Beverly W

Things are tough enough & we're plodding along best we can when suddenly a big white goods bill lands on my lap.

We've been trying to cut costs to our budget left right & centre, for well over a year now. If not longer. Talk about the straw that breaks the camels back.

The vacuum cleaner is on the brink of failure. So is the iron. They've become unsafe & unreliable to use. These are not luxury items.. They are basic things needed with which to live a basic life. Also it's a matter of hygiene & self esteem that we are able to clean our home or iron our clothes..

Doesn't seem to matter to the government that we already live on peanuts in order to get by, its compounding the situation but we need them operating in order to function at home.

Whilst they may need simple maintenance carrying out on each it's not something anyone on a lower income relishes. They weren't "buy cheap buy twice" products to being with.

Replacements are a necessity which makes my stomach sink...

In an ideal world, we would have buffer money for unexpected occurrences. I'm not expecting extravagance. Right now, I'm considering selling these old items as spares or repairs just to raise some extra towards replacements although I'm not confident we'll make much. Also buying second hand items isn't the answer either longer term.

Last time we had the malfunction of an electrical item, namely the washing machine, we were fortunate enough to have the local church provide us with a pot of funding so we were able to afford a new machine with what we were given. No loans needed from the council or the DWP to repay. I hate owing money for anything. I only hope it out lasts the 12 years service we had with the previous one.

Beggars belief what we are expected to do to with no rainy day money to pay for emergency situations.

Coincidentally an audience member on "question time" this week who's a single parent, asked the panel of MPs, "when will it end?" As there's no "fun money at the end of the week" for him & his children, he went on to say.

People need a steady secure income in order to be able to budget properly. Not the uncertainty of irregular payments, or stop start finances, that comes with the current benefits system.

Not to have to gamble or juggle when balancing the books... is pretty much priceless in my opinion. Rather than having to take risks with your wages or the pounds in your pocket.

It's just helpful to know where you stand week in week out. I just want the peace of mind...

How is it helpful to anyone let alone low income families.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001mgp9/question-time-2023-01062023