How do young people cope?

[WJ99mobile]

We've recently found out we're expecting our first child and went to look at prams and newborn stuff yesterday.

For the most popular brand it was a staggering £1400 for just a pram and car seat.

Mid terrace 2 bed house for rent in Canton is about £1400/month

Car insurance is about £750 for a 25 year old.

And I know everyone is in the same boat with high costs, but how are young familes (younger than me) supposed to survive these days when they're stuck in entry level jobs?

[BLUETIT]

Re: How do young people cope?

3 bedroom house in Llanishen/Thornhill is about £1000

But I know what you’re saying/ getting at.

[insider]

Re: How do young people cope?

We are living in a cost of greed crisis.
The rich get richer the poor get poorer all driven by shareholder profits.
The biggest example of late is British Gas profits increased 10 fold this year whilst the old and poor can't afford to heat their homes.

[Eric Cartman]

Re: How do young people cope?

We've recently found out we're expecting our first child and went to look at prams and newborn stuff yesterday.

For the most popular brand it was a staggering £1400 for just a pram and car seat.

Mid terrace 2 bed house for rent in Canton is about £1400/month

Car insurance is about £750 for a 25 year old.

And I know everyone is in the same boat with high costs, but how are young familes (younger than me) supposed to survive these days when they're stuck in entry level jobs?

Exactly my thoughts, how are people with families on average wages actually coping? The simple answer is that they aren't and won't. I am a single 37 year old on about the median wage living in a relatively expensive area but with the caveat that I am not able to do my job fully remotely so I couldn't just move to a cheaper area. That means 50% of people working full time earn less than me, many will have young dependants and things are only moving in one direction. These people should have the joy of a young family but instead they have the constant worry that they actually can't afford to pay for basics.

Somehow the establishment have firmly embedded the idea that an above inflation pay rise for working people is pure greed, but criticism of anybody already tremendously wealthy lowering their tax rate is envy. If you extend that a few more decades, the UK resembles something like that scene from Fury Road where Immortal Joe turns on the water.

Something needs to change, I don't know what exactly but when you are looking at an ecosystem where working people are left wondering why they bother, your incentive system is broken. I am not sure I entirely trust the mechanisms used to measure productivity but it wouldn't surprise me if many people are quietly giving up, why try hard when your course is already set for you and it looks so bleak.

I will eventually have a very uncomfortable discussion with work and try to push for working fully remotely and move somewhere I can afford to actually live a healthy/happy life.

I don't see this being fixed by whoever the next government is. The Tories and Lib Dems think it's working well and Labour are scared of their own shadow. We have a Shadow Chancellor whose rhetoric sounds exactly like George Osborne.

Now let's play word bingo. My card reads, 'takeaway coffees', 'netflix subscription' and 'expensive foreign holidays'.

[City123]

Re: How do young people cope?

Exactly my thoughts, how are people with families on average wages actually coping? The simple answer is that they aren't and won't. I am a single 37 year old on about the median wage living in a relatively expensive area but with the caveat that I am not able to do my job fully remotely so I couldn't just move to a cheaper area. That means 50% of people working full time earn less than me, many will have young dependants and things are only moving in one direction. These people should have the joy of a young family but instead they have the constant worry that they actually can't afford to pay for basics.

Somehow the establishment have firmly embedded the idea that an above inflation pay rise for working people is pure greed, but criticism of anybody already tremendously wealthy lowering their tax rate is envy. If you extend that a few more decades, the UK resembles something like that scene from Fury Road where Immortal Joe turns on the water.

Something needs to change, I don't know what exactly but when you are looking at an ecosystem where working people are left wondering why they bother, your incentive system is broken. I am not sure I entirely trust the mechanisms used to measure productivity but it wouldn't surprise me if many people are quietly giving up, why try hard when your course is already set for you and it looks so bleak.

I will eventually have a very uncomfortable discussion with work and try to push for working fully remotely and move somewhere I can afford to actually live a healthy/happy life.

I don't see this being fixed by whoever the next government is. The Tories and Lib Dems think it's working well and Labour are scared of their own shadow. We have a Shadow Chancellor whose rhetoric sounds exactly like George Osborne.

Now let's play word bingo. My card reads, 'takeaway coffees', 'netflix subscription' and 'expensive foreign holidays'.

Don't forget the avocados

[Wales-Bales]

Re: How do young people cope?

