For some time I've been wondering just how I would manage if I had to live on benefits. Job Seeker Allowance is £56.20 per week (or it was in 2005 which is the only year I can get figures for). Someone on this tiny income would also get housing benefit to the full amount of their rent, free prescriptions, pay reduced Council Tax (or maybe pay none at all - I'm not sure). There are probably other benefits I don't know about. If they were registered disabled they would receive more money in benefits and would have free bus travel and free disabled parking.
Anyway, £56.20 does seem to be an incredibly small amount of money to live on. How much of that I wonder would someone be expected to spend on food? Would £2.50 per day be enough? I think I'm going to try and find out. I'm going to see if I can possibly do it. The problem is that I've already got food in and I'm going to be using some of it, so it might work out more expensive. I've also got fruit and vegetables that I grew myself, and I'm going to be using them, so that should make things cheaper. Maybe the two will balance out. What I'm going to allow myself, at least to start with, is £35 for two weeks, although I may have to increase that amount, depending on how things pan out. At the moment, I think I spend about £60-£65 a week on food, as I buy mostly organic and I also like gourmet foods.
I'm thinking this is going to be very difficult.
If anyone can supply me with more up to date benefit figures, I'd be grateful.
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lyndlj
Pro - Sunday, 01. Oct, 2006 @ 17:38:17
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GoingSomewhere
- Sunday, 01. Oct, 2006 @ 17:57:36
I've never lived properly on benefits because I had a working husband, but we were poor enough to get free milk for the kids and school lunches. Because I didn't work, we were struggling the whole time, but it must have been so much more difficult for you. I remember buying the cheapest foods and always being around the reduced food counter to see what I could swoop up. I still look there out of habit, although I rarely buy anything there now. Still, that will probably have to change in the next two weeks. I wonder how long that £35 is going to last me.
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avrilo
- Monday, 02. Oct, 2006 @ 00:14:29
I wouldn't do it myself, but admire you for giving it a try.
I spend very little on food, although we do eat well.
I guess that I don't spend much money on any other 'luxury' type things, like booze, which would make a difference.
Good luck. Potatoes are cheap, filling and good for you (vit. c) Vegetable are cheap, eggs could last a while too.-
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GoingSomewhere
- Monday, 02. Oct, 2006 @ 00:54:32
It's something I've been meaning to do for quite some time. I think I may have over-estimated what I spend on food. I'll have to have a look through some old till receipts and see just how much it really is. I don't buy booze either, but I do spend a lot on organic food, and that costs about 50% more than the normal stuff.
All the items you mention are going to be eaten over the next two weeks.
I think I'm going to enjoy the challenge. -
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angelkirstin
- Monday, 02. Oct, 2006 @ 10:21:45
For nearly two years I brought up the kids on benefits, wasn't fun, but I never really had a problem with food unless the children came into the supermarket with me and wanted what they used to call 'real' biscuits for a change, instead of the ones I used to make. What I did struggle with was paying suddenly being faced with a bigger bill than expected for gas, electricity or factoring charges, and holidays just didn't happen. Of course at that time I didn't have a car at all so that expense was done away with, and we walked everywhere, getting the bus only if it was raining, and not even getting a bus if we were heading home as we could dry out and have a bath to warm back up as soon as we got there. I remember a couple of years ago my son commenting on how that time had made him appreciate things more now, although he did add, that was probably because he didn't realise what he was missing out on at the time!
Wouldn’t want to do it again, good luck with it. kx
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GoingSomewhere
- Monday, 02. Oct, 2006 @ 14:46:51
I used to buy boxes of broken biscuits, which were very cheap, and lasted well. It is possible to feed a family on not too much money, and they don't have to go hungry either. It's quite a while since I had to do it, and it's strange having to consider the cost of everything again. I think as long as children aren't hungry, they aren't aware that they're missing out on anything. It's quite obvious that neither yours nor mine suffered as a result.
Thanks for the good wishes. x -
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phinebooty
- Monday, 02. Oct, 2006 @ 13:48:50
i think one wouldn't survie on £250 in London. even the chepeast fruit(banana in my experience) woyuld almost gobble up a pound for a bunch. but there are ways and means. pastas from tesco, home-made sauces, drinking water etc etc. good luck
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GoingSomewhere
- Monday, 02. Oct, 2006 @ 14:54:32
There certainly are ways and means, and if I wasn't so hung up on the organic thing, it would be a lot cheaper. Saw 500grams of pasta for 17p in the supermarket this morning. I think that's enough for around ten meals, and even if it's five, it's still an amazing bargain.
Thank you for the good wishes. -
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Dandalion
- Tuesday, 10. Oct, 2006 @ 10:12:30
This experiment you are doing is fascinating,8 years ago we were trying to buy our first house we had 6 months to get together a deposit, there was me ,my husband and 3 children only my husband worked, we actually managed to live on less than 2.50 a day for the last couple of weeks, mainly eating cabbage, carrots, rice , whole chickens and dried pulses (tins of value tescos pea and ham soup with potatoes roasted in lard floated in it was our treat at the time, we loved it! ). it all payed off the next year property prices soared and we haven't looked back. Now i will spend more than 2.50 on a pickle to go with a meal. As well as those struggling on benefits, I really feel for those young families trying to get on the ladder now house prices are crazy, it's good to try and feel how others are coping I suppose,I remember at school we had a partially sighted boy in our class and for one break time we were encouraged to try a pair of glasses which mimicked his condition to see how hard it was for him to cope during the school day, it was a valuable way to help us appreciate him.
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GoingSomewhere
- Tuesday, 10. Oct, 2006 @ 23:33:29
It's certainly proved to be an interesting experience, and it's made me think about how much I spend on food normally - way too much, I think. It is amazing how little it's possible to live on, and cheap food doesn't have to be nasty - your family obviously enjoyed that soup with roast potatoes. And it got you on the property ladder, which is great. Property prices are a nightmare now - both of my daughters would like to buy, but there's no way they can afford it. The partially sighted experiment is an interesting one. I agree with you that it's good to find out how others cope with their limitations.
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I lived on benefits with kids,one of the hardest things I had to do. Mind you working wasn't much better,the trouble is that nearly every thing is family orientated, its like the government punish you if you are a single parent.