I'd like to thank the government ... Im serious

jamesbrond

I have to say a big thankyou to the Irish government.

Before the tax increases we thought we were well off.
So along come he tax increases and what happens.

We are down about €3500 in increased taxes.

While everyone else was trying to blame the public sector or the different politiians or the banks etc, etc and taking part in that very Irish sport - extreme begrudgery - we decided to have a look at our spending on cars, insurance, tv, phones, all that sort of stuff.

Things like

- my car fetish, (with a couple of extra cars I hardly drove at all - gone)

- Motorbikes that I hardly used (gone)

- insurance (shopping around for house, medical, car ins), Huge savings.

- various subscriptions like phones, broadband, sky, magazines, book clubs, dvd rentals and many more) Shopped around and most can be got cheaper or cancelled.

- Holidays (We now pay get better value for shopping around) eg used to holiday on a boat on the Shannon. Now go to the UK or France and have the same holiday for half the price on a boat in a nicer, better equipped setting. Amazing what kind of holiday we now get for what we used to pay for a boat on the Shannon here. I never realized ho uncompetitive they are to abroad.

- Banking (money shifted around to get decent return on rates) Was too lazy to do this before.

- Shopping - Any big ticket items are now bought up the north. eg wanted a new TV and surround sound unit and bought it up the North and while we were there did enough grocery shopping to last us 6 months. Now we only need bread and milk bought here. Got new tyres put on the car while we were in the shops too that day.

- Work - I decided that since we were losing money, that it was time I asked for a raise. I went to the boss and demanded one. He said no. I sent my CV to an agency. Moved job 5 weeks later with an increase in salary of close to 20%. Current boss then offered me a 25% raise to say. Too late at that stage. Did hge think I was going to tell him BEFORE i had signed the contracts for the new job. I would never have dared look around had I not thought I need to make some changes after the budgets. The extra salary goes to savings now at a higher rate than the mortgage costs. Some day i'll probably use it to pay off the mortgage altogether.



In the end we made savings of over €6000 in spending that we dont actually need to spend every year. And we havent noticed any difference to our lives at all.

Add that to the forced hand in moving job and getting a salary increase.


The tax increases cost us €3500 a year.
We spend €6000 less a year now. Add to that now have well over €10,000 a year more in income and the swing is just about €20,000 a year in disposable income (which we dont spend - we save it, for an emigration fund just in case the government go on the rampage again).

So to the government - A BIG THANKYOU FOR MAKING US THINK AND SAVE.
I know it was far from what your intentions were, but we would never have done it without you.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot. Thanks also for making me look at the numerous tax credits we werent claiming before.

zig

Its unfortunately the reason our economy is seeing no growth, people either lost their jobs and are completely broke, or people that are working are saving all their money, meaning no revenue, jobs, stimilus, economic activity, growth etc.

macannrb

Well done James Brond, this is definately the way to go about things

The more people take stock of the situation, and react accordingly the better off we will all be

There's a lot of waste in society and the best place is to start at home, congrads

RichardAnd

I earn 25k a year which, after tax, leave me about 1750 euro a month. Of that I spend no more than 400-600 euro in a single month (all bills included) which means I'm saving in the region of 60-75% of all my earnings. On top of this, I earn some cash on the side through nixers which amounts to an extra few hundred each month of which I spend not a cent.

Why am I being so frugal? Well like the OP, I'm building up a rainy day fund to cover me if I loose my job which, who knows, could happen before the end of the year.

I'm well aware that this type of living is not healthy for the economy nor, if I'm honest, it is good for me. I'm a 24 year old male and whilst I've been exceptionally lucky to get a job, I'm actively avoiding dating, frequent socialising and travelling as I'm just paranoid about spending when I feel I should be saving. Not really the best way to be spending my 20s.

Of course, my chosen life of avarice is of my own making but if things were better in the economy, I'd probably be more willing to loosen my purse strings and enjoy life a little more. Sad but hey, I'm better off than many people my age.

ilovesleep

FG have been in power for less than a month and did nothing meaningful yet. So i hope you realise that you have just thanked FF - the party that led us up sh1ts creek in banking debt we had nothing to do with.

who what when

Im pretty much like another guy there. Mid twenties, low enough income but no wife, children or mortgage outgoings are low enough really.
Just the other day i was wondering why i always seem to be broke but when i thought about it over half my income goes straight into a savings account and i live off whatevers left.

