the economy.

[I'm With Stupid]

As my Dad tells me - these kids don't know poor - They should have seen Collyhurst in 1946 and then they would know poor.

Its all relative. We didn't have an house phone until I was 10 and now all the kids have nike trainers and brand new I phones. I didn't go abroad until I was 15 most kids now go every summer. Very few families had 2 cars now it is the norm. People seem to have more money to me than they did 20 years ago.

Not really. It's just that these things aren't expensive nowadays. I went to Butlins when I was a kid, because that's all my parents could afford. I just looked on their website and they want £300 per person for a week's holiday, and you have to get there yourself. For that money you can easily go abroad and your spending money will go alot further too. If you go to the developing world, you'll notice that most people have a flat screen TV, smart phone, washing machine, etc. It doesn't mean they are better off than you were when you were a kid, just that these things are cheap enough to be fairly standard nowadays.

But technology is rarely a good measure because it constantly gets cheaper and is such a small amount of what we spend in reality (a £500 TV that lasts you 5 years represents less than £2 a week of your expenditure). What you've got to look at is what percentage of income going on the big things, like how much of the average salary gets spent on transport, or housing, or energy bills. I think in most cases, these things have gone up far more quickly than wages. The average house price is now 8.8 times the average salary compared to just 3.2 times in 1995. In some areas, it's much more than that. Renters pay an average of 47% of their income on rent, and amongst 16-24 year olds, this rises to 81% even after benefits are included. Transport accounted for 14% of the average household spending in 2014, compared to 13% the previous year. I can't find longer-term data, but it wouldn't surprise me if it had increased given the cost of trains and the number of people living further from their workplace (often because of being priced out on housing).

There's also the issue of debt. People often get into large amounts of debt to have the latest stuff. Pretty much everyone with a brand new iPhone has bought it on contract, so is technically in debt on it. As for branded trainers, well I always had them when I was growing up, but they all came from outlet stores.

 

[remember arthur mann]

As my Dad tells me - these kids don't know poor - They should have seen Collyhurst in 1946 and then they would know poor.

Its all relative. We didn't have an house phone until I was 10 and now all the kids have nike trainers and brand new I phones. I didn't go abroad until I was 15 most kids now go every summer. Very few families had 2 cars now it is the norm. People seem to have more money to me than they did 20 years ago.

 

[jacko74]

far fetched again. I have never thought or indeed posted anything towards this comment.

So you're of the opinion that the economy is booming and everyone is spending lots of money, you disagree with me that all this money being spent is as a result of debt, yet you accept that there isn't a wealth of secure well paid jobs out there?

Just where is all this money coming from then in your opinion?

 

[Len Rum]

Hey guess what, just before his autumn statement Phil Hammond has noticed the nation has 'eye watering debt' (just shy of £1.8 trillion).
We could have told you that Phil. If your predecessor Gideon the so called austerity chancellor had done his job and achieved a surplus by 2015 it would have been 'only' 1.3 trillion.
The Tories have been in power for six and a half years now so this has to be down to your lot surely?
But what's that I hear you say - it's all the fault of the previous labour government!
Now hang on a minute.........
Sorry, sorry , just realized.
Post truth 2016.
Rant over.

 

[Hamann Pineapple]

Not really. It's just that these things aren't expensive nowadays. I went to Butlins when I was a kid, because that's all my parents could afford.

Butlins !!!! Posh twat !!!

 

[asgoodasitgets]

So, out of interest, what was the debt when Bliar left his post?
Don't all cabinets blame the previous incumbents ?
Plus, how many nations are there that don't have a debt? Not looking for an internet fight, just genuinely interested in the Top Trumps for Lying Bastards that always seems to permeate politics.

 

[aguero93:20]

Plus, how many nations are there that don't have a debt?

Sealand?

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Hey guess what, just before his autumn statement Phil Hammond has noticed the nation has 'eye watering debt' (just shy of £1.8 trillion).
We could have told you that Phil. If your predecessor Gideon the so called austerity chancellor had done his job and achieved a surplus by 2015 it would have been 'only' 1.3 trillion.
The Tories have been in power for six and a half years now so this has to be down to your lot surely?
But what's that I hear you say - it's all the fault of the previous labour government!
Now hang on a minute.........
Sorry, sorry , just realized.
Post truth 2016.
Rant over.

This is one of the most regular mantras whined for years on end by an incoming government. Why from Day One do they not state that they are responsible for everything that happens, and if it is something that previous Government instigated CHANGE IT now you have executive power. Much easier to be negative!

 

[Len Rum]

So, out of interest, what was the debt when Bliar left his post?
Don't all cabinets blame the previous incumbents ?
Plus, how many nations are there that don't have a debt? Not looking for an internet fight, just genuinely interested in the Top Trumps for Lying Bastards that always seems to permeate politics.

It was about 500 billion when Blair resigned as PM compared to 1.8 trillion now.
Yes cabinets do blame previous incumbents, definitely at first but not usually after they have been in power for more than six years.
At least twenty seven countries run a surplus ( check out Google) including Denmark and Norway.
Only five countries have no debt.

 

[Len Rum]

This is one of the most regular mantras whined for years on end by an incoming government. Why from Day One do they not state that they are responsible for everything that happens, and if it is something that previous Government instigated CHANGE IT now you have executive power. Much easier to be negative!

Yeah but this lot have been whinging on for over six years now!