How do young people cope?

[Eric Cartman]

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]

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

[ninian opinian]

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.