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(, Sun 1 Apr 2001, 1:00)
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Bored with that now.
News link www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15810966
So what do you think about that? You can borrow up to 95% of the property value.

Is it just me who thinks that instead of lending more money for people to buy houses at their current prices, they should just let the housing market collapse again. Mainly because I dislike estate agents.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:07, 180 replies, latest was 13 years ago)
I would be in favour of this
As I am in the position of wishing to buy and probably being able to afford the repayments but being totally stuck for a deposit, but, I seriously doubt I'd want to buy a 'new home' unless they have stopped being massively shit. I think given the choice between having a mortgage on some shitty new place and continuing to rent my flat in a nice converted Victorian bank I should continue to rent.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:10, Reply)
New house quality is fucking terrible
I live in one and there doesn't appear to be a single right angle in it. The boiler was wired in wrong, ceiling paint on walls, wall paint on ceiling and skirting boards, etc. Front door not fitted correctly and stairs lights wired up so bad I had to go upstairs to turn the lights on to allow me to see to go upstairs.

All sorted now but what a pain in the fucking arse.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:14, Reply)
Thank you for confirming my prejudices.
I'd even by happy enough with something build 30-40 years back, just so long as it's had time to prove it won't fall down and someone else has done all the work needed to make it tolerable, but new build? Not a chance.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:19, Reply)
Not true,
new houses are built to much better building regulations than any others were. They're now safer more efficient and use less building materials than they ever have done.
Buuuuut design has changed, so a lot of people prefer old houses because of their solid walls and high cielings, but they're not "better"
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:19, Reply)
Safer and more efficient, yes certainly
Better built, no. The design of the layout in my house seems to have been done by throwing rooms onto a board and building them where they land.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:23, Reply)
We need to bare in mind the source here.
Chompo lives in Milton Keynes and seems to like it, thus one would expect his to be in favour of efficient boxes, rather than proper houses.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:26, Reply)
Possibly

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:28, Reply)
Solid walls and high ceilings are better than
walls I can accidentally put my foot through and ceilings I graze my knuckles on when I stretch, both features I have noted new new builds. They may well have their up sides, but space is not one of them, nor is robustness. I suppose it depends what you prioritise, but feeling comfortable in the space and not cramped matters to me more than efficiency whatever that means in this context.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:24, Reply)
Less likely to get subsistance and stuff.
Basically what I'm trying to remember is what my architect friend said. It was summarised as new builds have less things that go really badly wrong than older houses. But then by the time you've bought it, it's probably already gone wrong and been fixed.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:53, Reply)
My missus used to be a journo for a local rag
and she covered tons of stories about this sort of thing. Usually minor things, but there were always several of them and getting them sorted out was always a massive pain.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:20, Reply)
The quality of workmanship is terrible. No pride in a good job
I actually watched some of the houses being built in our street. They were put up by two blokes in about a fortnight.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:24, Reply)
What really needs to happen is for prices to be maintained where I live now
and for them to drop dramatically in the area I want to move to.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:11, Reply)
Ha that's it isn't it.
I want my house to go up, and every other house to go down!

That said if you're going to move up to a bigger or more expensive house, then a price drop could work in your favour.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:12, Reply)
I want to go the other way in about 4-5 years
Our house is too big and I think I may be able to go mortgage free if I play it right

/croissant
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:15, Reply)
We are lucky not to have a mortgage, but this is due to my in-laws generousity rather than an astute financial management on my part.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:19, Reply)
Wow, cool

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:25, Reply)
Marrying an old man is another good way to get mortgage free.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:27, Reply)
I'll bear that in mind

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:28, Reply)
It's not for everybody, to be fair
In fact, you could go the other way and marry the old man's widow after she's got the house to herself.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:30, Reply)
Are you asking me to marry you here?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:31, Reply)
I don't think so.
Would your wife let you, if I was?
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:34, Reply)
I'd take a guess at not

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:36, Reply)
We will need to get a mortgage at some point when we move to somewhere bigger, but the LTV % will be < 50%

