Seriously? This is The Times idea of an average family being squeezed for cash?

[ItchySnoof]

How fucking out of touch are these people? Given that some families literally can't feed themselves?

Genuinely thought this was a joke

@WindInTheWillows7

I mean, my DH grew up in a country where he would grow vegetables in unclaimed patches of soil, forage for mushrooms, and spend all his childhood summers cherry picking to earn a bit of money, just to survive. He would sleep in coats and hats and at age 9 had to walk miles to buy some milk for his baby sister. According to your logic, people in the UK being given benefits living in council houses, with one meal a day, shouldn't be allowed to DARE complain about their situation, because there are people in their country who have had it worse than them. By his standards, these people are rolling in it. Do you see why your complaint makes no sense?

This. I do think some of the people with these attitudes have led very insular lives and never seen real poverty.

@eagerlywaitingfor

Oh God, they're all out tonight, aren't they?

Yep!!!

Geez people…just because they are in a different financial league to many, it doesn’t mean they are “tone deaf” or out of touch with those less fortunate. I am sure they are very much aware of how others live. But that wasn’t the question asked by the journalist. They alerted asked how they are managing a change in income. And this is their answer.

In the same way that if there was an article where people were sharing their experiences with migraines or tinnitus it doesn’t mean they are tone deaf to people dying of cancer.

Is it tone deaf to print an article about parenting when there are people struggling with infertility? Or about losing a pet when there are people who have lost a child? It’s just different experiences. Those experiences may not match yours, but that doesn’t mean they are not valid.

@TheMarzipanDildo

I watched that Louise Woodward documentary recently, if I had children I don’t think I’d want some unqualified teenager (that’s what au pairs usually are, right?) looking after them for a fraction of the cost of a nanny!

Wasn’t she looking after a baby? Au pairs are not supposed to be in sole charge of a baby, at any time. Plenty of people get an experienced nanny or use registered childminders or nurseries when their children are very young and then switch to an au pair when the children are older. I won’t need someone experienced in looking after a baby when my kids are 5+, and my needs will change even further then they are say 10+.

There is definitely a place for au pairs but it is not looking after young children.

@TheMilkyWeigh

Geez people…just because they are in a different financial league to many, it doesn’t mean they are “tone deaf” or out of touch with those less fortunate. I am sure they are very much aware of how others live. But that wasn’t the question asked by the journalist. They alerted asked how they are managing a change in income. And this is their answer.

In the same way that if there was an article where people were sharing their experiences with migraines or tinnitus it doesn’t mean they are tone deaf to people dying of cancer.

Is it tone deaf to print an article about parenting when there are people struggling with infertility? Or about losing a pet when there are people who have lost a child? It’s just different experiences. Those experiences may not match yours, but that doesn’t mean they are not valid.

This.

Lots of people are having to cut back. It's not only sad if they are the poorest of the poor, it's not a race to the bottom.

The subtitle says it’s about rising food and energy costs which are common to rich and poor. The tone deaf bit is using a family that can normally afford to employ someone at well over the average national wage. Does it really matter how they are cutting costs? Nope. They’ll be fine regardless.
Pointless.

Not every article has to "speak" to everyone. I read the Times - I earn an average salary, am a professional , a single parent. Nothing like in this couple's league but I read the article and understood the idea that even those in that kind of bracket are having to make changes. No, those changes might not be earth shattering and will still leave them in a much much better place than many, but for their family, their dynamic, the current situation and price rises will affect them. Surely that speaks to the fact that these are BIG rises and so if a couple in this demographic are going to have to make changes, it doesn't take a genius to realise that lower income families are going to be even harder hit. As many pp have said, it isn't a misery Olympics

@Wrongkindofovercoat

You think a hedge fund manager doesn't earn enough to fully fund a nanny!?

Maybe he isn't very good ? more of a herbaceous border manager ?

I'm love that! I read the comments as well, they were not exactly feeling sorry for this couple either.

Nannies get £40k a year. Stone me! I took the wrong path in life.

You're not allowed to write an article and feature wealthy people. Their views don't matter and they ought to be in sack cloth & ashes fmreflecting on what they've done. Giving them an article that might resonate with them will only encourage them.

