Cooking in recession time

Cooking by numbers is very cool website I have discovered. We can save a big amount of money by not going out and not ordering takeaways. Recession in Ireland? How do you save money in recession time?

Don't bother going shopping, let's cook with what you have in your fridge and cupboard. Just click on what you have in the fridge and you will get a recipe... No need to think ...everything is decided for you! Yummy!

How to save money in recession

Do you want to save during recession?
It's possible if you try.
Here are few saving tips...
You are welcome to add more by leaving comment....


Do
-change to fluorescent light bulbs
-rent a room
-eat at home more often and avoid takeaways or eating out less
-when buying petrol check pumps.ie before you go
-switch your gas/electricity provider. Check Bord Gais thebigswitch.ie or Airtricity. Switch and save up to 14%
-go North for shopping
-research before buying. Check few shops before spending your well-earned cash
-sell on Ebay or Buy & Sell unneccessary items
-keep and analyze your spendings. Try Xpenser as online budget diary
-send sms messages from online
-take made at home lunch or at least sandwiches to job
-shop at Lidl or Aldi
-use Dublin Bus Ramblers

Brian Cowen nude painting.

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What happened with this nude painting of Brian Cowen read in Guardian. I wonder who is that Irish Bansky?

Collecting dole from post office...

Everyone signing on the Live Register from now on will have to collect their weekly benefit payment at a post office instead of it being paid automatically to their bank account.
You must collect your payment within three days of your payment day. After signing on, you will receive a letter saying when you can collect your first payment. Be careful not to miss it! If you do not collect it on time the payment will be returned to the department and there will be a delay in getting reissued to you.

What to bring to post office to collect dole? You will need to bring your swipe card (social services card) or a temprorary signing card (yellow), which you can get in your social welfare centre.

If you have any questions, please ask!

Dole: How long to wait for dole?

Dole: How long to wait for dole? I would say it's really depends on your luck and the bunch of people in social welfare center...

Here are few articles from internet which might give us an idea of time (please notice the time of weeks is increasing with every article)!

• Waiting time in Gorey for dole payments is longest in county (2.41 weeks)
• New Cork jobless waiting seven weeks for dole
• Dole cash can take 10 weeks, minister admits
• 3-month delay for dole pay-outs
• Newly unemployed wait 15 weeks for dole
• Kells now has longest wait times for dole payments (16 weeks)

If you are still waitng for your dole cheque call to Social Welfare 1890 20 23 25 or please contact the Information Section info@welfare.ie Give them your PPS number and name.

Plus here is a quick link for Adress and Phone number Finder for Social Welfare and other offices.

Sorry We Are F****d Sign on Pearse Street

Seen on Pearse Street. Photo by Oisin Kan. Picture taken from Dublin Metlogs
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How to sign on for the dole guide

Here is a very good guide on how to sign on for the dole.

Signing on: a step-by-step guide

1 If you lose your job you are entitled to claim either jobseekers benefit or jobseekers allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

2 You qualify for jobseekers benefit if you have paid 104 PRSI contributions, or “stamps”, since first starting work. Thirty-nine payments must have been paid in the relevant tax year. This benefit is not means-tested. (If you are unsure about your PRSI record, you can contact the Department of Social and Family Affairs at 01-7043000 and ask for the PRSI section.)

3 If you don’t have enough “stamps” you can apply for jobseekers allowance, which is means-tested.
4 You must make an appointment with your local social welfare office to make a claim. To check where your nearest dole office is, go to www.welfare.ie

5 Depending on what part of the country you live in, an appointment can take up to two weeks.

6 You are required to bring a range of documentation (again go to www.welfare.ie for the complete list), including a P45, P60, proof of identity and residence, and an RP50 form if you have been made redundant. You will also be expected to provide proof that you are making efforts to seek work.

7 At this meeting your claim will be discussed and forms filled in. According to the department, the average processing time in December was two weeks for jobseekers benefit and five weeks for jobseekers allowance. However, in some parts of the country the processing time for the jobseekers allowance is as long as 15 weeks.

8 While waiting for a decision you can apply for a means-tested supplementary welfare allowance payment. Applications should be made to the Community Welfare Office at your local health centre.

9 Once your claim has been authorised you will be obliged to sign on once a month at your dole office, and to collect your money once a week at the post office.

10 For advice, you can speak in confidence to the welfare-to-work section of the Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed ( www.inou.ie ) at 01-8560088, Monday to Friday, between 9.30am and 5pm or go to Social Welfare website - Unemployed section.

Taken from Irish Times - Article "Getting to grips with life on the dole"

Waiting for dole? What about waiting for 4 months?

I could not believe my eyes. Here is recent news from Irish Times: Newly unemployed wait 15 weeks for dole. What they say is be ready to wait up to 4 months to receive a dole. Unbelievable!

“Newly unemployed people are waiting almost four months for jobseeker’s allowance payments because social welfare offices are overwhelmed by the number of new applicants,” Ms Enright said.

So may people affected by this recession and all of them would have to wait for so many months...You can be already dead two times, bankrupt and your kids might starve to death... What about people who don't have jobs but still have to pay their enormous mortgages, loans, insurances and etc.

5 people become jobless in a minute

Please follow this news: Five going jobless every minute this year.
With every one minute ticking on the clock, the companies from across the world are terminating an average of five positions