSIBLE.... I couldn't find anything in the city (I am going to NUIG so the city would have been best) so I have moved about 10 minutes from Athenry and they have informed me that the 550e I pay here is too much to be on RA, the allowance for here is only 350e!!! Can someone tell me the last time they saw a house/apt for rent for under 400e? A long ass time ago. LONG TIME!

So now my wife and I are on the dole (Disability Benefit at the moment) and that is 315 a week.... 150 (because my rent is 600) goes to rent($$$$$) right away. The 165 that is left has to pay for petrol($$) into Athenry, to catch the train($$) everyday for school, Groceries($$$) for two adults and a dog lol, Bins($$), Electricity($$), Broadband($$), Mobile Credit($$), Oil..NOT hahaha who could afford OIL! Oh and Coal($$) because we can't afford oil!

If you own where you live or live with a relative and its rent free, the dole is actually a great price, if not, you are screwed.

Being honest you should just move in with someone. Dole is again not a luxury. Just because you are married does not mean live together, especially if you are struggling for money

moldypeach

Alanerin218 wrote: »

The dole is Live-able... but ONLY with Rent Allowance. ONLY. Galway, when it comes to rent, is more expensive than Dublin (mostly because Dublin has a much higher rate for rent allowance)!

I have just moved to Galway as a Student from Tipperary and am having quite a hard time making the transition. In Galway City, you can get Rent Allowance if you pay 550e and under for rent... which BTW is near IMPOSSIBLE.... I couldn't find anything in the city (I am going to NUIG so the city would have been best) so I have moved about 10 minutes from Athenry and they have informed me that the 550e I pay here is too much to be on RA, the allowance for here is only 350e!!! Can someone tell me the last time they saw a house/apt for rent for under 400e? A long ass time ago. LONG TIME!

So now my wife and I are on the dole (Disability Benefit at the moment) and that is 315 a week.... 150 (because my rent is 600) goes to rent($$$$$) right away. The 165 that is left has to pay for petrol($$) into Athenry, to catch the train($$) everyday for school, Groceries($$$) for two adults and a dog lol, Bins($$), Electricity($$), Broadband($$), Mobile Credit($$), Oil..NOT hahaha who could afford OIL! Oh and Coal($$) because we can't afford oil!

If you own where you live or live with a relative and its rent free, the dole is actually a great price, if not, you are screwed.

Almost same situation here but you can save money on the train i use farrell travel the bus leaves regularly and is €25 a week for a student it's a great service too

Mrs OBumble

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

So you think that when in a situation where one is struggling to buy enough meals etc, it is sensible to forfeit some of the little money you have for something as freakishly unlikely as your house being burnt to the ground?

Or being burgled. Or having someone visiting your house fall over, break a limb and sue ya. Etc.

Not as unlikely as you'd think.

And yes, I not only think it's sensible, I made exactly that decision. Because unlike most students I wouldn't have a huge network of family to call on if bad luck impacted on me.

cat_xx

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

A friend of mine, her house burned down on monday night the family just escaped. Lost everything even two cars and they don't have insurance.. Luckily our town rallied around them and are doing as much as we can to help them at this difficult time. If you don't have insurance you should really look into it. This situation could happen to anyone.

BhoscaCapall

JustMary wrote: »

Or being burgled. Or having someone visiting your house fall over, break a limb and sue ya. Etc.

lol.. just... what

Someone visiting my house, suing me because they fell over? Who is going to do that? I don't have any friends that would sue their unemployed mate because they fell over and hurt themselves after being invited to their house. Either you need to get some better friends, or stop being so paranoid about them.

