Dole in Galway manageable?

Mrs OBumble

empacher wrote: »

....30mins to training

~ Compromises have to be made, I think it was September last time i went to the cinema , don't eat in restraunts, If i need to save up for something, i go out sober.

Gotta say, I LOVE you attitude. If more people took the approach of cutting back and saving when they need something, then the country would be in a far better state.

We ate a lot better than you for E22/week - but doing this involved daily trips to the "reduced to clear" shelf, just in case it had something good on it. And regular visits to at least three different supermarkets to get every single item at the cheapest possible price. It really helped that I'd got the landlord to put in a full-size fridge/freezer, so we had the space to freeze stuff.

You mention going to training, though: how do you pay for club-fees? What about boots or whatever other kind of gear your sport needs? Oh - and regular shoes too, you must go through a few with all the walking. (I got some fantastic deals on clothes from the charity shops, never saw any shoes worth buying there, though.)

And it kinda worries me that I'm the only one thinking about contents insurance (costs about E100/year): if there's a fire or burglary and you lose ALL your stuff, then you'll be mightily screwed without it.

I guess some of it comes down to how much risk you can take, and what the options are when something out-of-the-ordinary happens. There's a big difference between a young person with supportive family who can rely on someone (mum, sibling, etc) for some extra cash to get out of a tight spot, and a slightly older person who has no options for that sort of help.

BhoscaCapall

JustMary wrote: »

And it kinda worries me that I'm the only one thinking about contents insurance (costs about E100/year): if there's a fire or burglary and you lose ALL your stuff, then you'll be mightily screwed without it.

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

inisboffin

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

I seem to recall one landlord actually requiring it when I rented years ago. It was a really nice house though and one of the housemates had it and put my stuff on it as I was only there for a few months.

Does it cover robbed oil?

Mrs OBumble

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

Yeah? So what do you do if the house burns down, and you're left with literally nothing but the clothes you're standing in?

empacher

You'd be surprised how long a good pair of assaics running shoes can last:D I train in Thai Boxing and BJJ (no jokes please:p) I've had all the gear I use for two years, Buying good brands makes for long lasting stuff. If im really stuck for something I just drop very obvious hints, coming up to Christmas or my birthday. luckily enough there college clubs, so the training is virtually free. 40€ a semester.

BhoscaCapall

JustMary wrote: »

Yeah? So what do you do if the house burns down, and you're left with literally nothing but the clothes you're standing in?

So you think that when in a situation where one is struggling to buy enough meals etc, it is sensible to forfeit some of the little money you have for something as freakishly unlikely as your house being burnt to the ground?

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

You'd be surprised how long a good pair of assaics running shoes can last:D I train in Thai Boxing and BJJ (no jokes please:p) I've had all the gear I use for two years, Buying good brands makes for long lasting stuff. If im really stuck for something I just drop very obvious hints, coming up to Christmas or my birthday. luckily enough there college clubs, so the training is virtually free. 40€ a semester.

But buying stuff every 2 years/6 months whatever is *still* buying stuff, no? Living on the bare minimum leaves no money to save. Not everyone is lucky enough to have flush friends and family to drop hints to either. And how do *you* afford birthday presents for loved ones, or is it just one way.

I'm sorry, all the small thingss total to a chunk of change over time. This is all almost fine in theory but when you break it down, simply doesn't add up.

d-gal

Alanerin218 wrote: »

The dole is Live-able... but ONLY with Rent Allowance. ONLY. Galway, when it comes to rent, is more expensive than Dublin (mostly because Dublin has a much higher rate for rent allowance)!

I have just moved to Galway as a Student from Tipperary and am having quite a hard time making the transition. In Galway City, you can get Rent Allowance if you pay 550e and under for rent... which BTW is near IMPOSSIBLE.... I couldn't find anything in the city (I am going to NUIG so the city would have been best) so I have moved about 10 minutes from Athenry and they have informed me that the 550e I pay here is too much to be on RA, the allowance for here is only 350e!!! Can someone tell me the last time they saw a house/apt for rent for under 400e? A long ass time ago. LONG TIME!

