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twoot
Oct 29, 2012

'I make £120,000 but I can’t recall the last time we went out for dinner’

quote:

The British economy is looking buoyant. With a growth in GDP of three per cent, UK Plc is once more afloat. But a rising tide should lift all boats – and so far there is little sign of that in the becalmed waters of the Squeezed Middle.

Having previously urged the Chancellor to ease austerity measures or jeopardise growth, the International Monetary Fund has now conceded that the UK will be among the best performing of the world’s largest economies.

George Osborne is chipper, but for the Squeezed Middle, who are struggling to keep their proverbial heads above water financially, the mood is far from optimistic.

This week we learn that a fifth of families are moving to bigger houses rather than downsizing when their children fly the nest – because parents fear their fledglings will boomerang straight back when they can’t afford homes of their own. And a warning has been sounded by Halifax, Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, that parents are placing their pensions at risk in order to help their adult offspring clamber on to the property ladder, as a typical deposit now stands at £31,000. It might be manageable for one child, but for two or more, the costs could be crippling.

“The growing expectation from first-time buyers that parents will fund the purchase of their home puts parents in a difficult position,” says Halifax spokesman Craig McKinlay, who described the survey results as “surprisingly bleak”.

“More parents are dipping into their savings and don’t envisage it being repaid, compromising their retirement funds. Parents have to balance generosity to their children against self-preservation.”

According to consumer analysts, the most affluent shoppers have remained relatively unaffected by the downturn; the poorest are used to working to a budget. It is those in the middle that have seen the most painful drop in disposable income over the past five years.

Thus, with profits falling at Tesco, dubbed by one retail expert as the “canary in the coalmine” for the Squeezed Middle, the company announced this week that is creating discounted “pound zones” in order to go head-to-head with Poundland. Sainsbury’s sales have dropped off for the first time in nine years. And although Waitrose enjoys growth due to its affluent customer base, it is Aldi and Lidl whose profits and market share are really on the up (and up), thanks to an influx of economising middle-class customers.

“People in the middle don’t have anything like as much money to play with as they did back in the boom years,” says Matthew Piner, research director at retail analysts Conlumino. “Their disposable income has been so eroded by slow or no wage growth and rising bills that they are spending much less freely.”

The collective mood plays a big role in national confidence and because of spending cuts and talk of ongoing austerity, people are generally a lot more worried about the future than they were 10 or even five years ago. “That more cautious mentality means people want to put more money aside, but as the British economy still remains over-reliant on consumer spending, every pound tucked away is one less pound circulating in the economy.

“It’s all very well for politicians to target economic recovery, measured in terms of GDP, but if people aren’t feeling any better off then perhaps we need to find a different way to quantify 'success’,” says Piner. “Asked if they would rather have three per cent GDP growth or a bit more money in their pocket, it’s not hard to guess what most people will say.”

The middle-class pillars of self-reliance, saving for the future and investing in their children may be shaking precariously, but they have not crumbled away entirely. A survey by Nutmeg, an online savings and investment management service aimed at professionals, recently revealed that around 72 per cent of UK adults across the socio-economic spectrum have had to cut back every day expenditure due to the rising cost of their monthly bills. Yet they continue to focus on the future.

"The past few years, since the 2008 credit crisis, have been extremely difficult and the squeezed middle have certainly suffered, along with others – the younger generation, in particular,” is the verdict of Nutmeg chief executive and co-founder, Nick Hungerford.

Education remains a cornerstone, although in the light of the protracted belt-tightening, independent schools are offering greater support in the form of scholarships and bursaries. According to the Independent Schools Council, over a third of pupils at its 1,250 member schools receive help with fees.

Even in the face of difficult economic conditions, and average term fees of £5,000, rising to £9,600 for boarding, total pupil numbers have risen rather than fallen over the past year, in marked contrast to the beginning of the recession when there was an abrupt drop. It illustrates that no matter how hard-pressed the middle feels, on some issues there will be no compromise.

