AIBU to believe that the cost of living crisis is a load of nonsense

[MaryWils24]

So I wake up this morning to find that 14 million people are trying for Oasis tickets. A mediocre rock band and a “reunion” tour just to create a retirement fund for two already multi-millionaires.

The question is - where are so many people getting the money from to buy tickets? On one hand people moan about the “cost of living” but can easily find £500 to fund this nonsense.

Madness.

People should stop moaning about the cost of living if they can waste money on things like this. They are either getting too much income from their job/benefits (if they can afford this) to complain about “cost of living” or they should stop moaning about increasing food/fuel prices!

Rant over!

Ahhh well Oasis are my favourite band and like most Oasis fans we have been pretty sure this was always going to happen so I have been popping spare money into my Oasis reunion fund for years and look at that lol it's paid off for me hasn't it. Tbh I would have happily lived on beans on toast for the next year just to be able to go because life is fucking shit and if standing in a field listening to my favourite band ever cheers me up then why not. Also they are not mediocre and the argumentative 14 year old comes out on me when I see people slagging them off haha

We're both massive oasis fans and - separately because we hadn't met them - went to see them at Knebworth. We are lucky as we are not affected by the COL crisis due to high paying jobs.

I think it's exciting that they are doing this tour, but large gigs are just not for me these days. Did it all in my 20's and now in my early 50's I'm much happier sat with a glass of nice wine and a few snacks and watch them in TV 🤣. However, there are a lot of people my age, older, younger...who have different interests to mine and prioritise spending their money on big concerts. Good on them. We all need something to look forward to in this life. If living a life without joy or fun suits you then crack on, but some of us (id argue most of us) prefer to spend our money on doing things that make us happy.

1. There will be a lot of people from other countries buying tickets and coming over to see them.
2. Tickets are still cheaper than going on a week's holiday which seems to be a more acceptable waste of money to you. However music is some people's whole life so they will sacrifice for this.
3. There's over 60 million people in this country so even if point one wasn't true 14 million buying tickets still doesn't mean anything because not everyone is poor.

Why? because you see people shopping, in bars or whatever?

Are MN posters really this dim that they think a cost of living crisis should mean every single person is living in terrible poverty?

And don't realise that a cost of living crisis does have an effect on everyone and not just those living in poverty?

So a COL crisis doesn't necessarily mean that everyone is living in dire poverty but that everyone, literally everyone is paying more to live than they were a few years ago.

Ahh, so you're just pissed that she isn't giving you the money instead?

Don't worry OP. When CDBC becomes a reality then the "undeserving poor" will be properly under control. There will be scope for controlling purchases at the till. "We're not going to let you buy that chocolate because you haven't bought vegetables this week." Some people are absolutely itching for this kind of thing.

as @Ginmonkeyagain so wisely said, the demographic for Oasis will be mainly boomers. As a boomer myself I can confirm the COL crisis is not so much of an issue for us - our mortgage is paid off and our pensions are good. We have disposable income to spend on our treats of choice. Mine are theatre and travel.

Things might change in the future so I will enjoy being fit and financially stable while I can.

We haven't had one of these how can there be a cost of living crisis if some people have disposable income threads for a while now. They seemed to be all over the place in 2022 and 2023, and then died down. And they usually went the same way. People explaining very carefully in words of one syllable that cost of living crisis isn't the same thing as the entire population having no funds beyond subsistence, with the OP keeping fingers firmly in ears throughout. Looks like this one will be no exception, but you can't fix stupid.

@Ihopeithinkiknow I don’t get why you don’t use that money for something more meaningful that could lift yourself from your current predicament. Maybe instead of saving for an Oasis reunion (funding millionaires) you could save up for something that will actually help you lift yourself up - like an emergency fund for food, rent or interview clothing.

Life is not all that bad. If you have a smartphone and a pair of earphones you can go onto YouTube and listen to your favourite band in a field without wasting hundreds in the process.

Well, quite. But thanks, OP. I guess it's all in my head.

@daliesque No - I am pissed about waiting in this queue. I have plenty of money, but wouldn’t choose to spend it on this. After seeing so many people moan about the cost of living, and then these same people post about getting in this queue and buying tickets, I am annoyed to be forced to queue behind so many people who are so financially illiterate.

Good Lord. You are absolutely the biggest funsponge I've come across in a long while. The moral high ground can be a very cold and lonely place - oh, I forget - you'll be fine because you're not buying Oasis tickets.... gold star for Little Miss Economically literate- well done !!

You'd think this would be common sense. Apparently not.

I work in retail. I can assure you people really are this stupid.

But that's not the point of your thread.

The point of your thread was that if some people have money to spend on things you don't think are important, then that means there isn't a COL crisis.

And that isn't what a COL crisis means.

It literally means that everyone is paying more just to live than they were a few years ago and that effects everyone equally in that everyone pays more, but the consequences of that don't necessarily impact everyone equally.

You seem to think COL crisis means people shouldn't have money to spend on luxuries you don't approve of.

And that's not what a COL crisis means.

I'm poor as fuck and moved heaven and earth to get slipknot tickets this year.

An emergency rent fund won't lift me up, nor will new clothes, going to see one of my favourite bands live absolutely will.

Maybe you're idea of joy is having a little bit extra for food, it's definitely not mine.

I won't be in my deathbed congratulating myself for having an extra load of pasta in my cupboard.

Indeed. I didn't realise that because I'm quite comfortably off and can afford most things I want, everyone else can as well.

@MaryWils24 have you ever been to a concert?

Felt the excitement and anticipation? the shared joy of a band you love playing your favourite song live? The crowd singing along? The next song even better? (Not that this applies to Oasis as they are not my cup of tea 😂, but anyway)

if you have never experienced that, you should try it, it might bring a bit of joy to your life 🧡

Good grief. I bet you're fun at dinner parties.

Or does your mum get invited instead?

People struggling financially are still allowed access to things which are fun and beautiful and bring joy.

Have you ever actually BEEN to a gig? Listening to YouTube with earphones in isn't even comparable?

And people can save their money for what they want. Life isn't meant to be some miserable slog working non-stop until you die. Things like going to live music actually give people something to look forward to. It isn't a crime to actually have fun in life. And I mean real fun, not listening to YouTube fun.

Excellent comment! OPs post is just ridiculous. As you say, some people can afford things, others can't. Also, I'm not struggling financially, but I'm still allowed to be annoyed about price gouging and the fact that the interest on my mortgage (just the interest) jumped from 600pcm to 1750pcm last year. Just mind your own business OP

@RamonaRamirez Yes, I have. I went to Taylor Swift earlier this year and loved it.

I have also previously been dragged to Ed Sheeran and Westlife concerts also.

Bearing in mind 40% didn’t pass their maths GCSE this year, budgeting might not be everyone’s strong suit.

Obviously the people who can't afford to buy school uniform and can't afford rent aren't the same people spending £500 on oasis tickets.

Did you think we live under communism or something? You can't seriously be confused by wealth inequality. Are you also baffled by how some children don't get lunch unless they're at school, whole other children spend their summer holidays travelling around Europe?