We're all on the poverty line

[Daniel]

Well if the comments from the story below are to be believed it seems a lot of us are.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7476829.stm

Since when did living in the UK become about buying the cheapest tattiest rubbish that passes for food when you go shopping?

Caroline and myself aren't exactly the richest of households yet somehow we seem to be able to afford to buy free range chicken and wild salmon :mark:

Caroline prefers wild salmon because it tastes better and we both prefer free range chicken because it tastes nicer than normal stuff, has a much nicer texture and of course the chicken gets a nicer life before it goes into the packet and onto the shelf. Perhaps you wouldn't notice it if you're making a curry with some 2p curry "sauce" from the delightful Adsa Price range but if you actually try and make proper food then you will notice the difference. But I guess the big issue here is the fact that a great deal of the people here in the UK simply can't cook a proper meal and probably don't find home cooked meals enjoyable.

Argh! When did it become a crime for a TV chef to want people to have better food like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver have done in the last few years?

I just don't buy how paying an extra pound or two for a chicken is going to send you under, forcing the bank to reposess your house :mark:

*feelings of annoyance towards a good portion of the British population for being pointlessly annoying..... rising.... rising!*

[Mark]

I just don't buy how paying an extra pound or two for a chicken is going to send you under, forcing the bank to reposess your house :mark:


It won't. It's paying an extra pound or two for everything that's leading to that.

[Daniel]

It won't. It's paying an extra pound or two for everything that's leading to that.
Thing is Mark this pound or two actually buys you something that's better.

[Mark]

That's fine if you've got the pound or two on everything to spare.

[Daniel]

That's fine if you've got the pound or two on everything to spare.
Don't spend all those extra pounds on things you don't need. Buy a nice chicken and cook it nicely :)

[Mark]

Don't spend all those extra pounds on things you don't need. Buy a nice chicken and cook it nicely :)

I'm in the somewhat fortunate position in having a small (but not great) amount of disposable income, so if I wanted to buy a 'good' chicken, I can more than afford to do so. But with respect there are people in the UK who don't have any spare pounds, none of them are spent on things they "don't need" and forcing them into spending "a few pounds extra" on a few items can mean the difference between being able to eat and pay the gas bill or not.

[Daniel]

I'm in the somewhat fortunate position in having a small (but not great) amount of disposable income, so if I wanted to buy a 'good' chicken, I can more than afford to do so. But with respect there are people in the UK who don't have any spare pounds, none of them are spent on things they "don't need" and forcing them into spending "a few pounds extra" on a few items can mean the difference between being able to eat and pay the gas bill or not.

Of course I wouldn't want to deny anyone of a meal full stop. But both you and I know that most of the people on that site probably pay for an internet connection and probably splurge out for other things. This isn't so much about not being able to afford it. It's about being cheap to the point where you're only cheating yourself.

IMHO of course ;)

[GridGirl]

I'm lucky enough to not live on the poverty line and with any luck when I get home I will have a nice letter informing me of this years pay increase but lots of people aren't so lucky.

I was reading an article in todays paper about a Grocer who has had about £1000's worth of Kiwi fruit confiscated from him and is now having to pay £100 in disposal costs because the fruit is 1mm below the EU minimum size for Kiwi. Now that's a bloody waste, I know I would be willing to eat it and I'm sure the rest of you would but we can't. Rules are rules apparently.

[Daniel]

I was reading an article in todays paper about a Grocer who has had about £1000's worth of Kiwi fruit confiscated from him and is now having to pay £100 in disposal costs because the fruit is 1mm below the EU minimum size for Kiwi. Now that's a bloody waste, I know I would be willing to eat it and I'm sure the rest of you would but we can't. Rules are rules apparently.

Daniel's word of the day (pointless) sums that one up completely :mark:

Rules which are there to protect you from things you don't need protection from are just silly. It should be up to people to decide whether a kiwi fruit is worth the price they're being charged based on the size.

