Boomers - The Luckiest Generation?

Life is good now for sure but post war it was tough, water was a pump in the yard, toilet a privy at the bottom of the garden, bath was a tin one in front of the front room fire, water heating was a copper boiler in the kitchen.
Schooling was doing as you were told and penalties severe if you didn’t, I learned quickly and enjoyed school, left with 5 GCEs at 16 and went to work, qualified on the job, self employed at 21, still self employed at 75.

Because most were working from 16 buying your first home was easier, living with parents until you got married was usual, it was never easy because interest rates were high. A couple could do it today both working and saving for a deposit, today, after Uni, ending up with £60k debt and uncertain prospects is tough. As my GC are finding out

I think we probably are the luckiest generation. We grew up with very little, had modest expectations and know how to find pleasure in small things.

I was born in 1951, so rationing was still in existence. We lived, until I was 11, in a rented house with an outside toilet and no bathroom, just a tin bath. No central heating and certainly no heating in the bedrooms. We were fortunate to have a car (a 1939 model) and our one holiday a year was usually camping.

When we got married we were practically laughed out of the building society for our "low" income (we were both teachers) but were fortunate to eventually get a council staff mortage 0.25% less than the commercial ones (10%+). The only new things in our house were 4 dining chairs and the wedding presents. Everything else was borrowed or donated. We were horrified by younger colleagues who expected their parents to provide new furniture for them.

We've had some very lean years and survived. The result is that having a regular income, albeit pension, gives constant pleasure because we can pay the bills without having to wait until the bank balance can take it.

srn63 could have been me speaking. Thank you x

Pressed too soon. As well as liberal amounts of sugar. We were certainly not wealthy and didn't go on holiday every year until I was older, when it would be a week in a farmhouse in Cornwall, half board, which we enjoyed very much. We had a black and white television until I was eleven. Again, this was very common. I was very fortunate because I was able to pursue my dreams of being a musician. I had private piano lessons, but my violin lessons were at school under the excellent peripatetic system that was at its height in the seventies and eighties. I was also initially able to borrow a violin from school. My parents could not have afforded private lessons on two instruments, but were very supportive. Our family cars were old and the technology in my teenage bedroom was a basic cassette recorder, my Mum's old Dansette record player and, later, a clock radio. I will post my experiences as a young adult later.

I’ve posted about bus passes before.

These are the latest Government statisitics.

There are 8.8 million older and disabled concessionary travel passes. About 10% of passes are for people under pension age with disabilities.

604 million concessionary bus journeys are taken a year.

£708 million is reimbursed to bus operators.

The local authorities reimburse the bus operators and central government reimburse the local authorities.

The net current expenditure by government on concessionary travel is £885 million.

Concessionary bus pass use provides funding to bus operators for routes that might otherwise be underused in the daytime to the point that the services are removed altogether. So that’s a benefit to younger users who might otherwise lose a vital service that they need to get to and from work.

Say each journey is for a purpose that results in the passenger spending some money at the destination. Not only does this help business, stimulates the economy, provides jobs for working age people, it produces revenue for the government.

If the average spend per journey is £10 on VATable items it would generate £1.2 billion in government revenue, exceeding the £885 net cost.

Most people I know who use their pass regularly are going into town to shop, to go to the cinema on Silver Screen days or other cultural evernts for which there is a small charge or collection, or to have have coffee or lunch. They are putting money into the economy when they might otherwise stay home. Why can’t the detractors see this? Why can they not see the social benefits for older people who might otherwise be isolated and lonely?

Yes, we had a grant to go to university. In order to have a chance to go to university from school you either had to be born into a family that could afford private education or pass the 11+ and go to a state grammar school (there were, of course, a few exceptions to this). You had to pass at least five O'Levels to be able to progress into the 6th form. Then you had to pass at least one university interview and get good enough A'Levels in three subjects to be able to take up a conditional offer of a place. Only a tiny minority managed to do all this. As there were more university places available for boys than girls the odds were further stacked against you if you were female.

