Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Not helping themselves

There is only so much to be said about the plight of large families who are struggling with debt. Another Simon Collin's piece highlights various family budgets. One couple has seven children and gets near enough to $60,000 clear per annum. But they have outgoings of nearly $41,600. Why do they load themselves up so heavily? And more importantly, why have so many kids???

"At the moment my daughter keeps on asking, 'Mum, can I have warm clothes?"' she says.

"I say, 'Wait, because I can't afford it at the moment.' I'm feeling sick. She keeps on asking me, 'Mum, I need the warm clothes,' because she walks from home to the bus stop."


I feel sorry for these people but exasperated by them. They make choices that are beyond other people's control but are getting almost $28,000 in family assistance.

What would make a difference long term is their children being taught how to handle money and how to do things in the right order.

7 comments:

Oswald Bastable said...

The kid needs warm clothes- go see the salvos- or climb into one of those collection bins and find some.

If you can't feed them (or clothe them) dont breed them!

I have zero sympathy with those who have a platoon of kids then whine about being broke!

Sell some for medical experiments!

Anonymous said...

The answer to why they have so many kids if they can't look after them is already in your comment Lindsay - because they receive $28,000 in assistance. That is a good way to a full time average wage. If that assistance wasn't there they wouldn't have so many.

Brian Smaller

Swimming said...

It would help if some of these stupid faimilies applied for WFF
One of these families -as I have written - were not even getting it. ANd those who were getting it were using it to pay debt due to their poor choices.

I have no sympathy for then whatsoever.

Andrei said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Andrei said...

Of course when you are all in your dotage and need your little botties wiped it will be these children either doing it or paying someone else to do for you.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

What are you saying Andrei? That it is right to make some people limit their family size so others can grow their's cause the world needs more bottom wipers?

Anonymous said...

Sorry Andrei - experience has shown us that Welfare recipients tend to breed more welfare recipients.

Brian Smaller