@iron_mike is one of the nicest guy here so Iāll only stick up for him when heās correct.
Thereās a huge amount of working snobs. People with good or okay salaries but mad outgoings. Not because they over extend but for whatever circumstances they are fucked and financially survive just to liveā¦or live normal. Theyāre broke!
They complain of cost of living crisis but they wonāt marchā¦not yet.
The biggest pinch comes when its college time for the kids. Thats what I reckon anyway. Couples seem to trundle along for 16/17 odd years. Life is relatively cushty. Credit union loan to change the car/foreign holiday. No bother. Then all of a sudden they probably have to find the guts of 10k per year just to put one through college and the leg of lamb for Sunday dinner is suddenly a roast chicken and plenty of veg and potatoes to bulk it up.
There was far more excitement around The Budget back when it was held on the first Wednesday in December.
We used to be a proper country back then.
You were at nothing back then unless you went to a Budget Breakfast hosted by one of the Big 4 accountancy firms whoād worked out how much extra money Sean the Gard and Mary the Nurse were being gifted by Bertie.
Aye. I wouldnāt be the smartest saver but I avoid borrowing. I did a small and very manageable CU loan on current car, which is now paid off. It was the first loan of my life and actually helped my credit rating. Weāve a post office account where a few quid profit from a bullock or two went into in the childās name, and plan to wire the child benefit straight to it. Get the college plan going.
We (read: the Mrs) decided we need to go on a holiday next year. I said grand and the plan is Lake Garda. Iām finishing a little extra job (actually will finish it in the next few hours) and thereās a nice wedge coming in for that. Told herself that all that money can go on the holiday and that should cover it. Weāve one credit card between us and we barely ever use it. Herself cancelled hers four years ago.
But I can see a couple on 5k a month coming in landing in bother. Childcare, the new Hyundai Tucson, laptops for the kids, a new island, etc etc and the lenders only too happy to fire them out the money.
The guy from KPMG on Prine Time talking about the average couple with two children. 
Mortgage and car kid. Everything else, you either save for or go without
Absolutely.
Will be starting to put a few bob away soon for a car change (EV) that I plan to do not until fucking 2024 (I get a good rise that year 
). I donāt mind borrowing a few quid for it but Iād like to have a chunk of cash ready for it.
Ah look at, I do realise Im lucky in terms of my own car. Its probably worth about 10k a year to me which frees up a little more to put aside
But the Mrs still has a car too Mike doesnāt she?
Weāre a one car household and will stay that way. I can understand it in the country but I see people in cities and towns running two cars and theyāre just fucking money out the door.
My folks said once they move into Limerick (if they ever fucking do it), theyāll sell one of the cars (maybe even two and buy an electric between them).
She does but she needs it. Im away so often, she wouldnāt have any independence otherwise. But she drives mine at the weekends and if shes heading off somewhere with the lassies. Sheās off to limerick this weekend and sheāll take mine
Ah yeah, but ye are only paying for one is my point!
And yours is out of commission most of the week as you go around the country whipping lads into shape. There are others who have two cars and they both going a few km each day.
Those people can improve their lot if they cut back a bit on spending. The people in real need are those who have nowt. Living day to day, struggling to pay bills, put food on the table, landlords upping rent. These are the people the budget should be helping most. Not saying the middle shouldnāt be helped,but they need less.
Giving primary school kids help and ignoring secondary school kids is just bizarre. Kids who will be going to private school in 2 years getting free books while a kid from a disadvantaged area who is still going to secondary school and trying to better themselves get nothing.
there is a schoolbook grant scheme for people who cant afford schoolbooks mate
oooooffffffffffffttttttt
Cutting back on spending is fine but I guarantee you for the vast majority of people on decent incomes who are in trouble, its the debt to income ratio thats screwing them
Well thatās even more bonkers then ffs.
The Golden cage. People build it themselves as their income increases slowly over years.
Peoples lifestyles expand as they make more money. Nicer car, bigger TV, nicer holiday, more money on home improvements, kid activities etc
Disposable income at end of month is not much different
Homes where they have 5k a month coming in are probably below or close to average outside of deprived arrasās,
So thereās no issue with the families in your estate, itās the crowd with 10k plus that donāt really need this and itās all taking from the pot
No one forced them to borrow beyond their means. As Iāve said Iām not saying they donāt need help but they should be down the list of priorities. Giving people on 30k, 80k and 500k respectively a 200 euro credit on their electricity is lazy. The fiscal council are constantly berating the government for it. Theyāre right too.