Could you live off £60.50 a week?

Sharing space with an addicted baked bean eater, no thanks as my gas mask is busted.

I think this article was rather too flippant. There are many people who manage on a reduced income who would be offended. It is possible to live on a small amount of money by shopping carefully - and baked beans are actually a very good source of protein.

I found the article to be too flippant as well, this is a very serious subject for many and should be treated as such.

I've survived on income support in the past as a single person and as part of a couple with children. As a single 17-20 year old (20 years ago now) I was studying to go to university and at that time the Tories had no setup for me to claim anything but income support (based on looking for a job). Today teenagers receive £30 a week to study. All my rent and poll tax/council tax was paid in full and I managed to survive mostly.

As an adult with a wife and eventually three kids I was a mature student at uni and again the Tory government didn't have things in place for people in my circumstances. While I studied for a degree we lived off far, far less than income support during those three years (I couldn't claim anything during the summer breaks and while living on campus had to pay full rent!) I had to invest my student loans into traded options and made enough money to pay rent off campus (eventually lost the profits in one too many trades and came out of uni £3,000 in student loan debt).

Point is we survived on less than income support because we didn't drink, smoke or waste money. Kids always got Christmas presents and was always warm, well fed.

Reality is income support/job seekers allowance is meant to be to tide you over while you get on your feet, not be a comfortable living. If you smoke, drink, buy expensive things you will not survive. If you are sensible with money it's possible to survive and even thrive on income support.

I've since setup my own business and make plenty of money, but know if something went disastrously wrong we'd survive. Still don't drink, smoke or waste money despite having tens of thousands available to spend each year.

Makes me laugh when I see people on TV complaining about money and they have a cigarette in their hand! If you can afford cigarettes it can't be that tight.

David Law

HOW ON EARTH ARE WE SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE ON 128.40 EVERY TWO WEEKS...PERFECT EXAMPLE RIGHT IS MY FLAT OUTGOINGS.

WATER £12.50 PER WEEK.
GAS £10.00 PER WEEK.
ELECTRIC £10 PER WEEK.
TV LICENSE £5.50 PER WEEK.
WEEKLY TRAVEL FOR JOB SEARCH (YES JOB SEARCH ) APART FROM SHOPPING ETC AND SIGNING ON. £6.50 OFF PEAK TRAVEL CARD.

TOTAL £89.00 BEFORE FOOD ETC THESE FIG'S ARE APPROXIMATE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND BILLED VIA PAYMENT METRE AND PAPER BILL AS REQUIRED BY THE COMPANIES WHO SUPPLY MY SERVICES.

i HAVE THE CHEAPEST DOMESTIC SUPPLIERS AT PRESENT SO DONT BOTHER SUGGESTING i SHOP AROUND AS i HAVE ALREADY DONE SO.

SO YOU SEE i HAVE £39.00 AVAILABLE SUBJECT TO SPENDING THIS AMOUNT ON THE MOST BASICS OF SHOPPING WHICH MOST OF THE TIME WONT DO THE JOB THE BETTER BRANDS DO....SHOWER GEL, BODY SPRAYS , BREAD DOESNT LAST AS LONG BEANS TASTE LIKE ********* WHEN THEY ARE VERY CHEAP AND END UP BEING WASTED!!!

i DON'T DRINK DON'T SMOKE OR TAKE DRUGS AND NEVER HAVE THE LAST TWO I AM VERY CAREFUL WITH MY MONEY AND I AM STRUGGLING TO KEEP MY HEAD ABOVE WATER ...IF ANYBODY HAS SOME SENSIBLE SAVING TIPS PLEASE REPLY HERE.PAUL.

