1 in 4 households are struggling

Sir_Humphrey

I am a bit disappointed that instead of realising that this will make it impossible to tighten fiscal and monetary policy without significant social and economic problems (if the research is correct), people have instead chosen to go off on one with moral self-righteousness. The latter response is easy, the former response is interesting IMHO.

bendix

lemonjelly wrote: »

But I think that it is a tad naive to believe that 25% of the country are struggling because of this given everything else that has happened in the economy in the past year.

A claim that 25% of the country are struggling is meaningless unless the definition of struggling is agreed upon.

That is has been developed by an insurance companies PR team to get media space does not validate it.

lemonjelly

Sir_Humphrey wrote: »

I am a bit disappointed that instead of realising that this will make it impossible to tighten fiscal and monetary policy without significant social and economic problems (if the research is correct), people have instead chosen to go off on one with moral self-righteousness. The latter response is easy, the former response is interesting IMHO.

:T:T:T

Exactly the point!

thriftybabe

phil1873football wrote: »

Have you seen the cost to purhcase a cup of coffe in a coffee shop these days, maybe if these establishments sold their products at a reasonable cost, they might just get more customers.

We dont go to Costa or anywhere like that. I am sure the last time I was in one of those it was £2 for a plain coffee! It is a local Council park coffee shop we go to which is reasonable.

thriftybabe

phil1873football wrote: »

I would agree with Lemonjelly, I have remained in employment, but have agreed to a 10% paycut to help the company through this difficult time. Therefore, I am worse off. On top of this all I see are prices rising, especially petrol, and no matter what is reported, food IS rising gradually. Also, in under 100days, I believe VAT will increase by 2.5% and go back to 17.5%, it has also been rumoured it will rise again to 20% to pay-back what we owe...if we are in the same position as now and VAT increases to 20% and all the further tax increases the various political parties are proposing, then I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel just yet.

TBH really dreading the VAT going up. Fair enough it goes back to 17.5% but there is definite talk of it going to 20% and above after next GE. Yikes! Our main business is struggling but the other business which we are building is okay. The only problem we have is all the clients want us to do things for cash so they do not have to pay VAT. We have been really lucky and when we explain to them that our liability insurances would not cover us if we did cash jobs then they have said ok to the VAT. The problem is we have been getting these jobs word of mouth which is great and people are please with our work. To expand the Company and get a chance elsewhere is not working for us as we have to add tax and vat on to our prices. Those in the black market who do not have a lot of work are outpricing us as it is. This will get a whole lot worse if VAT goes up.

I am getting a bit weary of the country at the moment. Everything seems to be geared to those who can work the system with benefits etc. Those who have worked hard and payed our huge taxes are struggling now and if government raised VAT honest businesses like ourselves will fail!

Sir_Humphrey

thriftybabe wrote: »

I am getting a bit weary of the country at the moment. Everything seems to be geared to those who can work the system with benefits etc. Those who have worked hard and payed our huge taxes are struggling now and if government raised VAT honest businesses like ourselves will fail!

I think a lot of people are fed up with paying for the bankers. :rotfl:

chriszzz

phil1873football wrote: »

I would agree with Lemonjelly, I have remained in employment, but have agreed to a 10% paycut to help the company through this difficult time. Therefore, I am worse off. On top of this all I see are prices rising, especially petrol, and no matter what is reported, food IS rising gradually. Also, in under 100days, I believe VAT will increase by 2.5% and go back to 17.5%, it has also been rumoured it will rise again to 20% to pay-back what we owe...if we are in the same position as now and VAT increases to 20% and all the further tax increases the various political parties are proposing, then I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel just yet.

Good for you in taking wage reduction to help the company :T

Yes we have it all waiting for us, everything will rise, even going to have to pay broadband tax, "thats a new one", price of food is rising, asda own brand beans and sausage was only 20p two wks ago, they have now gone up to 36p a total of 16p rise and thats just one item but we will just have to grin and bear it am afraid :mad:

Did we really think that we were gona get away with it?? It has always been in the firing line that we will pay one way or another!!

PasturesNew

Well, a lot are struggling because they see what others have/do and they want it all and believe it's their right - and won't see these things as luxuries.

See any SOA of people who are in trouble and you can spot the items.

I have never been in a place for coffee. To me a coffee is a spoon of supermarket own brand granules and hot water. 200g for about £1.30 and a jar lasts 2 months.

If any of you saw Economy Gastronomy, there were people on there spending fortunes on food and not even realising it. £17k for one family. Even the students were spending £50/week each.

Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves. For the most, that will work, it's only a change of circumstances that could cause problems.

Some people think it's OK to have a credit card to pay for everything through the month because they'll be paid at the end of the month and pay it off... but what if you lose your job, you then can't pay it off because you can't use the card to pay your way any more.

I've no credit cards. I also have nothing to my name. No shiny stuff, no fun, ho holidays, no new clothes or gadgets.

Even if I were earning £50k/year I'd still be living cheaply because I know from first hand (many times) that your job can go and your circumstances can change even in the next hour. Maybe I am more like this than most because it's just me, there's no 2nd wage or top ups coming in. It's all down to me and if the job stops all the money stops, end of. Nobody else to lean on.

PasturesNew

chriszzz wrote: »

asda own brand beans and sausage was only 20p two wks ago, they have now gone up to 36p

Yes, but half a tin of that on a slice of bread at 4p is still only 22p/meal.
Bargain I say.

phil1873football

thriftybabe wrote: »

I am getting a bit weary of the country at the moment. Everything seems to be geared to those who can work the system with benefits etc. Those who have worked hard and payed our huge taxes are struggling now and if government raised VAT honest businesses like ourselves will fail!

I totally agree with you, even with this Housing Tax the Lib Dems want to bring in...the more expensive the house you have, the more you will pay. Yes people may think that they can afford it, but just because they have done well for themselves through hard work and sacrafices (most of them), should they then be penalised??? I dont think they should...it they feel the need to intriduce this NEW tax, then it would be more fairer to introduce a blanket tax where everyone pays the same.

The more you do for yourself in this country, the more you are targetted to bail out everyone else...and the less you do, the more you get given.

I have also grown weary of it all!!:o