BS: Poverty Trap

Subject: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST,Hen Harrier
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 08:27 AM

How do I get out of it? Before anyone suggests "get a job", ask yourself how old you are!

I'm definitely well below the 'Fuel Poverty' line here in Eire, the threshold is 10% or more of income and it's getting worse by the day because of the low US$ causing the € to get stronger which, in turn, is lowering the value of my private pension from the UK and I haven't so far, found a way of getting any income support here!

Any geniuses/magicians out there?

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Amos
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 08:37 AM

ask yourself how old you are!

I don't understand what my age has to do with anything.

Or is it your age, to which you are referring?

The core answer is to make money, obviously. What are you doing now that makes some? What have you done in the past that made some? IF you didn't have to make money, what would you do with your time?


A

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 08:43 AM

I asked the question because it would probably influence how people feel about their own situation.

Since I took early retirement from a soon to be devastated British Railway system 14 years ago, I've been doing a lot of voluntary environmental conservation work which governments seem to be quite happy to continue with as it lets them off the hook from being more pro-active in solving some of the world's problems!

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 11:23 AM

There are nearly ALWAYS jobs in food service, unless you are too good to do that. No, they don't pay much, but they pay something. Something is better than nothing, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 11:31 AM

In the US at least, earnings after retirement can effect your Social Security income. So, sometimes the 'something' isn't necessarily better than the nothing, unless you make so much money the 'something' in substantial enough to erase the deficit caused by having your Social Security reduced.

What part of Ireland are you living in? That makes a difference too.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: autolycus
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 01:20 PM

Do you have Citizen's Advice Bureaux where you are?

Or alternatively, the reference section of the library,(merely as a good place to start, not finish), to find out what you might be able to claim.

One thing that's helped me greatly is to get lots of low=energy bulbs. Boy they make a fuel bill difference.

Now you're retired, what would you just love to do? List 20, and see if there might not be money to be made in 2 of them. And don't make the making money the point but a happy byproduct.


"I will find a way, or make a way." (Some idiot called Walter Raleigh, i think)


Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Ebbie
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 01:32 PM

In the US, Guest/Guest, if one needs the money, earning wages while on Social Security is still worthwhile. At its very worst, one forfeits one dollar out of every two.

After age 70, one can make as much as one wishes, without penalty.

(By the way, the word is affect.)

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 01:36 PM

Thanks, Grammar Bitch.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 01:46 PM

Not a question of "grammar" but of spelling - resulting in a word with a different meaning.

................

Here's a website that might perhaps be useful. Worth investigating in any case.

"The International Pension Centre (IPC) deals with claims to State Pension, Bereavement Benefits, benefits for Industrial Injuries and diseases, contribution-based Job Seekers Allowance, Maternity Allowance and Incapacity Benefit for people living outside the UK and those living in the UK who have lived or worked in other countries that apply the European Community (EC) rules on social security or in a country that has a Reciprocal Social Security Agreement with the UK".

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Bee
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 02:40 PM

That 'make two dollars, only forfeit one' isn't the only aspect that needs weighing. To make financial sense, it must not cost the senior too much money in transportation, outlay for approprate clothing, or other hidden costs of most jobs.

Quite a few seniors here cash in on their hobbies: making items for sale, flea marketing, buying auction items to resell, and so on.

Some things I've seen:
Senior couple with home business selling antiques bought at auctions.
Senior who breaks free pallets into kindling, which he sells roadside in five dollar bundles.
Seniors who attend weekly markets to sell baked goods like bread, loaves, cakes, pies, squares. I once calculated roughly, based on cost of ingredients and estimated overhead, one lady was making about four hundred dollars a weekend.
Seniors with large gardens selling fresh produce roadside or at markets, also jams, pickles, preserves.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 02:43 PM

At my school, we have senior volunteers who work as reading tutors and classroom helpers. They get paid $4,000/yr, to cover job costs.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 03:18 PM

PS, Grammar Bitch has a better ring to it than Spelling Bitch does. Hence, my choice.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: autolycus
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 04:30 PM

Ring Cycle has a better ring to it too.

Just as inaccurate :-)

Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 04:46 PM

Yes, and we all know what people think of pedantic jerks who go around correcting peoples' spelling and grammer mistakes online too!

Hence the affectionate "Grammar Bitch".

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 04:53 PM

Oh, get back to the topic of discussion....

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Peace
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 05:13 PM

Y"es, and we all know what people think of pedantic jerks who go around correcting peoples' spelling and grammer mistakes online too!"

It now also involves punctuation.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 05:17 PM

If your income is below €165.80 a week, Hen Harrier, I think you should be entitled to have it topped up by the Irish Benefit System (see here)

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Bert
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 05:23 PM

In the US at least, earnings after retirement can effect your Social Security income...

Not true anymore.

You can earn as much as you like and it won't negatively affect your benefits. In fact if you make louds of money then your benefits can increase.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: autolycus
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 05:59 PM

[Sorry. Don't know what came over me. Moon in cancer?]


   Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Peace
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 06:19 PM

Ivor, just wait a week.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: autolycus
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 08:01 PM

I'm off to bed but Peace, mon ami, hoe gidja come by that?

   Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: autolycus
Date: 16 Mar 08 - 04:47 AM

hoe gidja come by that?

should have read


how did you come by that?

Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST,Hen Harrier
Date: 16 Mar 08 - 07:13 AM

I tried that one too, McGrath, in that I asked if I was entitled to get the difference between the UK & Irish state pensions (which is very considerable) when I reach state pensionable age, but no joy there either! (I'm permanently resident in Ireland)

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Mar 08 - 08:41 AM

I tried that one too, McGrath, in that I asked if I was entitled to get the difference between the UK & Irish state pensions (which is very considerable) when I reach state pensionable age, but no joy there either! (I'm permanently resident in Ireland).

Not sure about getting top-up now, will have to look into it.

Subject: RE: BS: Poverty Trap
From: Peace
Date: 16 Mar 08 - 02:23 PM

Ivor. I think I googled that in Google images. I know absolutely nothing about astrology and about as much as that about astronomy. It was from the following link, although I cannot find the exact chart from the previous post.

http://www.thedaze.biz/coment.html