Here here to the last comment, it is very hard to survive on JSA, I lost my job 18 months ago and am still looking for work. I have been on many interviews and despite having worked for over ten years (since school) and building my career to become a mortgage underwriter of which I obtained many many skills (most of which ARE transferable) no one will take me on - the 2 top reasons - 1. I am over qualified (load of rubbish!!!) and 2. I do not have relevant experiance (yes I even applied for a cleaning job!!!). 8 months ago I was forced into bankruptcy, lost my home and my relationship broke down as a result. I have now become ill mostly due to stress and now am waiting for an operation on my neck to remove bones, lumps and cysts which I put down the the stress (confirmed by doctors) of losing my £2500 a month income. Thankfully it is only 3 weeks away now and after the recovery I plan on resuming my job hunting. The fact is, living off £60 odd quid a week is very very hard (I actually live off £52 a week because I needed a budgeting loan to buy essentials as I lost it all in the bankruptcy). I dont pay my water or my tv licence because I simply cannot afford to. I dont drink (well not much - only when my mates bring me a bottle of wine over) and I dont smoke. I understand JSA is just to tide you over, but when you can't get a job for love nor money, it is very depressing. I feel insulted by the job centres attitude to many of us who are out of work. At 6 months, they gave me a spelling and maths test and said it will take 45 mins to complete. Well who are these tests actually for, I know there are some people who thrive off JSA and I have seen many an idiot in my 18 months of signing on. An example of one of the maths questions "what is 9 - 5" - come on, anyone can do that. It's pathetic, I completed the test of 20 questions in 5 mins, and came out feeling even more insulted. To top off, they talk to you like you are a piece of **** under their shoe. The job centre are seeing a different league of people signing on and they should offer financial help to those that actually want a job (YES you can tell the difference) even if it was assistance to paying bills to free up some money to actually update and print cv's, travel expenses etc. If the job centre were better equipped to help with the job search, then unemployment figures may be reduced. I cannot afford to buy clothes or re heel shoes for interviews and mine are looking a little shabby now (although they will last another 6 months or so before they really have had it). I live off 2 things, rice and frozen chicken - I invent different ways of cooking it to make it more bearable, I buy a loaf of bread every 2 weeks and freeze it, and have beans on toast every couple of days - so I suppose that makes 4 things.
On top of the basics of living, I am actually in the "povo trap", they want me to work for minimum wage, which is impossible - if I worked on minimum wage I would actually be £30 a week worse off (that's including tax credits etc). Because what the Job Centre don't realise is, once you go back to work on minimum wage, you have to pay full rent, full council tax, travel expenses (peak time) and the wages just do not pay enough to help with that. I need a job paying at least £20k a year which would make me even on what I already get (so basically on 20K a year I am not better off financially so am working for free, anything over 20K is what my true earnings are - if that makes sense), anything over would be a bonus. In this credit crunch its unlikely I'll be able to get £40k a year as before, but I can't work for less than 20k, it doesn't make sense. Perhaps better incentives to go back to work would actually help reduce the unemployment rate. But who am I?!
It's a poor existance, but 1 thing I have benefitted from, when I eventually get back to work, I will be a lot wiser with my money.

I am a single male and still have to do two jobs to survive totalling between 60 & 70 hours a week! And yes I do think of others but sometimes you have to stick your neck out and take a chance on doing something you think you cant, or tell a lie! Yes yell a lie as I believe the country is based on lies and it seems the more corrupt and untruthful you are is the further you will get in life.

I agreed with the comments in relation to the way the jobcentre treats people, they also speak to you has if you were a child who is not trying hard enough to get a job, there are also very fond of there crisses loans what they dont tell you is it is like begging because they want to know every last detail and then they tell you what you can have. I recently applied for a crisses loan got £48 pounds have to pay back £3 every two weeks I blame this goverment because they have got the jobcentre staff believing people dont want to work, in fact who can manage on £128 every two weeks when you get your money you end up paying bills that when you were working were paid weekly, and then your broke for 2 more weeks. There needs to be a more realistic amount of money being paid even weekly ould be a better option because it looks like they are given you a good sum it is rubbish.

the first three comments i have found very insulting and feel they need a reality check.

Not all of us who are on income support or jobseekers allowance are time wasters.

I was self employed and had to give it up when i fell pregnant ( after been told i couldnt have children, so it wasnt through lack of carelessness before you throw that up) I was told i could claim jobseekers allowance untill i was eight months pregnant to which i did and this story i am about to tell is very true.

My first signing on i was told i was a bit silly for getting pregnant no employer will employ me as i would not look right for there company hiring someone who is pregnant etc etc i got this right the way through.

