Anyone else feel this way? Y Generation Living! 21 October 2012 at 5:24PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in House Buying, Renting & Selling 120 replies 20.9K views

googler

Movershaker wrote: »

Hello there! I'm new to these forums and wanted to ask first of all - is anyone else going through what my husband and I are going through?

Not me.

And the less stuff we have, the happier we become.

Many people have pursuits, hobbies, interests, etc. which give them a lot of happiness, and which are incompatible with shedding 'stuff'.


And because our outgoings are significantly less, we can afford to eat out a lot and go on little city breaks and holidays all the time, often taking our laptops so we can carry on working.

You seem to be in a very fortunate position, both having multiple 'businesses' which can be controlled entirely from laptops, which apparently require no stock, no premises, no interaction with suppliers or clients, no manufacturing facility, no travelling for promotional purposes ...... do tell. What are these businesses?


Even better - because we live in a city, we can walk everywhere. There's no stressful commuting. We barely use our car (which we're thinking of selling) and cycle everywhere instead. Life is good.

Again, many folk have pursuits which are incompatible with this - as a for instance, you wouldn't be able to do this if you were in an amateur orchestra, and were schlepping two saxophones and a clarinet to rehearsals on the other side of town, would you?


But really - I just wondered... Does anyone else feel this way or going through the same thing? I read things about the Y Generation and how this is quite common for us. It would be great to hear your thoughts.

If everyone were living this kind of existence, there wouldn't be any retail trade, no manufacturing, etc., and there wouldn't be enough room in the cities for everyone who wanted to live your lifestyle, surely?

exarmydreamer

We spent years moving about as a family, before and now with children. Our job meant we had too, we have had 5 married quarters in 5 years and the children found it very difficult with schools. We have been out of the Army since 2007 and bought a house in 2005.

We have both always had 'itchy feet', and this is the longest we have 'sat still', (43 and 45 yrs). We are about to house hunt now but the move is more to do with appropriate schools for 2 of our children with autism. Our children have meant we have to consider the effect of owning or not owning our home, as they may need help in the future once we are gone. To us a house is a home and not a money making machine, we would not rent as it is dead money and I don't think there will be so much help in the future for pensioners on state pensions who need to pay the landlord.

I suppose, if you own it, no one can take it away and you have something for your children to help them on their way, (especially if they are disabled). Would I love to get up and go?, yes I would but if you have priorities like children or job which is not flexible then it is a no go.

silk_2

House buying feels like a necessity to me personally because whilst renting I just feel so restricted - can't do anything with the house, need permission to get a pet goldfish, worry if my cat rips a carpet, and so on. To me that's not really living.

In the process of trying to buy a house (again) so fingers crossed.

I am the opposite to you OP, I am also in my thirties but I want the security of being on the property ladder asap and paying it off asap so I can retire early and have no worries. To be honest life isn't that bad now anyway, decent job and get plenty of time to myself after work and at weekend. My only worry in life right now is all the dead money I've spent on rent, it adds up to astronomical amounts and it's literally just wasted money.

exarmydreamer

plymouthpafc wrote: »

As one of those countless thousands that have made the mistakes and have severely restricted choices about whether to rent or buy, I come on here for some solace and as many top tips as I can find. I am facing lengthy renting and possibly into retirement unless I take to robbing banks. Good for you I say, but not the place to kick people when they're down.

Nobody is kicking anyone, we all have different lives, jobs and responsibilities. You have said yourself that you have made mistakes and they are ones you will have to live with. Just because you are where you don't want to be, does not mean that everyone is the same as you. Good Luck to you.:)

jules888

Hubby and i are 46 and havent had a mortgage for 6 years but plenty of other bills to pay still and 2 teenage boys who will probably be living with us for a lot of years yet but now we have our forever house we are saving up to travel when our sons are ok to leave on their own.A few years away yet!
Hubbys been a civil engineer for 27 years and really wants to get out of it.

jamie11

As a senior citizen with a fair bit of property I've always believed in owning the property I live in, but now that I'm looking for my final home I'm considering renting as well, that would probably be with a housing association. I don't expect to live forever so would be paying whatever the rent is but leaving quite a lot of cash available for enjoying my final years, of course I may live to be 100 (unlikely) but if the cash ran out then I can always rely on the state to bail me out, My sister has done something similar and it doesn't cost her a bean for her lovely one bedroom flat in a housing association estate. Different ages and different priorities.

Soleil_lune

jamie11 wrote: »

As a senior citizen with a fair bit of property I've always believed in owning the property I live in, but now that I'm looking for my final home I'm considering renting as well, that would probably be with a housing association. I don't expect to live forever so would be paying whatever the rent is but leaving quite a lot of cash available for enjoying my final years, of course I may live to be 100 (unlikely) but if the cash ran out then I can always rely on the state to bail me out, My sister has done something similar and it doesn't cost her a bean for her lovely one bedroom flat in a housing association estate. Different ages and different priorities.

If, as your post suggests, you have a fair bit of property - then you won't qualify for a housing association property. Social Housing is for people in housing need; not for people who own several properties. If you wish to rent as well as own a fair bit of property, then you will have to go for private rent. That said, why do you not live in one of the properties you own?

I doubt that the original poster is going to respond to this recently bumped back up thread, as he/she hasn't been online for 9 months.

Lord_Baltimore

Movershaker wrote: »

Life is good.

If you think the life you described is good, it will feel a whole lot better when you have children.

And with children your whole ethos and attitude will change. You will realise that those you feel are tied down are very much enjoying family life to the full.

When you have kids, you'll want a house and children will fill all those gaps for you in the 'perfect life' but then you didn't write to actually hear replies did you?

Soleil_lune

Nan_Dingle wrote: »

Millions of folks are 'hidden' renting with interest-only mortgages and no obvious means to repay the capital.

Very true. The house is never yours until you have paid the very last mortgage payment. With many people starting to buy a house today, that will probably be 75 plus, with not many more years left! And even if they do manage to pay off the mortgage by 50 or 60, they will probably have to sell it to pay for their care when they are elderly, or to raise money for their pension.

The obsession with buying property in the UK is ridiculous, and the idea (that some have,) that you're somehow 'bettering yourself' if you buy and don't rent, is equally ridiculous... Especially as many do not own their property at all.

That, coupled with the costs of repairs and maintenance and insurances and the tie of being stuck with somewhere you may not be happy with, next to awful neighbours etc, makes buying the least appealing of all the options. Maybe it was OK and the 'done thing' pre 2000s, but not now. I see very few positives to buying.

I agree with the person that said that it's a shame that we are not like Europe, where everybody gets a chance to rent long term, with low rents.

Soleil_lune

Lord_Baltimore wrote: »

If you think the life you described is good, it will feel a whole lot better when you have children.

And with children your whole ethos and attitude will change. You will realise that those you feel are tied down are very much enjoying family life to the full.

When you have kids, you'll want a house and children will fill all those gaps for you in the 'perfect life' but then you didn't write to actually hear replies did you?

:eek: Controversial comment! I think children bring a lot of joy and fulfilment for many, but many people without them also lead full and enjoyable lives. Plus, the OP may not be able to have children for some reason.

All that said, I doubt the OP is going to see the comments, as I don't think they come here anymore.

And why do you think they didn't post it to hear replies?