So now my wife and I are on the dole (Disability Benefit at the moment) and that is 315 a week.... 150 (because my rent is 600) goes to rent($$$$$) right away. The 165 that is left has to pay for petrol($$) into Athenry, to catch the train($$) everyday for school, Groceries($$$) for two adults and a dog lol, Bins($$), Electricity($$), Broadband($$), Mobile Credit($$), Oil..NOT hahaha who could afford OIL! Oh and Coal($$) because we can't afford oil!

If you own where you live or live with a relative and its rent free, the dole is actually a great price, if not, you are screwed.

Being honest you should just move in with someone. Dole is again not a luxury. Just because you are married does not mean live together, especially if you are struggling for money

moldypeach

Alanerin218 wrote: »

The dole is Live-able... but ONLY with Rent Allowance. ONLY. Galway, when it comes to rent, is more expensive than Dublin (mostly because Dublin has a much higher rate for rent allowance)!

I have just moved to Galway as a Student from Tipperary and am having quite a hard time making the transition. In Galway City, you can get Rent Allowance if you pay 550e and under for rent... which BTW is near IMPOSSIBLE.... I couldn't find anything in the city (I am going to NUIG so the city would have been best) so I have moved about 10 minutes from Athenry and they have informed me that the 550e I pay here is too much to be on RA, the allowance for here is only 350e!!! Can someone tell me the last time they saw a house/apt for rent for under 400e? A long ass time ago. LONG TIME!

So now my wife and I are on the dole (Disability Benefit at the moment) and that is 315 a week.... 150 (because my rent is 600) goes to rent($$$$$) right away. The 165 that is left has to pay for petrol($$) into Athenry, to catch the train($$) everyday for school, Groceries($$$) for two adults and a dog lol, Bins($$), Electricity($$), Broadband($$), Mobile Credit($$), Oil..NOT hahaha who could afford OIL! Oh and Coal($$) because we can't afford oil!

If you own where you live or live with a relative and its rent free, the dole is actually a great price, if not, you are screwed.

Almost same situation here but you can save money on the train i use farrell travel the bus leaves regularly and is €25 a week for a student it's a great service too

Mrs OBumble

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

So you think that when in a situation where one is struggling to buy enough meals etc, it is sensible to forfeit some of the little money you have for something as freakishly unlikely as your house being burnt to the ground?

Or being burgled. Or having someone visiting your house fall over, break a limb and sue ya. Etc.

Not as unlikely as you'd think.

And yes, I not only think it's sensible, I made exactly that decision. Because unlike most students I wouldn't have a huge network of family to call on if bad luck impacted on me.

cat_xx

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

A friend of mine, her house burned down on monday night the family just escaped. Lost everything even two cars and they don't have insurance.. Luckily our town rallied around them and are doing as much as we can to help them at this difficult time. If you don't have insurance you should really look into it. This situation could happen to anyone.

BhoscaCapall

JustMary wrote: »

Or being burgled. Or having someone visiting your house fall over, break a limb and sue ya. Etc.

lol.. just... what

Someone visiting my house, suing me because they fell over? Who is going to do that? I don't have any friends that would sue their unemployed mate because they fell over and hurt themselves after being invited to their house. Either you need to get some better friends, or stop being so paranoid about them.

Anyway it sounds like you are the exact demographic for insurance companies to sell to, so I won't argue about it. Enjoy your peace of mind™)

Alanerin218

d-gal wrote: »

Being honest you should just move in with someone. Dole is again not a luxury. Just because you are married does not mean live together, especially if you are struggling for money

Of course its not a luxury! Thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard! Anyone that has ever been on knows that! The fact that we are married doesn't mean we should live together? Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You are either verrrrry Single or verrrrry UNHAPPILY married.

d-gal

Alanerin218 wrote: »

Of course its not a luxury! Thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard! Anyone that has ever been on knows that! The fact that we are married doesn't mean we should live together? Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You are either verrrrry Single or verrrrry UNHAPPILY married.

