Sloth
Last year, I was long term unemployed, roughly a year out of work. During this time I looked for work madly, but this eventualy I lost steam.

Every day was the same, I'd go on the same job sites, apply for every job I was vaigly qualified for, then never hear back. Over a year of applying for jobs, hundreds of applications, I revived 3 letters of rejection and 2 interviews. The huge majority of companies never got back to me. Over time, this wore away at me. There were not enough jobs, I'd go on sites and see no new jobs, so I'd wait a couple of days between looking.

I spent all my money on video games and nights out with mates, lying to the job center about applying for jobs, I guess a couple of weeks would go by without me looking for a job, then I'd do a big surge.

I feel bad about it, but I guess the only thing I can say is that at that point I was considering suiccide. I was in a hopeless situation, I had no job, no money, no women. There was no future for me. I guess these nights out and the video games effectivly saved my life.

Happily, I've been working for 12 out of the last 13 months, and have paid back a large amount of the money I recived in dole.

So if you paid tax between September 2008 and august 2009 then your hard earned money went to me, funding my lazy scrounger lifestyle while I made no effort to find work for a signifficant period of time. For that I appologise, but I hope you can take solace that you possibly saved my life.
(Mong goose, Sun 29 Aug 2010, 0:38, 6 replies)

Been there, it's shit
Applying for anything and everything and as time wears on, you feel less and less employable. It is truly soul destroying
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Sun 29 Aug 2010, 1:10, closed)

Yeah, this pretty much describes my life.
And I hate it.
(Uncle Comrade, Sun 29 Aug 2010, 1:12, closed)

I got out though, thank god the north east is call center Mecca.
(Mong goose, Sun 29 Aug 2010, 1:49, closed)

I was there September 2004-September 2005
I know exactly how you felt, although I never felt bad about claiming dole. I'd paid enough National Insurance before that for probably several years dole and more since.

On a vaguely related note, I got the laid off (more of an honourable discharge really) only six months after taking out a Bank loan. I'd taken out payment protection at the cost of £500, which (after far too much hassle) covered my payments of £100 a month for six months, then the bastards pulled the plug.

It amazes me how I managed to save just £100 each month, the dole only paid out about £40 a week at that time. Tough times.
(Vinnie Strokes Got bummed on, Sun 29 Aug 2010, 14:33, closed)

Yay
There are abusers of the system out there...but not here.

Marpa!
(lemonadegame, Sun 29 Aug 2010, 23:55, closed)

I am going through this now
any tips?
(Lannes, Thu 2 Sep 2010, 2:20, closed)