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:29, Reply)
Excellent!
I've just got below that a year ago for mine meaning my rate drops to the lowest it can do
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:30, Reply)
The houses I'm looking at are worth slightly more than twice the value of my house
But sadly they are not twice as big. I could live with a slight drop in prices as I don't owe very much on my current mortgage, so would only be borrowing approximately 70% of the new house value anyway...
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:17, Reply)

value cost
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:20, Reply)
I know the price of everything and the value of nothing
/mum
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:21, Reply)
where's my PE kit?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:31, Reply)
If you had got it out of your bag and put it in the laundry basket, it would be clean and in your drawer.
I suggest that you look in your bag, but I don't expect it will smell very fresh...
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:34, Reply)
Stop sniffing b3th's gym kit

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:57, Reply)
I will when it has been cleaned.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:58, Reply)
There needs to be a correction in house prices otherwise a large number of people will never own a property.
However 95% mortgages which are the only reason a lot of people can start owning their home = irresponsible lending in a lot of cases.

The only way around this is for property prices to considerably drop.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:13, Reply)
I had a 105% mortgage when I bought my flat.
But I was one of those weird people who kept up with their payments, and when I sold the flat I actually came out ahead in terms of investment, but I realise that makes me very lucky and definitely one of the minority.

Also, buying property in Scotland (and a fairly shit area of Scotland, at that) helped. Prices down here in the South West are crazy, and I can't even begin to imagine buying anything in the South East.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:16, Reply)
I think there should be an increase in shared ownership sales for first time buyers.
There pretty popular around here and so a number of my friends have been able to get a mortgage. They all save to buy back an extra 5% or whatever when they can. Seems to work ok.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:16, Reply)
I'm looking at going this way
If I can find an affordable deal.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:30, Reply)
summarise plz

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:13, Reply)
HOUSE

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:14, Reply)
officelol

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:14, Reply)
never seen it i liked that guy in stewart little tho

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:16, Reply)
You can get a 95% mortgage if you buy a shitty new-build shoe-box that will inevitably fall down in 5 years.
Or, at least, this is what has been proposed. I will help some people who can scrape together a 5% deposit but not 10 or 20, but do nothing about the underlying problem, most likely.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:17, Reply)
Very kind of you to offer to help.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:21, Reply)
The lad need all the help he can get.
He's special.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:31, Reply)
The problem with a lot of the schemes and ideas on how to get the economy moving again
is that they are designed to get the economy back to where it was, however that model of growth buiolt on debt has been proven to be fundamentally flawed. What's needed is an entirely new system of economics, built on sustainable, affordable investment. This however will not happen as we have got too used to living the 'good life', and thus we are doomed to repeat ourselves.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:22, Reply)
lol

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:23, Reply)
I'm just going to buy a house
and get batshitmentalist to pay the morgage
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:23, Reply)
It's what her mum would have wanted.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:24, Reply)

mum cat
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:25, Reply)
haha
hello you, been up to much recently?
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:26, Reply)
Hey hey
Generally noodling about. Possible exciting times ahead very soon. Miss B has her first job interview for a social work position next week. If she gets that, looks like I would be job hunting in that there London. Eeek!
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:28, Reply)
ooooh are you allowed back in London yet?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:31, Reply)
I wasn't aware I was banned :)
Trying not to get all excited too soon, since she would still have to get offered the job and all that. But, fingers are very much crossed.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:33, Reply)
haha I still laugh at the memory of you scaring people on the tube by offering them cupcakes

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:39, Reply)
Hahaha, that is a very hazy memory!
I think they were Japanese as well, maybe they thought it was a bizarre and terrifying British thing.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:45, Reply)
Hi Beakers.
I'm sure you won't be short of offers, but if you need a place to crash in London, let me know.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:33, Reply)
How do!
Cheers, think I would stay in Leeds until I found something but I shall remember that offer.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:34, Reply)
Well, if you need a quick over-night wile job hunting
I'm well placed for public transport into the centre.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:37, Reply)
Many thanks mate!

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:45, Reply)
On the subject of house price inflation vs wage inflation
Have a pearoast.
I was born in Coventry.

