UK Affordability still very good

Graham_Devon

ukcarper wrote: »

I agree and in areas where you can as you say to rent a room would cost less so he could save more. But what I've have always said if you earn enough to get mortgage you can save. Yes prices in large parts of country are to high for the majority to buy and I sympathise with people it those areas what I don't accept that if you earn enough to get mortgage it's impossible to save.

Good, because no one is actually saying that.

All people are pointing out is that it's extremely difficult to save at the rate of knots you appear to be describing as perfectly do-able.

I keep saying it, but please look at reality instead of just typing mere assumptions. Take a look at SOAs ont he debt board... theres a wealth of information on real living costs from real people all with different living circumstances.

The problem is, ignoring the debt, none of them come close to the assumptions that are used here....and more to the point, none of the advice on those SOAs for people with debt problems suggest people can save anything even close to the figures you are happily banging out.

There is a reason for all the above....and it's called reality.....best thing is that three clicks from reading this post, you'll be presented with all the living costs you can possibly imagine. Find me a single one which relates to your figures and I'll bow to you Sir.

ukcarper

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Carper, the choice shouldn't be "save for a pension or save for a house".

If that's the choice, you are making our point for us.

If you can't afford to save for a pension, it would suggest housing is pretty unaffordable, or at best, extremely expensive.

Sure, talk about the coffee's, the holidays if you must (but don't pretend every holiday costs 5k), but to start talking about forgoing a pension to afford a house? Too far IMHO and just conveys our point beautifully.

And stop framing everything as "a couple of years". It's not and we both know it's not. That;s based solely on your sums which ignore every hint of realism.

I mean, seriously, £375 per month to pay all your bills, food, clothing, car / travel expenses, insurance, phone and still have money for life's unknown such as needing to replace a broken laptop? Come on, get a grip. What next? People should steal shoes from a shoe collection bin?

What on earth do you expect these people to wear to work? Shoes, shirts, trousers from the clothing fairy? Or are people required to be in jobs where the uniform is handed to them now too?

It's £475 a month or £425 or £440 depending on student loan if they have one. Rooms normally include all bills so it's just food, travel and a mobile phone.

ukcarper

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Good, because no one is actually saying that.

All people are pointing out is that it's extremely difficult to save at the rate of knots you appear to be describing as perfectly do-able.

I keep saying it, but please look at reality instead of just typing mere assumptions. Take a look at SOAs ont he debt board... theres a wealth of information on real living costs from real people all with different living circumstances.

The problem is, ignoring the debt, none of them come close to the assumptions that are used here....and more to the point, none of the advice on those SOAs for people with debt problems suggest people can save anything even close to the figures you are happily banging out.

There is a reason for all the above....and it's called reality.....best thing is that three clicks from reading this post, you'll be presented with all the living costs you can possibly imagine. Find me a single one which relates to your figures and I'll bow to you Sir.

My total income is less than £1750 my council tax and utilities are about £350, I still can save have a fairly active life and run a car.


Remember his take home pay is £1250 after rent as the £975 after £275 he was already saving.

Windofchange

ukcarper wrote: »

It's £475 a month or £425 or £440 depending on student loan if they have one. Rooms normally include all bills so it's just food, travel and a mobile phone.

And you have the Hamptons article which although may not be an exact science probably does a more scientific job at estimating these things than sticking a finger in the air and claiming after a couple of years someone can save 20k or whatever the figure is now.

Saying it's just food, travel and a mobile phone just highlights how silly you are being to prove a point.

ukcarper

Windofchange wrote: »

And you have the Hamptons article which although may not be an exact science probably does a more scientific job at estimating these things than sticking a finger in the air and claiming after a couple of years someone can save 20k or whatever the figure is now.

Saying it's just food, travel and a mobile phone just highlights how silly you are being to prove a point.

