Renovations and Repayments.

maman

I'm already sick and tired of hearing the soundbites on 'strong and stable leadership ':(

Unfortunately the fixed term parliament isn't going to work in its present form. No opposition party can risk appearing to want the government to stay in power.

edinburgher

Caught a bit of Jeremy Corbyn at the TUC? He seems like a likeable guy and I like the fact that when he gives a nuanced answer, it seems as if it is because he's mulling over potential contradictions/issues, not because he's a disingenuous politician spinning something. Unfortunately one man doesn't make a party, so I can't see myself voting Labour.

AlexLK

Tropically wrote: »

You might like playing around with this calculator: https://www.ifs.org.uk/wheredoyoufitin/

IFS is a Tory think-tank.

Interesting but rather worrying just how poor some of the population is.

edinburgher wrote: »

You are unsure as to whether there are more people in poverty than incredibly rich? I have never seen a Daimler, never mind driven one. A few Bentleys in our neck of the woods, but you probably think that's a chav car :rotfl:

Oh Alex...

I hadn't really considered it before, to be honest.

:rotfl: Re. the Daimler. I hardly think running a dressed up old Jaguar worth less than the average new four door saloon as being a sign of wealth.

Re. Bentley. It depends on the Bentley ... if we're talking a '50s S Series, then no but if we're talking about a battered Arnage, then yes. Extra points if it has chrome wheels, "styling" that it didn't leave the factory with or is in signal red. If the Bentley happens to be a '00s Continental GT then it's nothing but a vulgar dressed up Volkswagen and I'm not willing to talk about it.

My father always wanted a Bentley and said to me as a boy he would buy one when he became a "rich man". He still drives a Jaguar to this day so make of that what you will.

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I like your statement that you're not convinced a high majority Conservative government is good for large numbers of the population.

After less than a week of watching the emerging campaigns, press coverage and floating (and testing) of potential manifesto ideas, I am convinced people need to recognise that a general election is for 5 years and not just for Brexit (rather like a puppy - it's not just for Christmas!)

I've tried to stay away from the mainstream media. Can't say I've particularly warmed to May and I did prefer Cameron.

AlexLK

maman wrote: »

I'm already sick and tired of hearing the soundbites on 'strong and stable leadership ':(

Unfortunately the fixed term parliament isn't going to work in its present form. No opposition party can risk appearing to want the government to stay in power.

It's the new "long term economic plan".

I find May a bit abrasive, to be honest. Couldn't imagine going to the pub with her...

Fairly certain the current election is a one horse race but I do wonder what will happen in 2021.

edinburgher wrote: »

Caught a bit of Jeremy Corbyn at the TUC? He seems like a likeable guy and I like the fact that when he gives a nuanced answer, it seems as if it is because he's mulling over potential contradictions/issues, not because he's a disingenuous politician spinning something. Unfortunately one man doesn't make a party, so I can't see myself voting Labour.

The idea of Corbyn as PM concerns me personally but I do think he is perhaps more genuine and true to his personal beliefs than a lot of people in politics.

How do you think the SNP will fare in Scotland, Ed?

AlexLK

April Targets:

OSPREYS - CHECK.
Make a decision re. bathroom / holiday / potential debt.
Total Grocery Spend: £330/ £400. Should not go up too much more before May's budget kicks in. Hoping to have a spare £50 to put into the surplus money pot.
Surplus Money: £260 / £800. Unexpected £££s.
Bed before 11.30pm: 8 / 31. Not managed this today but straight to bed after writing this.
Meditation: 13 / 31.
De-clutter and sell 2 / 5 items. Hope to get onto this as a part of returning to work this coming week.
New Recipes: 1 / 4.
Books (to read for pleasure): / 3. Whilst I'm in a reading routine I'm managing about 10 pages before falling to sleep at the moment.

We have all enjoyed the first back to work / school day.

