Renovations and Repayments.

AlexLK

pavlovs_dog wrote: »

I teach.. or at least I try to, in between all the excessive bureaucratic nonsense that pervades my job. The job has changed beyond all recognition in the past 5 years.

Traditionally, the school where I work has run vocational courses in conjunction with the local college. They will not be offered from the 2015 academic year due to budget cuts. We do not have the funds or the training to offer a suitable, alternative curriculum in school for the pupils who would normally attend college. These kids are being condemned to sit GCSEs that they are not academically able to pass. Normally they would at least have the support of a teaching assistant in lessons to help them, however again due to budget cuts we've had to let a large number of them go. These same pupils will not be offered work experience due to cuts to the Welsh careers service.

Apprenticeships? What apprenticeships? A significant proportion of positions being advertised are essentially replacing zero hour contracts in tertiary industries. The handful of positions for trades let the apprentice go at the end of the contract; it is cheaper to replace them with another apprentice than offer them an employed position.

I'll come back to you with evidence of the closet attacks on the health service, it is past my bedtime and I'll be up early doors to do more marking.

Every now and then I think about becoming a school teacher, as I think I'd enjoy it.

I'm afraid that I am somewhat out of my depth as I don't know anything about education budgets. However, I have been led to believe that over the last five years spending on schools and education has gone up rather than down?

Regarding the apprenticeships situation, I can believe the system is sometimes abused, unfortunately.

maman wrote: »

Of course I understand that Martin Sorrel should be paid more for taking responsibility, risk, ideas etc. but 1200 times more is a bit rich, if you pardon the pun.;) And I've yet to meet anyone on minimum wage who is happy with their lot and I'm definitely not happy as a tax payer subsidising employers with in-work benefits.

I cannot see how putting a cap on earnings would do the economy any good?

How do you know the person on minimum wage is claiming benefits? I'm not sure whether I know anybody who works for the minimum wage or not, as it's not the sort of question I'd ask but I'm sure there are people on minimum wage that are happy with their lot as they likely have no work pressures and spend more time with their families than somebody in a higher paid position with greater responsibility.

ETA: My in-laws earn little money but seem to be happy with 'their lot'. I think money has very little to do with happiness.

edinburgher

Originally Posted by edinburgher View Post
Someone who is rich because their parents were rich is every bit as much a 'benefits' dependent as someone taking £100/week off the state

That seems a bit harsh.

Why? In my example, I'm assuming neither has had to work to get their handouts. Why would the person with inherited wealth be any better than the person on benefits?

It's quite a black and white example

turtlemoose

Alex, only around 3% of the welfare budget is spent on the unemployed. Around 42% is the elderly. Around 21% is claimed by working families. Families whose low wages mean they cannot survive without being 'topped up' by tax credits (which you as a family once claimed and received according to your DF diary).

AlexLK

edinburgher wrote: »

Why? In my example, I'm assuming neither has had to work to get their handouts. Why would the person with inherited wealth be any better than the person on benefits?

It's quite a black and white example

Whilst I cannot speak for every child that inherits, by the time I inherit my parents' estate I will have done an awful lot of work (for free) for the 'benefit' of the eventual inheritance. Such work for my parents regularly interferes with my own ability to earn money.

turtlemoose wrote: »

Alex, only around 3% of the welfare budget is spent on the unemployed. Around 42% is the elderly. Around 21% is claimed by working families. Families whose low wages mean they cannot survive without being 'topped up' by tax credits (which you as a family once claimed and received according to your DF diary).

My wife claimed the money, not I. Besides, she saved every penny she received from the state and it will only now be used to pay a little towards our son's education.

ETA: A few years ago things were really bad for us financially, so much so that around the time our son was born my parents were paying our mortgage. Whilst my wife did claim money from the state, I've no doubt she will more than pay it back (if she hasn't already) through the amount she is taxed each month. Therefore, I can't see how she's done anything "wrong".

My issue is with those claiming money from the state that they will never pay back.

edinburgher

Whilst I cannot speak for every child that inherits, by the time I inherit my parents' estate I will have done an awful lot of work (for free) for the 'benefit' of the eventual inheritance. Such work for my parents regularly interferes with my own ability to earn money.

Every person who lives a life on benefits faces a regular diet of form filling, job centre appointments and intrusive phone calls and visits from people whose job it is to stop them living a life on benefits.

I would put it to you that they have a 'job' to earn wealth that ultimately comes from others, exactly as with you and your parents' BTLs.

I don't see how either of these examples adds anything to society or human progress.

I'm not judging either choice, but let's try and be a bit more tolerant all round, eh?

My wife claimed the money, not I. Besides, she saved every penny she received from the state and it will only now be used to pay a little towards our son's education.

That's a moot point. You are benefitting from it through reduced fees for your son.

Ps. Nobody is saying that your wife has done anything 'wrong'. At the same time, I do not believe for a moment that you are daft enough to assume that the majority of people in this country pay in enough tax to cover all the wonderful services that we use and take for granted (NHS, education, pension tax tax relief, state pension etc. etc.)

AlexLK

Ed: I read your post earlier and have to admit I was rather offended but having thought about it I can see where you're coming from. I suppose the only difference is that someone like me can never hope to 'better themselves' and will continue to be a disappointment.

I realise I had said something a few posts back which wasn't very tolerant. Whilst I meant it at the time, when I actually think about it, I've probably been spending too much time around my parents who often rant on about people claiming state benefits.

edinburgher

Ed: I read your post earlier and have to admit I was rather offended but having thought about it I can see where you're coming from.

And I have to admit that I was winding you up just a little. I'm sorry; it's my Scottish sarcasm genes

I suppose the only difference is that someone like me can never hope to 'better themselves'

Not at all, and there is nothing wrong with ending up with money because your parents have some. All I was suggesting was that those of us with broader shoulders should be understanding of those with less. Let's recognise the part that chance had to play and not pretend that we have some God given right to it

AlexLK

edinburgher wrote: »

And I have to admit that I was winding you up just a little. I'm sorry; it's my Scottish sarcasm genes

Not at all, and there is nothing wrong with ending up with money because your parents have some. All I was suggesting was that those of us with broader shoulders should be understanding of those with less. Let's recognise the part that chance had to play and not pretend that we have some God given right to it

I hadn't realised being pleased with the election result would prompt such a debate.

I meant that I will not be able to do better than my parents did, even if I reach my goal, I won't have done so well for myself as they did. Perhaps some of my comments came across as somewhat less than tolerant of others, when in the past few years I have tried to become more understanding of others. Doesn't mean to say I'll be voting Labour though.

AlexLK

Wednesday 13th May, 2015.

Dear Diary,

My mindset seems to be back on track with the savings after a few days of wondering what nice things I could spend £5,500 on. I used to have a real problem with spending money which hasn't entirely gone away, nor am I sure it ever will. Do others on here get tempted to buy things with their savings rather than investing, over paying or trying to make more money?

Regarding the work to the house, I've managed to write down some plans for next week but the place needs to be tidied first. Next week my son is bringing a friend from nursery to the house and I doubt friend from nursery's parents will want him to come back here if nothing is done about the state of the place between now and then. At least it takes my mind from the impending school problems.

Yours Faithfully,
Alex.

edinburgher

Do others on here get tempted to buy things with their savings rather than investing, over paying or trying to make more money?

Oh yes - I judge the mark of adulthood to be having the money to book a fortnight in the New York Four Seasons leaving tonight - but choosing not to!