Beats a few years ago when i considered pretty much all of my income as disposable. What a fool i was!

Thinking about it, if the government and businesses could encourage people to spend more then thered be no need for tax hikes.

Idbatterim

I voted FG in election, I actually think FF may have been better, they are the ones who did the damage, and would probably want to amend the wrongs more than anyone else. Either way you are swapping one useless shower for the next...

RichardAnd

Idbatterim wrote: »

I voted FG in election, I actually think FF may have been better, they are the ones who did the damage, and would probably want to amend the wrongs more than anyone else. Either way you are swapping one useless shower for the next...

Well we'll never know but my estimate is that the new government has until, at best, the end of the year before people get as upset with them as they were with FF. If there isn't marked improvement before budget day, well I think we all know what will happen.

problemchimp

RichardAnd wrote: »

Well we'll never know but my estimate is that the new government has until, at best, the end of the year before people get as upset with them as they were with FF. If there isn't marked improvement before budget day, well I think we all know what will happen.

First u-turn already by both labour and FG. Election promise: "we won't give one red cent of taxpayers money to the banks". Plenty more u-turns to follow.

BrianD3

Fair play to those saving money but I haven't found I save too much by shopping ariound. For instance my car insurance went up this year and I did plenty of shopping around using quotes from one insurer to haggle with another etc. I still ended up paying slightly more than I had last year.

House insurance - shopped around and got it for about the same as last year.

Car tyres - in my experience there is now little to be saved by going to NI.

I have no mortgage, partner or children. I do not drink or smoke or go on holidays. I do most servicing on my 8 year old car myself. I have my own gym equipment so no gym fees. I was doing all of this during the "boom" so am just continuing as before.

Haven't been to the cinema in months, that's a cutback. Have stopped buying protein supplements for my weightlifting. I still buy lunch in a pub/restaurant most days and that is the next thing that will get cut out in favour of packed lunch.

There are a couple more optional things that I could cut - eg golf club membership. I don't play often enough to justify it and could probably join another club for less but I want to support my local club for now.

To RichardAnd, I'm amazed that your net pay is 21k on a gross of 25k. Fair play to you for being frugal and saving as much of that 21k as you are. But it does show how little income tax those on below average wages pay. I'm older than you and have gross pay just over 2x yours - but with the small amount of income tax you're paying plus your nixers you're not too far off my net pay.

jamesbrond

ilovesleep wrote: »

FG have been in power for less than a month and did nothing meaningful yet. So i hope you realise that you have just thanked FF - the party that led us up sh1ts creek in banking debt we had nothing to do with.

Oh I dont really want to thank either shower tbh. Just pointing out that what they intended to do is backfiring on them, but we can make the most of it.

I forgot to add that my other half gave up smoking too. More savings for us and less tax for the government.

silverharp

Personally I havnt had to cut back as we were reasonably frugal during the boom, 1 car family, credit cards on DD. always overpaid my mortgage, no consumer debt.
I cant really understand why so many people are bad with money, the stories I hear at work are mindboggling, running up credit card debt etc.
Personally I'd prefer my kids to grow up where they save for what they want to buy so hopefully the next generation will be a more "sober" and serious lot.

BrianD3

BrianD3 wrote: »

Fair play to those saving money but I haven't found I save too much by shopping ariound. For instance my car insurance went up this year and I did plenty of shopping around using quotes from one insurer to haggle with another etc. I still ended up paying slightly more than I had last year.

House insurance - shopped around and got it for about the same as last year.

Car tyres - in my experience there is now little to be saved by going to NI.

I have no mortgage, partner or children. I do not drink or smoke or go on holidays. I do most servicing on my 8 year old car myself. I have my own gym equipment so no gym fees. I was doing all of this during the "boom" so am just continuing as before.