Less of the insults please. No actually I am verrrry much going out with my girlfriend for 6years thank you verrrrry much :rolleyes:
I am saying both of you should be not living together alone, as in alone together. So live in a house with other people, rent is split plus bills and you will be entitled to rent allowance.

empacher

inisboffin wrote: »

But buying stuff every 2 years/6 months whatever is *still* buying stuff, no? Living on the bare minimum leaves no money to save. Not everyone is lucky enough to have flush friends and family to drop hints to either. And how do *you* afford birthday presents for loved ones, or is it just one way.

I'm sorry, all the small thingss total to a chunk of change over time. This is all almost fine in theory but when you break it down, simply doesn't add up.

Now frankly your just nit picking and dissecting to an unreasonable agree. If you read my posts you'll see, if I need to save for something I don't drink at all. I'm not going to be spending more then 20/30 for a present for a loved one, and that's the amount I expected spent on me.

Are you seriously still trying to Analysis this to the cent, or would you prefer to sing up to my hourly updates expense blog?

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

Now frankly your just nit picking and dissecting to an unreasonable agree. If you read my posts you'll see, if I need to save for something I don't drink at all. I'm not going to be spending more then 20/30 for a present for a loved one, and that's the amount I expected spent on me.

Are you seriously still trying to Analysis this to the cent, or would you prefer to sing up to my hourly updates expense blog?

Who ever mentioned spending 20 or 30 on a present?

You're there on another thread in this forum mentioning suit recommendations in several man's shops in town, talking about the good service etc, so to my eyes it looks like you are a customer of them.

Your budget breakdown seems to indicate that you are perhaps not long living on this situation, perhaps your sports gear etc comes from a richer time?

Look, this is the internet, and I don't know you from adam, but frankly was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt in what I see are, well highly unusual circumstances.

From your posts:
You live alone in a prime city centre location with rent of €250 a month?
You negotiated with your landlord in this prime location to include your bins and a tv license in this low rent
Your esb bills and phone bills are very low
you walk everywhere
You never get a toothache, an ailment or a need for a painkiller
You survive on an unusual diet for someone so healthy
you dont buy tea or coffee
you don't buy clothes/underwear - except every 6 months or every 2 years but then you are able to buy them?
Your diet purchases are unsustainable for one person in the bulk quantity you mention

When myself and other posters asked you about your budget it was out of genuine curiosity, not malice. But your figures do not add up to me. The latest is your 'sports club' fees of 40 a semester which you never mentioned, and your club gear that you buy every 2 years?
When asked about this you said that if you need something you 'drop hints' around birthdays and Christmas.

Your original post stated proudly how you felt that the dole was living rich. I was curious how you did it. At best, your circumstances are unusual (never getting sick, having friends/relatives to 'take hints' if you need something, and best of all a single apartment in the city centre for 250 per month). I hope you can see, that as this is the internet, I find it hard to buy all this?
On daft.ie for example there are only 2 properties listed in this price range for the whole of Galway City, neither of them in the City Centre.

I hope you can see that my point is that it isn't as easy breezy as you point out to live on this amount of money. And God forbid you have an emergency. I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt tbh.

And as you mentioned, you do have access to stuff outside your budget. Others may not have the luxury of this. Others may have been thrown in this situation, not students, and are finding it hard to get out with no leeway at *all* in budget for jobseeking, insurance etc.

