Baby Boomers making out like bandits as usual

suki1001

Going4TheDream wrote: »

But is a £50+a month all singing and all dancing contract with the latest super smart phone for personal use a necessity?? I saw the queue out side the 02 shop when the new iphone went on sale...... lots of youngsters eagerly waiting for their new tech toy!

Wonder what percentage of the population that actually was though?

Going4TheDream

Graham_Devon wrote: »

It seems the babyboomer argument is also alive and kicking in Canada

America.... and Austrailia too.

The phenomenon is not unique to the UK

reweird

Jimmy_31 wrote: »

I would be completely knackered without a van and a mobile phone, i dont want to own a van or a mobile phone but i have to or i wouldnt be able to work.

Nah JimmyLad you are knackered any which way. Whoever heard of a builder who cannot build? Whatever next, a mathematician who can't count? If only you'd learned some decent usable, marketable skills suitable to your lowly level you might not still be stuck at home pushing mid-thirties. Point in case, what type of idiot finally realises he's misclaimed travel expenses after SIX YEARS? A retard JimmyLad, a RETARD.

sheffield_lad

It may not be generational it may be that the sun is starting to set on the consumer boom of the western world and the sun is now dawning for billions of others in Asia, Africa etc and it's now their turn to enjoy life?

The young say up to 40 in this country have for my mind had a good run up until the last 5yrs when life has got tough but I also think they protest at the drop of a hat and want something for nothing. The irony is on the marches the students stand beside public sector workers and protest together, when they are actually at odds with each other as to maintain pensions as they are requires billions which will come in taxes from the young well educated workers of tomorrow (AKA the students).

This living within our means is going to change the UK, and its not an easy change, the one glimmer of hope for the young is maybe the baby boomers will leave them big houses when they die which will more than cover future uni debts.

suki1001

Really2 wrote: »

Sorry but a mobile is a luxury item, you are not disadvantaged by not having a mobile phone.
You can lead a fully normal operable life without one.

It is a discretionary spend like sky etc.

Broadband is an essential now, but sorry a mobile is not, people just think they can't make do without one.

It's interesting. I can think of many times in my life when having a mobile phone would have been an ultimate lifesaver. Like the time I was heavily pregnant and working and the trains were delayed nearly everyday and I needed to let my husband know when I'd be back so he could pick me up from the train station, especially when the train driver wouldn't give me the time to use a pay phone.

Or the time I was followed and had to wait until I'd found a payphone, very frightening indeed.

Or the time someone collapsed in front of me - I was able to phone for an ambulance.

The time I broke down on a heavy ringroad meant I could phone for a breakdown van straight away.

The list is endless. A mobile phone is useful, but there are times when it has been something that has really helped me.

To me it is far more useful than broadband in terms of how it has helped me out in emergencies.

ukcarper

Just a though student loan repayment 9% basic rate tax 20% 1970s basic rate tax 30%

beckythemadcow

howee wrote: »

The young say up to 40 in this country have for my mind had a good run up until the last 5yrs when life has got tough but I also think they protest at the drop of a hat and want something for nothing. The irony is on the marches the students stand beside public sector workers and protest together, when they are actually at odds with each other as to maintain pensions as they are requires billions which will come in taxes from the young well educated workers of tomorrow (AKA the students).

This living within our means is going to change the UK, and its not an easy change, the one glimmer of hope for the young is maybe the baby boomers will leave them big houses when they die which will more than cover future uni debts.

Great for the 40 year olds, but what about those 23-25 year olds who have just entered the world of work?

Me = 24 (married)
-Graduated 2 years ago (worst time ever for a graduate - also first to pay £3k fees each year)
-Currently highest unemployment for 17 years (since I was 7)
-Saved HARD, no nights out / £6 phone contract / 10 year old car etc etc
-Have pathetic interest rates while I save, to save for a huge deposit for a hugely expensive house. Can't get a mortgage due to harsher lending criteria (we are on temporary contracts even though we have been working multiple jobs at once and earning enough to cover repayments)
- DH and I have £60K student debt (no CC or overdrafts)

Whereas my mum ('64) dropped out of school after O-levels, made a killing on her hpi, and the low interest is helping her pay off the second remortgage.

Nan ('44 - I had her classed as a boomer, obviously not) bought her first house at about 25, and has made even more on her house.

I won't benefit from either at any useful time, they both have a long way to go!

I do not begrudge anyone good luck (which is what the boomers had), but what pi55es me off, is the older people here, saying it IS easy now, and that if we didn't buy iPhones, we'd be ok.

:mad:

CLAPTON

suki1001 wrote: »

It's interesting. I can think of many times in my life when having a mobile phone would have been an ultimate lifesaver. Like the time I was heavily pregnant and working and the trains were delayed nearly everyday and I needed to let my husband know when I'd be back so he could pick me up from the train station, especially when the train driver wouldn't give me the time to use a pay phone.

Or the time I was followed and had to wait until I'd found a payphone, very frightening indeed.

Or the time someone collapsed in front of me - I was able to phone for an ambulance.

The time I broke down on a heavy ringroad meant I could phone for a breakdown van straight away.

The list is endless. A mobile phone is useful, but there are times when it has been something that has really helped me.

To me it is far more useful than broadband in terms of how it has helped me out in emergencies.

however did people before the 2000s manage to to survive ?

clearly they are useful things but they cost money;
the money spent on these things means going without something else

you make the choice and you have ; no problem with that but it is a choice

StevieJ

suki1001 wrote: »

Or the time someone collapsed in front of me - I was able to phone for an ambulance.

The time I broke down on a heavy ringroad meant I could phone for a breakdown van straight away.

The list is endless. A mobile phone is useful, but there are times when it has been something that has really helped me.

To me it is far more useful than broadband in terms of how it has helped me out in emergencies.

Fair enough, £25 and say 20p a minute when in dire need should cover it

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nokia-1800-Vodafone-Pay-You/dp/B003YBW8BG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319484302&sr=8-2

suki1001

StevieJ wrote: »

Fair enough, £25 and say 20p a minute when in dire need should cover it

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nokia-1800-Vodafone-Pay-You/dp/B003YBW8BG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319484302&sr=8-2

Payg start at a tenner, or cheaper if you can get a hand me down.

Paying 20p a min is cheaper than using a phone box, have you used one recently?

Actually, I pay £30 a month, but I can afford it. I'm not a baby boomer, I don't live beyond my means, I don't go on holidays, I pay a mortgage and I have something to fall back on. I also don't go out very often. Maybe four times a year on the tiles. It isn't really a nessecity most of the time, but it has come in very handy at times.