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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if there's anyone here who DOESN'T think it will be as bad as others make out [title edited by MNHQ]?

39 replies

Bubblybubbly · 10/04/2020 16:59

Interested to know if there's anyone here who doesn't think that there will definitely be a recession, housing market collapse, years of trying to get back on our feet etc etc...?

My view is 'I have no idea what's going to happen', I don't want to commit to anything more than that right now but I've heard a few people on either side of the argument from 'everything will be shit' to 'it will be completely fine'. I'm interested to hear from anyone who doesn't think it will be as bad as it seems to be made out on here?

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 10/04/2020 17:01

Don't be silly, the world is NOT going to end!

VettiyaIruken · 10/04/2020 17:02

I expect it will be rough. Not end of the world but not sunshine and roses either.

A lot of small businesses will go under, a lot of people will have more debt, governments will have to claw back through taxes the extra money they've had to spend.

So yeah, it's going to have an impact on all of us. We just can't accurately predict to what extent.

IScreamForIceCreams · 10/04/2020 17:03

Why panic. Is there any point? Ride out the storm.

ShowOfHands · 10/04/2020 17:03

I think things will be very hard indeed for some people, perhaps even unsustainable, much less hard for others and for a few people, life will be no different. I think it depends upon myriad factors.

bettybattenburg · 10/04/2020 17:04

Yeah, it's going to be tough (austerity measures again....) but the planet isn't likely to blow up as a result.

Original poster
Bubblybubbly · 10/04/2020 17:04

So obviously I know it's not going to be the actual end of the world, but it's the feeling I get from a lot of posters here that it will be absolutely awful.

OP posts:
Jeleste · 10/04/2020 17:04

We will be fine.

MitziK · 10/04/2020 17:05

Ah, the rich will be fine. They always are.

Numbness2020 · 10/04/2020 17:05

The world won’t end but it will be different.

RhymingRabbit3 · 10/04/2020 17:06

It will be hard in the short term but in the long term most people will be OK.

I dont think the lockdown will go on for months and months. Maybe a further 3 or 4 weeks after the initial period, then a gradual relaxation of the rules followed by further lockdown as required to keep the spread under control. If it goes on too long the effect on small businesses will be too great.

Oakmaiden · 10/04/2020 17:07

there will definitely be a recession, housing market collapse, years of trying to get back on our feet etc etc...? is not the same as the world is going to end

Yes, there will be ongoing financial implications, including a recession and possibly a depression. But that has happened before, and it didn't cause the world to end. Not even "the world as we know it".

As for how long the repercussions will last - I have no idea. I don't think even economists can guess at this point, as we have no idea how long the entire situation will go on for, or how it will progress.

I think we need to focus on getting through this part first, and worry about tomorrow tomorrow.

Original poster
Bubblybubbly · 10/04/2020 17:07

For example, I have one friend and he believes the economy won't be on its knees like so many others. He thinks it'll be a bit tough for a few months maybe, but it will nothing like the recession in 2008 for example. He also thinks the housing market will pick back up pretty quickly too.

I have another who thinks we're all going to be losing our homes, never able to buy another, enter into a recession etc...

OP posts:
Pipandmum · 10/04/2020 17:08

The housing market will have a lot of pent up demand, so while there are fewer transactions I don't believe it will crash.
Many small businesses may not make it. But not sure what the impact on the economy as a whole. A few small businesss folding makes no difference - thousands and that's a problem.
Supply may be stalled but I think it will recover fairly rapidly.
No doubt there will be a recession. But as this crisis is fairly short lived I think it won't be long lasting, but I'm not an economist.
I certainly do NOT think we will come out of this changed as a society.

june2007 · 10/04/2020 17:09

O course it,s not going to end. The world din,t end with Ebola or sars, or any other wide spread plaques.

Chillicheese123 · 10/04/2020 17:10

Will there not be an initial explosion in spending ? Everyone I know is planning to buy stuff, go places, do things in high volume !

ThePluckOfTheCoward · 10/04/2020 17:12

Oh yes the world is definitely ending, it's scheduled for 30th October 2020 at 10.40am.

Original poster
Bubblybubbly · 10/04/2020 17:12

Everyone I know is planning to buy stuff, go places, do things in high volume

I know quite a few people wanting to do the same. I was talking to one friend today who is eager to book a holiday as soon as they can for their birthday later in the year.

OP posts:
TomHardysCBBC · 10/04/2020 17:14

No the world won't end but there will be a recession that we haven't seen before.

Why would you think otherwise?

UnaCorda · 10/04/2020 17:19

Oh yes the world is definitely ending, it's scheduled for 30th October 2020 at 10.40am.

No it's not, it's 10.30. Make sure you're not late.

Bagelsandbrie · 10/04/2020 17:20

The world won’t end. The poorer will suffer. The rich will be fine. And then life will continue. As fucked as it’s ever been.

TomHardysCBBC · 10/04/2020 17:22

"I know quite a few people wanting to do the same. I was talking to one friend today who is eager to book a holiday as soon as they can for their birthday later in the year."

There'll definetely be more than a few people doing that. However, that's not going to resuce a leisure industry that's already lost millions in revenue and will have far fewer customers when this is over due to increased unemployment and less disposable income.

Aderyn19 · 10/04/2020 17:28

I think the high st businesses that were struggling anyway will go. They just don't have the money in the bank to withstand this. We might get a leaner retail industry, which is bad for employees but maybe better for the environment. The travel industry will pick up - once it feels safe to travel and we stop fearing that we will be trapped abroad, I think people will want to go on holiday again and see family in other countries. People might travel within the UK more - we might be more appreciative of all the lovely places we have at home, since we've been stopped from visiting them. So I guess hotels will do well. Especially if the weather is nice once lockdown ends.
I think there might be fewer restaurants etc since these are difficult to run at a profit at the best of times but those that survive will be busy - I think people will value being able to go out again.
Having not been able to shop freely etc, I think we won't necessarily want so much choice and might be a bit less consumerist and a bit more grateful for what we have.

Matildathehun77 · 10/04/2020 17:43

The world won't end, things will be tough for a while financially, the NHS will take quite a bit of mending. There will be changes too and businesses that will go under but then change is constantly happening anyway.

BUT there will be businesses that boom, there will be businesses that start in place of the old ones, the NHS may just get itself some serious attention. The money people have saved during the lockdown might end up getting spent quite quickly by people giving the economy a small push start.

I always imagine that in 30 years time A-Level children will be writing essays about the positives and negatives of the 2020 worldwide pandemic.... and there will be some of each.

Oakmaiden · 10/04/2020 17:45

Everyone I know is planning to buy stuff, go places, do things in high volume

Course, that depends if you have any money - if you have lost your job, or been on a reduced wage for the past couple of months, you are unlikely to have much cash to splash around.

Our income and outgoings are generally quite tight. We haven't lost a lot of income, but have lost some. And my family are all at home eating and eating (including the student who doesn't normally eat at home) so my bills have gone up. We are starting to struggle a little. Our situation isn't critical by any means - but we are not going to come out of this with money to burn.

Whereas, I suppose those who normally have a large proportion of their money put aside for leisure, and whose jobs have not been effected, are going to be keen to treat themselves. I doubt the situations will balance out completely, though... I think more people will be belt tightening initially than letting loose.

nibdedibble · 10/04/2020 17:50

I saw a report yesterday where growth in the UK was predicted at minus 7.5% to minus 24%. We have never lived through a time where there was so little prosperity that -7.5% was the conservative estimate.

Yes people will go nuts spending money when we all gain whatever freedom back but that cannot last long and where does that leave the majority of people, and the economy?