Haven't been to the cinema in months, that's a cutback. Have stopped buying protein supplements for my weightlifting. I still buy lunch in a pub/restaurant most days and that is the next thing that will get cut out in favour of packed lunch.

There are a couple more optional things that I could cut - eg golf club membership. I don't play often enough to justify it and could probably join another club for less but I want to support my local club for now.

To RichardAnd, I'm amazed that your net pay is 21k on a gross of 25k. Fair play to you for being frugal and saving as much of that 21k as you are. But it does show how little income tax those on below average wages pay. I'm older than you and have gross pay just over 2x yours - but with the small amount of income tax you're paying plus your nixers you're not too far off my net pay.

Oh come on! How can you expect those people on that salary to pay much more in tax?!

The reason their salary is so low is, and I guess, that they work in the private sector. No, not the protected sector like law. What that means is that salaries are more realistic. Start demanding more, and the factory moves overseas/the shop closes down.

Mr. Loverman

who what when wrote: »

the other day i was wondering why i always seem to be broke but when i thought about it over half my income goes straight into a savings account and i live off whatevers left.

I hear ya. When I get paid I immediately transfer 2/3 of my income into my savings account. I'm then broke for the rest of the month and have to live off whatever's left.

But you know what? It's not so bad.

Take tonight for example.

Sitting at home with the GF, drinking a selection of O'Haras stouts and ales, listening to music, surfing the web, and watching the odd economics clip on youtube (e.g. Peter Schiff, Max Keiser, Marc Faber, etc.)

I'm pretty sure 80% - 90% of the world would swap their lives to have this standard of living.

Life is good.

RichardAnd

problemchimp wrote: »

First u-turn already by both labour and FG. Election promise: "we won't give one red cent of taxpayers money to the banks". Plenty more u-turns to follow.

Yeah but they can say that the money for the new bail out was/is EU money and not, technically, tax payer money. Of course, this is arguing semantics as that money will have to be paid back by tax payers.

It was a fairly short sighted election promise to make really.

Mr. Loverman

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

I hear ya. When I get paid I immediately transfer 2/3 of my income into my savings account. I'm then broke for the rest of the month and have to live off whatever's left.

But you know what? It's not so bad.

Take tonight for example.

Sitting at home with the GF, drinking a selection of O'Haras stouts and ales, listening to music, surfing the web, and watching the odd economics clip on youtube (e.g. Peter Schiff, Max Keiser, Marc Faber, etc.)

I'm pretty sure 80% - 90% of the world would swap their lives to have this standard of living.

Life is good.

Oh, you party animal! And on a Saturday night !

During the boom, I thought I was seriously misguided/doing something wrong...I lived modestly and was :eek: at some of the spending, nah burning of cash, of some of my family and mates.

Ireland's land values are more valuable than anywhere else in the world. Gosh, that does sound stupid now

Mr. Loverman

salonfire wrote: »

Oh, you party animal! And on a Saturday night !

Haha... I'm all partied out...

Tech3

RichardAnd wrote: »

I'm well aware that this type of living is not healthy for the economy nor, if I'm honest, it is good for me. I'm a 24 year old male and whilst I've been exceptionally lucky to get a job, I'm actively avoiding dating, frequent socialising and travelling as I'm just paranoid about spending when I feel I should be saving. Not really the best way to be spending my 20s.

I think 60% being saved on your salary is extreme. Im also in my mid 20's and you really want to enjoy life while your young. I'm not against saving, I save some amount per month also but over-saving can have a negative effect too.

gigino

jamesbrond wrote: »

I have to say a big thankyou to the Irish government.

Over 300,000 people in the public service and their families should say a big thank you to the Irish government for paying an average 47k ( while north of the border the government there only pays its public servants 22-23k stg ).

Party on!

Half a million people on social welfare of one type or another should thank the government for double the payments those on social welfare in N. I get.

Party on !

Same with old age pensioners. And after hearing from an English friend complaining about his diesel @ 1.50 stg a litre, his water rates and property tax etc .... he says we are all living like lords over here still.

Lets all thank the government. Only snag is, its not sustainable.

erictheviking1

gigino wrote: »

Over 300,000 people in the public service and their families should say a big thank you to the Irish government for paying an average 47k ( while north of the border the government there only pays its public servants 22-23k stg ).

