 Hopes wrote:
I was reading a news article about John Key saying that people who had to resort to food parcels had made bad decisions to need to do so. I was curious, so I took the figures the article gave about the dole ($194pw) and accomodation supplement (I assumed max, $225pw), and calculated what someone in our situation (one baby) would get from WFF($88pw).
I doubt we'd get that much accomodation supplement (specially since we live in Hamilton, they'd surely give us less than someone in Auckland) - but I've assumed for the calculation that we could rent a house on whatever we got. Which leaves us $282 a week to live on.
I've come to the conclusion that we could do it, but it would be a real stretch.
$70 - food / gorcery stuff
$20 - petrol
$32 - car upkeep (this is our actual figure per week, allowing for tires, warrents, rego etc. Doesn't include third party)
$25 - phone/internet (you could trim this, I guess I don't NEED the internet)
$40 - power
$15 - clothing
$25 - baby (nappies etc)
That leaves $55 a week for Drs visits, dentist, extra baby stuff, any insurance you want, and the odd choccie bar. It would be a stretch!! I honestly don't think I blame anyone living on this much to have some weeks where they've already used the grocery money before the week starts, and need a hand.
Eta that it also makes some assumptions that aren't likely for someone in this situation. $25 a week is our actual 'baby' allocation in our budget - but I don't know if I could do that if I didn't use cloth nappies, and if you're on the dole you might well not have the $$ to outlay for them. |
This is pretty much what we live on each week, and its HARD, so hard. We are lucky that we have family who help out a lot. My nana gets us food when she goes shopping, and she helps me with my car rego and types etc, and DH's mum helps him with his car up keep.
i really struggle some weeks so make the budget stretch, but such is life...DH is due for a pay rise, but his wage goes up and our WFF goes down.
Our problem is the debt we have, and thats totally our fault! As soon as we pay it off we will be much better off.
Could YOU do it??
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