Is it really that hard?

Samsonite1

CLAPTON wrote: »

makes no sense as it assumes that all parents are rich

Not at all - it was almost the opposite. Poor parents are generally the ones who spoil their kids and buy the latest games console. For me, a lot of school friends were spoilt, their parents were way too generous and did not keep their house in good order, did not pay bills. Kids got older and demanded money for things, almost mugging type of thing. These kids left school at 16 - I have not seen them since - 2 of them ended up in jail though.

So no, there is no assumption that parents were rich. The irony for me is that I though we were poor, but my parents were just stingy - power to them for teaching me the value of money!

sofarbehind

ukcarper wrote: »

The trouble is that people keep trying to compare now with the 70s and you can't really compare. I left school at 16 lived with my parents until I got married at 22 I was not unusual.

That is very true, thanks. Sometimes I forget how much women's lives in particular have changed! I am spoilt in many ways and had opportunities my mother and grandmother didn't.:o

Samsonite1 wrote: »

This sounds like a cop-out and hopefully not too contentious but I do think a lot of it (young people's issues with finding it hard to make sacrifices) is to do with the parents. It certainly accounts for the spending habits and expectations of pretty much everyone in my social group, so I would like to think it applies across many other people.

The 2 sets of friends I mentioned before who got bored with work and spent all their savings on travelling for a year, then struggled to find jobs - in both cases, they had parents who fed them money at university (mum, I need a new PC, a new car, money to socialise - yes dear, here is a blank check). This is not an exaggeration either! QUOTE]


I think you're right, it does teach you to save and I had a similar sort of experience. I had to send my mother money to keep her afloat when I was at university and had long moved out! I would say that those people are way ahead of me now though because they were given deposits and got on the ladder years ago. Grrr!

Samsonite1

sofarbehind wrote: »

I think you're right, it does teach you to save and I had a similar sort of experience. I had to send my mother money to keep her afloat when I was at university and had long moved out! I would say that those people are way ahead of me now though because they were given deposits and got on the ladder years ago. Grrr!

It probably depends on your age, but it was only recently that one of my spoilt university friends fell by the wayside. He was on his second flat in London, bought by his parents' money, but when he took a year out to "discover himself" (actually meant he did not get a promotion he "deserved", took unpaid leave and went to Vegas to waste some more money. They did not take him back, so now he is wondering how to pay his mortgage...).

Slow and steady can win the race Mind you, there is still a long way to go!

CLAPTON

Samsonite1 wrote: »

It probably depends on your age, but it was only recently that one of my spoilt university friends fell by the wayside. He was on his second flat in London, bought by his parents' money, but when he took a year out to "discover himself" (actually meant he did not get a promotion he "deserved", took unpaid leave and went to Vegas to waste some more money. They did not take him back, so now he is wondering how to pay his mortgage...).

Slow and steady can win the race Mind you, there is still a long way to go!

if his parents bought a flat is London for him, they couldn't been exactly poor.

sofarbehind

Samsonite1 wrote: »

Slow and steady can win the race Mind you, there is still a long way to go!

Thanks, I needed that bit of encouragement. :beer: Feeling a bit dejected with another weekend staying in on my lonesome. I suppose it's a good reminder not to get complacent. You're right plodding on is all I can do to help myself, thinking about what others have won't!

Samsonite1

CLAPTON wrote: »

if his parents bought a flat is London for him, they couldn't been exactly poor.

I have many friends

As a general rule of thumb, university friends tended to have wealthier parents to my friends who did not attend.

Samsonite1

sofarbehind wrote: »

Thanks, I needed that bit of encouragement. :beer: Feeling a bit dejected with another weekend staying in on my lonesome. I suppose it's a good reminder not to get complacent. You're right plodding on is all I can do to help myself, thinking about what others have won't!

Well it looks like you are heading for that deposit target

How can you feel dejected when you can spend a weekend posting messages on here and reading posts from losers like us (ok me, I do not want to offend anyone else)?

Samsonite1

sofarbehind wrote: »

That is very true, thanks. Sometimes I forget how much women's lives in particular have changed! I am spoilt in many ways and had opportunities my mother and grandmother didn't.:o

Well, I would not say you are spoilt as a woman, perhaps it is more a case that gender equality has improved since your grandmother's and mother's generations? Of course you should take opportunities with both hands!

sofarbehind

Samsonite1 wrote: »

How can you feel dejected when you can spend a weekend posting messages on here and reading posts from losers like us (ok me, I do not want to offend anyone else)?

:rotfl: Yes, MSE isn't a bad substitute for a real life social life. I am doing a lot more posting than many people so I must be one of the saddest.:rotfl:


Of course you're right about gender equality. I suppose I just meant I'm glad I wasn't born into my mother's or gran's generation. :eek: I have a lot more options. My gran was in service and I don't think it was like Downton.

Samsonite1

sofarbehind wrote: »

:rotfl: Yes, MSE isn't a bad substitute for a real life social life. I am doing a lot more posting than many people so I must be one of the saddest.:rotfl:


Of course you're right about gender equality. I suppose I just meant I'm glad I wasn't born into my mother's or gran's generation. :eek: I have a lot more options. My gran was in service and I don't think it was like Downton.

Sorry? There is a life in service that is not like Downton? :P