It was not that easy to get on the property ladder as mortgage lending was hedged round with restrictions and lending rates were high. The gap between earnings and property prices was, of course smaller but you still needed to be able to put down a reasonable deposit to be considered for a mortgage. We had to live in rented accommodation for over nine years before we raised sufficient capital.

Even well qualified women found it difficult to earn as much as men as they seldom reached even junior managerial positions, so most women had to settle for lower paid jobs.

Childbirth was made more difficult than it should have been because of the common practice of lying women on their backs with their legs elevated in stirrups or held up instead of
letting gravity help the passage of the birth. Breastfeeding was discouraged and women were routinely given injections to dry up their milk.

I know that the present generation have their own, very real,
problems and it is wrong to trivialise them. It is also wrong to trivialise the equally real problems that boomers faced.

srn63

Nothing was given to us, we worked for everything and saved hard. We didn't have two or three holidays a year, a car each, multiple hen and stag do's lasting days. We didn't spend a fortune on take out coffee or take aways or eating out. Our children only got toys at Christmas and Birthdays and if they were really good as a treat, they didn't eat at Macdonalds etc, they ate good home cooked food at home, no ready meals, crisps biscuits etc, we couldn't afford them. We had no expectations of an inheritance our retirement is funded by savings. I could go on forever about how money is wasted now. Our generation coined the phrase "negative equity", many having to sell their home at a loss and losing everything. Remember 14% or even 16% interest mortgages? I do we had one. No free childcare for us either, that's why more women didn't work, often nursery cost more than a women could earn. We also didn't have "Boomer" parents or grandparents who could help us out with house deposits or our first car, my parents could have flown easier than give us the money for that. All of the younger ones remember that when you start moaning how well off us boomers are. Don't tell me we had it easy. Maybe if the younger generations took a leaf out of our generation's books they could look forward to a comfortable future. Not one penny has ever been given to us, we have worked then saved for everything.

Brilliant post. We saved up for things we wanted and did without. No eating out, no TV to begin with. Hit with rulers at school or at home. No snacks between meals. No childcare. No girls’ nights out. A picnic or a walk were our treats.

I was born in 1949, and despite growing up in an almost permanently skint family - hardly ever any spare cash for any extras, all cast-off clothes, etc. (dh was very much the same) I do think were were lucky in many ways. For a start, we didn’t have to pay university tuition fees, and maintenance grants were available. (Yes, I know I was very fortunate to be able to go, and to have parents who valued education.)

Later, house prices were relatively far more affordable, even on just one salary. My elder sister and her dh paid IIRC £3750 for a 3 bed new build in the very early 70s, and in the SE, London commuter belt.
By the time dh and I bought in 1977, prices had already shot up, but were still relatively affordable.

Nowadays young couples need two salaries to be able to afford to buy anything - at least anywhere around here - and childcare costs are crippling. I count myself very lucky that I didn’t need to work when dds were very small, although I did still manage to fit in some p/t, because I wanted to.

A plus of the early years was that my mother was a very good cook - all from scratch - able to make very nutritious meals relatively cheaply. I certainly appreciated her passed-on know-how during my very early years with dh, when we were exceedingly skint!

Occasionally I perceive a bit of an ageist war going on, which sometimes plays out on MN, one of the funniest but rather telling comments I read on there a while back was this "I don't know why people of a pensionable age have to clutter up the high street on Saturdays when they've had all week to go shopping" kind of illustrated that tacit resentment some, not all, have of the older age demographic.

