Another take on 'affordability'.

lostinrates

Lakelady wrote: »

A very nice largish G and T makes me respond here.
I think most things financially are possible though not necessarily likely. Its all a matter of priority.
Me and hubby have always had way way less then the average incomes but we like in a paid for house above the average price.
We would never sit and complain to a TV company that the heating costs are ridiculous this winter whilst wearing a short sleeved t shirt. Feed a small child strawberrys out of season whilst telling (probably) the same TV company that we can`t afford our 110% mortgage.
Sadly we could never reclaim unfair bank charges because we never paid them.
So all things are possible for Shaznay (sp) and her partner. And no we are not miserable tight wads - a decent hoilday is a high priority around here.

Great post I think thats how I felt a bit when reading the OP. I think its partly helped by meeting a life partner when you are young ...as cleaver did, as i did, and having a shared goal from early in career.

fc123

Graham_Devon wrote: »

I'd agree. And to be honest, I'm happy to be associated!

I don't particularly know them, but working where I do, I see them constantly every day. I live amongst them as it's all I can afford, and I think in all honesty, the explosion of mobile phones, networking sites etc etc has put a big strain on relationships over the last decade. Temptation has sky rocketed, and I don't exclude myself here.

It's a bit like the Secret Millionaire programmes. Until they see it, life is how they live.

Remember all my ramblings on DT? You think I though I would end up being the non resident parent of my kid? I hate the thought, really hate it. But i've had to swallow the pride and accept it's so extremely easy to find yourself in the situation.

Some of the analogies on here are so picture perfect, it really does make me want to punch the monitor.

The temptations have always been around, not easier to succumb nor harder to resist. Technology has 'caused' a lot of things but not more people giving in to temptatation.

I lived on a sink estate and was one of 'them'. OH has close family members who could be called that by some too. The one thing that sends me away from this board for a while are the 'them' posts.

I liked the post though GD as real GD comes across to me in it.

Cleaver

PasturesNew wrote: »

Where I live right now, a full-time female gets £16,500/year (source: ONS stats)

Okay. But I believe the average is around £26k.

sjaypink

BTW, to clarify, I meant 'them' as maybe people earning low wages, no money from family, debt, step kids, divorces etc etc,

...not necessarily 'scum' as WH might sensitively put it, just what I would think of as 'normal' people, my family, friends & neighbours. I still can't quite think of what I'm trying to say

...I just meant on this board everyone seems so much richer, posher, stable, better career placed etc than the likes of me, which I do think makes sense of course given the nature of the board, but I just think in RL I'm nearly average- and I'd guess GD is pretty average too. But you don't feel like it on here, it feels like the norm is something higher than the norm IYSWIM...

That still is not very clear at all I will open some wine and rethink :A

lostinrates

sjaypink wrote: »

BTW, to clarify, I meant 'them' as maybe people earning low wages, no money from family, debt, step kids, divorces etc etc,

...not necessarily 'scum' as WH might sensitively put it, just what I would think of as 'normal' people, my family, friends & neighbours. I still can't quite think of what I'm trying to say

...I just meant on this board everyone seems so much richer, posher, stable, better career placed etc than the likes of me, which I do think makes sense of course given the nature of the board, but I just think in RL I'm nearly average- and I'd guess GD is pretty average too. But you don't feel like it on here, it feels like the norm is something higher than the norm IYSWIM...

That still is not very clear at all I will open some wine and rethink :A

Its clear to me, and I agree with you. I think the board either is disproportionate or appears disproportionate. I think its likely it is, because of the subject matter.

fc123

sjaypink wrote: »

BTW, to clarify, I meant 'them' as maybe people earning low wages, no money from family, debt, step kids, divorces etc etc,

...not necessarily 'scum' as WH might sensitively put it, just what I would think of as 'normal' people, my family, friends & neighbours. I still can't quite think of what I'm trying to say

...I just meant on this board everyone seems so much richer, posher, stable, better career placed etc than the likes of me, which I do think makes sense of course given the nature of the board, but I just think in RL I'm nearly average- and I'd guess GD is pretty average too. But you don't feel like it on here, it feels like the norm is something higher than the norm IYSWIM...

That still is not very clear at all I will open some wine and rethink :A

I know what you mean....it always felt a quite 'comfortably off' board when I first looked in a couple of years back but the only non working millionaire was GeoffKy I think?
I would say it is a 'thinking' board with slightly higher than average earners as the majority but not all by any stretch.

carolt

Really2 wrote: »

We would spend about £200+ per week going out? (I used to spend that much when single) Sorry if I was popular Carol. (we now spend about £100 per month and we dont spend £700 on our child per month._

I personally find it no more expensive carol, you may be different so do you really need to go into.:rotfl:mode mmmm.

This was in all the papers recently, Really.

I'm clearly not the only one with the impression that children cost more than a social life:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/feb/23/cost-raising-child

How much does it cost to raise a child?

Got a spare £200k? That's how much you'll need to have a child, clothe, feed and educate them - according to the latest data

carolt

Cleaver wrote: »

Okay. But I believe the average is around £26k.

Not for women - it's lower, don't forget.

Cleaver

carolt wrote: »

Not for women - it's lower, don't forget.

Indeed, as Pastures pointed out. But if you're looking at averages, which we seem to be, then the average salary is £26k or there abouts.

Graham_Devon

sjaypink wrote: »

and I'd guess GD is pretty average too

That's quite a compliment from you