No, I don't want to get an hourly update. Frankly, given your variables, it doesn't add up to me anyway, and as I said, it's the internet and I don't know you, so it doesn't really matter in the long run, I was just looking for insights I didn't already know, but didn't get them. Thanks anyway.

scotty_irish

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Insurance is a luxury for the paranoid middle-class. I don't think anyone on social welfare should be even considering it (waste of money anyway).

that's what i thought!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12401660

it's only a middle class luxury when you don't need it, i wish I had sprung for some

empacher

inisboffin wrote: »

From your posts:
You live alone in a prime city centre location with rent of €250 a month?
You negotiated with your landlord in this prime location to include your bins and a tv license in this low rent
Your esb bills and phone bills are very low
you walk everywhere
You never get a toothache, an ailment or a need for a painkiller
You survive on an unusual diet for someone so healthy
you dont buy tea or coffee
you don't buy clothes/underwear - except every 6 months or every 2 years but then you are able to buy them?
Your diet purchases are unsustainable for one person in the bulk quantity you mention

I didn't say I live alone.
Didn't say I live in the city center, unless you call newcastle city center (mentioned it take me 40mins to walk to work)
My ESB bills are split between 4 as is BB TV.
Nope I'm strongly against using medicine for little ailments, part of my training is sparring so I'm always hurting but don't feel the need to pop ibuprofen at the slightest twinge of pain.
My diet isn't that unusual Brown pasta/rice and meat. Carbs and protein is all i need
Already said I don't drink tea or coffee, is it that hard to imagine? you'll find that there not great for you.
Its called saving money I've said thats the first thing to go if I need something. I've stopped drinking for 3 months before to save for stuff.

I've being in this situation for 2 years so maybe I've just adapted well,

You asked for my budget I gave it to you, and now you look for the slight discrepancies. Maybe take the advice I have to save money , instead of trying to look for problems in it. Or better yet try living on my budget and see if its as impossible as you make it out to be.

inisboffin

empacher wrote: »

I didn't say I live alone.
Didn't say I live in the city center, unless you call newcastle city center (mentioned it take me 40mins to walk to work)
My ESB bills are split between 4 as is BB TV.
Nope I'm strongly against using medicine for little ailments, part of my training is sparring so I'm always hurting but don't feel the need to pop ibuprofen at the slightest twinge of pain.
My diet isn't that unusual Brown pasta/rice and meat. Carbs and protein is all i need
Already said I don't drink tea or coffee, is it that hard to imagine? you'll find that there not great for you.
Its called saving money I've said thats the first thing to go if I need something. I've stopped drinking for 3 months before to save for stuff.

I've being in this situation for 2 years so maybe I've just adapted well,

You asked for my budget I gave it to you, and now you look for the slight discrepancies. Maybe take the advice I have to save money , instead of trying to look for problems in it. Or better yet try living on my budget and see if its as impossible as you make it out to be.

Aha..more information unfolds.
As I've said in a previous post, your information isn't consistent *in how it reads to me* and I can't glean anything I already don't already know from that.

It's a completely different situation splitting bills and heating as opposed to doing it for one person. This was all mentioned very early on, and this is the first time you've brought it up. You said "I'm shopping for one" or something similar, that's where I got that assumption. I also assumed you were from the USA or Canada due to your use of language, but then I see you said you are from Galway. Education costs weren't even discussed in this thread, that's a whole other thing.

Tea is actually better for you than booze *in general* but let's not go into that here shall we And best of luck with that 3 week old bag of salad

As I said, it's the internet. I'm sure if people really want to wade through posts and figure out the ins and outs any 'discrepancies' they will, but most won't be bothered. I fell down the obsessive rabbit hole, but I see now it's going in circles with this. My point, and I think I've made it, is that there's more than meets the eye to what people think is their 'weekly budget'

Luckily, I'm not in a position at the moment where I need to make those severe budgetary choices, but I have been in the past, albeit differently to you. I have a friend who has recently been laid off, so this whole thing is on my mind. So thank you, but I haven't learned anything new from any details you posted. Best of luck with your studies and your sparring.

inisboffin

Lookit!

