To be absolutely fucking amazed how much money people have?

[HiggsBoson]

I thought we were in a recession.

I thought people were genuinely struggling.

DP and I certainly do as we are on low incomes, but we try to be grateful for what we have.

How is it then, that so many people can afford ipads, clothes from the likes of Joules and Boden, Mercedes and Audis, Hunter wellies for their kids ffs, expensive overseas holidays and huge 10/20/30K weddings?

Honestly I'm quite baffled. Everybody seems to have an ipad - they're £500!!

What's going on?

I was just thinking this today walking around a shopping centre. The amount of brand new high end prams. Not one tatty one or even secondhand by the looks of it!

My theory on this is that because mortgage rates are low, a lot of homeowners have more disposable income than they used to. I've certainly noticed a lot of new cars, fancy holidays etc round us.

YANBU! And the expensive nights out haha.

The 16 iPads are less than £500, especially if you get a 2 now that the 3 has come out.

People are struggling, it's only the super wealthy that haven't noticed any difference in the cost of living. But that doesn't mean that no one can afford to go on holiday or spend any money any more, a well paid job is still a well paid job. It just doesn't go quite as far as it once did.

Yep it amazes me too-especially as on paper it looks like my dh has a good job. But I know people with very menial jobs-cleaner,security guard etc who seem to be able to afford holidays abroad twice a year,new cars and all the latest gadgets.

We cant even afford a week in a caravan this year. Honestly I don't know how people do it!

I'm amazed at how many people have a brand spanning new £800 pram!! Everyone is different though.

There are lots of potential reasons why people can afford these things:

• higher incomes
• lower outgoings
• debt and credit cards
• given as gifts
• different spending priorities (e.g. Living on beans and toast to afford designer clothes)
• savings

For example, my DP and I don't earn a huge amount, and some people might wonder how we can afford, holidays, 2 cars, iPad, gym membership etc. But we took our mortgage over 40 years to keep the monthly payments down so we have (a little bit) spare cash for luxuries. We also save really hard month to month to buy a couple of 'treats' in the year, and are really tight with our food shop.

Not that it's any of your business how other people manage their finances.

I think I just expected to see more evidence or people reining it in

We had three days on the Isle of Wight last summer and that was our first family holiday since DD was 18 months - she is now 11. No iPads or owt like it in this house!

I am similarly puzzled.

Are people maxing out their credit cards for it though?

It doesn't matter a fuck whether it's any of my business or not. You could say that about 95% of the threads started on this forum.

I have no idea. I think it's a good week if I can pop to the charity shop for a "new" top!

I bet a lot of them are putting it all on credit cards.

Some people are reining it in. And because they are, you don't notice them. The ones that you notice with all the expensive baubles - I'd suspect a lot of them are building up debt on their credit cards.

Are you really that baffled that people have varying incomes? That people have different sized mortgages? Different priorities? Or that some people do continue to spend beyond their means?

I sort of understand your point, but some people have money. Fact.

Different people spend money differently. We never go on holiday as we'd rather have gadgets.*

*Before someone notes that I have posted on the holiday thread, my mom is paying for our trip to California in July.

Yes Cake - what I'm saying is that I expected to see less spending, less luxuries etc., but if anything I'm seeing more!

You don't notice the people reigning it in, though, do you?

I don't suppose you'd walk past me in the street and think "oh look she's wearing an ancient tatty New Look jacket and oooh that buggy looks a bit cheap, oh and she doesn't have an iPad"

Yes, but surely the struggling family in 2013 cannot afford a holiday OR gadgets

The whole sacrifice one thing for another gets my hackles raised a tadge.

Debt. A lot of them are probably only one redundancy away from problems... maybe congratulate yourself on your frugality!

True Vinegar

We pay our iPad monthly with our phones!
But I know where you are coming from and am always a bit when I see friends' food cupboards full of brands!! We are not struggling but need to keep to a tight budget and a branded food shop now I think would double our bill, which isn't a possibility!

I think it's easier now that ever to get a good bargain too. Our tv was reduced from £650 to £300 and we doubled up tesco points to afford new furniture. DP got his tablet and playstation free when he took out at phone contract (£22 per month).

So to an outsider we probably look better off than we are. If we want something new we scout around for good offers.

People reign it in in ways that aren't noticeable. I budget better with the weekly shop nowadays, and make more effort to go to cheaper places for cosmetics, shampoo, cleaning products and the like. I don't buy new clothes for us all as often as I used to. I give less to charity. We are going on holiday, but it is a much cheaper one than we had last year and the year before. My car guzzles more petrol, so we use DHs car more now instead of not even thinking about it. Spend less on birthdays and Christmas than we used to.

There are lots of ways to cut your living expenses that no one would notice.

It never fails to amaze me how much money is out there. I don't have it though.
We have an iPad which was donated to DS who is autistic and also have a very flash laptop which I was sent free in return for an honest review of it on a shopping website.
So it's not necessarily stuff people have bought for themselves.