I was actually born in a house on a 1958-9 built estate that my parents bought in 1959.The estate was built for the skilled men of the city (once upon a time Coventry was "the toolroom of the world"), it's a mixed development. No builder was allowed to build more than 20% of the houses so there's some variety in design. There's terraced, semis, detatched and bungalows, all mixed in. Loads of green spaces, trees, schools, shops and pubs.

I still live on the same estate*, I bought my own house on it, my children grew up on it, they went to the local schools etc.

It was always easy to know how much your house was worth. The local rag used to produce a list of "Toolroom average" pay across the city. The terraced houses were a shade under two years worth of a skilled man's salary, the end of terraces about two years' worth and the detatched about two and a half years' worth.

When you needed a mortgage the banks knew how much you could afford and lent accordingly. I bought my house on my basic wage alone, without overtime etc, because we wanted children and I knew that if we bought including her wages, we could never afford it.

Today, if I was a toolmaker in Coventry, I'd have to be earning £77,000** a year to buy the same house on the same deal from the bank.

Genuine question. Where did this massive price hike come from? The house is no bigger. It has no better amenities, it's not been encrusted with diamonds with hot and cold running nyphomaniacs in every room yet it's now three or more times a toolmaker's salary!

Lending became irresponsible. How can a bank lend 125% of an asset's market value, unless they're relying on a housing market bubble, THAT THEY THEMSELVES CREATED FFS!

They fucked up and we're bailing them out.

No hummus. Just remember, next time you see a banker, terminate with extreme prejudice. It's the only language they deserve.


Cunts.
Couple of edits.
* I no longer live on the estate
** that figure is now £79000.00
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:25, Reply)
Thank you Captain Placidd but I'm really not here to hear long winded stories about house buying.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:31, Reply)
could you give me a brief synopsis plz?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:32, Reply)
HOUSE
lol
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:33, Reply)
ahahaha, classic

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:34, Reply)

www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/QualificationsExplained/DG_10039024
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:34, Reply)
if anything that was EVN MORE confusing

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:35, Reply)
If you read it backwards it says 'kill yourself'

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:35, Reply)
don't think i know how to read backwards, most of my writing is backawartds anyway!

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:36, Reply)
I read that as house bullying.
That's what comes of no sleep.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:36, Reply)
braggin jsut cos she got some, worse than rachelswipe right here

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:37, Reply)
you should see somebody about your obsession

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:43, Reply)
BUT I LOVE YOU

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:53, Reply)
Hahaha.
What I got, young man, is a good old fashioned case of bronchitis.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:45, Reply)
oh god
my fucking trainee has this. it's been about 3 weeks now. every time she coughs i want to smash her skull in and scream STOP THAT FUCKING NOISE.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:47, Reply)
Yeah, there's certainly a disconnect between house prices and salaries .
It cannot all be due to lack of supply. It would take 4-5times my salary to buy a 1-bed flat in my area and I earn an average wage and live in a rough area. then again: London.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:46, Reply)
Hahahhaha, oh man, I can apprechate how shitty that is for me. lol. *just signed some mortgage papers*.
Incidently: catladderhalloffame.blogspot.com/
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:30, Reply)
I was in Southgate on Saturday
and called you but you didn't answer. So I went home
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:31, Reply)
Ahhh, damn, I was really busy on saturday. I missed the call and then when I eventually got home I was to tired and then forgot to call you back.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:32, Reply)
whatevs gonz

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:39, Reply)
That site is brilliant.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:33, Reply)
most of those are staircases

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:35, Reply)
Does this say when it'll come into power? I can get a really fucking nice amazing _house_ on this scheme.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:36, Reply)
Yes but you only own a bit of it.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:40, Reply)
At the start
Surely you will be able to buy it out later on?
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:42, Reply)
This is how a normal mortgage works surely

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:43, Reply)
Well dur!
I meant with the shared ownership part
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:44, Reply)
a mortgage is an intense form of charge
because it actually gives the lender an interest, ie a proprietary right, in the property. this is different to a normal charge, which just secures you repayment equal to the value of the loan when the house is sold. VERY few people know this, impress your friends... if you have any...