Certainly I think in some respects we have been a very lucky generation, born late '53, should have been '54 but I arrived early, my parents generation had to live through the war which blighted many lives and the dismal austere years in the aftermath. By the time I arrived rationing was over and have vague memories of the '50s, we didn't have a lot of spare money in my early childhood, although we had a mortgage so owned our house, in it there was a lot of hand me downs old fashioned furniture, presumably from grandparents. No washing machine or telephone, I remember we got a television at the end of the 50s, I recall watching Bill and Ben, Billy Bunter and Mr Pastry. I don't remember having new clothes very often, some were hand me downs from an older cousin, I didn't have umpteen outfits or shoes, there was school uniform and school shoes, wellies and then maybe a couple of outfits and possibly best shoes for parties, (few and far between) and going to church on Sunday. We didn't have biscuits or squashes, maybe for very special occasions, snacking between meals didn't really happen and those meals, well they were put in front of us, I don't remember being faddy at home, just ate everything,I didn't have any particular dislikes. What we did have was freedom, holidays and weekends, we roamed around our local area, beyond the fence at the bottom of our garden was a stream that fed into a duck pond, beyond that a cricket pitch and a common, much of my childhood was spent with a friend or two set free for hours, amusing ourselves in camps and dens and we didn't return home till dinner time. helicopter parenting, what was that? didn't exist.

I have strong memories of being taken to the library from a very early age, it was always a treat to choose my own books. Birthdays and Christmas, some of my presents included books, I loved them. Like most, presents came only on those two occasions we didn't get treated to gifts in between. We did have occasional trips to the cinema and even the theatre often around Christmas time, we lived in Surrey so London by train was easily accessible, I remember being taken to the Natural History Museum aged about 5 and being agog on seeing the diplodocus skeleton in the main hall. On Saturdays we got pocket money and my brother and I went to Saturday Morning Cinema, Sunday it was mass and Fridays were Brownies, those events and school of course marked my week. School was far harsher than today, you could get the ruler on your hand for nothing much and there were often things to terrify, not understanding long division, thank God my mother was able to help me with that, having to learn Catechism by rote aged about 7, and getting the ruler if you couldn't parrot it off, and being forced to ingest the dreaded school diners, gagging on them and being sick, hated, hated the school milk, no ifs or buts you had to have it, I could have done with The Milk Snatcher in my school days, but she was still a good few years hence. All these things conspired to make school days a horrible experience at times.

Jumping forward, yes when the time came, I was in my mid twenties, getting on the property ladder was possibly easier than it is today, we, my ex and I didn't get help from parents, but we had an advantageous interest rate, a perk of him working for an American bank, our rate was 3%, I'm not sure what every one else was paying at the time, but a lot more. Later on down the line, in the late 80s or '90s, I remember coming back from France one year and overnight, our mortgage interest rate had skyrocketed to something like 13%, maybe more

I just perceive all generations are of their time, we didn't have the gadgetry that was available today. Possibly our expectations weren't so great in some respects, reading through other posts I concur with much of what everybody else has said. Sometimes we will recall with our own children what we earned when we first went to work, but of course it's all relative as to how far that went in purchasing power and probably as irrelevant to them as it would have been for us relating to the earnings of someone who worked through the '20s and '30s. I think much is made of the fact that "we had it so good" Boomers that is, I think there is an element of truth in that.

I remember my DH had to get special dispensation from the bank to borrow £2,500 for our first house - his salary only allowed him to purchase up to £2,300 - and I was over the moon to be able to spend that much money!

Also remember sitting in an Estate Agents and hearing someone ask for particulars of houses around £5,000 and thinking he must be so rich.

Like a lot of our generation this initial investment has paid handsomely and I can understand the bitterness of some younger people who will not have the benefit of this with inheritance.

House buying for a lot of people was seen as a risk. My Grandmother said on hearing of the £2500 property investment 'I hope they get their money back'.

I was pleased recently to find a new hairdresser, I have thick, unruly hair and she did the most effective cut I've ever had.
Why am I posting this?
Just before Christmas this hairdresser of, I would guess, 40 or thereabouts, launched into one of these diatribes. She had always worked so hard but 'boomers' had it all, the same as in the Op, I don't need to repeat.

She was a little surprised when I said I had grown up with a widowed mother in rented housing in relative poverty though my mum was a great, thrifty, good mother. I left school at 16, did a secretarial course and immediately started work and have always worked!
I decided to play devil's advocate and agreed that the triple lock was outdated now, she loved that! I kept my cool somehow and told her a few more 'facts' and left but I can't face going back which is a shame.
I sometimes comfort myself with the thought that, one way and another, hard times are coming and these insulting, spoilt young people will find out just how privileged they are.