[GridGirl]

Indeed Daniel, but due to the fruit being 1mm below permitted size the fruit can't be sold or even given away to the needy but them's the rules and apparently we have to stick by them. So much for living on the poverty line eh?

[Daniel]

Indeed Daniel, but due to the fruit being 1mm below permitted size the fruit can't be sold or even given away to the needy but them's the rules and apparently we have to stick by them. So much for living on the poverty line eh?

Don't think that has too much to do with people living on the poverty line though :p Kiwi fruit aren't exactly a staple food in the UK :p

[Dave B]

We've just been to Sainsburys to buy veg for the weekend (and yes I know I probably could have got better veg for less from a local greengrocer but stick with me). Looking around at the amount of fat horrible monsters whose trolleys were loaded with ready meals, burgers and full-fat Coke I couldn't help thinking that they are the very same people who sit in front of their plasmas, dripping in Argos jewellery, moaning about "poverty" and how hard it is to eat well when what they really mean is that they're too feckless, lazy and stupid to bother cooking a fresh meal.

Poverty shmoverty. Try living in Zimbabwe where a corrupt dictatorship means that you can't afford one piece of fruit. Or Ethiopa where even though the situation has improved in recent years you can't really gather the enthusiasm for a hike to the market due to the AIDS virus currently ravishing your body.

[Drew]

For alot of people it's all about where your priorities lie.

For example as I was coming home I was listening to an 40 year old man talking about how he could barely afford the diesel for his car and that he'd have to sell it and buy a smaller model to be able to afford it all. But of course that man his children and his wife were all dressed in animal, on fire, billabong etc clothes (they aren't cheap clothes..)

For some people it does mean they can't afford £1 extra for a chicken, but for some people as well maybe they'd only have to change their life a little bit.

[Daniel]

For example as I was coming home I was listening to an 40 year old man talking about how he could barely afford the diesel for his car and that he'd have to sell it and buy a smaller model to be able to afford it all. But of course that man his children and his wife were all dressed in animal, on fire, billabong etc clothes (they aren't cheap clothes..)

I find that sort of attitude insulting. I mean imagine you're genuinely poor and find it hard to provide the mere basics for your family and there's the person in a car which is bigger than he needs with clothes that cost a lot more than they need to. Imagine how insulting it is to see people complaining they can't make ends meet when all they mean is that they can't afford all the pointless luxuries that they want. I mean I don't exactly shun all the luxuries in life but I don't think life is bad just because I can't afford the luxuries I want but don't have :mark:

[maxu05]

My view on this, is that there are 4 priorities.
1) Rent, we need to pay the rent ,(or mortgage payment), so we have a roof over our head.
2) Work expenses. By this, I mean, we need to have the money to get to work, (bus fares,petrol etc), or we can't buy any chickens, free range or otherwise.
3) Food, we need to eat.
4) General expenses, including water, electricity, gas and clothes.
Anything else is a luxury IMO, and we have to work hard to buy these items.
After paying for all of these that I have listed, many people find that they have nothing left, so, they compromise by not buying the free range chicken, and using the 2 or 3 pounds to pay for their childrens shoes that are worn out. I think everyone just does the best they can. I am sure that everyone wants to eat free range chooks, but, their budget just does not stretch that far.

[Drew]

I wouldn't call it insulting, just having priorities elsewhere. I could clearly have it wrong, he might have owned a surf shop and therefore could get the clothes cheaper and due to the economic downturn, business could be decreasing etc etc. Of course you'll get arguments like "why can't he give his family the best?" and "its his money, it's his choice what he does with it" and so on, but if you're going to complain about petrol prices when you can (almost) clearly afford it, you should take a second look elsewhere :)

[J4MIE]

I don't often go for free range chickens but after all the stuff about it on tv recently I gave it a go. Not becuase of the welfare etc which doesn't really bother me, but cos it is meant to taste better.

They are right :up:

Agree that in general people in the UK don't really cook or eat well enough, I am trying very hard to eat healthily and have started noticing a lot of stuff around the supermarkets.