Red-Squirrel_2

AlexLK wrote: »

[

I can't say I really know how to feel about it. I used to subscribe to my parents' view of it being their fault and not the government's responsibility to help. Now I'm not so sure. Things I've heard and seen in my volunteer positions have made me reassess what I perceived as "the problems". There have been children turning up to school who aren't eating well yet are expected to get on with the school day. The girl in Rich House,
Poor House who said the diet she was eating during her week in the "poor" house was making it more difficult to study. I can see that, I have seen that. Some parents lack skills to help their children and cannot afford to pay a tutor to make up for not being able to help, no wonder those children are behind academically. Some just don't care about education as they are both personally disenfranchised and cannot see what anything beyond the most basic of education can do for their children. Having seen this, I have started to see how the government and media have manipulated such situations into demonising "the poor". There are people who manipulate the system but that's true of all spectra of society.

Cannot quite believe I'm saying this but having always voted Tory, I am looking at other parties policies with some interest rather than just to dismiss. From a personal point of view I think the best outcomes for my family and I lie with a Conservative government so I will most likely vote in my best interest but I'm not convinced a high majority Conservative government is good for large numbers of the population. My father-in-law said to me last week that there's more people living in poverty than there are in my position. I told him I was unsure of that and he told me to think about how many council estates with many houses built upon them there are vs. the amount of places the size of my parents'. He's right and I am a bit deluded, mainly because I don't want to think about the alternative.

Alex, I am so impressed by this. It's so thoughtful and mature, it shows so clearly how much you've grown and changed and are beginning to understand the world beyond your own experiences.

If more people took the time to really think about their political views like this, we'd live in a much fairer and more compassionate country.

:T:T

edinburgher

AlexLK wrote: »

How do you think the SNP will fare in Scotland, Ed?

I think that they will do very well, but not as well as last time.

The problem with being a 'nationalist' party is that anyone who doesn't like their brand of nationalism/the prospect of another referendum can vote against them as a protest vote. This could very well play into the hands of the Conservatives and I could see seats gained in Scotland topping up some of the seats that they will likely lose in Remain friendly areas of the rest of the UK.

I like some SNP policies (the prospect of my daughter not going £50k into debt to attend university, the free prescriptions that helped us out when she was a baby and we were skint, a focus on renewable energy) and I feel that they are our only relatively progressive choice. Of course, Labour and the Conservatives claim that this is all just a tissue of lies and that everyone is poor, sick and disenfranchised in Scotland, but I'm not convinced. Despite all the political turmoil of late, life feels pretty good up North.

AlexLK

April Targets:

OSPREYS - CHECK.
Make a decision re. bathroom / holiday / potential debt.
Total Grocery Spend: £340/ £400. Should not go up too much more before May's budget kicks in. Hoping to have a spare £50 to put into the surplus money pot.
Surplus Money: £260 / £800.
Bed before 11.30pm: 8 / 31.
Meditation: 13 / 31.
De-clutter and sell 2 / 5 items. Hope to get onto this as a part of returning to work this coming week.
New Recipes: 1 / 4.
Books (to read for pleasure):1 / 3.

Not had a great day. Had hardly any sleep last night. For some reason I just couldn't fall to sleep, so ended up reading my book. As I've been sleeping a little better overall, I realise how much not getting hardly any sleep affects me. As a result I've not felt particularly well, had a lower mood and been less productive. Hoping to go to bed after writing this and get a good night's sleep. Busy school day tomorrow for me.

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Alex, I am so impressed by this. It's so thoughtful and mature, it shows so clearly how much you've grown and changed and are beginning to understand the world beyond your own experiences.

If more people took the time to really think about their political views like this, we'd live in a much fairer and more compassionate country.

:T:T

Thank you, Red Squirrel. I think I am slowly becoming a better person for the knowledge I have gained which are beyond my experiences. I think maman once said if she didn't realise where I was coming from she'd find my definition of poverty quite insulting. There was a time when I thought my wife and I were probably in the bottom 10% / 20%. Things have got better income-wise since the times when things were really financially difficult but I realise now there was no excuse for my parents paying my mortgage. Were I in that position again, we would be able to pay the mortgage and live day-to-day. All thanks to MSE. :money: In fact, the teaching is all thanks to MSE as I thought about how I could earn an extra income to clear some debts and one of the avenues I came up with was music teaching. A little after finding my first few pupils, I saw the first volunteer position which turned into a part volunteer / part paid day and whilst I've had my ups and downs at that school, I started to consider the thought of a new career. I've been working at that school for three years now. :eek: Will be very sad to leave in July but a couple of good pupils are going to carry on having lessons with me.

