Weekly disposable income

[captain dilbert]

To me that's crazy. At what point did it become normal for taxpayers to subsidise other people's kids?

It's atrocious isn't it. Why should a single guy subsidise breeding? Screw it. I've already opted out of this rigged game.

 

[413x]

I have in my opinion a wage that is just right (job isn' lol) to mean I do not have to worry about money.

I can buy stuff I want to an extent (like 3d printer, new car wheels and 650 pound lego set) in half a year no problem. (about 2k) plus other general stuff.
But still like getting a good deal. Don' like wine or fancy restaurants. My hobbies are cheap too.

Our joint income is modest 55k but 2 tax free allowances and gf doesn't earn much.

But kids i never want. If I did I'd be very concerned that I need to be moving on with career in a financial sense.

 

[LeeUK]

I watched it last week and it was just the usual poverty porn Ch4 & 5 are famous for. Her spending the rest of the budget on a watch for her son was just done to make good TV viewing and get the Daily Mail readers foaming at the mouths.

People are picked specially for the programme. There are plenty of decent folk on low incomes who live under their means and don't throw money away when they have a bit left over. But that wouldn't make TV viewing.

 

[413x]

tax credits are pretty generous tbh ie a couple where only one works the minimum 30 hours at min wage wage (and have 2 kids) get £1000 month extra tax free tax credits/benefit

Much more than I thought!

 

[LabR@t]

Much more than I thought!

We should encourage people to have children instead of importing population.

 

[LabR@t]

To me that's crazy. At what point did it become normal for taxpayers to subsidise other people's kids?

It's how you build a functioning society.

 

[SpeedFreak]

To me that's crazy. At what point did it become normal for taxpayers to subsidise other people's kids?

Ever since that weird concept called school has been a thing...

 

[Uther]

How is the country going to function in the future if nobody has kids?

 

[cheesyboy]

To me that's crazy. At what point did it become normal for taxpayers to subsidise other people's kids?

For literally the entire history of human kind.

 

[413x]

Yeah I don't want kids but I don't mind subsiding others. They are going to be paying the NHS (if it exists lol) and everything else.

What I don't agree with is people having kids and being irresponsible etc

 

[cheesyboy]

It's reasonable to draw a distinction between kids who just get support in terms of the NHS/schooling/etc, and some help with child care etc vs where the parents live in poverty with kids and need benefits to survive.

And where do we 'reasonably' go from there? Once we've made that distinction.

 

[cheesyboy]

I just mean you can criticise the latter whilst thinking the former's okay. I said it because people have moaned about having to subsidise parents having kids (where I assume they mean the former), then other people have come along and gone 'lol who do you think pays for schools lol', thinking they're being smart.

Really, though, what's the difference?

Why's it acceptable to expect society to pay for or subsidise children's education, health, clothing, etc but not ok to help them to not live in abject poverty?

 

[cheesyboy]

I never said we shouldn't help them to not live in abject poverty .

But you defended the distinction. I asked on what basis is the distinction valid.

 

[leoncuprar]

Thread made me realise I had no idea what my disposable income was after mortgage and regular bills.. just worked it out and now I know I can finally upgrade this 2500k rig without feeling too guilty.

Back on topic, we had three children and we had to watch the expenses , especially as my wife at the time gave up work, so no flash cars, no foreign holidays, and was with me earning around 70k back then.

 

[GinG]

We give ourselves £150 per week for spends and food shopping... Food shop is usually between £50-£70 per week.

Currently putting aside around £1-£2k per month depending on commission. Just recently have we been able to do this. Other months we have been paying off holidays and doing a bit of home improvements so dont have thousands in the bank!

1 child and another one coming along. Due to drop my wage next year so potentially living off £150 a month and only saving £300-£500 a month.

 

[Vonhelmet]

To me that's crazy. At what point did it become normal for taxpayers to subsidise other people's kids?

At the point we decided it was preferable to having children growing up in squalor. It's not good for society.

 

[Vonhelmet]

You can never afford children on paper!

Absolutely. If you sit down and look at where your money goes without children you'll always say it can't be done because my god if you don't 4 Starbucks lattes a day are you even living?

If you want kids, you start with them and fit in what you can after.

 

[Dis86]

At the point we decided it was preferable to having children growing up in squalor. It's not good for society.

We should be removing the cause, not sticking a very expensive plaster over it.

And as for child benefits, tax credits etc...that doesn't stop kids growing up in squalor. You need the parents to actually spend that money responsibly.

 

[Vonhelmet]

We should be removing the cause, not sticking a very expensive plaster over it.

And as for child benefits, tax credits etc...that doesn't stop kids growing up in squalor. You need the parents to actually spend that money responsibly.

Removing the cause you refer to and getting the parents to spend the money responsibly are hard problems. That the solutions we accept as an alternative are flawed should come as no surprise because solving those other problems is monumentally difficult.

 

[Dis86]

Removing the cause you refer to and getting the parents to spend the money responsibly are hard problems. That the solutions we accept as an alternative are flawed should come as no surprise because solving those other problems is monumentally difficult.

Yes but there are simple solutions that are not enacted because they upset some people.
Don't give them cash, give them the items needed for the kids; nappies, food, clothes, books.
I also think frankly as a society we should be looking at ways to stop people having children that they cannot be trusted to look after. No child deserves to be born in to that.

My cousin is a prime example. Feeds her kid crap yet manages to have sky tv and has just bought 2 dogs at £1000 each.