MoneySaving Poll: Do you feel better off now than five years ago?

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Former_MSE_Sam_M
Former_MSE_Sam_M Posts: 346 Forumite
in MoneySaving polls
Poll started 20 April 2015

Do you feel better off now than five years ago?

A simple question – how do you feel about your finances now compared to at the time of the last general election?



Vote in this week's poll

Did you vote? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below. To see the results from last time, click here.

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Comments

  • XRAT
    XRAT Posts: 239 Forumite
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    I wonder how much this poll reflects on personal circumstances more than finance or politics.
    I am surprised that the fields are so level. I would have expected the over 65s to feel worse off, since a large proportion of those aged between 65 and 70 would have a reduced income due to retirement.
    Perhaps it's the feel good factor, having left the rat race?
  • keithmroberts
    keithmroberts Posts: 3 Newbie
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    As a 66 year old male I have selected better off. Why? because I retired on my employment pension at 61 and a year ago became entitled to the state pension. Without that I would not select "better off" even with my index linked main income.

    Th effect of the additional state pension income for males in my circumstances, or women in the 60-65 age band could have somewhat of a distorting effect on the poll.
  • seagull104
    seagull104 Posts: 6 Forumite
    edited 30 April 2015 at 8:25AM
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    At the age of 78 I am worse off. This is directly due to government policies over the past 8 years concerning interest rates and removal of the age allownce for income tax (granny tax). My income has steadilly reduced over this time for these reasons.
    I will vote for Nigel as a protest at the way the Tory party has treated its core voters, the silver group who represent some 40% of the votes normally cast for the Tory party. I am not alone in this approach and have been warning Mr Cameron of the damage he has done for the past four years. I may be selfish but I don't have long to go and my life's savings are now almost gone. I will vote with my feet.
  • Murphybear
    Murphybear Posts: 7,279 Forumite
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    I'm much better off but that is because I was on ESA and now on SRP. With 2 small works pensions my income has doubled:D
  • GreenQueen
    GreenQueen Posts: 539 Forumite
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    XRAT wrote: »
    I wonder how much this poll reflects on personal circumstances more than finance or politics.
    I am surprised that the fields are so level. I would have expected the over 65s to feel worse off, since a large proportion of those aged between 65 and 70 would have a reduced income due to retirement.
    Perhaps it's the feel good factor, having left the rat race?

    In our case it's because we have paid off a large percentage of our mortgage - maturing endowments and a small inheritance - and we have been able to remortgage on the remaining amount at a low APR. Suspect that may be significant for a large number of people in the 50+ age group (1980s first time buyers).

    GQ
    2021 - mission declutter and clean - 0/2021
  • Seakay
    Seakay Posts: 4,265 Forumite
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    I've been on the same low fixed income since 2008 so every year my spending power diminishes & I feel a little worse off. Soon will lose DLA (yes, I thought that I'd become ill but apparently I'm just a deliberate and unworthy drain on society) so whatever happens to the economy at that point I'll be pretty much knackered.
  • stevemcol
    stevemcol Posts: 1,666 Forumite
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    Definitely better off. 50% careful planning, 50% blind luck. No kids (careful planning), mortgage paid off (careful planning), kept my job (blind luck), have had cost of living payrises throughout the recession (blind luck).
    Apparently I'm 10 years old on MSE. Happy birthday to me...etc
  • rochja
    rochja Posts: 564 Forumite
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    I find the results rather confusing. Surely during austerity everybody should feel worse off if it is to be a reason for voting a Government out? Then again, I am a little confused that anybody could think spending their way out of debt a good idea - I dont think MSE has ever advocated it - or that people could think clearing debts is going to be anything less than difficult. Luckily so far we have not had to take in lodgers, but apparently they are Queuing up north of the border.
    Life is like a box of chocolates - drop it and the soft centres splash everywhere
  • 74jax
    74jax Posts: 7,923 Forumite
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    100times better off, but not through any government influence.
    Forty and fabulous, well that's what my cards say....
  • ipod_killed_the_musicshop
    ipod_killed_the_musicshop Posts: 2,679 Forumite
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    noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooofr
    Boris Johnson voted against Brexit in the Commons, all to become leader of the Conservative Party. Fall for it and you deserve everything you get.
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