Feeding the family on low wage or benefits ?

[Westdene Seagull]

Where out of interest?



I'd love to do this but wouldn't know where to start. I just don't do the countryside so I wouldn't have a clue. Where would you even go to find a blackberry?

The woods on the edge of Ditchling Road park, the old railway in Hangleton, the path leading to the downs from Horsdean rec, High Park woods at old Boat Corner - the list endless. Go to the edge of the city and find a path towards the downs and you'll do fine.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

i think living on benefits and some sort of depression go hand in hand
a lot out there cant be bothered Thing is with kids you cant afford to get depressed
and theres always plenty of fruit for a pound a bag

Do people still think this way ? No one chooses to suffer from depression. It could happen to anyone. More likely if you are under constant finance srain and struggle but no one is immune.

I like the look of the 4p a can Mushy Peas at Tesco.

 

[BigGully]

Give up your job and try finding a new one without access to the internet. I can assure you the internet is an absolute necessity for finding a job. 99.9% of jobs are only advertised online.

Its one important tool for me and if I needed access and it wasn't in my front room there are many other ways to access it.

If I didnt have the necessary life skills to find other ways to access it, once I had it would be pretty pointless anyway.

I know a number of 'low income' families and their work wasnt the result of trawling the internet or the Sunday Times job vacancy pages, it was a number of factors where the internet didnt really play a major role.

For the record they all had internet anyway.

 

[macky]

Do people still think this way ? No one chooses to suffer from depression. It could happen to anyone. More likely if you are under constant finance srain and struggle but no one is immune.

I like the look of the 4p a can Mushy Peas at Tesco.

I'm not sure what you mean think this way If you are living below the poverty line you are more likely to suffer depression
of course you bloody are I know depression can strike anyone at anytime But more likley to strikewhen you have real problems

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I'm not sure what you mean think this way If you are living below the poverty line you are more likely to suffer depression
of course you bloody are I know depression can strike anyone at anytime But more likley to strikewhen you have real problems

You are preaching to the converted but depression is not a choice or a lifestyle option.

 

[macky]

You are preaching to the converted but depression is not a choice or a lifestyle option.

I'm preaching to no one Just saying that if you trying to live below the poverty line depression is more likely to strike
I never said anything about it being a choice

 

[Papak]

Give up your job and try finding a new one without access to the internet. I can assure you the internet is an absolute necessity for finding a job. 99.9% of jobs are only advertised online.

AFAIK libraries and job centres have free internet access. Also an internet cafe is an option for low usage.

I have a broadband USB stick as a backup which is 1Gb for £5 per month.

 

[Dutch]

Talking from exp of bringing up a child whilst in receipt of benefits I would say it is difficult. However at no stage did we go hungry. Nor did we struggle to provide a nutritional diet. Our residence had internet connection but I couldn't justify nor afford installing sky tv. Admittedly I don't smoke (anymore) and due to my finances I didn't really drink.

I found pasta dishes were the backbone of our meals with other classics like cottage pie, beef stew, meat loaf etc all served with peas, sweetcorn, potatoes and brocolli (thats all the veg my little girl would eat).

LIDL is where I shopped. The produce is much cheaper and of good quality. I still shop there now.

I'm not advocating this as a positive way of life. I'm saying that if your in that situation then you can make ends meet.

 

[kevtherev]

I noticed that most of them hand a can of lager in one hand and a fag in the other. Can't be that hard up.....

 

[Knightsworld]

Aww, you can eat them, but they taste like shit.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Have they told you that they're on benefits or maybe they work from home?

I am self employed and luckily can work shorter hours if I want to. What ever time I get home the feller is faffing about with his 4 x fecking cars all fecking day.His wife just sits on the front door step and does feck all. After working for 40 x years mate I know the difference!

 

[Puppet Master]

Where out of interest?



I'd love to do this but wouldn't know where to start. I just don't do the countryside so I wouldn't have a clue. Where would you even go to find a blackberry?

I thought this was quite a good suggestion too, then when I took into consideration the price of petrol out into the sticks to find the darned things which will be covered in piss and fox shit anyway, it's not worth it Asda always has blackberries/raspberries/blueberries on offer in their smart price range usually for around a quid and bananas and standard cox apples are always cheap.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Anyone see the programme about the rationing during the war last night?

