Britain is living through the best time ever

Graham_Devon

lessonlearned wrote: »

Tbh the level of whinging on MSE is beyond belief.

It is the only social media I have ever engaged with, the only site whose forum I visit, So cannot be sure if the views I see expressed are representative of the general population. If they are, then God help us all.

Sometimes I cannot believe what im reading.

I can only assume that the whingers have nothing to compare with and maybe have not read much history nor travelled much beyond the UK.

This part of the forum is one of extremes.

All those suggesting that everything is great will bemoan anything that is done that effects them. That could be a change in the budget (see last budget thread) or a change in policy (see landlord changes from the budget to note all those unhappy with the new policies). A change in child benefit (see recent posts from some on here earning large wages bemoaning the removal of child benefit).

At no point do any of them state "oh, I'm still better off than someone in Syria - I'm so happy".

It's only when those with wealth are doing well do they want to tell everyone else how much better we all are. How others should thank their lucky stars they do not live in Syria. How others are moaning, lazy, taking everything they can from the system.

However, if those same people have to pay more in tax, all their ideals go out of the window and they moan as much as the next person about their lot.

An increase in Capital Gains Tax would have most of those on here suggesting everyone should be content going into meltdown.

JencParker

lessonlearned wrote: »

Tbh the level of whinging on MSE is beyond belief.

It is the only social media I have ever engaged with, the only site whose forum I visit, So cannot be sure if the views I see expressed are representative of the general population. If they are, then God help us all.

Sometimes I cannot believe what im reading.

I can only assume that the whingers have nothing to compare with and maybe have not read much history nor travelled much beyond the UK.

Or maybe the Aussies are right and we are just "Whinging Poms".

For sure sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and blaming everyone is not the way to improve ones situation in life.

And yes I do appreciate that some people may be too sick or disabled to effect any real change. I'm not talking about those in genuine need who cannot help themselves but there does seem to be an awful lot of people who expect the State to pick up the tab for everything.

The last few years were rough for me. My husband got sick, I cared for him, he died last year. I made myself sick looking after him and we were pushed almost to the point of bankruptcy - which is how I came to MSE having seen Martin on the TV.

I fought back, straightened out my finances and am now working hard to get fit and healthy again.

There's nothing special about me, if I can do it anyone can.

When life knocks you down you have two choices.

Stay down and bewail your fate or drag yourself up and fight back.

You stand a better chance in the UK of getting back on your feet with the help of the safety net of the welfare system than you would in the free for all you find in most countries across the rest of the world.

In order to do that you must have been in either a privileged financial position or had help from the state.

JencParker

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Hey Carper, I'm with you on this one. This whole thread is bizzare.

It started off with an article suggesting it's never been better in the UK - based on misinformation (one could state lies, but I'm being kind).

It seems picking up on this misinformation or indeed highlighting that this "never been better" scenario only effects a percentage of the population has led to extreme statements that it's better in the UK than Syria and that everyone who isn't chasing the last 10p isn't doing all they can and is somehow a whinging lazy parasite.

It's a thread of all out extremes, which I suppose is at least apt considering the article in post 1. I don't know why people are even talking about benefits - this thread has nothing to do with them.

Context in this thread has gone out of the window.

Because they have been taken in by the media benefit bashing stories.


“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”

mayonnaise

lessonlearned wrote: »

Tbh the level of whinging on MSE is beyond belief.

It is the only social media I have ever engaged with, the only site whose forum I visit, So cannot be sure if the views I see expressed are representative of the general population. If they are, then God help us all.

Sometimes I cannot believe what im reading.

I can only assume that the whingers have nothing to compare with and maybe have not read much history nor travelled much beyond the UK.

Or maybe the Aussies are right and we are just "Whinging Poms".

For sure sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and blaming everyone is not the way to improve ones situation in life.

And yes I do appreciate that some people may be too sick or disabled to effect any real change. I'm not talking about those in genuine need who cannot help themselves but there does seem to be an awful lot of people who expect the State to pick up the tab for everything.

The last few years were rough for me. My husband got sick, I cared for him, he died last year. I made myself sick looking after him and we were pushed almost to the point of bankruptcy - which is how I came to MSE having seen Martin on the TV.

I fought back, straightened out my finances and am now working hard to get fit and healthy again.

There's nothing special about me, if I can do it anyone can.

When life knocks you down you have two choices.

Stay down and bewail your fate or drag yourself up and fight back.

You stand a better chance in the UK of getting back on your feet with the help of the safety net of the welfare system than you would in the free for all you find in most countries across the rest of the world.

Great post lessonlearned.
Thank You.

ukcarper

lessonlearned wrote: »

RTB must a boon for many, helping them to get started.

The joke is that for many rent will cost far more than mortgage payments.

My sons mortgage is £267 per month. The identical house next door is let out at £550 per month. For most FTB it's the deposit which is the stumbling block not the monthly payments. RTB goes some way in addressing this.

UK Carper - I don't think it's anything to do with Left or Right - it's about unreal expectations.

Not all conservatives are cold hearted capitalists who only want to trample the poor and needy. Not all labourites are selfless Angels.

I do think some - not all - of those on the left are a liittle naive.

The State purse is not bottomless, there has to be a limit on what we can spend on welfare etc.

Yes we could cut back on defence - but that might make us too vulnerable.

