Are earnings too low / living costs getting too high??

Buffman · 19 Mar 2017 at 00:32

HangTime said:
-A gaming PC costing well in excess of a grand
-A current games console
-Fibre broadband
-Home extension costing nearly £30k
-Holidays

Whats wrong with all them? Only "excessive" one might be having multiple ways to game..

Having to extend a home is probably due to the market being so damn high..

Also fibre broadband can be had for circa £20/month? Not expensive. There's no point crippling yourself with small savings at the cost of your wellbeing if you have to save up for large figures. (eg a couple hundred quid doesn't make a difference when you're saving for a 20k+ house deposit).

Im not sure what the holidays consist of, but generally appreciated as a basic requirement to have relaxing time.

Hell I made the thread and I'm sure users could pick apart my spending habits from their high horse!

. I made it more for a general point of discussion than a moan about my personal position however.. (although if I had a working oven that would be nice :l

Rroff · 19 Mar 2017 at 00:43

craptakular said:
But you are on £50k now?????

Someone has a long memory.

The_Abyss · 19 Mar 2017 at 00:45

The Craig said:
There's no point crippling yourself with small savings at the cost of your wellbeing if you have to save up for large figures. (eg a couple hundred quid doesn't make a difference when you're saving for a 20k+ house deposit).

It would make all the difference over just a few years. Even fewer years if a couple more sacrifices could be made too.

How else do you save the big amounts? Wait for a windfall?

FoxEye · 19 Mar 2017 at 00:51

craptakular said:
But you are on £50k now?????

Not even earning half of that currently. Took a £7k pay cut last year (public sector pay is also indefinitely frozen, so I'm stuck unless I find another employer).

Frankly I won't get anywhere near £50k unless I pack my bags and move away from Cornwall. Which will probably happen at some point, just not in the immediate future.

HangTime · 19 Mar 2017 at 01:19

The Craig said:
Whats wrong with all them?

I never said anything was wrong with them, it was just to illustrate that money is going out the door on non-essential items. People can choose to have a nicer lifestyle than people with higher earnings but if they choose that route then I think it undermines any complaints they may have about having to tighten their belts, or their personal affordability of housing. My high-horsery isn't about what people spend their money on per se, it is more about how that plays against what they have to say about their finances/affordability.

I do agree that minor savings probably don't contribute much but I was just picking out a few expenditures made obvious from a single poster, if one was more inclined we'd dig deeper and focus more on big ticket items. At the end of the day, not 'crippling' ones lifestyle to get on the property ladder may be a perfectly valid/sensible choice but it is a choice nevertheless.

Deus Ex · 19 Mar 2017 at 06:58

FoxEye said:
So people with savings (in the bank) are to be punished, and people who risk everything on the stock market are to be congratulated.

Hardly surprising when we have crashes, since everybody making money has the same "let's take a risk" mentality, and people who play it safe with their money are the subject of scorn and ridicule.

You cant expect big rewards if you are not going to take big risks. And for the stock market its small risks for big returns.
There is always opportunity to see 'unfairness' in the system, I could get wound up I don't have a mortgage but all the people who do benefit from low interest rates.

craptakular · 19 Mar 2017 at 13:31

FoxEye said:
Not even earning half of that currently. Took a £7k pay cut last year (public sector pay is also indefinitely frozen, so I'm stuck unless I find another employer).

Frankly I won't get anywhere near £50k unless I pack my bags and move away from Cornwall. Which will probably happen at some point, just not in the immediate future.

I left East Anglia due to it being a waste land for employment, now in South East and they just throw money and opportunities at you. Now on £55k + car, healthcare and bonus scheme. I'm 33.

Obviously people are on way more than this but I think I'm doing well, I guess what I am trying to say is moving was the best thing I ever did, as long as you have a good degree or good skills.

