Jack Monroe #332 A doctor, a teacher and a ceramicist walk into a bar

[Vanelope]

Thing is, hygiene poverty is so totally a thing. Many years ago I lived in really crappy (rogue landlord) shared accommodation where you had to put a quid in the shower and the shower stall itself was filthy and the water flow was TIMED to I think 10 min and the water pressure like a spit in the air. No washing machine on the premises. So yeah, I wasn't as clean as I could have been and one day at work someone brought it up to me. They were reaslly nice and understanding but I was SO. SHAMED.

I have not experienced generational poverty, my granparents were hand to mouth and starved in a nationwide famine but that was in a different country where living hand to mouth off the land and sea was not unusual for the times. I was immigrant working class growing up but that does not always mean the same as poor, much less generationally oppressed and locked out of many things that civic society takes for granted (which is what true generational poverty is, imho). If I had know that a few months of severe and scary cashflow restriction = real poverty then I would have done a Jack and had a cushy media career. Silly me.

Issues with rogue landlords and crappy accommodation are absolutely worse now than when I experienced it for a few months, 20 years ago. Especially in recent migrant accommodation. It often affects recently migrated lone young men. There is also a real issue with period poverty.

There is a real issue here, and it should be discussed, instead we have Jack cosplaying about her Pretty Woman experience in Ratners. She's so white. So 80s. So full of tit.

Also - I know booze facial bloat when I see it and if Jack wasn't one year and one day sober, I'd say I'd seen it.

Friend said years ago her little boy used to play with another kid who’s parents were struggling and frankly he smelled. So she used to do a paddling pool with shampoo and soap suds to play in, lend some swimmers and stick his clothes through the wash. Schools provide clean clothes and help children. It’s really difficult.

 

[Orphan_Black]

Nose swipe for prosperity (hopefully loaded it up properly this time!)

 

[Django]

Oh, Orphy, third time lucky

 

[Ellabella]

a genuine cheap tip is to use cheap £1 conditioner when shaving legs and armpits. The razor glides, never get any cuts, lovely and smooth.

Thank you Superdrug, that will be £500 please.

 

[OwlRightsReserved]

Spoiler: OT Soap/Shampoo bars

Shampoo bars - Eco Warriors are good. Garnier also do some of their shampoos as bars. I have mad hair so I like the Saphus curly hair set where you get shampoo bar and conditioner bar.

I love the rose and geranium soap from Soap Folk. Pricey though, at £6. And can't go wrong with a classic Pear's Soap.

 

[MaineCoonMama]

a genuine cheap tip is to use cheap £1 conditioner when shaving legs and armpits. The razor glides, never get any cuts, lovely and smooth.

Thank you Superdrug, that will be £500 please.

I do this as well! I have really long hair so I need to use a semi-decent conditioner. The money I save on shaving cream goes toward buying something better. See, Jack...you should've asked us first.

 

[Ostapbender]

ex-OH: Jack, for the last time, you don't put shampoo in the washing machine! And bathing in there is NOT a safe budget tip!
Jack:

 

[Cucumberthunder]

Odd, given months back she was saying about using ivy leaves (which would be free) in the washing machine - guess when she's getting cash she will say whatever bullshit to get people to waste money

Can't buy ivy leaves in Superdrug

 

[Chap O]

Save money by buying a lesser branded dog.

 

[Captainmouse]

I’m glad dying all her clothes black wasn’t a completely bleeping pointless exercise

She’s determined to kill the washing machine, dye, shampoo, ivy

 

[Terrible]

I can’t bring myself to watch, but it seems she also missed an opportunity to mention that good old soap does away with single-use plastics and is therefore better from an environment and climate perspective.

Spoiler: Shampoo bars?

On that note any recommendations for good ones?

Spoiler

this is the best one I’ve found - there’s none of that waxy straw feeling others have left me with

Ethique Pinkalicious Shampoo Bar, 110g, Cleansing, with Coconut Oil & Cocoa Butter for Normal Balanced Hair, Eco & Vegan Friendly, Sustainable and Plastic Free https://amzn.eu/d/b43YCPm

 

[EllaEm87]

It really wasn't worth the watch. Yet again an uncomfortable watch where you learn zero tips for saving on your shopping. But you get to hear how Jack once went into a shop to hand in a CV and she had grimy skin, grubby clothes and greasy hair, because to be truly poor you have to be dirty too?!

I would hazard a guess that this was because she was absolutely hanging, and didn’t really want a job, was just performative. Not because she was poor. Just speculation m’lud.

 

[LavaFlake]

a genuine cheap tip is to use cheap £1 conditioner when shaving legs and armpits. The razor glides, never get any cuts, lovely and smooth.

Thank you Superdrug, that will be £500 please.

I feel like one of Girls Aloud said this in a 2003 magazine article on beauty tips and I've never looked back Always do it and find you get a great shave!

 

[jenny2603]

I would hazard a guess that this was because she was absolutely hanging, and didn’t really want a job, was just performative. Not because she was poor. Just speculation m’lud.

If I had genuine difficulties washing clothes I would keep something smart aside that I only wore for going to see about jobs to keep it as clean and fresh as possible between washes. It wouldn't have to be anything fancy- even Primark black trousers and a smartish top would do it. Hair can be washed cheaply and tied back, if need be to save on styling products. It's obviously not ideal to be washing your face with soap but better than going in with a grubby face. Why is she so ridiculous? I would also join my local library and do most of my job search online to avoid walking into shops whilst grubby and honking. Hope this helps any Jack style idiots who might be reading.

 

[help i need some help!]

I just watched back and she didn’t say specifically which jewellers it was. I can’t remember if we ever had a Ratners here though, it doesn’t ring a bell. That jewellery story did remind me of a time I went for an interview in a Southend jewellers (would have been around 2007) and the candidate before me had arrived straight up from the beach still in her bikini. So it seems bikini ok, greasy hair not ok

We did. It was where Claires accessories is now. Disappeared after Gerald Ratner did his thing.

 

[Chap O]

I just watched back and she didn’t say specifically which jewellers it was. I can’t remember if we ever had a Ratners here though, it doesn’t ring a bell. That jewellery story did remind me of a time I went for an interview in a Southend jewellers (would have been around 2007) and the candidate before me had arrived straight up from the beach still in her bikini. So it seems bikini ok, greasy hair not ok

We did, it was by the railway bridge where Claire's Accessories has been for a very long time. I can't even remember how long ago the Ratners closed but certainly would think it was early 2000's

 

[Five hundred dogs]

I feel like one of Girls Aloud said this in a 2003 magazine article on beauty tips and I've never looked back Always do it and find you get a great shave!

I’m pretty sure this was a tip in Just 17 in the 80s. I’ve always used conditioner when I’m shaving my legs.

 

[Mr Krabs]

a genuine cheap tip is to use cheap £1 conditioner when shaving legs and armpits. The razor glides, never get any cuts, lovely and smooth.

Thank you Superdrug, that will be £500 please.

Shave your legs under the water in the bath. Don’t need any products for that. Invoicing Superdrug rn.

 

[Eurgh]

Like she’s qualified to work in a jewellers, or any customer facing role

Staff discount on engagement rings?

 

[catgoldo]

She’s determined to kill the washing machine, dye, shampoo, ivy

Determined to kill the washing machine she likely doesn’t own herself as she RENTS…