Just before eight month pregnancy stage i went to sign on in plenty of time when i got into town i needed the toilet ( as many women would understand,)the local ones were closed i thought i would have the courtesy of popping into the jobcentre to let them know in case i was a minute or so late they said fine though they spoke to me like dirt. I popped into a local cafe and used there toilet and returned back to the jobcentre.

I was 2mins 12 seconds late they wouldnt speak to me stopped my money and told me it wasnt there problem that i had to use a toilet i should of held it untill i had signed on. I had to come back the day after and sit infront of three people to explain my reasoning for been late.

I had seen my midwife before returning to the jobcentre, who was very understanding and was disgusted at what the jobcentre had done and wrote a strong worded letter for me to take in. I watched them throw it in the bin as i left.

i then got told two weeks later i couldnt claim jobseekers allowance and that i had to claim maternity allowance from now on from the goverment ( thise two weeks went unpaid by the way).

I made a claim fourteen weeks went passed with no income what so ever, child benefit was delayed, council tax that i couldnt pay was sent to Bristow and Sutor Bailiffs who didnt care citizens advice did there best but no-one would listen. During this time my daughter was born i had to have an emergeny c section as she had stopped breathing etc ( but is now fine) i came out of hospital on the understanding i couldnt lift anything heavy etc and i need to rest.

Two days i had been out of hospital and bailiffs had been sent by the council i thought it was well wishers they had a warrent to take my goods.

for 500.00 owed they took my grans jewellry that she left me ( valued at 800.00) my 32inch tv my tumble drier and dining table they did this because i didnt respond to there letter which had been sent whilst i was in hospital.

Council would not grant me housing benefit untill i received the letter from the maternity office to say i was claiming it due to been pregnant.

So i would like the idiots to explain what i was supposed to do in this situation.

To this day i have never had an apology from the council or jobcentre. i am now on income support of £121.00 per fortnight although i now have housing benefit and understand it is to tie me over i have to pay £11.00 per fortnigh for tv license £15.00 for my daughters formula milk £15.00 nappies £15.00 electric cant afford the gas to put heating on £15.00 to the council for rent arrears during this period which they wont backdate. £15.00 water. On top of that there is food for me to live on clothing for my daughter.
I recently applied for a crisis loan as my washing machine has flooded my kitchen and packed up. i have received a letter this morning saying my grant has been refused and its not an urgent circumstance. I can re-apply in 3 months ime. All this and i found out the social have granted some indian neighbours £1200 to buy a car with to take there five children to school with and the school isnt even half a mile away. so you tell me how this is justified.

Please dont get me wrong yes there are timewasters out there but dont class us as all the same.

I have been offered a job full time if i want it which ireally really do, just one/two things stopping me.

I cant have all childcare fees paid for i have to pay approx from figures ive had back £287.00 per month.

I will then have to pay full wack rent and council tax monthly £510.00

That is already £787.00 this job would be for £885.00 per month so that would leave me with £98.00 to buy gas electric water tv license food and clothing ( this job i need a suit for) as well as traveling expenses etc.

I have enquired about getting financial help for this i have been told the income support would stop immediately so what do i do with the last £121 pound buy necessities for my daughter and i then i cant go to work as i would have no travelling means or clothing for the job or do i sort out the travel and clothing and have no food etc for the month.

So all you people sniggering etc about people on benefits take a long hard look at yourself and feel proud for belittleing us making us feel even worse.
You ought to think yourselves lucky.

Not everything is simply black and white i cry most nights wondering how the hell to sort all this mess out which dont get me wrong is my own doing, I love my daughter to bits and wouldnt swap her for the world but its tough.

The person who said she manged to live off income support, did you have good family and friends to bail you out i take it, you also stipulate it was a long time ago ie more than likely before rent was over £100 per week and bread more than a pound a loaf etc etc back in the days over 30 years ago etc as you explain you must take into account the cost of living back then was a hell of a lot less than it is now. the other comment baked beans are a good source of protein yes they are but where does the fruit veg and a good diet come in? what about calcium iron vitamins etc exactly not practical to put a stupid comment like that is it?
You are probably lucky eating what you want when you want it some of us carnt afford to do that we make do with what we can afford to get and most of the times its not nice not pleasant so untill you are in our position you havent got a clue,.