Cost Of Living Stuff

[Paigntonian]

Woman teacher, earning £48,000 a year, whinging on BBC News that she can't cope with current energy bills. Is it me?

[tiggerblue10]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62695778

[davebro]

It's not you. There are a lot of folks spending lots of money on what many of us would consider non-necessities. And they want to keep doing that.

[THECORBYLOON]

Do you know her personal circumstances and her finances?

[FatticusInch]

I did wonder what planet Zahawi was on today when I read that even those earning £45,000 will need help with bills.

Is he worried that the Tories might even be losing middle England as they struggle to heat their 4 bedroomed with 2 en-suite properties?

[Paigntonian]

Corbyloon: No.

[barry1010]

A lot of people live up to their means, biggest mortgage they can get, new car on credit or lease. Really her income isn't that great especially if she is a single parent.

[davebro]

Well we know this -
"Francisco Salvatierra, 37, in Cardiff has been a teacher for the last seven years and earns £38,000 teaching Spanish in Caerphilly. He and his wife's joint household income is about £56,000."

Maybe he should be teaching English in Spain?

[Deskdiary]

She may have a thumping great big mortgage, car payments, etc.., so whilst £48k isn’t a bad salary, the fuel costs could very well be a problem for her.

[Paigntonian]

Couldn't give a toss if someone has a big mortgage. Are you saying that someone with a £100,000 annual salary and a huge mortgage has the right to bleat on about how they worry about fuel costs?

[barry1010]

Yes.

[Paigntonian]

Barry: £200,000 a year to stop whinging?

[naomi24]

People live to their means. If she’s paying a big mortgage, high commuting costs, child care, etc., it’s likely she doesn’t have much left at the end of the month so the extra she needs to find for energy bills will hit her as hard as it hits everyone else.

[barry1010]

We all have the right to complain, surely?

[davebro]

"methinks she doth protest too much"

[naomi24]

Paigntonian, most people buy the best house they can afford. It doesn’t follow that someone who has a four bedroom house with two en suites has loads of disposable income. Very often they don’t. Far from it. They struggle to maintain what they have. It’s all relative.

[davebro]

Then they should have planned for an uncertain future shouldn't they! You can't expect that 2% inflation & rock bottom interest rates will last indefinitely (unless you are a moron).

[tiggerblue10]

So she has to save all her life just in case of an uncertain future?

[THECORBYLOON]

DAVEBRO what if she had planned for reasonable changes? Had you planned for the trebling of fuel costs eighteen month ago?

[davebro]

I'm not saying that - but to commit yourself up to hilt in the "good times" and not prepare for a downturn is just silly.

[Deskdiary]

Interest rates were extremely low since 2008 , inflation has been low and who can honestly hold their hands up and say they saw the fuel issue coming.

People don’t enter into mortgages, car finance etc with a mindset that says I’d better not just in case the interest rate goes up and fuel costs increase.