It's not about being fit enough or thrifty enough after all. Here is the solution.

Bloody dole people - they just need to be more holy.;)

inisboffin

scotty_irish wrote: »

that's what i thought!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12401660

it's only a middle class luxury when you don't need it, i wish I had sprung for some

Oh no. Was that your pad upstairs?

Mrs OBumble

Stepping back a bit, the OP asked if the dole was manageable. Dole is for unemployed people, not students

I don't think that a student lifestyle, which often includes:

• built-in entertainment (called study!),
• student discounts (not generally available to the unemployed),
• friends living a similarly frugal life
• usually sympathetic family who expect to be giving you stuff,
• usually a relatively young age (more likely to be healthy and not need vegetables, able to walk everywhere, able to tolerate living with strangers better, able to spend the day in the university library so don't need to heat the house, happy to live in low-quality housing because they don't expect to be there for long and can go home to the parents warm house holidays and weekends)

is a good comparison.

Most people can live short-term on E188 per week if they're job-hunting and have existing clothing etc, and savings to use for one-off costs.

IMHO, and that of a few others here, very few could do it long term, or even medium term. I know I couldn't (and yes, I've recently be unemployed, or temping and earning shyte, for several years).

BhoscaCapall

scotty_irish wrote: »

that's what i thought!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12401660

it's only a middle class luxury when you don't need it, i wish I had sprung for some

Well that's my point isn't it... more often than not, you don't need it. Otherwise insurance wouldn't be a profitable industry.

The likelihood of requiring and insurance payout is quite low (providing you're not a mentalist), what it mainly offers is peace of mind, hence why it is a luxury.

If I found myself out of a job and struggling to put food on the table, I think that would be a bigger worry for me than a freak accident.

empacher wrote: »

My diet isn't that unusual Brown pasta/rice and meat. Carbs and protein is all i need

Wait... you sound like someone quite concious of their fitness.. and you actually believe this? I'm lazy as f*** with an awful diet and even I know that's bollocks.

Red_Wake

JustMary wrote: »

Stepping back a bit, the OP asked if the dole was manageable. Dole is for unemployed people, not students

I don't think that a student lifestyle, which often includes:

• built-in entertainment (called study!),
• student discounts (not generally available to the unemployed),
• friends living a similarly frugal life
• usually sympathetic family who expect to be giving you stuff,
• usually a relatively young age (more likely to be healthy and not need vegetables, able to walk everywhere, able to tolerate living with strangers better, able to spend the day in the university library so don't need to heat the house, happy to live in low-quality housing because they don't expect to be there for long and can go home to the parents warm house holidays and weekends)

is a good comparison.

Most people can live short-term on E188 per week if they're job-hunting and have existing clothing etc, and savings to use for one-off costs.

IMHO, and that of a few others here, very few could do it long term, or even medium term. I know I couldn't (and yes, I've recently be unemployed, or temping and earning shyte, for several years).

Dole isn't meant to support people for long term.

BESman

As the poster above mentioned, dole is not designed for long-term benefit, otherwise people would have less incentive to find work (yes I know that 99.9% of people would prefer to work if jobs were available).

People in general have been so used to living beyond their means that they cannot even entertain the idea of budget living. Some posters here have mentioned ridiculous things like "what about insurance, birthday presents, vitamins, tea/coffee, etc.." If you are on hard times, these kind of unnecessary items are the last thing that should be of concern.

I 100% agree with everything that empacher has said here. I too was a student not too long ago. I had a weekend job and earned about €130 a week from this. I also am from Galway but moved into town for college for my own benefit and paid my own rent. Got no handouts from family. I not only managed all the expenses that empacher mentioned in his posts, I also managed to save some money. This involves a LOT of sacrifices that I honestly think some people just are not prepared to make.

