house prices

If we are not happy with our lives it is within our power to do something about it

Smug emoticon needed.

Exactly chewy

Crikey some very smug and comments from people. Complete lack of understanding of what life is like for some people. Next you'll be saying that people shouldn't have children unless they can afford them......

gilly we were far too poor to own anything that came in a cardboard box, but my first 'crib' was the bottom drawer in the bedroom mum and dad shared with my older brother and sister (true story!).

We can argue about 'us' versus 'them' until the cows come home, but I have every sympathy with anyone who struggles with the stress of 'just about managing' and those who live a hand to mouth existence without any real expectation (or let's call it hope) that things will get better soon.

Exactly grannyactivist. The previous generation may have gone without, struggled with high mortgage rates etc but they knew it would be worth it, it would get better, they would likely pay the mortgage off. If you are a young family renting now, all you can face is years of moving as your family increases and then decreases. Has anyone given consideration to the HB cost when the current working and renting generation retires? No family homes to downsize from and subsidise retirement with. Or pay care fees.

To be fair, judging from some of the smug, self satisfied "we 'ad it 'hard in our day, why should the young 'uns 'ave it any easier" comments on here, I'm not in the least bit surprised that their is a generational resentment against us.

So WHAT on earth is wrong with saying people should only have children they can afford? Who do you suggests pays for those children if not the parents? That has surely got to be a wind up comment if ever I heard one.

Ye gods, I feel I have landed on an alien planet here.

It's totally beyond me how so many seem to feel they have no control over their lives when this is clearly rubbish.

Surely somebody agrees with me?

Good post knickas63 ??

Jennifer I agree that younger generations have much higher expectations of life than we had, which enabled us to put up with less and save up.

Also, we cannot lump all young people together, some are doing very nicely thank you, others are trying to save, others are spending all they get, others have poor jobs and not much money.

Ain't that the truth lemongrove just the same as all generations really. It's a simple fact you can't save what you ain't got.

So basically on middle class ( I’m doing alright thank you very much ) people should breed Jennifer is that what you are saying? Blimey I can’t believe anyone would deprive someone like my DD from having her one and only child because she really can’t afford her.

Basically “only” not on !

I couldn't really comment on your daughter gillybob without knowing the facts. Some women decide they want a baby without the means to support themselves or the child, and obviously that is completely wrong, as that was not what the Welfare State was set up for. Now I am absolutely not saying that is your daughter's situation, but just using it as an example.

Regarding the comment that it's not possible to leave one job now and walk into another. Unemployment is at it's lowest level for over 40 years, so clearly there are jobs out there.

Well considering I had my son at 18 as a single parent working full time without a thing to call my own perhaps I should have given him away then Jennifer ?

Maybe you should pop up to Tyneside and check out all those jobs available. You really don’t have a clue Jennifer .

My DD the facts :

Bought property with b/f who was in the forces . He did a runner, just disappeared one day leaving her with all his sh*t to sort out . A GN member helped us trace him . Fought to keep her tiny home ( with masses of help ) and then met her now partner and had the baby she was told she would never have ( for medical reasons) aged 33 . Works in a coffee shop just over £8 an hour . Partner can’t sell his ex council property so they are completely broke . She Definitely wouldn’t have been wealthy enough to have a baby in your world !

Sometimes,quite often in fact women have babies and then their lives go belly up.It wasn't planned that way and its not what they want.If you were ledt with two small children and no income because your OH was sleeping with anything with a pulse what would you do? A...give your kids up for adoption? B struggle on with the aid of family and yes benefits...though they aren't enough to live off.
Thats what Social security is meant for ...its not "welfare" an americanism I hate .Nor is it scrounging.Its being there for the security of people who hit hard times.Dont be smug because you never know when it can happen to you.

No sign of the OP I notice.

I don't think there is any need for all this argy bargy, it is a different situation now but I don't feel it is fair to blame me for anyone younger who cannot afford a house.

My children have their own homes and reasonable lives but they have worked very, very hard at jobs many could not do and have studied hard for second careers. DS3 works 6 days a week and is also doing an OU degree. He also rides a bike for fitness and does long hard rides in aid of charity. How does he do it all? He is thrifty and good at time management.

My sons have cars they have had for years, they were brought up by parents who didn't keep changing their cars so see no need to park a status symbol on the drive. They cook food from scratch and take their own coffee and food to work but their colleagues all buy it near work. They pass clothes to each other and never pay full price for anything unless it is essential. They don't have huge TVs and they rarely eat out, only on special occasions.

I think it is wrong to take housing in isolation from other living costs. School uniforms are so much cheaper than when mine were at school, furniture is a lot cheaper too. It is easier for a mother to go out to work now that there are plenty of nurseries.

Our neighbour's daughter, a teacher, who is married to a teacher and lives in London has a tiny flat and saves every penny in order to buy their own home at some point. They know they will get there. Another friend's son, an accountant in London, has bought a shared ownership flat so he can get on the housing ladder. Some do manage it but they have to go without to do so.

There have always been people who couldn't afford to buy their own home and there always will be but there are some who expect to have everything without having to go without to afford it.

Surely there is room for all opinions without the unpleasantness?

My grown up children are cut from the same cloth as yours Nonnie

When my eldest daughter bought her first tiny house in her early twenties, she wasn't earning much and it was a struggle for her. She worked full time, but said that if need be she would stack shelves in Tesco at night rather than give up her home.

Too many people now prefer to sit on their backsides and whine about their lot, blaming everyone and everything except themselves.

We live in a beautiful country with the most amazing opportunities for those with the will to succeed.

I don't think there is an all-embracing answer. Everyone comes from different circumstances with different advantages and disadvantages.

In general, I think there are different difficulties. People often say the generation after them has it easier than they did. In some ways "yes" and in some ways "no".

How long ago is it since your daughter bought that first house, JenniferEccles ?
I am guessing that it must have been quite some time ago, as in recent years it hasn't been possible for someone not earning very much to get a mortgage, no matter how hard they are prepared to "struggle".

My DD works much harder than your DD because mine works really really hard and yours only works hard ! Sounds Pathetic doesn’t it ?

This thread is nasty and I honestly can’t believe some of the comments being made.

I’ve sent for the 4 leaf clover seeds to make my own luck. I’ve told my DD to stop whining and take a third job ( with the baby strapped to her ) instead of sitting on her backside , I’ve told my son ( who should never have been born according to some but does cook his own food ) to get rid of his 12 year old van and replace it with a 30 year old van ..... any other suggestions ladies ?