1 in 4 households are struggling

chriszzz

PasturesNew wrote: »

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

Yes but half a tin of that on a slice of bread at 4p, at 20p a tin is 14p and as tesco keep saying "every little helps" lol!!!

bendix

Sir_Humphrey wrote: »

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

I think a lot of people are fed up with paying for civil servants too.

PasturesNew

chriszzz wrote: »

Yes but half a tin of that on a slice of bread at 4p, at 20p a tin is 14p and as tesco keep saying "every little helps" lol!!!

Nick the loaf. Win.

patchwork_cat

phil1873football wrote: »

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

I don't agree one MP explained it in terms of an additional council tax band. To me that is fair enough.

Most people have to pay council tax based on the value of their house, why should people in a 1991 £350K house pay the same council tax as someone in a £500K house? It doesn't happen in anyother band.

The_White_Horse

why should you pay more council tax the more expensive your house is??? do the people in those houses cost the council more money? I bet not. I bet you take the family in the £1m house and take the family in the council flat and the one in the flat will cost the council 10 times as much at least.

This country is hateful in the way it steals from those who do well, save, try to improve themselves, to give it all to !!!!less layabouts, teen mothers and immigrants.

wake up people of Britain or you will be fiddling with you copy of the Guardian whilst the country burns.

Fire_Fox

lemonjelly wrote: »

Saw this news story last night. Couldn't bring myself to use the daily express link I found (didn't want to upset purch!), so I've used the guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/feedarticle/8720130

If it is correct that 1 in 4 households are struggling to meet basic essential payments, this could mean that the hard times really are starting to filter through, and could get worse with impending fuel costs rising, and the like. Plus Christmas is approaching, and we should be aware how that affects peoples financial priorities.

I wondered what peoples thoughts are on this? I am aware that many (particularly people I see & know) struggle with household bills, mainly because they have skewed priorities, & buying a quad bike for their 12 year old is more important to them than paying their mortgage/leccy bill. But optimistically, I don't believe this applies to the majority. A lot really will be struggling.

Those recently made redundant will be experiencing a culture shock, with a vast discrepency in their income, as it would have gone down. owever, they aren't enough to account for 1 in 4 households struggling.

Understanding of finance, financial products and budgeting skills (or the lack of) will have its part to play in these figures too.

But I also wonder if the alleged cheap cost of living we have (a myth IMO) is a significant factor here. I mean, there is a lot of stuff out there (not just houses ) that to me is overpriced. And household essentials have continued to increase in cost.

Further, what does this say for the future? If they're struggling now, it is only a matter of time before they start robbing peter to pay paul, and a debt burden starts to spiral. It could lead to increases in illegal money lending/loansharking. And if people are struggling now, how will they cope with the tax increases we all anticipate will come in the next 2 years or more? Additional cost burdens aren't going to help, they can't afford stuff now. This increases the likelihood of defaults by people on essentials, taxes and the like. I also suspect there is an increased propensity to commit fraud of some variety.

What do you lot think?

I have spent time reading the Debt-free Wannabe board: almost every Statement of Affairs shows a very odd set of priorities: more phones than the total number of adults in the home, running one or two cars on a low income, Sky packages almost universal, around 20% of the population smoke. On the flip side is the inspirational DFW thread 'Live on £4K for a year' - this budget is for an entire family, not including rent/ mortgage and council tax. :money:

I also spend time on the student board and only this week have been debating the level of graduate debt. According to the most recent Student Income and Expenditure Survey, the average student spends around £6K per academic year on living expenses (not including housing costs) - about £5K of which is spent on fags, booze, CDs, clothing, magazines, travel not associated with the course. :rolleyes: To live so far outside your means - around £500 a month - on items not essential to your survival is madness. I would not be surprised if this attitude persists long after graduation.

Yes food, gas and electricity bills have gone up and up: so stop wasting energy and buy a cheaper brand. I struggle to imagine many British adults have not come across the Energy Saving Trust's TV campaign, or Martin Lewis' Downshift Challenge which has featured in the Sun newspaper amongst other places. A couple of years ago it was possible to 'Eat Healthily on 50p per day' (Old Style board, Weezl74).

Fire_Fox

phil1873football wrote: »

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.

Depends on your definition of having done well for yourself. Most people who have large houses also have very large debts, some of us elect to live in homes of a manageable and affordable size. I currently have a low income but live in a two bedroom flat that I own outright.

I think you'll find the Tories tried your blanket tax, it was called the Poll Tax and was impossible to administer. My grandfather collapsed and stopped breathing while collecting signatures against the poll tax; we were later advised by the nurses that he had made an excellent recovery, in fact he was exhorting all and sundry to sign from his hospital bed.

Sir_Humphrey

People do spend money on all sorts of silly things. That is the free society we all live in.

I personally do not buy coffee for £2 unless it is served by a waiter, in a china cup and preferably on a nice shaded terrace somewhere in the south of France. I think Starbucks and the like are an outrageous rip-off.

But at the end of the day, if people did not spend all this money, then the businesses providing these fripperies go bust, their workers are made unemployed, they live on benefits and then everyone ends up paying anyway. And that is the paradox of thrift. And I say that as born and bred West Riding Yorkshireman...

Fire_Fox

The_White_Horse wrote: »

why should you pay more council tax the more expensive your house is??? do the people in those houses cost the council more money? I bet not. I bet you take the family in the £1m house and take the family in the council flat and the one in the flat will cost the council 10 times as much at least.

This country is hateful in the way it steals from those who do well, save, try to improve themselves, to give it all to !!!!less layabouts, teen mothers and immigrants.

wake up people of Britain or you will be fiddling with you copy of the Guardian whilst the country burns.

How many immigrants do you know personally? I live and work in Bradford, and was brought up in Newham, East London. Sadly my experience is that the average immigrant family has a stronger work ethic than the average white British family.

The_White_Horse

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Depends on your definition of having done well for yourself. Most people who have large houses also have very large debts, some of us elect to live in homes of a manageable and affordable size. I currently have a low income but live in a two bedroom flat that I own outright.

I think you'll find the Tories tried your blanket tax, it was called the Poll Tax and was impossible to administer. My grandfather collapsed and stopped breathing while collecting signatures against the poll tax; we were later advised by the nurses that he had made an excellent recovery, in fact he was exhorting all and sundry to sign from his hospital bed.

i saw a stupid lefty once on a programme about the poll tax say the funniest thing I ever heard. He said "the government wanted everyone to pay the same amount for the same thing - how unfair is that?"

the answer is VERY. It couldn't have been any fairer. You all get the same, and all pay the same.

The disgusting thing is the same people roll over and pay the council tax which is far higher and oppresive because it was brought in by labour. Without Ben Elton and his ilk stirring it up, the students aren't interested.

What a joke.