So how much did it cost...

Generali

Graham_Devon wrote: »

So comparing the standard phone with the high end phone, the cost is the same!

I know it won't stop the condeming, but I just got so bored of it, so wanted to know if theres actually any relevance in it. It's prevelant with a lot of people supporting the view on the guardian, that people could afford a house if they didn't have an iphone, a frapachino twice a day and didn't spend £100 every weekend on alcohol.

I'm wondering what makes that view so prevelant, and get such a backing.

The whole "we didn't have central heating" thing is going on too. But it wasn't even available, and comparatively, it doesn't cost more now. Heating cost is heating cost, regardless of the process used to create the energy. I don't for instance go around thinking I'm £10 a week better off as I don't have to buy coal to burn on the fire. But it seems many appear to believe that they never had to even buy that coal, didn't need warmth, and that people want it all today with central heating. They just write the central heating down as a cost and see the coal as a total irrelevance.

Of course the killer inter-generational argument is that behaviour doesn't just drop out of the sky. There is a debate about how our behaviours are formed: either by nature (genetics) or nurture (upbringing). Either way it's your parents' fault.

grizzly1911

Just found the data for our first phone bills which averaged around £33 per quarter in 1988.

On the basis you paid for every minute you didn't tend to stay on for so long.

Graham_Devon

grizzly1911 wrote: »

Back then you tended to buy something and it would last many years as far as model specification went. We didn't have the 12 monthly upgrades and varying platforms. We also didn't have the amount of choice for brands of any sort in clothes, for example, it tended to be Levis and Adidas.

I don't see that as any different to today really.

Granted, some white goods etc are apparenly lasting less time...though I have no bar to measure this against, if it goes for 5 years it's good in my books.

As for the 12 monthly renewal thing, I just don't see this. Bar mobile phones which are moving extremely fast, unless you need top of the range technology (ususally techno geeks), I don't renew anything on a 12 month basis and don't really know anyone that does (again, I agree with mobiles).

Think I've been pretty lucky with my electrical goods to be honest. Though my main TV is giving up the ghost after about 4 years, and it's not used much, a Samsung LCD. My bush CRT in the bedroom just won't die, and I point blank refuse to get rid, as it's been with me so long (plus I'd have to lug it to the dump and I'm far too lazy!)....could do with the space though as it's a 28 inch thing taking up far too much space!!!

What comes out of a lot of these discussions is that we all, regardless of point of view, don't appear to know anyone else that differs from us. Maybe theres something in that, and maybe were looking at a select group of society and their habits, and extrapolating that across generations? Groups of people normally stick together. For instance, all my work colleagues are pretty much at my level, as that's the level the salaries dictate. I know some millionaires, but I don't socialise or work "with them". I work for them, and in that respect, although I work with them in a colleague roll, we don't go on nights out with them etc. The only time we do is the main christmas party, and even them its segregated into them and us, as the wines, meal choice and conversation is so wildly different.

I can't talk about my holiday homes swimming pool in the south of france. I can talk about my sun holiday, so do so with the others who go on the same holidays. I'll just nod in agreement to the millionaires, glossing over at the fact they spent 3-4 months of my average wage on one cooker.

thorsoak

We sold a 13 year old, 3-bedroomed semi with gas CH but no d/g in Essex for £11,500.

We bought a derelict wreck of a cottage for £8,500. We bought a b/w portable telly from the Co-op for £69 - and returned our rented Philips colour tv that was rented from Radio Rentals at a cost of £7.50 per month.

Graham_Devon

Well my phone costs £26 average per month, that's including calls. Sometimes it's £30+. Think the base cost is £18.50+VAT. I'd have PAYG, but find myself making too many business related calls. If I was really stingy about it, I could get away with PAYG, but would mean storing up calls for work to do when I'm actually there, which just adds hassle to life!

So I'm guessing that would be cheaper in real terms than the telly rental?

wymondham

We used to rent our TV and our video, primarily as videos were really unreliable!!

ukcarper

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Well my phone costs £26 average per month, that's including calls. Sometimes it's £30+. Think the base cost is £18.50+VAT. I'd have PAYG, but find myself making too many business related calls. If I was really stingy about it, I could get away with PAYG, but would mean storing up calls for work to do when I'm actually there, which just adds hassle to life!

So I'm guessing that would be cheaper in real terms than the telly rental?

have you got a landline if so the mobile is an additional cost

Graham_Devon

Heres a couple of select comments from the guardian article, for reference as to what I'm talking about...

It wasn't easy to get on the housing ladder in the '70s either. The difference then was that we didn't expect to have iphones, 42 inch tvs, spend £70 a week on fags, 3 holidays a year and all the other things people don't want to give up these days.
For us, the mortgage came first; you didn't go out, you didn't have holidays, you bought your house. That's how it was for ordinary people. After a few years it became easier, but you still had a hard time to start.

Very true, the young these days want it all.
Most of us back then didn't have a car, didn't go on holidays, didn't go out, and we rented a black and white TV and our land phone. Many houses didn't have central heating or fancy kitchens or bathrooms.

In common with other people's comments above - in order to get on the 'ladder' years ago we saved up, lived on beans, had no other credit, bought a cheap house in a poor area needing some work just about commuting distance from work. we then worked hard at renovating it bit by bit and bought another slightly better one and so on for years.
All the twenty-somethings I work with want to live in the centre of the city for the social life but moan that they can't afford the deposits. BUT in the same breath they then say how important it is to them to have the latest phone, Superdry clothes, a 12 plate car in the right colour scheme and to have holidays abroad. they don't want much and are prepared to compromise on nothing. I have no sympathy.
these twenty-somethings then also moan about still living at home with mum & dad. the same mum & dad who don't ask for any rent which keeps these twenty-somethings in their lifestyle that they just can't give up. it's all just too hard for them to work hard and compromise in order to achieve a better future for themselves. they're more interested in now. not then.

Theres a lot of comments, and it's got to the point where some are very offended by the young people having a go...and while they may have supported the young people, as they have no respect for the older generation, they won't!

ukcarper

You seem obsessed about this graham the main point so most people didn’t have these things until they had bought a house. If mobiles were available at the time I’m sure like now there would be some people who had the latest’s smart phone and would find it hard to save and others would have a cheap pay as you go.

Graham_Devon

ukcarper wrote: »

have you got a landline if so the mobile is an additional cost

It's not an additional cost, as I am comparing the rental of a mobile contract to the rental of a telly.