“I recently heard a parent say, 'You can tell the middle-class parents, because they will go to almost any lengths to send their child to an independent school’,” says Janette Wallis of The Good Schools Guide. “There is a spirit that even where they can’t afford school fees, they will use what resources they have to move house to be in the catchment area of a good state school or pay for tutoring for the 11-plus.”

Claims last week that children from poorer backgrounds are to be given priority at a great many grammars comes as yet another setback. But it is one the Squeezed Middle will, as is their wont, find a way to cope with.

“The squeeze has really hit me and my family. Even though we have a reasonable income we have had to economise, swapping Ocado deliveries for trips to Tesco, never changing our cars or going on city breaks. I can’t remember the last time we went out for dinner,” says Guy Jackson, 53, a financial compliance officer in the City, who lives in Farnham, Surrey, with his wife, Sharon, 50, and their sons Tom, aged 17, and Harry, 16.

Much of Jackson’s £120,000 basic salary – which is at the upper end of the Squeezed Middle – goes on his sons’ school fees. The boys attend Lord Wandsworth College, the independent day and boarding school that counts rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson among its alumni.

“The boys are flexi-boarders, so they stay at school on various nights of the week,” says Jackson. “Annually it’s costing £45,000 after tax, which is a considerable outlay, but I’m happy to pay because I want them to have the best start.”

With the prospect looming of university with fees of up to £9,000 a year, he has some tough decisions to make. “I have a £350,000 mortgage that I have to start paying off if I want to retire when I’m 65, so the boys will have to get loans,” he says. “I also worry about whether they will ever manage to get onto the property ladder and will do all I can to help – but by the same token, I don’t want to become a cash cow. The truth is, I can’t afford to keep on supporting them.”

Jackson’s tone is matter-of-fact. Like the rest of the Squeezed Middle, he is keenly aware that his situation evokes little sympathy. “I know if I were to have a conversation with someone on a council estate, they would think I was mad,” says Jackson, wryly. But the trickle-down economics central to wealth creation is only effective if benefits accrue to every stratum of society. And the more the finances of people like Jackson are constricted, the less they spend on goods and services. The less they spend, the more providers of goods and services will suffer.

“But with taxation at its current levels and the rising cost of essentials, it is quite difficult for people like me to maintain our standard of living in the current climate, and that is a worry.”

• For ideas on paying less tax, saving money and growing your wealth, receive our weekly money newsletter. Click here and enter your email

:psypop:

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Rude Dude With Tude
Apr 19, 2007

Your President approves this text.
:qq: :siren: DELICIOUS TEARS ALERT :siren: :qq:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/10812086/I-make-120000-but-I-cant-recall-the-last-time-we-went-out-for-dinner.html

The Telegraph posted:

E: OH FOR FUCKS SAKE TWOOT
For ideas on paying less tax, saving money and growing your wealth, receive our weekly money newsletter. Click here and enter your email
I mean the top bit of the article (which I didn't bother quoting) so nearly goes in the right direction just that madness at the end.

Also the future is a boot stamping on James Delingpole's face forever. A glorious future.

Spangly A
May 14, 2009

God help you if ever you're caught on these shores

A man's ambition must indeed be small
To write his name upon a shithouse wall

tentish klown posted:

Yeah so gently caress the Spectator and James Delingpole



James Delingpole doesn't know the usage nor context of words he writes. Film at 11.

Barry Foster posted:

Also, looks like the Skull Cracker's robbed a Chelsea Building Society down my road. Exciting stuff. Lotta cop choppers about.

I am pretty pissy about the whole thing because the tories have already started to jump on the "throw away the key" bandwagon and it seems to be going well for them.

Seaside Loafer
Feb 7, 2012

Waiting for a train, I needed a shit. You won't bee-lieve what happened next

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27305266

Question, if you were nearly 60 and faced with rest of life in nick, wouldnt you leg it if given the chance?

McDragon
Sep 11, 2007

Skull Cracker makes him sound like a loving comic book villain. I just can't take the name seriously. Apparently they got him though.