I sometimes comfort myself with the thought that, one way and another, hard times are coming and these insulting, spoilt young people will find out just how privileged they are

Yes

I have noticed a difference in the chat of young hairdressers to the extent I now watch what I say.
Talk about cars, holiday's abroad, designer clothes, £100 squandered on a night out or a week-end away is fading away.

Reality looms.

Silverbrooks

I’ve posted about bus passes before.

These are the latest Government statisitics.

There are 8.8 million older and disabled concessionary travel passes. About 10% of passes are for people under pension age with disabilities.

604 million concessionary bus journeys are taken a year.

£708 million is reimbursed to bus operators.

The local authorities reimburse the bus operators and central government reimburse the local authorities.

The net current expenditure by government on concessionary travel is £885 million.

Concessionary bus pass use provides funding to bus operators for routes that might otherwise be underused in the daytime to the point that the services are removed altogether. So that’s a benefit to younger users who might otherwise lose a vital service that they need to get to and from work.

Say each journey is for a purpose that results in the passenger spending some money at the destination. Not only does this help business, stimulates the economy, provides jobs for working age people, it produces revenue for the government.

If the average spend per journey is £10 on VATable items it would generate £1.2 billion in government revenue, exceeding the £885 net cost.

Most people I know who use their pass regularly are going into town to shop, to go to the cinema on Silver Screen days or other cultural evernts for which there is a small charge or collection, or to have have coffee or lunch. They are putting money into the economy when they might otherwise stay home. Why can’t the detractors see this? Why can they not see the social benefits for older people who might otherwise be isolated and lonely?

Nice post.

I've never considered numbers, you made it clear.

We've no bus nearby, none of this pertains to us, but I surely appreciate the "green" aspect and the benefits for many people.

I certainly had it easier than my children are now or probably will have in their futures, although my Dad principally, with my Mum supporting him, worked hard and ended up ok.
Different times, aspirations these days are influenced by, as others have said, social media, however, that doesn’t excuse the poster on MN making such scathing remarks. I wonder if she does so in front of her own relatives?

I’m a 1949 dob, rationing was coming to its end but like others here, we had no biscuits or shop bought cakes. Toast and cup of tea for breakfast, cooked lunch, often soup or stew made with a tiny bit of left over meat and lots of veg. Our tea was a small portion of meat (fish on friday) two veg and potato r either chips or mash but roasted on Sunday to go with the shoulder of lamb. That lamb would feed us on Monday and Tuesday as well.
We had doting grannies, both still mill workers, who took pride in sharing the supply of our Clarkes shoes, winter coat, Easter or Whit best dress and hat.

I’m often surprised by the level of dislike and bitterness in some of the anti boomer comments on Mumsnet. It must reflect the nature of the posters relationships with their parents and grandparents. My family and friends who can afford to, all support their adult children and grandchildren financially. I was lucky, my parents managed to buy a small house later in life. When we sold it, my sisters and I gave our young adult children an amount to start saving for a house deposit.
All these moaners must realise they’re likely to inherit those big houses.
I don’t like setting generations against each other, it also isn’t reflected in my family or friends. But - what others have said about big expensive weddings, frequent holidays, SUV’s, children at endless costly out of school activities is what I see around me

Silver brooks, very helpful post thank you.
I no longer drive. I use my bus pass at least twice a week to go into town, 6 miles away, or just to the local shops, library etc. I do spend money when out and about which means I do help the local economy so it isn’t all one way.
At the time of the budget many were thinking that the Chancellor would stop giving senior bus passes. So pleased that didn’t happen. Yet.

