I would Like To Know

shuffles88

Personally I had a particularly rough year living on Illness Benefit this year I also lost my job while I was sick so I had nothing to go back to when I got better. As paltry as it seems €8 a week would make a big difference to me its the cost of two weeks shopping for myself and my other half. I don't have a medical card and if I got sick I can't afford to see a doctor. I don't drink, smoke, have sky, broadband, a landline or anything I could cut back on. So yes there are a few of us this would hurt.

Celly Smunt

shuffles88 wrote: »

Personally I had a particularly rough year living on Illness Benefit this year I also lost my job while I was sick so I had nothing to go back to when I got better. As paltry as it seems €8 a week would make a big difference to me its the cost of two weeks shopping for myself and my other half. I don't have a medical card and if I got sick I can't afford to see a doctor. I don't drink, smoke, have sky, broadband, a landline or anything I could cut back on. So yes there are a few of us this would hurt.

how are you posting this then?,dial-up even needs a landline.Using a mobile would require credit..

wonderfulname

Lapin wrote: »

Not for much longer.

There is no way the publicans are gonna absorb their share of the VAT increase.

2% may seem like a small amount but this doesn't just apply to the point of sale. Production and distribution costs will also become more expensive. I reckon the price of a pint will increase by around 20 cent this week.

Publicans have to weigh up losses from VAT against losses from off-licences, offers like that get people in the door in the first place, a sizeable number of which will move on to more expensive drinks as the night progresses.

Shrewd businessmen will keep the offers, but less visible prices will increase to make up for it.

Lapin

shuffles88 wrote: »

Personally I had a particularly rough year living on Illness Benefit this year I also lost my job while I was sick so I had nothing to go back to when I got better. As paltry as it seems €8 a week would make a big difference to me its the cost of two weeks shopping for myself and my other half. I don't have a medical card and if I got sick I can't afford to see a doctor. I don't drink, smoke, have sky, broadband, a landline or anything I could cut back on. So yes there are a few of us this would hurt.

Did I read that bit right? €8 is the cost of 2 weeks shopping for 2 people.

Shopping for what ?

Oranage2

K-9 wrote: »

I assume you contribute something to the house so you aren't living rent free?

Well very little actually, in the 3 months there i contributed 200e. And i get paid every second week so not to be misleading on the tax i pay.


And what the op says is very believable - house shares outside Dublin are dirt cheap an there are always drink promotions on too.

LighterGuy

I bloody tell you, all this recession has done is showcase how people are begrudging, jealous and spiteful :rolleyes: .. the whole "as long as i am alright jack" huh?

So many threads, so many people moaning about others!!! You Know the sickening thing ... it aint people going on about someone making thousands a week. Its regular joes. Be it someone working or someone on the social making 10 euros more than them a week..... 10 euros!!!!

The whole "life is a rat race" is really starting to sink in with me.
Think about it... If I, a regular person, works and get a euro more than someone else working? moans. If I am on the social and get a euro more. Moans. If I do a nixer on the side. Moans. If I do anything that involves more money in my pocket ... moans. In fact just by speaking how much money I get a week, no matter how big or small, moans.

LighterGuy

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Now that's just necessarily rude. You've actually hurt my feelings.

You used to be such a likeable person.

Good evening to you Sir.

Night Chuck

*wipe*
*wipe*
*wipe*

wonderfulname

shuffles88 wrote: »

So yes there are a few of us this would hurt.

Nobody here ever questioned that, the OP said it as did everybody replying to him, unfortunately you're in a system which doesn't distinguish between people with necessary expenditure of 300 euro and those with 50 euro, the ones with 50 are a burden, 300, a tragedy.

K-9

Oranage2 wrote: »

Well very little actually, in the 3 months there i contributed 200e. And i get paid every second week so not to be misleading on the tax i pay.


And what the op says is very believable - house shares outside Dublin are dirt cheap an there are always drink promotions on too.

So you don't pay rent, just throw the relations a few pound now and again.

Of course you're getting bye quite handy.

Jonjo is a gambler who can get bye on a tenner on food. Its an extreme example, gamblers and alcoholics will think a tenner on food is fine and not cop on something is wrong with spending 9 times it on drink.