Spangly A
May 14, 2009

God help you if ever you're caught on these shores

A man's ambition must indeed be small
To write his name upon a shithouse wall

Seaside Loafer posted:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27305266

Question, if you were nearly 60 and faced with rest of life in nick, wouldnt you leg it if given the chance?

He was being primed for release, that was why he was in an open prison and allowed day-release in the first place.

Oh dear me
Aug 14, 2012

I have burned numerous saucepans, sometimes right through the metal
My GP when I lived in Bristol had the best system of all: no appointments, just turn up and wait your turn. Sometimes you'd have to wait a long time, but never as long as in hospital, and it meant you could always see a doctor on the day, rather than having to wait days for an empty slot.

Strom Cuzewon
Jul 1, 2010


I've prepared an eloquent response:

LemonDrizzle
Mar 28, 2012

neoliberal shithead
Labour made a thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1BaQkH_q2s

It's... well, it's a thing. Almost on par with the BNP's thing.

Rude Dude With Tude
Apr 19, 2007

Your President approves this text.


Why are they calling for Boris to go on strike? I mean I'd love if he hosed off for let's say the next two years, but it seems very unlike the Sextator to call for that sort of thing considering he used to be their dear leader.

Zephro
Nov 23, 2000

I suppose I could part with one and still be feared...
lol at his £350,000 mortgage for a family home in Farnham. That would buy you a two-bed flat somewhere in Zone 2 if you took it out these days. How are his kids gonna manage when they need to find half a million quid for their first flat?

Seaside Loafer
Feb 7, 2012

Waiting for a train, I needed a shit. You won't bee-lieve what happened next

LemonDrizzle posted:

Labour made a thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1BaQkH_q2s

It's... well, it's a thing. Almost on par with the BNP's thing.
Is that actualy official? Im all for political parties making comedy videos ... actually no im not ... gently caress me im confused and cant finish this post, sorry.

ThomasPaine
Feb 4, 2009

We have no compassion and we ask no compassion from you. When our turn comes, we shall not make excuses for the terror.

Seaside Loafer posted:

Is that actualy official? Im all for political parties making comedy videos ... actually no im not ... gently caress me im confused and cant finish this post, sorry.

It was actually vaguely well done but I'm not sure

petrol blue
Feb 9, 2013

sugar and spice
and
ethanol slammers
It's like they've had comedy described to them, but don't actually know what it is.

HortonNash
Oct 10, 2012

ThomasPaine posted:

It was actually vaguely well done but I'm not sure

I thought it was very reminiscent of "The Now Show".

Zephro
Nov 23, 2000

I suppose I could part with one and still be feared...

HortonNash posted:

I thought it was very reminiscent of "The Now Show".

petrol blue posted:

It's like they've had comedy described to them, but don't actually know what it is.

PoshAlligator
Jan 9, 2012

When SEO just isn't enough.

Oh dear me posted:

My GP when I lived in Bristol had the best system of all: no appointments, just turn up and wait your turn. Sometimes you'd have to wait a long time, but never as long as in hospital, and it meant you could always see a doctor on the day, rather than having to wait days for an empty slot.

Can you give me some more information on this? I'm in Bristol.

Seaside Loafer
Feb 7, 2012

Waiting for a train, I needed a shit. You won't bee-lieve what happened next

ThomasPaine posted:

It was actually vaguely well done but I'm not sure
Ok hows this. It was very well done and produced, got the points across just about, but wasn't at all funny, would that sum it up accurately?

SybilVimes
Oct 29, 2011

PoshAlligator posted:

Can you give me some more information on this? I'm in Bristol.

Don't most surgeries have 'Open Surgery' at some point? Ours does, but the problem is it means sitting there for 2-3 hours, and even sitting there 10 minutes for an appointment with my compromised immune system pretty much guarantees I'll come down with something the next day.

e: also, things that are forbidden from open-surgery:

diabetic clinic
prescription renewal/review


which tend to be the two things I go there for the most

SybilVimes fucked around with this message at 17:02 on May 7, 2014

winegums
Dec 21, 2012


Seaside Loafer posted:

Ok hows this. It was very well done and produced, got the points across just about, but wasn't at all funny, would that sum it up accurately?