Surely their articles are tailored towards their target audience. I’d imagine that the articles about how to cook a meal for £5 or redecorate your house for £100 you get in the Sun aren’t very relevant to the readers of the Times.

@YDBear I know nannies that earn an awful lot more than that. Working in private service for lots of professions generally pays lots, you also have to be okay with being on call 24/7.

For those who couldn't access, here are the screenshot : 1

2

It's relevant to everyone because if people like them are having to stop having a nanny, then that's fewer nanny positions and more unemployed nannies or nanies forced to take a pay cut. I don't think anyone's heart bleeds for them, but it is still information about the economic climate.
I guess if you only want to know about your own situation then don't read the news.

I call BS- Hakkasan don’t deliver takeaway to Kingston!

@HugeAckmansWife

Not every article has to "speak" to everyone. I read the Times - I earn an average salary, am a professional , a single parent. Nothing like in this couple's league but I read the article and understood the idea that even those in that kind of bracket are having to make changes. No, those changes might not be earth shattering and will still leave them in a much much better place than many, but for their family, their dynamic, the current situation and price rises will affect them. Surely that speaks to the fact that these are BIG rises and so if a couple in this demographic are going to have to make changes, it doesn't take a genius to realise that lower income families are going to be even harder hit. As many pp have said, it isn't a misery Olympics

Well said!

haven't RTFT but surely the reason some say it is tone deaf is that whilst the better off may be feeling the squeeze they have options not open to those already on the bread line. They can sell their house and downsize for example or get rid of expensive nannies and cars etc and free up capacity to meet their basic needs. As indeed they are planning to do if the article is to be believed.However those who have no room for manoeuvre financially do not have the luxury of that option surely. They cannot go down a notch in lifestyle to ride out the storm.

It's profile. Your woman is a bored housewife with nothing to do but a couple of mates who are journos and ring her up when they need a rent-a-quote. She'll be hoping for IG followers and if really lucky, bottom billing on something called Rich and Not Coping on C5.

Enjoy it for the colour story, pity her for not having more to do with her life, admire the journo for some top clickbait, high-five the Times for the ad revenues, take it all with a MASSIVE pinch of salt.

@TheMilkyWeigh

Geez people…just because they are in a different financial league to many, it doesn’t mean they are “tone deaf” or out of touch with those less fortunate. I am sure they are very much aware of how others live. But that wasn’t the question asked by the journalist. They alerted asked how they are managing a change in income. And this is their answer.

In the same way that if there was an article where people were sharing their experiences with migraines or tinnitus it doesn’t mean they are tone deaf to people dying of cancer.

Is it tone deaf to print an article about parenting when there are people struggling with infertility? Or about losing a pet when there are people who have lost a child? It’s just different experiences. Those experiences may not match yours, but that doesn’t mean they are not valid.

Very well put. I'm not as well off as this woman (but much better off than many others) and I don't think she has said anything tone deaf. She's talking about her life and the adjustments she's doing due to rising cost of living which she had not planned to do. Are we supposed to hate every one who is better off than us? Or healthier than us? Or happier than us? Bitterness and jealousy doesn't lead anyone to anywhere pleasant.

I’d love to be that poor that I could only afford a £10k au pair

@DarwinsNaturalSelection

It's relevant to everyone because if people like them are having to stop having a nanny, then that's fewer nanny positions and more unemployed nannies or nanies forced to take a pay cut. I don't think anyone's heart bleeds for them, but it is still information about the economic climate. I guess if you only want to know about your own situation then don't read the news.

I think the nannies story is more relevant. That would give a better indication of the state of the economic climate, how many employment opportunities have closed, what wages are doing, being made redundant. I don’t think knowing she’ll have to stop paying £28 for a veg box and shop at Ocardo instead was any sort of “ news”.

Thoughts and prayers for them 🙏🏻

Articles like this scare me more than the 'can't afford to feed my family after the £20 UC uplift ends" articles in the Daily Mail. If even the middle class are feeling the pinch, what hope is there for the rest of us? The only good thing that may come out of it is that the Tory party is finally voted out.

They don't claim they're an average family. Some people are richer, some are poorer.

I don't see a problem.