Too poor to buy sanitary towels

the_pen_turner

mariaalice wrote: »

I wrote on my blog back in July 2012, in a post titled Hunger Hurts, that poverty isn't just having no heating, unplugging your fridge, or unscrewing the light bulbs. Poverty is that sinking, choking feeling when your two-year-old finishes his one Weetabix, mashed with a little water, and says: "Can I have some more please, Mummy? Some bread and jam please?" And you break down in tears, because you don't know how you'll carry the TV and the guitar to the pawn shop, and how to tell him that there is no bread and jam

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jul/20/10-pound-food-shop-blog

this is real poverty. it is people in this situation that need the help

the vast majority of those that say they are poor are no where near this. they are usually worried about how they will pay for the taxi to the pub

steddyeddy

hungry hypno toad wrote: »

Impeccable logic.

It tires me dealing with right wing opinions. So your point is there's no poverty or it's all self inflicted. Not even logic sunshine.

Lisha

mariaalice wrote: »

I wrote on my blog back in July 2012, in a post titled Hunger Hurts, that poverty isn't just having no heating, unplugging your fridge, or unscrewing the light bulbs. Poverty is that sinking, choking feeling when your two-year-old finishes his one Weetabix, mashed with a little water, and says: "Can I have some more please, Mummy? Some bread and jam please?" And you break down in tears, because you don't know how you'll carry the TV and the guitar to the pawn shop, and how to tell him that there is no bread and jam

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jul/20/10-pound-food-shop-blog

Is that your own article MariaAlice?

minibear

As someone who has suffered all her life with crippling period pain I just hope the girls whose families can't afford sanitary products have access to pain relief if they need it. I've even passed out a few times from period pain. I've given birth twice and the only pain worse than bad period pain was when I was induced and had to have my waters broken artificially.

Cupcake_Crisis

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

I'm no brand snob but when it comes to sanitary towels, those cheap generic ones are less than useless on heavy days. We're getting into TMI territory here but on the 2nd/3rd day of mine, I bleed like nothing on earth. I have to change the towels every couple of hours and go through quite a few of them over the few days. I've tried some of those cheaper own-brand ones and they're not as good as the expensive ones. And because it's blood, trying to avoid embarrassing leaks is the name of the game.

Back on topic, I'd be curious to know more about these people who are too poor. I wonder are some of them from ethnic backgrounds where women's role is for reproduction and they're grudgingly sending their girls to school?

100%. Unfortunately, generic or store brand st's are just never as good. I would only get about an hour out of one. And you just don't feel as..... clean.

mariaalice

the_pen_turner wrote: »

this is real poverty. it is people in this situation that need the help

the vast majority of those that say they are poor are no where near this. they are usually worried about how they will pay for the taxi to the pub

The history of this type of thinking/reaction is interesting it goes back hundreds of years 30/40 years ago it would have been 'they' are buying meat they cant be poor, the central point is, its always about 'them' not spending their money wisely there is also a sort of protectionism involve blaming others for there own circumstance make them feel it will never happen to themselves.

hungry hypno toad

steddyeddy wrote: »

It tires me dealing with right wing opinions. So your point is there's no poverty or it's all self inflicted. Not even logic sunshine.

No better or worse than your last point. It tires me to read the rubbish spewed by the left wing, but that's life.

mariaalice

Lisha wrote: »

Is that your own article MariaAlice?

No it a blog about a woman living on benefits in the UK

gctest50

.

Lisha

mariaalice wrote: »

No it a blog about a woman living on benefits in the UK

I thought it was yours the way I read your post.

I've read her blog before it's amazing how she managed in such difficult circumstances . But it supports another poster's point that if someone is better educated then it better equips them to deal with poverty.

the_pen_turner

mariaalice wrote: »

The history of this type of thinking/reaction is interesting it goes back hundreds of years 30/40 years ago it would have been 'they' are buying meat they cant be poor, the central point is, its always about 'them' not spending their money wisely there is also a sort of protectionism involve blaming others for there own circumstance make them feel it will never happen to themselves.

I am perfectly aware how close we are to being poor or even on the bread line.
I have been at the point that I was looking for change under the couch just so I buy some food before payday.

it is an us against them situation .
us that look after our money and live within our means and them that drink and smoke or gamble their money away then complain its gone when they are hungry.
everybody that has worked in "poor" peoples houses will tell you that most have flat screen tvs, laptops, multi room sky subs etc.

of course there are people that are genuinely poor and they need our help.. the "them" don't need our help.

indioblack

steddyeddy wrote: »

That's not poverty Alan but there is real poverty in the UK.

As you say, that isn't poverty. There are those who "work" the system - usually they're well known in every town. In Ireland, too. One of my cousins there married a guy who gave up his job, lived on the dole and the "black", ran a car and raised five children.
The UK is not a poor country - there should be little excuse for poverty - depending on how it is defined, of course.
The problem here, [and not just here], is where the money is and how it's used.
I don't think it's just down to the Tories, either. Labour never really had a handle on the economy and never addressed the inbalance in this society - I don't include Blair in this - if Blair is a socialist then my bums a frying pan.
As has been mentioned already, housing is a factor - and population. There's too many of us. This isn't an anti immigration rant - I'm the son of an immigrant. The place is just overcrowded.
Something I've observed from the recession onwards is that the ROI tends to look after it's people better. This is a generalisation, I know, but it seemed to be the case in my experience in Ireland during the recession.
OK - rant over!