I chuckled a few times. Not side splitting, but I think they captured the idea of the Tories sitting around a table saying "how can we be bigger bastards?" quite well.

Oh dear me
Aug 14, 2012

I have burned numerous saucepans, sometimes right through the metal

PoshAlligator posted:

Can you give me some more information on this? I'm in Bristol.

I went to Whiteladies Health Centre.

Seaside Loafer
Feb 7, 2012

Waiting for a train, I needed a shit. You won't bee-lieve what happened next

winegums posted:

I chuckled a few times. Not side splitting, but I think they captured the idea of the Tories sitting around a table saying "how can we be bigger bastards?" quite well.
Hah well I lol at 8 of 10 cats and the big bang theory so im not really a good judge of funny :)

Wistful of Dollars
Aug 25, 2009

Seaside Loafer posted:

Hah well I lol at 8 of 10 cats and the big bang theory so im not really a good judge of funny :)

You find humour in the misery of existence? You're not suitable for this thread. :getout:

Jakabite
Jul 31, 2010

Seaside Loafer posted:

Hah well I lol at 8 of 10 cats and the big bang theory so im not really a good judge of funny :)

Don't worry, you made the funniest UKMT post ever, you can judge comedy all you like.

Thrasophius
Oct 27, 2013

baka kaba posted:

Not only do they have private healthcare, many of them own private healthcare companies, or at least have financial and business links to them.

This is the thing, those 'bad decisions' are actually good decisions if your interests are aligned with the erosion of the NHS, and replacing as much of it as possible with private providers. It's not incompetence at work here, there's a concerted effort to roll back all of the effort building a public, state healthcare institution, just like with privatising everything else in the name of small government and private-sector efficiency.

You can give the benefit of the doubt and say that people truly do believe the free market will make things better, in the face of all historical evidence to the contrary - and some will, even if many others stand to directly profit from it. But either way, the common thread is that they're both pushing for this to happen. They want the NHS dismantled and replaced. There's a lot that could be done better in the NHS as it is, but cutting funding and vaguely saying 'better find some way to make that money stretch further' is not safeguarding and improving the NHS by any measure - it's starving the beast, until the day they look sad and say 'looks like we've gotta put it down :('

Yeh it is sickening to see it being dismantle piecemeal, and bar protesting there doesn't seem to be much people can do.

Which brings me to a point on privatization. How do people feel about Miliband with him hoping to re-acquire railways etc?

Answers Me
Apr 24, 2012

LemonDrizzle posted:

Labour made a thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1BaQkH_q2s

It's... well, it's a thing. Almost on par with the BNP's thing.

This is so terrible, i wish parties wouldn't so this poo poo. I was thinking voting Green but since I've seen this I might have second thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDsV8YumePk


In other news, I had Tory and Lib Dem leaflets addressed specifically to me the other day. Is my address freely available for political parties to spam?

Drone_Fragger
May 9, 2007


Hahaha, holy gently caress, that telegraph article. Those stuck up shits spend more than I make in a loving year sending their kids to loving boarding school than I make in a loving year of design work and they have the loving nerve to state they're having problems making ends meet? It's people like this that make me realise that Britain is hosed. The people who do the actual jobs that require effort or skill get paid gently caress all and the guys at the top just juggle money while leeching off workers and get millions for doing it. Burn the rich, Jesus Christ.

kingturnip
Apr 18, 2008

SybilVimes posted:

Don't most surgeries have 'Open Surgery' at some point? Ours does, but the problem is it means sitting there for 2-3 hours

When I worked in a GP practice, one guy came in (with what seemed like a cold) and after waiting ~45 minutes, got his phone and started loudly asking Directory Enquiries for the details of some private GPs and then explaining why.
I found the whole thing so amusing I let him keep it up for 10 minutes before I told him to hang up or go outside.