technically a mortgagee can always take the property, but of course in practice they'd only do that if you default, since they make much more money waiting for the loan to be repaid over the course of the term.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:47, Reply)
The people upstairs from us have had warrant of repossession granted against them.
I will be pissed off if the bailiffs break the lock on the shared entrance.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:50, Reply)
they have to be careful there
it's a criminal offence to deprive people of access to their homes. they should really be making appointments with all of you to hand over new keys.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:51, Reply)
If I am in when the bailiffs turn up (which we think will be in a week or so) I will let them in at the main shared front door.
They can do what they like with the flat upstairs - the owners are a bunch of wankers.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:53, Reply)
is it a mortgage repo or just let to tenants?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:54, Reply)
Mortgage repo.
Warrant was granted in April, they have now applied to execute it.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:55, Reply)
sounds like you could be getting rid of them then
you should whack in a silly offer to buy it, bank can only say no...
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:02, Reply)
Our place is much nicer (and larger) and I don't want to take on any financial commitments in London as we might be moving to Edinburgh next year.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:04, Reply)
House prices where I live have done nothing but rise as the area is on the up.
Where my brother lives they are cheaper than they were three years ago but it seems London is different from many other places.

I don't know whether they will collapse or not, but I do think this country's obsession with home ownership is understandable but a bit stupid. Like university educations, it's not something that everyone can or should do.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:40, Reply)
in germany most people rent

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:40, Reply)
Same in Italy and Der Nederlands, I think.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:41, Reply)
Alt reply: That's because the Jews own all the houses.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:42, Reply)
But not the showers

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:43, Reply)
See also: Switzerland

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:43, Reply)
In Romania they live in caravans and travel all over the place stealing things.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:46, Reply)
I thought that was Essex?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:47, Reply)
That's the bog trotters.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:48, Reply)

and then everyone who has a house that is suddenly worth substantially less than their mortgage can do what to find the balance, exactly?
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:40, Reply)
I'm going with 'go fuck themselves'

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:41, Reply)
Or get an IVA

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:43, Reply)
This is NO time for a pint, Batters

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:43, Reply)
it is ALWAYS time for a pint.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:45, Reply)
Good point

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:45, Reply)
that certainly was the tone of the original post, yes

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:44, Reply)
Not that I think that it's morally right.
But the money has to come from somewhere. Either incomes up or prices down, it's not like renting is that much cheaper, just a much smaller deposit.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:52, Reply)
the problem with prices down
is that many people have really stretched themselves to buy. so if the prices drop, they are screwed. the banks will not write off the difference.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:54, Reply)
Oh I agree.
But surely they cannot go on going up forever, or do I not know what I am talking about? I'm quite open to this, most economics feels like a confusing joke to me.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:56, Reply)
i think the massive rise was probably unsustainable but generally there should be a slow steady increase in line with everything else
my flat went up by over £100k in the space of about a year, and although i had spent a lot on rewiring etc, that is simply ridiculous. mind you, some 3 years later, it's still valued at the higher level, just not gone up any further
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:01, Reply)
I think it's the "in-line with everything else"but that has gone wrong.
25 years ago my dad earning, relatively, not much more than I am now could buy a 4 bedroom house for his family. Now this is most definitely not the case. Sadly short of a massive crash in house prices, or a very long term freeze while pay catches up I cannot see this state returning.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:05, Reply)
Tricks

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:43, Reply)
Get the money off their parents I suppose?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:47, Reply)
the sensible ones
did this before they bought it.

but seriously, it's fucking worrying, a bit of a black hole waiting to happen.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:48, Reply)
it's worrying if you own property.
Consoling if you don't
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:54, Reply)
only insofar as buying your own house is concerned
not in every other economic sense!
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:01, Reply)
I'm fairly well insulated, it's true.
But I would quite like to buy, mostly because I'd like to decorate and renovate to my own tastes without feeling constrained by what the landlord will accept or feeling that any improvement I make will be for their benefit, not mine.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:11, Reply)
It helps if the father wants to avoid tax.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:51, Reply)
Selfish cunts passing on an inhertiance to their offspring instead of giving it to me =(