You're living through the great shakedown. Outside of the west it's as cheap as chips.

[pipster]

Re: How do young people cope?

We are living in a cost of greed crisis.
The rich get richer the poor get poorer all driven by shareholder profits.
The biggest example of late is British Gas profits increased 10 fold this year whilst the old and poor can't afford to heat their homes.

Shareholders like Pension Funds ? - which provide peoples pensions.
Low interest rates (so savings cant grow), stock market returns have been volatile - so all the money goes into property investments.

If only we had less pensioners.....
ps I remember my Dad having the same conversations when I was leaving school, 'youngsters' being unable to survive etc.

These days it's the bank of Mum & Dad plus facebook market place - not everything has to be a brand new purchase

[NYCBlue]

Re: How do young people cope?

You're living through the great shakedown. Outside of the west it's as cheap as chips.

So emigrate is your answer?

[Wales-Bales]

Re: How do young people cope?

So emigrate is your answer?

Just stating facts, not offering any advice

[NYCBlue]

Re: How do young people cope?

Just stating facts, not offering any advice

Fair enough. It worked for me.

[ninian opinian]

Re: How do young people cope?

Exactly my thoughts, how are people with families on average wages actually coping? The simple answer is that they aren't and won't. I am a single 37 year old on about the median wage living in a relatively expensive area but with the caveat that I am not able to do my job fully remotely so I couldn't just move to a cheaper area. That means 50% of people working full time earn less than me, many will have young dependants and things are only moving in one direction. These people should have the joy of a young family but instead they have the constant worry that they actually can't afford to pay for basics.

Somehow the establishment have firmly embedded the idea that an above inflation pay rise for working people is pure greed, but criticism of anybody already tremendously wealthy lowering their tax rate is envy. If you extend that a few more decades, the UK resembles something like that scene from Fury Road where Immortal Joe turns on the water.

Something needs to change, I don't know what exactly but when you are looking at an ecosystem where working people are left wondering why they bother, your incentive system is broken. I am not sure I entirely trust the mechanisms used to measure productivity but it wouldn't surprise me if many people are quietly giving up, why try hard when your course is already set for you and it looks so bleak.

I will eventually have a very uncomfortable discussion with work and try to push for working fully remotely and move somewhere I can afford to actually live a healthy/happy life.

I don't see this being fixed by whoever the next government is. The Tories and Lib Dems think it's working well and Labour are scared of their own shadow. We have a Shadow Chancellor whose rhetoric sounds exactly like George Osborne.

Now let's play word bingo. My card reads, 'takeaway coffees', 'netflix subscription' and 'expensive foreign holidays'.

I do a lot of walking and bump into the same people most days including a couple who I’d say are in their early forties. Conversation started about the state of blocked drains and questions around why councils no longer clear them and then we moved to talking about the lack of funding for councils. The woman stated that the all the problems in the country started when people insisted on getting the minimum wage, everything was OK before that and cleaners in the NHS are on the same money as doctors I will never understand for the life of me why working class people always blame those at the bottom of the food chain for the state of this country.

[insider]

Re: How do young people cope?

Shareholders like Pension Funds ? - which provide peoples pensions.
Low interest rates (so savings cant grow), stock market returns have been volatile - so all the money goes into property investments.

If only we had less pensioners.....
ps I remember my Dad having the same conversations when I was leaving school, 'youngsters' being unable to survive etc.

These days it's the bank of Mum & Dad plus facebook market place - not everything has to be a brand new purchase

Utilities should be publicly owned or at least governed by strict rules to stop the ridiculous situation we have now vast profits on the 1 side and people on the other side not being able to warm their homes.
But keep going with your capitalist mantra that greed is good.

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: How do young people cope?

Fair enough. It worked for me.

And me. Would never consider moving back even tho Cardiff seems very decent

[blue matt]

Re: How do young people cope?

I remember when I was a apprentice, the guys would warm me that I was doomed, house prices, cost of food and cars, low wages, the list went on and on, the kids today will never make it

that was 35 years ago

[Dembe]

Re: How do young people cope?

I remember when I was a apprentice, the guys would warm me that I was doomed, house prices, cost of food and cars, low wages, the list went on and on, the kids today will never make it

that was 35 years ago

I though we were nailed on to have a classic matt story time (with plenty of points made in brackets) when I saw you were latest to post.

I feel cheated.