You cannot:
- go to restaurants or eat out in general
- buy drink in pubs/clubs (drink at home before you go out)
- cinema more than once every two months
- buy expensive clothes
- buy branded groceries (€20 a week in Aldi/Lidl will cover a lot)
- buy rubbish (crisps, sweets, etc)
- put heating on all the time
- leave your lights and other appliances on more than necessary
- be generous to friends / family (who will understand your circumstances)
- drive everywhere
- spoil yourself
- all other discretionary spend (if you don't need it to survive, don't buy)

It is different for those with families, but for single people on the dole, they should be able to manage with €188. With rent, its very tight living, and you will struggle if you're paying more than €300 a month, but if you can't afford it, find a place thats cheaper. There are houses on Daft with €200 monthly rent in Galway. Its a bleak situation for anyone to be in, but its important to be realistic until work comes along.

Fuinseog

d-gal wrote: »

Reading thru the dole thread in the Irish Economy section and got me wondering. Do people in Galway think that the dole is manageable for the average person?
Personally I think the cost of living is not that bad in Galway. Food is especially cheap. Without even thinking about Aldi/Lidl/Tesco the likes of Terryland Fruit/Veg and many butchers (constant deals) are awful cheap.
Galway is a fairly compact city for majority. Cars are not essential. Simple example is walking from Liosbaun Ind Estate to the prom takes around 40mins. Do not think that is a insanely long amount of time and thats one side of the city to the other side.
This is more just comparing other parts of Ireland and not taking a dig at anyone on SW. Hopefully people on the SW might even get some ideas from this thread if they are finding it hard to budget as well!

Galway is a mecca for social welfare recipients.

d-gal

Fuinseog wrote: »

Galway is a mecca for social welfare recipients.

Why do you say that?
I'd agree but in your opinion?

TerrorFirmer

d-gal wrote: »

Why do you say that?
I'd agree but in your opinion?

Pretty sure someone posted a link here recently that Galway had unusually high unemployment rates even pre recession, in a vaguely similar discussion.

cladda1112

JustMary wrote: »

Stepping back a bit, the OP asked if the dole was manageable. Dole is for unemployed people, not students

I don't think that a student lifestyle, which often includes:

• built-in entertainment (called study!),
• student discounts (not generally available to the unemployed),
• friends living a similarly frugal life
• usually sympathetic family who expect to be giving you stuff,
• usually a relatively young age (more likely to be healthy and not need vegetables, able to walk everywhere, able to tolerate living with strangers better, able to spend the day in the university library so don't need to heat the house, happy to live in low-quality housing because they don't expect to be there for long and can go home to the parents warm house holidays and weekends)

is a good comparison.

Most people can live short-term on E188 per week if they're job-hunting and have existing clothing etc, and savings to use for one-off costs.

IMHO, and that of a few others here, very few could do it long term, or even medium term. I know I couldn't (and yes, I've recently be unemployed, or temping and earning shyte, for several years).

Being living on 177 euro for nearly 2 years now. Hard to feed a family of 4 and pay the bills. Gets very depressing. And to make matters worse will be worse of next wk. I think its a diff story when you a student with just yourself to look after and family to help out. Also if you live in galway you dont need a car but if in the country its a must. That alone cost me 50 plus per wk with insurance, Tax and petrol not to mention repairs. And if i had a euro for every cv i have sent out i would be well of. Try buying groc for 4 for under 40 euro for the wk,,,, as for christmas presents they have being cancelled this year only santa(your only a child once) though it wont be anything expensive. Yea my partner is working but after loosing his job got a min wage job and his take home pay is around 680 a forthnight. Which isnt even covering the mortgage which we are in big trouble with. Yea diff think a student on 188 should be well able to manage.

Fuinseog

d-gal wrote: »

Why do you say that?
I'd agree but in your opinion?

Galway has always attracted people who either are unemployed, not unsure what to do with themselves or are taking a break. in other cities people would have a problem with that, but not in Galway. Its an easy going pace of life.
its compact,easy get to know people and compared to Dublin very cheap.