Yes we could cut back on oversees aid, but we only spend less than 1 per cent of GDP on it.

We could cut back further on the police budget - dare we risk it.

And so it goes on..... There are no easy answers im afraid.

But to get back to the premise of the thread .........

I genuinely believe that the UK is probably one the best countries in the world in which to live and that those of us that were lucky enough to have been born here hit the jackpot.

To those who are disenchanted and unhappy with your lot then perhaps emigration is the best way forward. I know lots of people who have emigrated, some have benefitted and are very happy in their new homelands, For some it didn't work out and they came back to the UK.

For me, I am happy here. It is the land of my birth and I am proud of my country.

I live been around long enough to know this one of the best places in the world to live and I have no desire to live anywhere else but the theme of this thread is this is best we've ever had it in this country not a comparison with other countries and that is open to debate.

As for what the country can afford and can not afford it's a balancing act between tax spending and where the spending takes place and that is not set in stone. Although I am a Labour supporter at heart I believe the coalition government done a reasonable job but with the restraining hand of the LibDems removed I worry about the direction the Tory government is going.

Graham_Devon

gazter wrote: »

RTB is a success because it takes a household who would most likely always be in social housing, and lets them buy their home. This immediately takes them out of poverty, and it keeps them out of it, permanently.

That's quite an assumption to make.

How does having a mortgage over paying social rent "immediately" take you out of poverty?

ukcarper

Graham_Devon wrote: »

This part of the forum is one of extremes.

All those suggesting that everything is great will bemoan anything that is done that effects them. That could be a change in the budget (see last budget thread) or a change in policy (see landlord changes from the budget to note all those unhappy with the new policies). A change in child benefit (see recent posts from some on here earning large wages bemoaning the removal of child benefit).

At no point do any of them state "oh, I'm still better off than someone in Syria - I'm so happy".

It's only when those with wealth are doing well do they want to tell everyone else how much better we all are. How others should thank their lucky stars they do not live in Syria. How others are moaning, lazy, taking everything they can from the system.

However, if those same people have to pay more in tax, all their ideals go out of the window and they moan as much as the next person about their lot.

An increase in Capital Gains Tax would have most of those on here suggesting everyone should be content going into meltdown.

I think you have something there the people attacking the tube drivers because they strike to protect their very good pay and working conditions are the first to moan and say they will leave country if their tax is increased, don't see a great deal of difference between them.

lessonlearned

We live in Derbyshire where property is still relatiively affordable and where employment prospects are improving.

The East Midlands in general is doing ok at the moment.

ssshhhhh - don't tell everyone or they will all want to move here......:rotfl::rotfl:

House was £93.5k, the original capital sum borrowed around £71k if memories serves. Now around £68. The deposit came from the Bank of Mum.........

When we looked at the borrowing figures we realised that he would get a better deal if the deposit was 20 per cent, so he didn't borrow to the max. I think that at the time the max he could borrow was £73k but don't quote me.

He bought just over 18 months ago, prices have risen slightly in that time but nothing like the South East. Price rises are steady but sustainable.

It's a three bedroom victorian terraced house in an "up and coming" area just on the edge if the city. It needed TLC and we have been steadily working on it and have just about finished.

Fixer uppers in the city and surrounding towns can still be bought for as little as £60k.

It's not all "grim ooop North". There are some lovely cities, pretty villages and of course glorious countryside.

It's not all slag heaps, ex mining deprivation and no jobs. We've moved on from the 80s.....;) no one wears clogs these days ......

The industrial heartlands of the Midlands and the North are alive and well, there is work and property is still affordable.

As you say even with a low mortgage on a £13k salary it is a bit tight, but it is doable. He puts a bit into a pension, and can save a little, runs a small car. He used to spend money like water, and got into debt. But eventually had his LBM and he has straightened himself out by just knuckling down. He doesnt go on fancy holidays or have too many lavish nights out.

He spends most holidays working on the house with just the occasional cheap camping trip, nights out are usually quite frugal affairs.

He learned the concept of delayed gratification and no longer spends more than he earns and is building himself a secure financial future.

CLAPTON

JencParker wrote: »

It's not just the deposit but the salary is insufficient. Funny that it's not insufficient to pay rent though. House prices shot up ever since the banks started taking two full salaries into account and increasing the multiple - when we bought it was three times first salary and half of second salary and that was it. The increase of available borrowing simply meant that people paid higher prices - and those prices have remained but the banks have gone back to the strict salary multiple of before. You have to be working in the City and be part of a couple to buy in the south east now. And yet, as you say, they are paying more for rent than they would for a mortgage.

if higher prices have 'remained' then that means that people are buying them
i.e. that the houses are being afforded.

Graham_Devon

ukcarper wrote: »

I think you have something there the people attacking the tube drivers because they strike to protect their very good pay and working conditions are the first to moan and say they will leave country if their tax is increased, don't see a great deal of difference between them.

It's always the same.

The financial clawback on working based benefits was most telling.

People moaned about others taking benefits - and then they faced losing child benefit / working tax credits themselves and suddenly the very same people attacking people on benefits found themselves moaning about a loss of benefits.

The very same people who suggest others should face up to expenditure and work more, work harder to achieve goals etc suddenly find themselves moaning about a change in landlord taxation. Suddenly things are unfair. They didn't plan for this expenditure. Surely they should be taking their own advice and simply work harder to overcome the hurdle?