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 11:57, Reply)
The only downside about not having any contact with my family (which is my choice) is that my sister will get the lot when my parents croak.
The fat cunt will only spend it on pasta, pies and doughnuts.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:00, Reply)
Just make sure you're in her will.
won't be long by the sound of it.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:01, Reply)
Nah I won't get a penny from her either.
Not that there will be anything left once she's been to McDonald's and KFC a few times. The lardy bitch.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:02, Reply)
Single, good looking, up for a bad time?
Haha, like I care about the first two.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:05, Reply)
She looks like this.


may be a slight exaggeration but only a slight one
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:08, Reply)
That's quite a gunt!
Phew, all hot and bothered now.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:11, Reply)
looks a bit like the truth fairy

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:12, Reply)
I don't even know how that's possible.
Her belly is actually lower than her dress.

How would you do anything to that? Doggy style and my willy wouldn't even begin to reach her, going down on here and I'll be crushed my the weight resting on the top of my head, Haven't got a hope in hell for michanary.

I'd only be able to get a blowjob, but looking down to see that face with it's eyes/nose/mouth so closed in next to each other would really put me off. I'd still do it, but I don't think I'd be able to enjoy it.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:13, Reply)
If we shot everyone over the retirement age in the head it would free up a lot of property for the younger generation.
Just saying like...
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:00, Reply)
It might stop people moaning about the retirement age being raised.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:03, Reply)
Another benefit.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:13, Reply)
In other news, this amuses me quite a lot.
uk.news.yahoo.com/pilot-gets-locked-in-plane-toilet.html
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:03, Reply)
I JUST WON

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:12, Reply)
+'T GET MY LEG OVER IN THIS LIFETIME

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:24, Reply)
A large percentage of the population have a false sense of entitlement. They believe, regardless of income they should:
Own their own home.
Own at least one car.
Have a big TV with 600 satellite channels.
Designer clothes.
A new three piece suite.
A two week foreign holiday each year.

Without regard to if they can actually afford to.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:16, Reply)
i have none of these things, how many people here do?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:18, Reply)
I have a few suits and a big TV,
that's it.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:20, Reply)

We own our home.
We don't own a car (just hire a streetcar when we need one).
We have a couple of long weekends away each year, no two week holiday (personal choice).
Neither of us wear designer clothes.
We do have Sky TV.
We don't have a new sofa nor do we want one.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:22, Reply)
me too, my tv is too big if anything, it was given to me and it imposes itself on my living room like a fucker
my suits are shit tho
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:27, Reply)
All apart from the 3 piece and a two week hol
Not much point in buying a new one until the kids have stopped drawing on it really
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:20, Reply)
You missed out "get a degree"
FTR, I only want one thing on that list and I think earning about 5K over the UK average it's not unreasonable to wish to own a small house or flat.

I don't have or want any of the rest and I have no debts to speak of.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:19, Reply)
I see nothing wrong with owning your own home, it's the other items on top they believe they have a right to have that pisses me off.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:20, Reply)
I don't think you have a right to any of that.
But perahps a reasonable expectation of some stuff based on income....
Just for fun I compared my life to your list:

Own their own home. = Nice 1 bed flat in a rough area (rented)
Own at least one car. = several bicycles all worth less than £100
Have a big TV with 600 satellite channels. = 28" CRT, came free from work
Designer clothes. = Mostly second-hand, charity shop or army surplus
A new three piece suite. = Left over bits and bobs form various family members, although planning on getting a second-hand sofa in the new year
A two week foreign holiday each year. = I managed a (UK based)week away with family and friends this year