Bear · 19 Mar 2017 at 17:06

craptakular said:
I left East Anglia due to it being a waste land for employment, now in South East and they just throw money and opportunities at you. Now on £55k + car, healthcare and bonus scheme. I'm 33.

Obviously people are on way more than this but I think I'm doing well, I guess what I am trying to say is moving was the best thing I ever did, as long as you have a good degree or good skills.

Yes but taking the risk of doing something, moving away etc means you can't blame the world or the rich for screwing you whilst sitting on your backside taking the easy option.

regulus · 19 Mar 2017 at 17:14

Bear said:
Yes but taking the risk of doing something, moving away etc means you can't blame the world or the rich for screwing you whilst sitting on your backside taking the easy option.

Yep. But that also allows people to have a boogie man. 'I'm not where I want to be because of Him, Her, Them'. It would seem as long as people can find a reason or excuse for their perceived shortcomings, and it's not their own fault, they're happy enough.

Meridian · 19 Mar 2017 at 21:17

Is it me, or has this turned into a game of "look how much money I get paid"? The only people in this thread who state their wage are all paid well above the median.

regulus · 19 Mar 2017 at 22:20

Don't think the amount you get paid has got much to do with it. A guy on 100k can be in just as much debt as the dude who scrapes by on 12k a year. On worse off.

I've also ignored the amount people said they get paid as I'm far more interested in what they do with that money.

Rroff · 19 Mar 2017 at 22:36

Meridian said:
Is it me, or has this turned into a game of "look how much money I get paid"? The only people in this thread who state their wage are all paid well above the median.

Ultimately I think at many wage brackets people are increasingly seeing what they can afford dropping down.

regulus said:
I've also ignored the amount people said they get paid as I'm far more interested in what they do with that money.

I'm not a penny pincher and I don't really obsess over my spending either - but I have an almost innate ability to get good mileage out of my money - many people make the mistake that I'm on a lot more money than I am because of that.

Arthur Hucksake · 19 Mar 2017 at 23:03

What's a holiday? Our combined mortgage and nursery childcare bill is £1300 a month. The rest of my wage covers debt I racked up after being made redundant, just paying bills.

My other half works part time (to fit in a school run for my son).

We live hand to mouth and cannot afford to save anything right now, but the silver lining is a fat £700 "pay rise" a month coming once my daughter goes to proper school.

Things are pretty glum and I wonder what the point is some days. My working week is about 55hrs (inc travel) at night, but we answer to nobody and I have absolutely nothing to do with the Government....and that is how I like it.

No holidays. Don't buy new clothes. I'd rather buy the odd game than clothes. I don't care if I look like a tramp, i'll let society worry about that. Too busy working and trying to get to sleep when i'm not. The kids are happy and enjoy life.

The end result of all this is a property which my children will inherit to at least give them a fighting chance.

I know we are being screwed over in many ways comparing life to 20 years ago, but then sometimes things do have to get worse for them to ever get better.

Some people just moan and moan about their predicament, but I choose to concentrate what we do have going for us and make best of it.

Eventually people will just down tools and protest out of spite, everyone has a breaking point. When that happens i'll be plodding on doing what I do, and pick opportunities out of that.

Buffman · 19 Mar 2017 at 23:10

Yeah at that kind of child care bill it seems not worthwhile having both of the parents working full time.I guess that 1300/month roughly equates to 22k gross, not including travel costs for work etc.

daz87uk · 19 Mar 2017 at 23:16

I live in Cornwall, 12k a year. Work my ass of installing automatic gates and barrier systems. having to labour out side in the P*** rain digging metre deep holes for friggin posts and generally needing to put a system in 1 day with little to no lunch break. Just got myself a new build council house which has made life more enjoyable. £600pm. 2 beds and a garden. Cant see myself getting a mortgage as Im deemed to not able to afford it even tho I would be paying less. I have excellent credit and credit card with 12k limit but I digress. Dont have sky tv or any of that rubbish dont watch enough tv but Generally I can save on what I earn and still have 330D Msport, waiting on Ryzen and 1080ti pc setup and a few home comforts. Just bought myself a Lumix Lx100 so I can take my Photography further. Totally being stitched up down here but otherwise getting by. My Partner does nights in a care home for £7ph 12 hour shifts.