The main reason I feel lucky is that being born in 1958 I have not had to live through a world war

When I was working there were several younger members of staff who were vocal in their “frustrations” at the wealth us older members of staff, who weren’t struggling financially. They were immediately told the reason we were better off was that we’d been working for 30-40 years and had things a lot harder than they’ll probably ever experience. That attitude makes me despair

Interesting post.. I'm so glad I've never read Mumsnet

I was born in 1947, working class father a bus conductor and mum a cleaner. However I feel we were the lucky generation all in all, certainly better than my parents had before me with the Depression and the War, we missed all that. We had the beginning of the NHS with all its benefits, free milk at school,I passed my 11 plus and went to a Grammar school so had a reasonably good education I started work at 16 after my GCEs but I didn't want to go to University, if I had done there would have been Grants available. I married my husband at 24, he was a a postman and I worked as a typist but we bought our first house straight away. I was the first generation in my family to buy my own house. We still went out to the pictures and to the pub at the weekend. We didn't have children so I can't speak about how it was for families but I know we never had any financial problems, there were plenty of jobs available. There was crime of course, always will be, but I don't recall any stabbings of youngsters by youngsters on the level we have now. Of course there was more prejudice and bigotry in those days, things swept under the carpet thank goodness we have improved on that level now, and medical practices have come a long way. On the whole though I do think we were the lucky generation.

Born in 1942 I was the beneficiary of the Blitz (bombed out in 1944 when a doodlebug landed in the garden; luckily we were not there that night), of the 1944 Act and a free grammar school education, of the NHS and, as I reached adulthood, of the 1960s and a new freedoms it offered. I think I was incredibly lucky in that a very restricted and hard up childhood has meant that I appreciate all the good things that have come my way since, but quite agree that the resentful generation behind us have no understanding of how tough life was in the 40s and 50s.

I was born in 1951. We had no TV or fridge till my mother started work when I was 11. We never had a car till my mother was given a company car, when I was 16. We never had foreign holidays - holidays were taken at the home of my mother's friend (who was wealthy). My first meal in a restaurant was when I was 16. Yes I had a full grant to go to university but once there lived on baked beans in a freezing cold flat shared with too many others for comfort, and always ran out of money by the end of term, and was into overdraft. There was no-one to help me, no handouts, certainly no-one to help me on the 'housing ladder' To do that my husband and I had to borrow the deposit and take out a large mortgage so I couldn't buy any clothes for two years. and so on...
The bottom line for me is that there as some 'isms' that you can get away with in our society. Ageism is one of them. Say a word against uncontrolled immigration then'Racist' is howled at you.
The standard of trying to be nice and fair to everyone seems too simple to be put forward.

Musicgirl
As a fellow Boomer I totally agree with you, Those people attacking our generation, also conveniently forget when ‘Boomer Bashing’ that we had to negotiate 15% mortgage interest rates, women loosing 6 years and men losing 1 year of state pension entitlement, ( which we paid our contributions into), 4 / 3 day weeks, winter fuel allowance scrapped. I think we’ve given enough back to the state, think how much pension money they’ve saved by people dropping dead before they were eligible to receive it, plus it’s not a benefit we paid into the fund, the real money grabbers are the government not the Boomers!

Perhaps if todays young didn’t mind working sixty to seventy hours a week, only having a couple of weeks holiday a year, no takeaway coffees every day etc etc, they might be as “lucky” as us boomers!
We had mortgages with interest of 16%. Most of us didn’t go to university, just straight to work. I personally worked and brought up two children without any maternity breaks and lucky as I was to be able to take them to work with me, it was flipping hard work!!
My Saturday girl once remarked that she wanted my life. I pointed out to her she could have it, she just needed to work extremely hard for the next forty years or so!

Boomer here .. 1960 baby… confirming that we’re not all raking it in.
I only own my house because I had an alcoholic husband and a long drawn out expensive divorce.
My state pension arrives just before I’m 67 and, as I worked as support staff in a school (part time to fit in with kids as said husband couldn’t be trusted with a goldfish) my private pension will pay about £150 pm.
My children are in their 20s and I’ve helped them financially with uni fees etc and don’t begrudge a penny, but I now have responsibility for my 95 year old dad. I don’t want this but there isn’t anyone else.