Those land girls looked very healthy on whatever they where being feed.

Is that BBC 2 and war time farm ?

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Maybe the BBC has a part to play here,forget the like of Delia and Lloyd for one moment why can they not show basic cooking/hygiene/kitchen skills using basic fruit and veg with low cost extras such as a potato and cauliflower cheese bake ? I cant make an omelette,but that seems a low cost meal ?

 

[Uwinsc]

Maybe the BBC has a part to play here,forget the like of Delia and Lloyd for one moment why can they not show basic cooking/hygiene/kitchen skills using basic fruit and veg with low cost extras such as a potato and cauliflower cheese bake ? I cant make an omelette,but that seems a low cost meal ?

As someone who is only really learning to cook I think this might be a good idea: it might make people want to have a go, however I watch cookery programmes because I like them e.g Saturday kitchen but am unlikely to try to make anything from them however easy. I'm not sure why I guess because I can't watch and cook at the same time! I like student cookbooks which I have found very useful for teaching me the basics. I also use my boyfriends slimming world cookbooks a lot. Basically if I have a recipe in front of me I will have a go at most things but don't have the confidence to try things without.

 

[spig100963]

Is that BBC 2 and war time farm ?

Yes. Looked good didn't they. Proof a good diet and a bit of hard graft does you good.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Yes. Looked good didn't they. Proof a good diet and a bit of hard graft does you good.

Seen the first one,the latest is on Sky+ drive to watch later,and sometimes in life one can be really 'thick' and i was at the Imperial W/M once they had a very good display of wartime rationing etc it was interesting but my 'thick' bit was sugar in the diet so i had to ask a guide all about sugar. Why was it being imported maybe from the West Indies atlantic conveys/submarines etc and really from the diet point of veiw sugar was not needed. He pointed out to a picture of a bomb blast and people drinking HOT SWEET TEA,keep calm carry on !! Simple really.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Yes. Looked good didn't they. Proof a good diet and a bit of hard graft does you good.

Seen the first one,the latest is on Sky+ drive to watch later,and sometimes in life one can be really 'thick' and i was at the Imperial W/M once they had a very good display of wartime rationing etc it was interesting but my 'thick' bit was sugar in the diet so i had to ask a guide all about sugar. Why was it being imported maybe from the West Indies atlantic conveys/submarines etc and really from the diet point of veiw sugar was not needed. He pointed out to a picture of a bomb blast and people drinking HOT SWEET TEA,keep calm carry on !! Simple really.

 

[spig100963]

Seen the first one,the latest is on Sky+ drive to watch later,and sometimes in life one can be really 'thick' and i was at the Imperial W/M once they had a very good display of wartime rationing etc it was interesting but my 'thick' bit was sugar in the diet so i had to ask a guide all about sugar. Why was it being imported maybe from the West Indies atlantic conveys/submarines etc and really from the diet point of veiw sugar was not needed. He pointed out to a picture of a bomb blast and people drinking HOT SWEET TEA,keep calm carry on !! Simple really.

I think they covered sugar beet production in the programme.

 

[The Large One]

As someone who is only really learning to cook I think this might be a good idea: it might make people want to have a go, however I watch cookery programmes because I like them e.g Saturday kitchen but am unlikely to try to make anything from them however easy. I'm not sure why I guess because I can't watch and cook at the same time! I like student cookbooks which I have found very useful for teaching me the basics. I also use my boyfriends slimming world cookbooks a lot. Basically if I have a recipe in front of me I will have a go at most things but don't have the confidence to try things without.

Cooking cheaply (or rather, inexpensively) is often easiest and most fun.

Off the top of my head, meals that can be done for two for under three quid - assuming a reasonable stock of salt, pepper, herbs, garlic...

Omelette (eggs, basically)
Spanish omelette (eggs, onion, potato)
Bean stew (onion, various beans, tomatoes, herbs)
Pasta with sauce (pasta, onions, tomatoes, herbs / pasta, cheese, milk, flour)
Roasted vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, potatoes, rosemary - the latter you should NEVER need to buy)

Once you throw meat into the equation, you're looking at bit more money, but even a Sunday roast chicken and trimmings will weigh in at about £7.00 for two, and you ought to get leftovers.