Kegluneq
Feb 18, 2011

Mr President, the physical reality of Prime Minister Corbyn is beyond your range of apprehension. If you'll just put on these PINKOVISION glasses...

Answers Me posted:

In other news, I had Tory and Lib Dem leaflets addressed specifically to me the other day. Is my address freely available for political parties to spam?
Apparently so - we had a personally addressed BNP leaflet yesterday after all, inside a personally addressed Tory leaflet. Both show information on the address from our electoral roll numbers.

Zephro
Nov 23, 2000

I suppose I could part with one and still be feared...
The electoral roll is open to anyone to look at.

https://www.gov.uk/electoral-register

quote:

Who can use your details?

The electoral register comes in 2 versions:

the ‘full register’ - used only for elections, preventing and detecting crime, and checking applications for loans or credit
the ‘edited register’ - available for general sale and can be used by anyone for any purpose

Your name and address will automatically appear on the full register. You can choose to appear on the edited register when you register to vote.

Answers Me
Apr 24, 2012

twoot posted:

'I make £120,000 but I can’t recall the last time we went out for dinner’

quote:

I know if I were to have a conversation with someone on a council estate, they would think I was mad,



loving hell, there's so much entrenched class prejudice wrapped up in just that one little statement it's unreal.

Touchdown Boy
Apr 1, 2007

I saw my friend there out on the field today, I asked him where he's going, he said "All the way."
That attitude extends down to people I know who are on 40k a year etc. I mean its almost as if no one thinks they earn enough and always find a way to spend it on something. There is probably a solution other than putting these sorts of people up against a wall, but Ill be damned if I can think of it right now. He doesnt get to eat out? His kids education costs more than some households earnings combined? What hardship!

For anyone who cant tell, 120k is an awful lot of money. If you spend it all and want more I dont think you have any right to complain, especially when you try to use it to justify tax cuts for yourself at the expense of people who really do have it tough.

Scikar
Nov 20, 2005

5? Seriously?

Oh dear me posted:

My GP when I lived in Bristol had the best system of all: no appointments, just turn up and wait your turn. Sometimes you'd have to wait a long time, but never as long as in hospital, and it meant you could always see a doctor on the day, rather than having to wait days for an empty slot.

This is what my current GP does and so did my GP when I was at uni. The current one is a bit broken though. They run something like 7.30am to 10am each day and you'll always be seen as long as you turn up within that time. At first 7.30am sounds good because you can see the GP and still be on time for work if you're lucky. In practice you still need time off though because for some reason every single day there are pensioners queueing outside the door at 7.30am even though they are all seen by 9.30. Whether you turn up at 7.30 or 9.30 you'll be seen at 9.45 regardless. They put up a bunch of signs to try to stop the queue forming at 7am and added a 4pm - 6pm window on Mondays to try to help but now they've given up and let people make appointments again.

Jedit
Dec 10, 2011

Proudly supporting vanilla legends 1994-2014

Great Political Trolls of the 21st Century
Number 17 in a series of 200

Pistol_Pete
Sep 15, 2007

Oven Wrangler

I read that headline and immediately knew it was a Telegraph article. That paper particularly specializes in tear-jerking articles about how beaten down and misunderstood very rich people actually are.

On the subject of the Spectator: it's a reactionary magazine specifically aimed at well-off, elderly, upper-middle and upper class people; the articles it prints naturally follow on from that. They DO print more thoughtful pieces too, for example this:

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/05/why-does-the-tory-party-have-a-problem-with-ethnic-minority-voters-because-it-deserves-to/

And this:

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/05/labour-market-flexibility-and-dignity/

(note: read the comments accompanying these articles to be suitably reassured that the Conservatives are going to lose the next election.)

Scikar
Nov 20, 2005

5? Seriously?

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted:

:qq: :siren: DELICIOUS TEARS ALERT :siren: :qq:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/10812086/I-make-120000-but-I-cant-recall-the-last-time-we-went-out-for-dinner.html

I mean the top bit of the article (which I didn't bother quoting) so nearly goes in the right direction just that madness at the end.