Makes you wonder where then money goes, in my case it goes on rent and child support mostly.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:26, Reply)
And biscuits.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:30, Reply)
This is true.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:32, Reply)
But that is your choice.... your money must go _somewhere_ at some point.
I choose to spend less on X and more on Y.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:30, Reply)
About the only thing I could realistically choose to spend less on on that list is rent.
I'd have to move out to zone 4 and find an equally rough area, as the nice once cost about the same as New Cross. I'd lose some of the money I'd save paying to commute, unless I chose to ride 10-15 miles to work each day and I'd loose maybe 5 hours of my life each week commuting. all this for not a huge financial gain, maybe £100 a month if I'm lucky, hardly seems worth it.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:35, Reply)
I don't have a clue about your finances and how they work....
... or for that matter, I don't really have a clue about your lifestyle. But, and this is a presumption here based on what I do know, which could be very wrong... but you don't seem to have much in the way of luxories, which is something most people (even on benfits) seem to get at least occasionally.

If you're gonna move, why not move outside of london but still _easily_ comutable? I've come to the conclusion that I can get more bang for my buck by moving to Enfield, a nice part too, and still easily get into London for work related things on a daily basis. I dont' even have to worry about last non-tube train as I can get the last tube into Southgate or Oakwood and then bus it from there.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:47, Reply)
I fully admit, I'm extremely materialistic, where as you're the oppersite of that.
Gadgetry, fags and food is my 'thing', but like a balance, I don't drink and I don't spend a lot on a night out.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:48, Reply)
I'll look at it, but I don't like a long commute and I do like to cycle to work
I think living in London is my luxury. Other wise you are spot on, I live simply and cheaply, only other luxury is travelling around the country meeting B3tans.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:52, Reply)
i do have those things
but even with a well-paying job, they would all be a very different quality if i had to pay a whacking great mortgage first thing every month. most of my friends who do have massive credit card loans and overdrafts because they still want the other bits, exactly as you say.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:24, Reply)
There is nothing wrong with choosing to have these things if you can afford to.
It's the stupidity of taking on credit card debt (in particular) that you cannot afford to repay to have the holiday, the sofa and the designer clothes. I just don't understand the mentality.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:27, Reply)
short term instant gratification innit

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:29, Reply)
Yep. Must be. That and competitiveness with peers.
If a friend or neighbour has it they must also have it. Pathetic.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:31, Reply)
I think the trouble is that a lot of people who don't work seemingly, according to papers, have all those things.
And, and this is seemingly again, from the papers... a lot of people out there who are chronic benifit users for generations, seem to get that stuff too.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:29, Reply)
I think all my favorite B3ta buddies should come and live with me.
Thus solving the housing crisis and me from being bored of an evening.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:22, Reply)
Blousie's Housies

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:24, Reply)
I think between us we could take over a good chunk of Todmorden
We could rename it Offtopicsville.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:31, Reply)
This plan is getting better

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:32, Reply)

better scarier.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:33, Reply)
Well that's you off my list.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:35, Reply)
Good idea.
Sort of commune type thing going on. No kids though....well they can visit but not stay.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:32, Reply)
Like Dale Farm, you mean?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:33, Reply)
No, not like Dale farm.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:34, Reply)
More like Emmerdale Farm then?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:34, Reply)
Bagsie a sheep

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:35, Reply)

sheep cow
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:38, Reply)
You smooth talking bastard

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:38, Reply)
Hahaha!

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:39, Reply)
Yes.
Lots of sexual ingrigue and flat caps.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:35, Reply)
Who is to run the Woolpack?

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:36, Reply)
Monty.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:37, Reply)
*books in kidney transplant*

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:38, Reply)
Actually Lusty will run it and Monty will just drink the proceeds.

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:40, Reply)
*books in kidney transplant*

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:40, Reply)
I'd love this if it were financially viable
Sadly it's almost certainly not.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:37, Reply)
*starts doing the lottery again*

(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:38, Reply)
I had a quick scout on findaproperty for next year's flat.
I know I'm going to be renting for the next few years, and probably in flats. One day maybe I'll be able to rent a house. One day.
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:30, Reply)
I have an offer to rent out my old place
AND fix it up, paying particular attention to making the loft completely insulated so that no heat at all escapes. Sounds like a great deal to me!
(, Mon 21 Nov 2011, 12:33, Reply)

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