Anyway it sounds like you are the exact demographic for insurance companies to sell to, so I won't argue about it. Enjoy your peace of mind™)

Alanerin218

d-gal wrote: »

Being honest you should just move in with someone. Dole is again not a luxury. Just because you are married does not mean live together, especially if you are struggling for money

Of course its not a luxury! Thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard! Anyone that has ever been on knows that! The fact that we are married doesn't mean we should live together? Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You are either verrrrry Single or verrrrry UNHAPPILY married.

d-gal

Alanerin218 wrote: »

Of course its not a luxury! Thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard! Anyone that has ever been on knows that! The fact that we are married doesn't mean we should live together? Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You are either verrrrry Single or verrrrry UNHAPPILY married.

Less of the insults please. No actually I am verrrry much going out with my girlfriend for 6years thank you verrrrry much :rolleyes:
I am saying both of you should be not living together alone, as in alone together. So live in a house with other people, rent is split plus bills and you will be entitled to rent allowance.

empacher

inisboffin wrote: »

But buying stuff every 2 years/6 months whatever is *still* buying stuff, no? Living on the bare minimum leaves no money to save. Not everyone is lucky enough to have flush friends and family to drop hints to either. And how do *you* afford birthday presents for loved ones, or is it just one way.

I'm sorry, all the small thingss total to a chunk of change over time. This is all almost fine in theory but when you break it down, simply doesn't add up.

Now frankly your just nit picking and dissecting to an unreasonable agree. If you read my posts you'll see, if I need to save for something I don't drink at all. I'm not going to be spending more then 20/30 for a present for a loved one, and that's the amount I expected spent on me.

Are you seriously still trying to Analysis this to the cent, or would you prefer to sing up to my hourly updates expense blog?

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

Now frankly your just nit picking and dissecting to an unreasonable agree. If you read my posts you'll see, if I need to save for something I don't drink at all. I'm not going to be spending more then 20/30 for a present for a loved one, and that's the amount I expected spent on me.

Are you seriously still trying to Analysis this to the cent, or would you prefer to sing up to my hourly updates expense blog?

Who ever mentioned spending 20 or 30 on a present?

You're there on another thread in this forum mentioning suit recommendations in several man's shops in town, talking about the good service etc, so to my eyes it looks like you are a customer of them.

Your budget breakdown seems to indicate that you are perhaps not long living on this situation, perhaps your sports gear etc comes from a richer time?

Look, this is the internet, and I don't know you from adam, but frankly was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt in what I see are, well highly unusual circumstances.

From your posts:
You live alone in a prime city centre location with rent of €250 a month?
You negotiated with your landlord in this prime location to include your bins and a tv license in this low rent
Your esb bills and phone bills are very low
you walk everywhere
You never get a toothache, an ailment or a need for a painkiller
You survive on an unusual diet for someone so healthy
you dont buy tea or coffee
you don't buy clothes/underwear - except every 6 months or every 2 years but then you are able to buy them?
Your diet purchases are unsustainable for one person in the bulk quantity you mention

When myself and other posters asked you about your budget it was out of genuine curiosity, not malice. But your figures do not add up to me. The latest is your 'sports club' fees of 40 a semester which you never mentioned, and your club gear that you buy every 2 years?
When asked about this you said that if you need something you 'drop hints' around birthdays and Christmas.

Your original post stated proudly how you felt that the dole was living rich. I was curious how you did it. At best, your circumstances are unusual (never getting sick, having friends/relatives to 'take hints' if you need something, and best of all a single apartment in the city centre for 250 per month). I hope you can see, that as this is the internet, I find it hard to buy all this?
On daft.ie for example there are only 2 properties listed in this price range for the whole of Galway City, neither of them in the City Centre.

I hope you can see that my point is that it isn't as easy breezy as you point out to live on this amount of money. And God forbid you have an emergency. I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt tbh.

And as you mentioned, you do have access to stuff outside your budget. Others may not have the luxury of this. Others may have been thrown in this situation, not students, and are finding it hard to get out with no leeway at *all* in budget for jobseeking, insurance etc.