[Roamy]

Well if the comments from the story below are to be believed it seems a lot of us are.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7476829.stm

Since when did living in the UK become about buying the cheapest tattiest rubbish that passes for food when you go shopping?

Caroline and myself aren't exactly the richest of households yet somehow we seem to be able to afford to buy free range chicken and wild salmon :mark:

Caroline prefers wild salmon because it tastes better and we both prefer free range chicken because it tastes nicer than normal stuff, has a much nicer texture and of course the chicken gets a nicer life before it goes into the packet and onto the shelf. Perhaps you wouldn't notice it if you're making a curry with some 2p curry "sauce" from the delightful Adsa Price range but if you actually try and make proper food then you will notice the difference. But I guess the big issue here is the fact that a great deal of the people here in the UK simply can't cook a proper meal and probably don't find home cooked meals enjoyable.

Argh! When did it become a crime for a TV chef to want people to have better food like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver have done in the last few years?

I just don't buy how paying an extra pound or two for a chicken is going to send you under, forcing the bank to reposess your house :mark:

*feelings of annoyance towards a good portion of the British population for being pointlessly annoying..... rising.... rising!*

yea and the sheik driving around in that diamond covered benz doesn't give a sh!t whether you live of die!1

And his sister loves your immigration laws

[Daniel]

yea and the sheik driving around in that diamond covered benz doesn't give a sh!t whether you live of die!1

And his sister loves your immigration laws
I have immigration laws?

[Mark]

I have immigration laws?

Keep the foreign types out :|

[Daniel]

Keep the foreign types out :|
That's it! I'm ****ing going to Poland in August to show them what's what :angryfire Might even go to a wedding while I'm there as well :angryfire

[J4MIE]

I hear finding a Polish bride is an easy way of getting to stay in the EU :)

[gadjo_dilo]

I hear finding a Polish bride is an easy way of getting to stay in the EU :)

Polish girls have higher standards. Those who will accept such stupid compromise must be old or ugly.

[Daniel]

Polish girls have higher standards. Those who will accept such stupid compromise must be old or ugly.
I'll tell my brother's wife to be :p

[J4MIE]

Polish girls have higher standards. Those who will accept such stupid compromise must be old or ugly.

I must be talking to the wrong people. Can you recommend any other nationality which is easier to obtain? They must still be good looking though, of course (I have my own standards). English speaking ability is very optional :)

[ioan]

Caroline and myself aren't exactly the richest of households yet somehow we seem to be able to afford to buy free range chicken and wild salmon :mark:

You might change your tune when you'll have one or two kids.
Feed them, buy them clothes, pay for their school! All this costs thousands, not pennies!

[gadjo_dilo]

I must be talking to the wrong people. Can you recommend any other nationality which is easier to obtain? They must still be good looking though, of course (I have my own standards). English speaking ability is very optional :)
In the past it was a large practice to get married with foreigners in order to leave the country and escape poverty. Now the girls from poorer EU countries have other oppotunities. All girls dream about rich guys and those who aren't EU citizens don't count. Of course there still are girls who marry turks, arabs or even chinese just because these guys need citizenship and have some money but their " quality " is doubtful.

Since you're already staying in EU I suggest you should get a girl who needs herself a EU guy. Here are my options:

1. Girls from Moldova. They are probably the prettiest in Europe and traditionally labeled as " marriage breakers ". Warning: they're very ambitious and would dominate their man.
2. Ukrainians. As pretty as moldovans. Don't know about their character.
3. Russians. Living dolls when they are young but I have to warn you about their tendancy to become fat when ageing.

[J4MIE]

1. Girls from Moldova. They are probably the prettiest in Europe and traditionally labeled as " marriage breakers ". Warning: they're very ambitious and would dominate their man.
2. Ukrainians. As pretty as moldovans. Don't know about their character.
3. Russians. Living dolls when they are young but I have to warn you about their tendancy to become fat when ageing.
:s ailor:

[leopard]

just my two cents,

That's normal to have fat tendency when getting old, just stop feeding them.