I get the impression none of you have ever had to live on a low income. What else is there come on tell me, that person has £1250 after rent which will include bills and you are saying he can't save £500 a month. I actually have less than £1250 a month coming in after my council tax lest alone other utility bills and I manage to have a reasonable life.

Windofchange

ukcarper wrote: »

I get the impression none of you have ever had to live on a low income. What else is there come on tell me, that person has £1250 after rent which will include bills and you are saying he can't save £500 a month. I actually have less than £1250 a month coming in after my council tax lest alone other utility bills and I manage to have a reasonable life.

No doubt in a house that has been long brought and paid for, no children (young ones), no mortgage / rent, very few unexpected bills, no desire to go to a nightclub a few weekends a month, no student loan to repay etc etc. Take away my mortgage and travel costs alongside my final credit card debt as a start and I could live quite happily on a grand a month in central London.

I haven't ever had to live on a low income no. My parents supported me through uni, and I have been very fortunate in life. Doesn't mean I can't point out as others have done that life is pretty expensive for the younger generations today.

ukcarper

Windofchange wrote: »

No doubt in a house that has been long brought and paid for, no children (young ones), no mortgage / rent, very few unexpected bills, no desire to go to a nightclub a few weekends a month, no student loan to repay etc etc. Take away my mortgage and travel costs alongside my final credit card debt as a start and I could live quite happily on a grand a month in central London.

I haven't ever had to live on a low income no. My parents supported me through uni, and I have been very fortunate in life. Doesn't mean I can't point out as others have done that life is pretty expensive for the younger generations today.

But it's for a couple of years he would have more disposable income that I have now. I don't live like a monk I have a couple of holidays in UK spend money on hobbies and still have money over.

If you were arguing prices are to high in many areas and it much harder for people wanting to buy in those areas as they don't earn enough to get mortgage I'd agree with you. Perhaps that's the difference between my generation and yours we were bough up with next to nothing so don't find it impossible to go without some of the trimmings now if we have to.

economic

Windofchange wrote: »

No doubt in a house that has been long brought and paid for, no children (young ones), no mortgage / rent, very few unexpected bills, no desire to go to a nightclub a few weekends a month, no student loan to repay etc etc. Take away my mortgage and travel costs alongside my final credit card debt as a start and I could live quite happily on a grand a month in central London.

I haven't ever had to live on a low income no. My parents supported me through uni, and I have been very fortunate in life. Doesn't mean I can't point out as others have done that life is pretty expensive for the younger generations today.

if you have 1250 coming in after rent and bills are paid for and you cant save £500 a month, then you are really stupid or you simply have no desire to save which means its your own fault you cant afford to buy a property.

Windofchange

ukcarper wrote: »

But it's for a couple of years he would have more disposable income that I have now. I don't live like a monk I have a couple of holidays in UK spend money on hobbies and still have money over.

If you were arguing prices are to high in many areas and it much harder for people wanting to buy in those areas as they don't earn enough to get mortgage I'd agree with you. Perhaps that's the difference between my generation and yours we were bough up with next to nothing so don't find it impossible to go without some of the trimmings now if we have to.

There has definitely been a shift between generations. I agree there is now more of an I want it now attitude as opposed to back in the day when you saved for things. It is what it is though. I think the older generation have always had a bit of a back in my day sort of attitude. Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

The world changes and there are new problems. Your 21 year old today has both a world of opportunity that his parents never had but also a world of uncertainty.

ukcarper

Windofchange wrote: »

There has definitely been a shift between generations. I agree there is now more of an I want it now attitude as opposed to back in the day when you saved for things. It is what it is though. I think the older generation have always had a bit of a back in my day sort of attitude. Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

The world changes and there are new problems. Your 21 year old today has both a world of opportunity that his parents never had but also a world of uncertainty.

I agree young people face many problems that not say say we didn't just that the problems are different. But the ability to save was no better in the 70s than it is now and I don't accept that is harder to save now than it was then, people might find it harder but that's because of thier attitude.