I've just gotten home from doing my food shopping. Nothing inspiring there right? Wrong!
For a long time now I have seen and heard peoples comments about those of us who are unlucky enough to have to rely on the government for financial aid on a regular basis. Yep, that's right us "dole bludgers" who quite happily lead a life of financial freedom and never have to work yet drive around in nice cars wearing nice clothes and eating out everynight at all the best fastfood places, not to mention doing drugs and having a great old time pissing poor tax payers money up against the wall on the weekend.
Yep that's me, out everynight buying Jack Daniels by the carton and doing whatever the fuck I want while the government pay for it. Of course then I have to complain about how people just won't give me a fair go and how unfair it is that people think we should be drug tested cos they do it in the mining companies so why not to the people getting money for nothing?
Can you sense the sarcasm there? If not read back from the top until you catch up with me.
Now I am not saying there isn't people like that, because the stereotype had to come from somewhere, but I sure as shit am not one of them. This morning I got my government payments. I paid my rent, I put some fuel in my car and I did food shopping. And at the checkout I sweated over the total. $150 for a fortnight's worth of food, excluding fruits and vegetables which I had bought from the fruit and veg market cos it's a damn sight cheaper than the grocery store. Why was I sweating? Because it was over my budget and I now have left myself with not enough money to scratch my ass in the upcoming fortnight.
I live in a tiny little two bedroom duplex that, much to my darling cat's relief, is not big enough to swing a cat in. I rarely drive my car anywhere because I can't afford the petrol let alone tyres, rego and servicing. I pass up invitations to go out for dinner or to movies with friends because that is money that could be spent on clothing or feeding my child.
Oh and believe me I know what your thinking, "so go get a job!" Sounds simple enough until you factor in the fact that I would have to work those hours in around my daughter which pretty much leaves me with hospitality and retail which doesn't pay that great. Plus the second I have income coming in the government starts taking away money from me, so then it becomes some employer is paying me so little money that I still can't afford to scratch my butt, but hey I am not a drain on the taxpayers anymore right?
Or I could go fulltime, lose what little money I get at all and have to pay a fortune in daycare costs.
Still I would rather be working and earning a living than have to listen to people say that because I rely on the goivernment or that I am some sort of bludger. Like the lady at the grocery store today who quite loudly announced to another woman that her friend was on a single parent pension and seemed to be living the high life and then rudely tacked on "pity we can't all sit on our ass eating chocolate all day and have the government pay our bills for us"
Introduce me to this woman! I want to know how she survives because I am barely hanging in there and this woman obviously has a better system worked out than me. Oh and the drug testing thing opens up a whole new can of worms as far as I am concerned, where the hell does the government expect to get that money from? And do people really want to pay more taxes to check on that? Boggles the mind for me.
So just to set the record straight, I don't buy new clothes every week, I don't buy excessive amounts of alcohol and drugs, my kid isn't living on takeaway everynight and doesn't have all the latest and greatest toys and she isn't dressed in name brand clothing or shoes. Because even if I wanted to buy this stuff, I can't afford it.
But also just to be clear, I realise this post may make me a little bit unpopular, but it is just my rant and I always appreciate any comments, just try and remember I do have feelings and try not to go keyboard warrior on me.
Oh and I feel better now, back to my usual loving self.
Peace out
xxx
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