BigBulldog

Is it not the case their cost of living is cheaper so that is why they get less dole. I find it hard to believe people are living below subsistence level in a modern developed country like Britain. Usa Is fairly cut throat but I didn't think it was like that in the uk

hungry hypno toad

BigBulldog wrote: »

Is it not the case their cost of living is cheaper so that is why they get less dole. I find it hard to believe people are living below subsistence level in a modern developed country like Britain. Usa Is fairly cut throat but I didn't think it was like that in the uk

There are plenty of posters on here who will talk up poverty here and in the U.K. for their own agenda. Would take it with a large pinch of salt.

mariaalice

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I am perfectly aware how close we are to being poor or even on the bread line.
I have been at the point that I was looking for change under the couch just so I buy some food before payday.

it is an us against them situation .
us that look after our money and live within our means and them that drink and smoke or gamble their money away then complain its gone when they are hungry.
everybody that has worked in "poor" peoples houses will tell you that most have flat screen tvs, laptops, multi room sky subs etc.

of course there are people that are genuinely poor and they need our help.. the "them" don't need our help.

The first reaction is to always 'blame' others for how they spend there money and its a similar type of thinking to 'blaming' those who get cancer because they smoked or drank its done as a sort of projection a way of saying it won't happen to themselves also it extremely simplistic. I would also think if anyone is working with vulnerable people in there home they would be expected to behave with dignity and respect and not gossip.

Of course there are feckless people there always was and always will be.

the_pen_turner

mariaalice wrote: »

The first reaction is to always 'blame' others for how they spend there money and its a similar type of thinking to 'blaming' those who get cancer because they smoked or drank its done as a sort of projection a way of saying it won't happen to themselves also it extremely simplistic. I would also think if anyone is working with vulnerable people in there home they would be expected to behave with dignity and respect and not gossip.

no body is blaming someone for getting sick
that's a whole other debate


vulnerable people.
these people have more money than I do.
how is it gossiping . you don't know me or all the people I'm talking about.
am I not entitled to comment on where all our tax payers money is going funding these scroungers(the ones I'm talking about)


it is truly offensive to those that are genuinely poor and cant feed themselves to compare them to the one who are "poor" because they choose not to work and drink,smoke and gamble away any money they have


as for dignity and respect.
they could learn a bit of theat themselves

steddyeddy

BigBulldog wrote: »

Is it not the case their cost of living is cheaper so that is why they get less dole. I find it hard to believe people are living below subsistence level in a modern developed country like Britain. Usa Is fairly cut throat but I didn't think it was like that in the uk

It is and it isn't depending on where you live in the UK. I live in Hampshire and it's not a lot cheaper. Brexit will result in a rise in prices anyway.

goose2005

hungry hypno toad wrote: »

I'd love to know what those on welfare spend on necessities such as smokes and alcohol.

Less than you'd think. Anyway the high excise rate makes these pretty low impact. Consider:

Person spends €20 of their dole cheque on cigs and vodka - Exchequer gets about €15-16 back straight away

Person spends €20 of their dole cheque on fruit and medicine - Exchequer gets about €1 back

Really we should be encouraging the unemployed to buy booze and cigarettes. It also may kill them off quicker, reducing the surplus population, or better yet, render them infertile. (IM BEING SARCASTIC)

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

enda1

Cupcake_Crisis wrote: »

I nearly fell out of my standing when I first moved here. Tampons are more expensive again. A pack generally contains 10-12 pads so a woman could EASILY go through 2 packets per cycle, costing about $20 just to menstruate. Now imagine your a woman who is still menstruating, with 2 daughters who are also menstruating, the cost gets ridiculous!

Where's "here"?

goose2005

alan1963 wrote: »

Honestly I dont agree, I live in the UK and I dont think there is any "real" poverty here.
I once had a job fitting kitchens in council houses and the unemployed there all smoked,drank cans in the daytime,had big screen TVs and full Sky TV packages etc that in my opinion is not "real" poverty.

did it ever occur to you that if you were fitting kitchens you only saw the well-off? The destitute don't get new kitchens.

Lisha

Lisha wrote: »

I thought it was yours the way I read your post.

I've read her blog before it's amazing how she managed in such difficult circumstances . But it supports another poster's point that if someone is better educated then it better equips them to deal with poverty.

OT I know, but another great thing about Jack Monroe is that she sued Katie Hopkins for libel, and won.

Anyone who roadbumps KH is ok by me.

the_pen_turner

goose2005 wrote: »

did it ever occur to you that if you were fitting kitchens you only saw the well-off? The destitute don't get new kitchens.

of course they do , they just don't pay for them. the government does

Sleeper12

Can't say if they are expensive or not but for some strange reason they fall under the "luxury" vat rate 20% UK and 23% in Ireland

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

end of the road

the_pen_turner wrote: »

this is real poverty. it is people in this situation that need the help

the vast majority of those that say they are poor are no where near this. they are usually worried about how they will pay for the taxi to the pub

those people who are worried about how they will pay for the taxi to the pub are not the vast majority. they are a very very small minority. a very vocal minority admittidly but a minority.

bee06

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Can't say if they are expensive or not but for some strange reason they fall under the "luxury" vat rate 20% UK and 23% in Ireland

0% tax in Ireland.

Lia_lia

We get tampons and pads free at work in the changing rooms. Now I don't think they are supposed to be taken in large numbers, more of a "just incase". But very handy if you forget to bring any at work. And these are for professionals that can afford these products.

Would be brilliant if they had them in schools. You can get them in Lidl in the UK for 55p.

the_pen_turner

end of the road wrote: »

those people who are worried about how they will pay for the taxi to the pub are not the vast majority. they are a very very small minority. a very vocal minority admittidly but a minority.

I don't agree. I hear loads of people complain about not having money but they can afford fags and drink etc.

of course these are the vocal ones,

almost all of the genuine poor say nothing

Corkgirl18

I work in a DEIS school and there is always a stock of sanitary products kept in case a child needs them.
I also know they were kept in the Convent secondary school I attended.
I would presume this would be the norm in schools here.
Its strange it doesn't happen in the UK.