What cuts are you prepared to personally suffer to repay the deficit?

lostinrates

We already have started: our household tax bill went up in the emergency budget. I expect this to continue.

In a very practical sense, to me, whereever they take it from us its less that has to come out of the income: it doesn't matter so much practically what they say they are cutting where we have to try and make up the short fall personally, but the services around are beyond our control.

Here goes mine.

1. Street lighting. Too much of it around here, far too much in non residential areas (joining towns on pedestrian unsafe/motor vehicle only main roads near rural areas) and in residential areas....comparative villages elsewhere have none. Added to peoples own flood/security and decorative lighting its superfluous.

2. Road systems and in some places repair. I've gone from living on a very neglected rural road, potholes did get filled up when I told council I was going to have start billing them for wheels. Once in 8 years its been repaired. which was about right, on the miles and miles of that road there were about half a dozen houses on it. Here its JUST us on this road, and yet the verges were cut four times (detroying cover for wildlife and challenging some wild flowers) and repairs are done. Leave it till I and the farmer can't use it, or it becomes unsafe for he cyclists...of which we have many. Also local towns look to be like someone tried to create a game for a roadtown planner. Rundabouts which will have cost to instal and make no sense, mini roundabouts galore, loads of no right or left turns where either would be safe.

3. Some support groups. A new acquaintance is an ex-addict and attends no fewer than 5 hours of various state and charity run suport groups housed in state buildings for ex users a day. They haven't ''used'' for ten years. Lovely person, and I empathise, and this person helps a lot of newly recovering addicts....but not back into a working life, into the support groups. Support means support, not instead of...

4. I expect and think its probably right we will somehow pay more for property. Possibly a green tax etc. I hope they'll let us replace listed windows for lookalike double glazed ones if that's the case!

5. VAT: I know its already happened, but I think its fair (if they took it off stuff like feminine hygeine products) and it takes a moment less to calculate.

6. Time. I know it won't be mandated, but people like me, who are economically inactive should be volunteering time somehow as part of the crassly named ''Big Society''.

carolt

mbga9pgf wrote: »

Tell you what then, cut the top rate and decrease benefits. That will create the sort of motivation this country needs to get back on its feet wouldnt you say?

Why should hard working individuals have to surrender cash through taxation to fund those who CHOOSE not to work?

I don't disagree, but that doesn't really entail cuts for those at the top end, does it?

Whereas I thought the whole point of yesterday's cuts, according to Georgie boy, was that we were supposed to be 'all in this together'.

So I want to know how everyone else is prepared to sacrifice too - just so I know that all those who accused me of selfishness and greed for not wanting to lose £2500 of after-tax-income per year fully practice what they preach.

mbga9pgf

lostinrates wrote: »

VAT: I know its already happened, but I think its fair (if they took it off stuff like feminine hygeine products) and it takes a moment less to calculate.

Naa, vampires tea bags are a luxury item. Women could always stay at home and do the dishes when they are on the blob :rotfl:

beecher2

I think my wage will go down by 12% over the next couple of years - not happy about it, but would rather do this than lose my job. So if that's 'doing my bit' for the deficit, then so be it. I have slightly under the average wage and receive no benefits of any kind so I don't think I can really do much else. Council tax increase I suppose.

at the risk of getting on the anti carolt bandwagon, I do think those with higher incomes think their lifestyles are the 'norm' and think a wee life swap for a few days would do them good.

mbga9pgf

carolt wrote: »

I don't disagree, but that doesn't really entail cuts for those at the top end, does it?

Whereas I thought the whole point of yesterday's cuts, according to Georgie boy, was that we were supposed to be 'all in this together'.

So I want to know how everyone else is prepared to sacrifice too - just so I know that all those who accused me of selfishness and greed for not wanting to lose £2500 of after-tax-income per year fully practice what they preach.

I did. But it doesnt get around the fact you are whining like a jet engine about the fact you have been deprived, wheras, quite frankly, I have predicted massive cuts in public sector expenditure at some stage since 2005, and accepted the pain that would go with it a long time ago.

Too many ostriches with heads in sand on here for my liking.

What entitles you to 2 1/2K when you admit you can afford to lose it?

System

Of course we're all accepting a 2.5% VAT hike as well

carolt

Heyman wrote: »

*sigh* yes Carol I do receive child benefit for my 3-month old daughter, which is more info than I'd normally give out on this kind of forum.

I'd suggest you adopt the same mentality if you don't want to unite pretty much everyone on the forum against you yet again.

You're beyond help.

No-one whose opinions I value is 'united against me'. In fact I had a number of PMs from people whose opinions I do respect supporting my stance.

If you imagine that the opinions of a few of the usual suspects on this forum bother me in the slightest, you're wrong - if that was the case, do you not think I would have given up posting years ago?

I post stuff because I believe it to be right NOT popular - mse isn't a popularity contest, and frankly, it's not as though I know any of you in real life, is it? Plus most of those who thank rude posts about me are the same people posting under a multitude of different names - 8 versions of Hamish is hardly going to worry more than the original, whose opinions I long ago discounted anyway.


As for your child benefit, you've not said whether or not you will be among those actually losing it - your post would tend to suggest not.

Really2

carolt wrote: »

So I want to know how everyone else is prepared to sacrifice too - just so I know that all those who accused me of selfishness and greed for not wanting to lose £2500 of after-tax-income per year fully practice what they preach.

Some on here have said they are prepared to lose an income and you have not responded to that?
That is selfish in itself, you are still more worried about what people think of you losing £2500 in benefits when you are on a high family income than some people preparing to lose a whole income.
It is a benefit, do you really think you have it that hard when some live on less than a 1/3 of your familys income

carolt

mbga9pgf wrote: »

I did. But it doesnt get around the fact you are whining like a jet engine about the fact you have been deprived, wheras, quite frankly, I have predicted massive cuts in public sector expenditure at some stage since 2005, and accepted the pain that would go with it a long time ago.

Too many ostriches with heads in sand on here for my liking.

What entitles you to 2 1/2K when you admit you can afford to lose it?

Eh? Find where I said I could afford to lose It!

I can't - that's precisely my point.

beecher2

carolt wrote: »

Eh? Find where I said I could afford to lose It!

I can't - that's precisely my point.

Well, you're in the right place - post a Statement of Affairs elsewhere and get help with budgeting. You've got 3 years to prepare for it - I'm certainly budgeting for a 12% pay cut at the moment, whether it comes or not.