Stoke Food Bank in difficulties.

[geosname]

I could tell some real horror stories of how people found themselves in debt unexpectedly.

[Santa]

Wages are rising far slower than inflation. The cost of living is rising. A good number of people who use food banks are employed - they are often referred to as 'the working poor'. These are the people who don't appear on unemployment statistics - the underemployed, people who need full time work but have to make do with part time hours, people on zero hours contracts, people who have been unfairly sanctioned by the DWP for not jumping through all their little hoops.

[For Us All]

What live in a shed with nothing but bread and water to live on?

 

Of course not,anyone can hit hard times but I see local families claiming poverty with three cars parked in the drive.If you can't afford it don't buy it.

Too materialistic these days with a 'must have' philosophy and a 'bale me out' attitude.

Cut your cloth.

[For Us All]

How do you cut your cloth for the unforeseen?

 

I saved for a rainy day.

[geosname]

I saved for a rainy day.

 

For some the only thing they can do is try to share an umbrella.

If you have had money to save you werent poor.

[paultvale]

How do you cut your cloth for the unforeseen?

 

Insurance possibly?

[geosname]

Insurance possibly?

 

To offer an example and to keep it brief....

Couple, both worked full time, he took all the overtime he could get, they took a mortgage they could afford, they had a daughter the wife went part time and all was fine and they lived well withing their means.

The unexpected... the industry he worked in decided to outsource and the work dwindled until there was no job at all so he took whatever he could get, they reduced their outgoings accordingly and survived... the daughter was hit by a car on a crossing, hospitalised for a considerable time and her mother had to quit her part time job to be with her daughter... three weeks after the "accident" he had a stroke... the daughter recovered but was left disabled and brain damaged... apart from the stress and distress they were left financially in a disaster zone.

An extreme example that ended with a 1M insurance payout for the daughter.... which took 7 years to finalise...

[paultvale]

So I was right then :)

[geosname]

So I was right then :)

 

If people can wait 7 years and the other person has insurance you are still wrong :(

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Insurance possibly?

 

If you can afford it

 

The point was well made earlier that there are many who are working and yet still are poor..and if anyone is genuinely poor then they can't put aside sufficient (any) rainy day money to make a difference. Debt doesn't have to be because of borrowing it could be unpaid bills or falling behind with bills