Spent some time explaining to my son that things are going to be different in September and we will need to make the most of the weekends and holidays. I thought he'd be really upset about this but he seems very excited that Daddy is going to be training to be a teacher. He thinks I will be the best teacher in the galaxy ... so, a lot to live up to there. :eek:

edinburgher wrote: »

I think that they will do very well, but not as well as last time.

The problem with being a 'nationalist' party is that anyone who doesn't like their brand of nationalism/the prospect of another referendum can vote against them as a protest vote. This could very well play into the hands of the Conservatives and I could see seats gained in Scotland topping up some of the seats that they will likely lose in Remain friendly areas of the rest of the UK.

I like some SNP policies (the prospect of my daughter not going £50k into debt to attend university, the free prescriptions that helped us out when she was a baby and we were skint, a focus on renewable energy) and I feel that they are our only relatively progressive choice. Of course, Labour and the Conservatives claim that this is all just a tissue of lies and that everyone is poor, sick and disenfranchised in Scotland, but I'm not convinced. Despite all the political turmoil of late, life feels pretty good up North.

Thanks, Ed.

I know I would find their brand of nationalism problematic if I were a Scottish voter. Conservatives gaining seats in Scotland is an interesting point of view. I thought Scotland voted heavily in favour of remain last June and as a nation were at odds with Tory ideology?

To be honest, I find the tuition fees at £9,000 quite ludicrous and from what I can tell few graduates will pay the loans back, so surely all this is creating is a problem for another government. As state education is free, I think university education should also be free or perhaps means tested. Personally, I will be happy to pay for my son to attend university and not accrue student loans but not everyone is so fortunate. Some pupils taking their GCSEs this year at the volunteer school are reluctant about university despite being bright pupils more than capable of gaining a good degree from a good university. They understand the money is not paid as a traditional loan and works more akin to an additional tax but I think some of them feel they would be starting life in a difficult position. Ironically, my son will start out in life not having the burden of extra money taken from his salary for student loans and yet he will already be in a better position than most. As the saying goes it's dear to be poor.

I cannot personally subscribe to the "everyone is poor, sick, old and disenfranchised in Scotland" trope. They say the same about anywhere further north than Buckinghamshire and it's simply not true.

newgirly

Morning Alex, it may be worth a look at Martins guide on student loans. If I recall it's something like 80% of students don't end up paying the full loan back over the term. So it's not just a case of not affording it and having to borrow, it may be a wise economical choice perhaps.
Ŵe would rather (and will be whether we move again or not!) put the extra money in the pot for their futures, a few very wealthy friends are also taking he loan when they don't need to.

edinburgher

I actually find the new student loans to be quite disturbing as the rates are akin to commercial borrowing. This makes it seem like we have morphed into the US, but without any of the flexibility (for example, student loan refinancing is perfectly common over there).

I have an income based student loan (the tranche before interest rates were hiked). I don't buy the arguments of 'it's not like a normal loan because it's only based on earnings and it doesn't affect x, y and z'. Yes, if earn less than the average, you may pay back nothing and yes, if you earn a fortune you'll pay it back relatively quickly.

My concern is for the people in the middle, the bright sparks who will probably make use of a university education but will never end up in 'elite' careers. For these people, it's a pernicious tax on their future that will burden them with an effective tax rate of 40% or more for potentially decades. For someone on £30k or so, it's equivalent to losing something like £67.50/month forever (based on the current interest rate, you would never repay).

It also creates some interesting marginal situations where (for example), someone seeing a pay rise from £20,999 (below the threshold) to £23,000 (10% or so above the threshold) would find their actual bump in salary quite unimpressive as they would start to repay.

I wouldn't say that I'm particularly career minded, but it's quite easy to end up in the £25-30k bracket for much of your adult working life. It's a good existence, but you are keenly aware of changes to tax etc.