You don't pay rent, you are an extreme example.

Lapin, yep, you read it wrong.

Lapin

wonderfulname wrote: »

Publicans have to weigh up losses from VAT against losses from off-licences, offers like that get people in the door in the first place, a sizeable number of which will move on to more expensive drinks as the night progresses.

Shrewd businessmen will keep the offers, but less visible prices will increase to make up for it.

Yes, prices can be increased elsewhere to keep the special offers in place.

But ultimately, if people have less money in their pockets, the publicans won't get it.

This applies to all businesses. I'm just using the pub example here as thats the way the discussion was drifting.

Point is - The OP has said he can happily live with an €8 decrease in income. I simply think its premature to say that when the cost of goods and services are inevitably going to increase in the coming days and weeks.

Thrill

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

If the people who are always saying i cant take anymore hits on the news really mean it.

I think this budget will have a bigger effect than the previous ones. A lot of people will have cut down on luxuries the past couple of years but I'm betting there are a lot of folks who have no more luxuries left to get rid of and will now have to make cuts to essentials.

I'm already thinking of next years budget, when they'll be cutting another 3.8 or so billion in spending. People driven to the edge after the coming budget are going to be rightly f**ked next year.

wonderfulname

Lapin wrote: »

Point is - The OP has said he can happily live with an €8 decrease in income. I simply think its premature to say that when the cost of goods and services are inevitably going to increase in the coming days and weeks.

The OP is a special case who could manage a loss of ten times that though, as for the average person, what will 8 euro work out as in real terms? 10? It's a lot of money on necessities, but very little on luxuries.

retalivity

K-9 wrote: »

You spend €90 out of €138 on drink, 70% of your budget on drink? :eek:

€48 a week to afford food, the internet you are posting on, ESB, heat etc.

Jaysus, you wouldn't be bull****ting now Jonjo? Not like you and all.

I got the impression he meant 30E for the whole week on drink, so 3-4 pints a night for 3 nights

I lived in Letterkenny for 6 months on the dole in 2006, and i had a ball.
50 quid a week on rent, and had plenty left for food, eating out & boozing

K-9

retalivity wrote: »

I got the impression he meant 30E for the whole week on drink, so 3-4 pints a night for 3 nights

I lived in Letterkenny for 6 months on the dole in 2006, and i had a ball.
50 quid a week on rent, and had plenty left for food, eating out & boozing

Nope, definitely 6-9 pints a night, 3 nights a week.

Gambling on top.

Jonjo is some man for one man.

JONJO THE MISER

K-9 wrote: »

Nope, definitely 6-9 pints a night, 3 nights a week.

Gambling on top.

Jonjo is some man for one man.

Yes thats right, just because you cant budget and cook and have good meals at home and a few nights out doesn't mean it cant be done.
Im perfectly willing to show on this thread how i can survive well and eat great meals for less than 50 Eur per week all brought in veg shop or butchers or the supermarket and none of the value stuff either and still afford to pay my rent and drink out 3 nights a week.

rossie1977

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Im renting and i dont even claim rent allowance, pay 50 Eur per week rent outta 188, spend 50 Eur on food and live like a king on that and i go out on the beer 3 times per week, 10 pints at 3 Eur a pop, so it can be done.

i lived in galway for a few years and no way anyone lives like a king on 188, my rent was 40 euro a week, i had my own room in a house with 3 other lads, you say you pay 50 euro rent, spend 50 on food (would like to see your grocery list because i bet there is very little meat products) and go out 3 times a weeks spending 90 euro a week on drink

when i lived in galway, i had to pay electricity, refuse collection, tv licence, mobile phone, bus tickets.....how do you pay for all that??? i bought all the value items in tesco/dunnes etc and still spent well over 50 euro a week on food/grocery and thats back in 2003-06

K-9

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Yes thats right, just because you cant budget and cook and have good meals at home and a few nights out doesn't mean it cant be done.
Im perfectly willing to show on this thread how i can survive well and eat great meals for less than 50 Eur per week all brought in veg shop or butchers or the supermarket and none of the value stuff either and still afford to pay my rent and drink out 3 nights a week.