Boycey0211 · 19 Mar 2017 at 23:24

daz87uk said:
I live in Cornwall, 12k a year.

Just got myself a new build council house which has made life more enjoyable. £600pm.

Cant see myself getting a mortgage as Im deemed to not able to afford it even tho I would be paying less.

still have 330D Msport, waiting on Ryzen and 1080ti pc setup and a few home comforts. Just bought myself a Lumix Lx100 so I can take my Photography further. Totally being stitched up down here

Clearly not that badly.....

FoxEye · 19 Mar 2017 at 23:29

Bear said:
Yes but taking the risk of doing something, moving away etc means you can't blame the world or the rich for screwing you whilst sitting on your backside taking the easy option.

It can be both, tho, can't it.

Even if somebody, such as myself, isn't taking the "necessary risks" to improve their lot in life, that doesn't mean "the rich" aren't also screwing them.

GD deals in black & white and absolutes tho. If you aren't moving out at 16 to work on an oil rig you aren't "making the effort" and deserve nothing but a kick in the balls from your nearest BTL landlord. He's only trying to help tho. Being kicked in the balls is a valuable service that landlords provide to the lazy, good for nothing working classes.

regulus · 19 Mar 2017 at 23:37

daz87uk said:
I live in Cornwall, 12k a year. Work my ass of installing automatic gates and barrier systems. having to labour out side in the P*** rain digging metre deep holes for friggin posts and generally needing to put a system in 1 day with little to no lunch break. Just got myself a new build council house which has made life more enjoyable. £600pm. 2 beds and a garden. Cant see myself getting a mortgage as Im deemed to not able to afford it even tho I would be paying less. I have excellent credit and credit card with 12k limit but I digress. Dont have sky tv or any of that rubbish dont watch enough tv but Generally I can save on what I earn and still have 330D Msport, waiting on Ryzen and 1080ti pc setup and a few home comforts. Just bought myself a Lumix Lx100 so I can take my Photography further. Totally being stitched up down here but otherwise getting by. My Partner does nights in a care home for £7ph 12 hour shifts.

On 12k a year, a 600PCM place, a BMW and all that toys probably would not be the most wise use of money, but I understand that work can make you feel so fed up sometimes that you just want to buy a little bit of happiness, in whatever form. There nothing else down there that pays a bit better?

I was looking at moving to Cornwall if I ever moved back to the UK one day but the job market don't look too hot.

daz87uk · 19 Mar 2017 at 23:41

Boycey0211 said:
Clearly not that badly.....

Well what I can save with what little money I have is just how I manage it. but housing pricing are far out of reach. The government subsidise water bills here as they are so damn high. I admit I got lucky with this house as was in a flat for ages and living with parents mostly. 50k for a 3 bedroom house in 1996 and I live on the same estate now in the newer homes but those older homes are now 250 /300k.... wayyyy out of my reach and they are basic starter homes. Would love a 20k job down ere

dowie · 19 Mar 2017 at 23:53

FoxEye said:
It can be both, tho, can't it.

Even if somebody, such as myself, isn't taking the "necessary risks" to improve their lot in life, that doesn't mean "the rich" aren't also screwing them.

GD deals in black & white and absolutes tho. If you aren't moving out at 16 to work on an oil rig you aren't "making the effort" and deserve nothing but a kick in the balls from your nearest BTL landlord. He's only trying to help tho. Being kicked in the balls is a valuable service that landlords provide to the lazy, good for nothing working classes.

if you're well aware that there are few jobs locally and you know what your local house prices are like but you decide to stay put in a low paid job with a salary that leaves the prospect of buying a house unlikely then it isn't the fault of the evil BTL landlords