No, I don't want to get an hourly update. Frankly, given your variables, it doesn't add up to me anyway, and as I said, it's the internet and I don't know you, so it doesn't really matter in the long run, I was just looking for insights I didn't already know, but didn't get them. Thanks anyway.

scotty_irish

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

that's what i thought!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12401660

it's only a middle class luxury when you don't need it, i wish I had sprung for some

empacher

inisboffin wrote: »

From your posts:
You live alone in a prime city centre location with rent of €250 a month?
You negotiated with your landlord in this prime location to include your bins and a tv license in this low rent
Your esb bills and phone bills are very low
you walk everywhere
You never get a toothache, an ailment or a need for a painkiller
You survive on an unusual diet for someone so healthy
you dont buy tea or coffee
you don't buy clothes/underwear - except every 6 months or every 2 years but then you are able to buy them?
Your diet purchases are unsustainable for one person in the bulk quantity you mention

I didn't say I live alone.
Didn't say I live in the city center, unless you call newcastle city center (mentioned it take me 40mins to walk to work)
My ESB bills are split between 4 as is BB TV.
Nope I'm strongly against using medicine for little ailments, part of my training is sparring so I'm always hurting but don't feel the need to pop ibuprofen at the slightest twinge of pain.
My diet isn't that unusual Brown pasta/rice and meat. Carbs and protein is all i need
Already said I don't drink tea or coffee, is it that hard to imagine? you'll find that there not great for you.
Its called saving money I've said thats the first thing to go if I need something. I've stopped drinking for 3 months before to save for stuff.

I've being in this situation for 2 years so maybe I've just adapted well,

You asked for my budget I gave it to you, and now you look for the slight discrepancies. Maybe take the advice I have to save money , instead of trying to look for problems in it. Or better yet try living on my budget and see if its as impossible as you make it out to be.

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

I didn't say I live alone.
Didn't say I live in the city center, unless you call newcastle city center (mentioned it take me 40mins to walk to work)
My ESB bills are split between 4 as is BB TV.
Nope I'm strongly against using medicine for little ailments, part of my training is sparring so I'm always hurting but don't feel the need to pop ibuprofen at the slightest twinge of pain.
My diet isn't that unusual Brown pasta/rice and meat. Carbs and protein is all i need
Already said I don't drink tea or coffee, is it that hard to imagine? you'll find that there not great for you.
Its called saving money I've said thats the first thing to go if I need something. I've stopped drinking for 3 months before to save for stuff.

I've being in this situation for 2 years so maybe I've just adapted well,

You asked for my budget I gave it to you, and now you look for the slight discrepancies. Maybe take the advice I have to save money , instead of trying to look for problems in it. Or better yet try living on my budget and see if its as impossible as you make it out to be.

Aha..more information unfolds.
As I've said in a previous post, your information isn't consistent *in how it reads to me* and I can't glean anything I already don't already know from that.

It's a completely different situation splitting bills and heating as opposed to doing it for one person. This was all mentioned very early on, and this is the first time you've brought it up. You said "I'm shopping for one" or something similar, that's where I got that assumption. I also assumed you were from the USA or Canada due to your use of language, but then I see you said you are from Galway. Education costs weren't even discussed in this thread, that's a whole other thing.

Tea is actually better for you than booze *in general* but let's not go into that here shall we And best of luck with that 3 week old bag of salad

As I said, it's the internet. I'm sure if people really want to wade through posts and figure out the ins and outs any 'discrepancies' they will, but most won't be bothered. I fell down the obsessive rabbit hole, but I see now it's going in circles with this. My point, and I think I've made it, is that there's more than meets the eye to what people think is their 'weekly budget'

Luckily, I'm not in a position at the moment where I need to make those severe budgetary choices, but I have been in the past, albeit differently to you. I have a friend who has recently been laid off, so this whole thing is on my mind. So thank you, but I haven't learned anything new from any details you posted. Best of luck with your studies and your sparring.

inisboffin

Lookit!

It's not about being fit enough or thrifty enough after all. Here is the solution.

Bloody dole people - they just need to be more holy.;)