In fairness I think it can be done on €50.

I'm more interested in your €10 a week claim.

Esoteric_

My mum is on disability and maintenance and my sister and I pay her rent. I can say without a bit of doubt that if she had her money cut by even a tenner a week, she'd struggle more than she already is. She doesn't smoke, we don't have Sky, my sister and I pay for the internet as she doesn't use it and we don't eat fast food. She uses her money for nothing but bills and food shopping and even then we go extremely carefully with electricity, heating and the like.

Me personally, I could survive on 8 euro less per week, because although I pay rent to my mam, that's 80 a week out of my wages. Even on a bad week where I only get 25 hours in work, that still leaves me over a hundred for a bus ticket, red bull, cigarettes and to meet up with friends, so I personally could manage fine.

So yeah, there are some people struggling enough that 8 euro a week of a cut will hit them hard. Should be more stringently means tested. If someone can afford to go out 3 nights per week on the dole (as one previous poster said he could), then they shouldn't be on the full dole. I sure as hell can't afford to go out 3 nights a week on my wages. Dole is meant for living on, for food, housing, heating and bills. I don't begrudge anyone having a life too, but 3 nights out each week on the dole is taking the absolute p!ss.

JONJO THE MISER

rossie1977 wrote: »

i lived in galway for a few years and no way anyone lives like a king on 188, my rent was 40 euro a week, i had my own room in a house with 3 other lads, you say you pay 50 euro rent, spend 50 on food (would like to see your grocery list because i bet there is very little meat products) and go out 3 times a weeks spending 90 euro a week on drink

when i lived in galway, i had to pay electricity, refuse collection, tv licence, mobile phone, bus tickets.....how do you pay for all that??? i bought all the value items in tesco/dunnes etc and still spent well over 50 euro a week on food/grocery and thats back in 2003-06

Mostly meat and good meat products and no value stuff either, its not my fault if you cant budget or cook good quality food for the week for less than 50 Eur my dear.

FearDark

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Look i will be honest im single and on the dole but i could survive on less than 100 per week, i buy all my own food and cook at home and i can still afford to go out 3 nights a week.
I would have no problem in my dole being reduced, i know lots of other people on the dole and single mothers who smoke over 20 fags a day and then complain about 10 euro cut in childrens allowance, no one is forcing them to smoke and if my dole was cut i would just give up the few drinks, why should it be diffrent for them.
The way some of these people talk you swear there were going to starve to death but they would have plenty of money for fags and the like.

I have honestly no idea how you do that. The 188 I get BEARLY lasts the week and sometimes it doesn't. I don't smoke and if I do go out its for one or two and I usually pre-drink beforehand. Between rent and food I could literally spend all the 188 in one go. Sometimes on a Wed when I get my dole and pay some bills I'm left with less than €30 until the next dole day...

If they cut it, i'll just be spending a longer time in bed I guess. You dont live on the dole, you survive.

Oranage2

K-9 wrote: »

So you don't pay rent, just throw the relations a few pound now and again.

Of course you're getting bye quite handy.

Jonjo is a gambler who can get bye on a tenner on food. Its an extreme example, gamblers and alcoholics will think a tenner on food is fine and not cop on something is wrong with spending 9 times it on drink.

You don't pay rent, you are an extreme example.

Lapin, yep, you read it wrong.

What's your point exactly?

Jonjo asked if people could afford to take a hit and i answered honestly - also the fact that people can rent while on the dole tells you what you need to know.

Any person with no kids no mortgage could probably easily take the hit. Anyone with kids and a mortgage will probably be affected severely.

rossie1977

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Mostly meat and good meat products and no value stuff either, its not my fault if you cant budget or cook good quality food for the week for less than 50 Eur my dear.

pot noodle is not a good meat product :rolleyes:

you still didn't answer how you pay for electricity etc.....

Esoteric_

To be fair to Jonjo, if I was living alone, I could pretty easily feed myself well off of 50 a week.

K-9

Oranage2 wrote: »

What's your point exactly?

