It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

linz

Living_proof said:

We have a new initiative and an old library has become a community hub with some people running their start up businesses, others repairing upholstery, learning to cook etc. There is a thriving group called Red Tent where women meet up once a month for crafts, a three course dinner and a natter, all welcome. Once a week there is a Knit and Natter during the day and I may be tempted to learn to crochet once my garden is in reasonable shape. JackieO how about a sewing bee for quilting etc?

I wish I lived near some of you people on here - i'd love to meet up and learn skills that I wish my grandparents had taught me (knitting, sewing, making do & mend etc). There may be some sort of skill-share opportunities where you could teach other people those 'forgotten' skills. I certainly wish I had them !

ladyholly

I used to work in the social care,One of those poorly paid, undervalsectors. I have a degree, an Nvq 3 and an additional university diploma in care but was still classed as unskilled because anyone can work in care can't they?

London_1

Entrepreneurs are all very well, as long as your loo doesn't get blocked, or your lights don't fuse, you need folk with expert plumbing ,heating and lighting skills to keep your business going.
Its the ordinary little people that are feeling the pinch this year, the Mums worrying about how to feed and clothe their children ,Dads who are worried sick about their job security. Kids who wonder if its to their advantage to work hard at school and load a lot of debt around their necks from Uni Loans . Older folk who have to choose between heating and eating.

staffie1

ladyholly said:

I used to work in the social care,One of those poorly paid, undervalsectors. I have a degree, an Nvq 3 and an additional university diploma in care but was still classed as unskilled because anyone can work in care can't they?

Trouble is, everyone has a degree these days. They seem to be handed out like sweets. Since qualifications were devalued in this way, your qualifications can’t demand a higher salary in a market where everyone has them, unless you have skills few other people have. There is no morality when it comes to money. It’s about supply and demand when all is said and done.

Spendless

I'm in an area mentioned by Boris as being one of the areas that needs levelling up. He mentioned correctly that we are 1 stop, a 20 minute-ish train ride away from a lot more affluent area. Daughter went to college in that area and has just recently got a job there too. It's also a big tourist area and with the prices that go with it. Daughter quickly learnt that if she forgot to take some water with her from home, then she needed to buy before she boarded the train in her home town and not when she got off it! I told both my kids they to look to make a life away from our town when they were older due to the lack of prospects here.

On another note, DH suggested for tea either a pizza or just a pie/pasty. I vetoed the idea saying he'd be hungry later and sent him out for sausages instead that we've had with mash, baked beans and onions. He is now seeing the point I mentioned on here a few pages back when my Mum upped the 'side dishes' in order to make us more full. I've also persuaded him to leave the cheesecake he bought (and I didn't ask for) till tomorrow for Mother's day. 

ladyholly

Supply and demand doesn't always work.  Social care is grossly understaffed, undervalued and poorly paid.  The demand is there but the supply is lacking and poor pay , poor conditions and a lack of career progression mean people don't want the jobs and care is a job you can only do well if you want to be there. I was the only person I knew in my organisation that had a degree other than senior management. ⁹

OrkneyStar

staffie1 said:

ladyholly said:

I used to work in the social care,One of those poorly paid, undervalsectors. I have a degree, an Nvq 3 and an additional university diploma in care but was still classed as unskilled because anyone can work in care can't they?

Trouble is, everyone has a degree these days. They seem to be handed out like sweets. Since qualifications were devalued in this way, your qualifications can’t demand a higher salary in a market where everyone has them, unless you have skills few other people have. There is no morality when it comes to money. It’s about supply and demand when all is said and done.

I don't think this is true, maybe more people have degrees than they did in the past, and some are more useful than others, but don't assume that people still don't have to work really hard for their degrees (in most cases). I graduated in the 1990s, and then in the early 2000s, I worked extremely hard for my degree and nothing was handed to me! 

Happy_Sloth

ladyholly said:

Supply and demand doesn't always work.  Social care is grossly understaffed, undervalued and poorly paid.  The demand is there but the supply is lacking and poor pay , poor conditions and a lack of career progression mean people don't want the jobs and care is a job you can only do well if you want to be there. I was the only person I knew in my organisation that had a degree other than senior management. 

Supply and demand works in any setting where their is profit.  

The issue with Social Care/NHS and a few other sectors they are public services rather than profitable organizations, they depend on Funding to pay staff not profits.  

They can't pay what they don't have. 

The demand is there... the money to pay the wages that demand would normally dictate.  In a profit driven organization,  they would hire what they need and pay what they need to pay for that resource,  it would simply push profits down or make the product/service they produce more expensive so which would allow them to pass it onto their customers. 

My skills are quite highly sought.. I'm lucky but I'm under no illusions. I get paid a lot of money for what is actually a very simple/easy job. if I'm honest i suspect most people i work with would be honestly shocked, if they knew how much i was paid.

But it's not a well known job, it's overlooked, people don't see my job role as something they should aspire too. Because they don't realize that it's a good/interesting job, where there is a shortage of skills and therefore is very well paid.  

Supply and demand works... but not in the public sector. 

LadyHarriet

OrkneyStar said:

I don't think this is true, maybe more people have degrees than they did in the past, and some are more useful than others, but don't assume that people still don't have to work really hard for their degrees (in most cases). I graduated in the 1990s, and then in the early 2000s, I worked extremely hard for my degree and nothing was handed to me! 

I agree - I studied for my BA(Hons) in English Literature with the Open University from 2012 to 2017 and graduated with a First. I worked very hard for that degree, as did all of those at my Graduation Ceremony and the degrees awarded ranged from the Arts and Humanities, including Languages to branches of the Sciences/STEM subjects. Many of my fellow students studied while raising families, working full time, caring for elderly relatives or children with special needs, or while coping with their own physical challenges. The skills that a student gains from studying for their degree are far more than  just an enhanced knowledge of their chosen subject. 

Wednesday2000

I got an email saying our electric is going up from £79 a month to £182!