Also the future is a boot stamping on James Delingpole's face forever. A glorious future.

Something weird going on with that article, they've deleted all the comments but people are now posting on the previous one stuff like this:

quote:

They had a load of comments including mine saying the FCA Registers showed that he was "Inactive" as of 30/04/14. And that he was involved in a deauthorised firm previously.

The FS sector is like a revolving door.

Apparently this is the guy in the article: https://www.fsa.gov.uk/register/indivHistory.do?sid=349533

He is inactive as of end of last month, his most recent listed firm is "not authorised to hold client money", (is that some kind of penalty or standard for some types of firms?) and the firm before that is no longer authorised.

At least most of the comments on there are agreeing that someone who can't make ends meet on 120k is certainly more stupid than suffering, but the most popular solution is massive cuts in government spending followed by tax cuts. :ughh:

Trickjaw
Jun 23, 2005
Nadie puede dar lo que no tiene



Scikar posted:

Something weird going on with that article, they've deleted all the comments but people are now posting on the previous one stuff like this:


Apparently this is the guy in the article: https://www.fsa.gov.uk/register/indivHistory.do?sid=349533

He is inactive as of end of last month, his most recent listed firm is "not authorised to hold client money", (is that some kind of penalty or standard for some types of firms?) and the firm before that is no longer authorised.

At least most of the comments on there are agreeing that someone who can't make ends meet on 120k is certainly more stupid than suffering, but the most popular solution is massive cuts in government spending followed by tax cuts. :ughh:

Client money is like if you give a solicitor a deposit on the house your buying, and it goes into a specific account for that purpose alone (i.e not able to skim interest off). It just means he has no provison for accepting funds to pass on to another party. Its also an anti-money laundering technique

SybilVimes
Oct 29, 2011
Facebook is awash with racist fucks that are apparently INCREDIBLY ANGRY about the news that Pizza Express uses halal chicken, but wait, they're not racist, they're just concerned about the poor chickens being killed inhumanely. Some of them are so incensed at this inhumane killing that they're planning on stabbing pigs to death on PE's doorsteps :shrug:

Deptfordx
Dec 23, 2013

Umiapik posted:

I read that headline and immediately knew it was a Telegraph article. That paper particularly specializes in tear-jerking articles about how beaten down and misunderstood very rich people actually are.



I also stumbled across this today, about Thomas Pikettys Capital in the 21st Century.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jeremywarner/100027209/cant-be-bothered-to-read-piketty-heres-a-cheats-guide/

Article admits no one (and you can believe they've looked) can find flaws in his methodology or data but still

Quote:

"So do we just have to accept that Piketty is right?" -

" - Not at all. He is completely wrong".

So why do the collected intellectual titans of the Telegraph conclude this in defiance of what they themselves were forced to admit is the evidence?

Because poor people today have fridges and televisions unlike they're 19th century equivalent, so obviously vast inequalites just don't matter. Also the dirty Frog is allegedly a wife beater.

Hurrah! And Capitalism was saved! Bonuses for everyone, by which we only mean bonuses for bankers, zero-hour contracts for everyone else.

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Thrasophius
Oct 27, 2013

Kegluneq posted:

Apparently so - we had a personally addressed BNP leaflet yesterday after all, inside a personally addressed Tory leaflet. Both show information on the address from our electoral roll numbers.

The other parties must not like me. The only leaflet I've had was from UKIP.

Since they are the only party who care enough for my vote I'll vote for them :v:


SybilVimes posted:

Facebook is awash with racist fucks that are apparently INCREDIBLY ANGRY about the news that Pizza Express uses halal chicken, but wait, they're not racist, they're just concerned about the poor chickens being killed inhumanely. Some of them are so incensed at this inhumane killing that they're planning on stabbing pigs to death on PE's doorsteps :shrug:

Wait I thought halal meat was just when the animal was killed in the name of Allah? So killing a chicken in the exact same way you normally do but saying Allah a few times is inhumane? I seriously wonder what is going through the minds of these people.

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