Jonjo asked if people could afford to take a hit and i answered honestly - also the fact that people can rent while on the dole tells you what you need to know.

Any person with no kids no mortgage could probably easily take the hit. Anyone with kids and a mortgage will probably be affected severely.

Yeah, that's what I said initially, single people can afford to take a hit, we are agreeing

You came in to this thread with your personal example of paying high tax and PRSI as if it was relevant.

You don't even pay rent, just throw the relations a few pound now and again. Your personal experience is irrelevant, a cushy life living with relations and not handing them money every week, on the pigs back.

Jonjo will give us his €10 a week food budget shortly.

wonderfulname

rossie1977 wrote: »

spend 50 on food (would like to see your grocery list because i bet there is very little meat products)

Challenge accepted:

Meat budget: 15 euro
- 2 fish dishes a week
- 2 chicken
- 1 red meat

Veg - 15 euro
- all in season, all top quality, I get at least 5 servings a day, generally more

Cupboard essentials/groceries - 5-10 euro

And this is when I'm living in absolute luxury - I can do a balanced diet on 20 euro per week, which whilst low on meat is still high in proteins and involves a lot of boring veg. Merely surviving can be done on less than a tenner (tins and cheap carbs). Shopping between south Dublin/north Wicklow, not the cheapest area in Ireland by all means.

rossie1977

wonderfulname wrote: »

Challenge accepted:

Meat budget: 15 euro
- 2 fish dishes a week
- 2 chicken
- 1 red meat

you can't just say 2 fish dishes etc, name them, give me exact prices, i just checked tesco.ie there and the cheapest pork they have is 7 euro a kilo and thats fatty crap

you don't eat for 2 days in the week i guess

Oranage2

K-9 wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I said initially, single people can afford to take a hit, we are agreeing

You came in to this thread with your personal example of paying high tax and PRSI as if it was relevant.

You don't even pay rent, just throw the relations a few pound now and again. Your personal experience is irrelevant, a cushy life living with relations and not handing them money every week, on the pigs back.

Jonjo will give us his €10 a week food budget shortly.

How isn't tax and prsi relevant? Its where people with jobs get hit and i never said it was high either as im not paid all that well.

And as for the cushy number - well im sure it represents many people that live at home or relatives that pay little or no rent.

And i don't just throw a 'few pounds here and there.' they don't need or want it when i try giving it. Different strokes and all that.

FearDark

Of course anyone could survive on €20 a week. Jesus Christ you could survive on less! We live in a civilised world though and we need to do more than just survive.

wonderfulname

rossie1977 wrote: »

you can't just say 2 fish dishes etc, name them, give me exact prices, i just checked tesco.ie there and the cheapest pork they have is 7 euro a kilo and thats fatty crap

you don't eat for 2 days in the week i guess

You do realise that you don't have to eat meat every day of the week and that dependant on the meat you choose it can be quite unhealthy to do so?
Why would you want a kilo of pork by the way?

Right, fish - Generally one cheap fish like a rainbow trout or mackerel, say 2-3 euro on that, depending on weight, then something like 4 euros worth of tuna, again, example, don't eat the same weekly, good sized corn fed irish chicken fillets 2e ea in the butchers, and the rest goes on venison or steak bought by weight.

Fruit and veg are bought by weight as well, different things are in season at different times, different things will be in better nick or better value in the shop when you go in, I honestly couldn't break it down for you, I just keep picking up yummy looking stuff until I run out of money.

K-9

Oranage2 wrote: »

How isn't tax and prsi relevant? Its where people with jobs get hit and i never said it was high either as im not paid all that well.

And as for the cushy number - well im sure it represents many people that live at home or relatives that pay little or no rent.

And i don't just throw a 'few pounds here and there.' they don't need or want it when i try giving it. Different strokes and all that.

Lad, contrarian away. You work. What's your take home pay? What you pay in PAYE/PRSI is pretty irrelevant unless your net pay is comparable to the dole.


Pay little or no rent? Yeah, many don't. Most with a shred of decency would throw the ould pair or the relatives a weekly rent, go out of there way to return the favour.

They don't need or want it? Don't you have the cushy number.