Living on Benefits

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably watched, or at least heard of or read about, the people living large on benefits. Making more money than they would from a job.

This has not been my personal experience. I didn't have a particularly high-earning job, but losing it and going onto benefits took a large chunk out of my income.

Because I was on sick leave as certified by a doctor, I got the sickness benefit of £200 per week. My rent alone is £140 per week. So you can already see that I am not filling up a bath with notes and taking elaborately staged selfies of my wealth.

 There were many things that had to be cut from my budget.

No more dresses. I had no job to wear nice dresses to anyway, so that wasn't so bad. I had gotten into the habit of buying one dress a month. I am majorly into dresses. I very rarely wore a skirt or trousers to work. No CDs. No books. No shoes. No fancy chocolates, another favourite treat. No more classes at the gym, or paying for the gym at all. That was replaced by a home work-out DVD. Meals out had to be cut down, as well as doing anything that required an entrance fee or otherwise cost money.

I am lucky in that I have long been a frugal person. I have never had much money, and I do my best to keep out of any kind of debt. I had learned years earlier the secret of buying in bulk whenever you can, and how to successfully shop the sales.

So, next time you see an article stating that all benefits claimants are wiping their arses with original Picasso sketches, I hope you might question the accuracy just a little.

I would also like to impart some of my incredible wisdom.

• Always buy toilet roll in packs of nine or bigger. You're always going to use it, so you'll get through it, even if it seems nuts buying all that loo roll for one person. You'll save £s.

• Never buy anything in the sale that you wouldn't buy if it was full price.

• Don't fall for buy 2 get one free. You'll end up with cupboards clogged full of stuff you don't need, that you purchased because it seemed like a really good deal. 

And lastly, the most important thing of all.  STAY AWAY FROM CREDIT CARDS. Stay away from store cards. Run from online ordering catalogues. Never, ever take out a pay day loan unless it's an absolute emergency.

I hate to end on a negative note, so, still on the theme of benefits, I bring you this cheery little cartoon, and an annoying platitude. Remember, things can only get better.

THINGS can only get BETTER  (click to receive injection of happiness)