There is nothing to be worried about woman dominating over a man, it's hilarious.

[gadjo_dilo]

There is nothing to be worried about woman dominating over a man, it's hilarious.
However patience has its limits.

[Drew]

Why stop with East Europe Gadjo, Jamie could look to South America ;)

[gadjo_dilo]

Why stop with East Europe Gadjo, Jamie could look to South America ;)

Well, if he prefers hot blooded brunettes.... :laugh:
Can't wait to see him visited by her noisy relatives.

[jim mcglinchey]

Getting back to the point would anyone else agree that this Labour Govt seems to genuinely have concerns for ordinary people up and down the country, perhaps not the leadership but certainly the backbenchers.

[leopard]

However patience has its limits.
It may increase or decrease according to how we manage a problem. Patience doesn't have definitive limit. Power has, you will not be able to endure five minutes more if your power used up.

[Mark]

Getting back to the point would anyone else agree that this Labour Govt seems to genuinely have concerns for ordinary people up and down the country, perhaps not the leadership but certainly the backbenchers.


No. Well, maybe. I certainly think the leadership is totally out of touch. Several back benchers are scared right now that as a result of the leaders, they are going to be out of a job at the next election.

There has been a general rule that for punative taxes you do not apply them retrospectively.

[leopard]

Relating to how the govt has policed environment to put those under line of poverty can be translated in both direct and indirect effect.

The direct effect can be seen from cash donation, several countries implemented this method. It may help them directly, but those are destined being a lazy, such donation wouldn't help much. This maybe only a short period program, but in certain country it has effectiveness to push rate of poverty down.

The indirect effect or long term project is more on how the govt can create environment or rules to stimulate or to promote various industry to be flourishing. Considering it doesn't seem easy for the govt to create projects to absorb high-dense labor, they should support industry and should avoid any possibility to put industry being burdened with unnecessary levies or bureaucracy.
Secondly, how the govt can prepare skilled labor for the industry. The govt should implement minimum requirement that everyone should have finished a level of education before entering jobs, say at least they finish high school. Those are under their ability to accomplish this minimum education should as far as possible to have dispensation to get the education for free.

This isn't an easy to measure in short period of time, but the effective government should be heading for this right direction.

[gadjo_dilo]

It may increase or decrease according to how we manage a problem. Patience doesn't have definitive limit. Power has, you will not be able to endure five minutes more if your power used up.

I admit my English is quite poor and sometimes I misunderstand the real meanings of words. However, in this case I think that power is related to the capacity of doing , which has physical limits , while patience is related to capacity of enduring so the psychological limits are involved.
Science may measure physical aspects but can't do it with our feelings and emotions. It doesn't mean they have no limits, they just vary from person to person.
If patience has no limits then why so many men are divorced? :laugh: :laugh:

[leopard]

If patience has no limits then why so many men are divorced? :laugh: :laugh:
because women are dominant over men :)

[gadjo_dilo]

because women are dominant over men :)

I'd agree but only with a nuance: they TRY to be dominant but men can't endure this. :laugh:

[leopard]

I'd agree but only with a nuance: they TRY to be dominant but men can't endure this. :laugh:
can, with an aid :)

[gadjo_dilo]

It's only now that I read what this topic is about. As far as I understood Tesco is a large chain of supermarkets and I think it's normal to keep a lower price as they probably face competition from other supermarkets. It's easy to say that an extra pound doesn't count when quality is involved but the average customer's psychology in front of shelves is different.

The funny thing is that I live in a country where most of the people really are below the poverty line . ( Those who aren't wouldn't admit it complaining all the time about how hard life is although they're driving luxury cars and have numberless properties). However the hypermarkets which represent maybe the most profitable business at the moment have artificially increased prices of goods and most of the products ( including the basic food ) are as expensive as in the developed countries.

What I also find weird is that people like me, who still have a decent income, would burden their humpbacks carrying bags from Carrefour or Auchan while the poor neighbours who complain about having not enough money to survive buy all kind of nothings from the boutique on the corner that cashes a double price.