We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Debate House Prices


In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non MoneySaving matters are no longer permitted. This includes wider debates about general house prices, the economy and politics. As a result, we have taken the decision to keep this board permanently closed, but it remains viewable for users who may find some useful information in it. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

The Polls - Labour Lead At 14 - Is It The Economy?

1373839404143»

Comments

  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Tancred wrote: »
    Miliband knows that he can't promise what he can't deliver. He will certainly reverse some of the Con Dem policies, but which ones isn't yet clear.

    Labours policies in outline were very similar. Just marginally slower. So austerity would have lasted longer.

    After 2 and half years. The electorate is none the wiser. As the same party line is being given. Clearly Milliband is unwilling to committ. As he can't. Or won't. Something which will become more and more embarassing as time passes. As appears that there is no alternative. Unless the two Ed's have joined the magic circle and are going to pull a rabbit out of the hat.
  • Tancred
    Tancred Posts: 1,424 Forumite
    Thrugelmir wrote: »
    Labours policies in outline were very similar. Just marginally slower. So austerity would have lasted longer.

    After 2 and half years. The electorate is none the wiser. As the same party line is being given. Clearly Milliband is unwilling to committ. As he can't. Or won't. Something which will become more and more embarassing as time passes. As appears that there is no alternative. Unless the two Ed's have joined the magic circle and are going to pull a rabbit out of the hat.

    We can only speculate until the manifestos are out, and that is some way off.
  • GeorgeHowell
    GeorgeHowell Posts: 2,739 Forumite
    Are you going out and spending avariciously? On some posts you seem to extol the virtue of doing so and on others it appears to be the root of all evil.

    Perhaps the fact that some don't spend so much on discretionary spend is because they simply don't have it to spend with higher bills and flat incomes?

    If you are going to keep trying to trip me up you are going to have to place much tighter and less visible wires than the ones you have been.

    I am probably spending about the same as pre 2008 overall.

    There is no contradiction in what I have been saying. One the one hand a lot of what is spent is on consumer rubbish and waste much of which could easily be foregone with minimal loss of utility. On the other hand if people are going to agonise over a period of flatlining GDP like it spells the end of civilisation as we know it then they'd better go and out and spend more, instead of saving more like they have been doing. That also answers the last point - the money is there but they are saving more of it.
    No-one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions. He had money as well.

    The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.

    Margaret Thatcher
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Tancred wrote: »
    We can only speculate until the manifestos are out, and that is some way off.

    There's one certainty. Austerity will continue into the next Government. As the deficit won't be fixed. So there'll be no rash promises.
  • grizzly1911
    grizzly1911 Posts: 9,965 Forumite
    If you are going to keep trying to trip me up you are going to have to place much tighter and less visible wires than the ones you have been.

    I am probably spending about the same as pre 2008 overall.

    There is no contradiction in what I have been saying. One the one hand a lot of what is spent is on consumer rubbish and waste much of which could easily be foregone with minimal loss of utility. On the other hand if people are going to agonise over a period of flatlining GDP like it spells the end of civilisation as we know it then they'd better go and out and spend more, instead of saving more like they have been doing. That also answers the last point - the money is there but they are saving more of it.

    I am just seeking clarity I have no intention of trying to trip you up.


    Our spending is slightly above 2008 levels and there has been no change in investment strategies - we are not saving more.



    I would think that most families are pretty committed to spending the bulk of their income.What they spend it on may be changing moving from discretionary to necessary as prices increase and income flat lines, or for some reduces with benefit reductions coming or movement to lower paid more flexible work structures.



    It appears that spending to pump GDP is being recommend that is all, when arguably that is what has helped get us into the corner in the first place. I see little point in spending, to keep GDP high, if it simply flushes away through the balance of payments shortfall.



    Why do you think people are saving more now than they used to or does paying down debt constitute saving?


    Certainly I know a number of older people that are having to draw in discretionary spend due to low interest rates and increasing prices that are outstripping any income increase.


    Most of the younger people I know are paying down debt or not committing to more debt.
    "If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop... Being uneducated, you have no fear of the future.".....

    "big business is parasitic, like a mosquito, whereas I prefer the lighter touch, like that of a butterfly. "A butterfly can suck honey from the flower without damaging it," "Arunachalam Muruganantham
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.2K Spending & Discounts
  • 245.1K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 600.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.4K Life & Family
  • 258.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.