Party on!.

Wrong! Thats the median level. Basic full time pay not including overtime and other benefits is £28k. If you really want me to I'll prove you wrong.:rolleyes:. I enjoy watching you disappear when you lose an argument.:D

gigino wrote: »

Half a million people on social welfare of one type or another should thank the government for double the payments those on social welfare in N. I get.
Party on !.

The people who lost their jobs have paid PRSI contributions at class A1,
They have paid relatively more taxes than uk residents who receive a lot more for there money. i.e. FREE medical care and FREE education etc. etc.
I'll prove you wrong if you really want me to.

gigino wrote: »

Same with old age pensioners..

Those pensioners you are so fond of rubbishing paid PRSI and taxes all their lives while working during times of CRAP wages. I'd imagine more work than you have ever done or ever will do.:rolleyes:

gigino wrote: »

And after hearing from an English friend
complaining about his diesel @ 1.50 stg a litre, his water rates and property tax etc .... he says we are all living like lords over here still.

Lets all thank the government. Only snag is, its not sustainable.

BULL**** ALERT! Another one of your "Friend's" makey uppy stories!:D:D
I heard duty on petrol came DOWN in the UK's budget:rolleyes::rolleyes:
Water rates and property taxes?:rolleyes: I'm sure we'll be paying them here soon. as well as bin charges, higher motor tax, insurance, Higher food prices, Much higher cost of eating out etc.etc.etc.etc. The list could go on for days. Your imaginary friend doesn't have it too bad where he is let me tell you!;)

gigino

erictheviking1 wrote: »

Basic full time pay not including overtime and other benefits is £28k.

average irish public sector pay according to our own cso is 47k a year. www.cso.ie

That link has been gone in to detail before. its accepted by everyone, including the government. Average public sector overtime is not 19k a year ffs !

erictheviking1 wrote: »

I'd imagine more work than you have ever done or ever will do.:rolleyes:

less of the personal attacks

erictheviking1 wrote: »

BULL**** ALERT! Another one of your "Friend's" makey uppy stories!:D:D

Its not a makey up story...if you check you will see fuel prices ( diesel + petrol ) are higher in UK than here, and they have to pay domestic water rates and property tax etc

RichardAnd

Tech3 wrote: »

I think 60% being saved on your salary is extreme. Im also in my mid 20's and you really want to enjoy life while your young. I'm not against saving, I save some amount per month also but over-saving can have a negative effect too.

Tell me about it. To be honest, I think I've got an irrational issue with saving that isn't healthy but I've always been that way. I still have my communion and my conformation money stashed away in an ancient post office account .

Realistically, 50% or so would probably be wiser as life is for living but I just can't bring myself to spend over a certain amount each month.

erictheviking1

gigino wrote: »

average irish public sector pay according to our own cso is 47k a year. www.cso.ie

That link has been gone in to detail before. its accepted by everyone, including the government. Average public sector overtime is not 19k a year ffs !

Duh! The figure of £28k I gave is the mean uk figure, You claim it is £22k. You are wrong. as for the 47k down here....
Didnt public sector people have total cuts of around 14% (pension levy and pay cuts). I think your famous claim of 49k minus 14% would give me an answer of less than 47k. Or are you using stats to suit your own agenda again:rolleyes:

gigino wrote: »

less of the personal attacks

:D Thats Really good coming from somebody whose sole aim on here is to attack
the public sector, the unemployed or anyone else who doesn't agree with your extreme views.

gigino wrote: »

Its not a makey up story...if you check you will see fuel prices ( diesel + petrol ) are higher in UK than here, and they have to pay domestic water rates and property tax etc

Ah come on now:):rolleyes: It is a porky!...admit it!;)
As for taxes. This year I will probably pay about €1500 more than last year in taxes. Considerably More than I'd be paying in the UK

gigino

erictheviking1 wrote: »

Duh! The figure of £28k I gave is the mean uk figure, You claim it is £22k to 23k.

According to the front page of the Sunday Times "Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that average annual earnings of public sector workers rose to £22,405 last year"

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/public_sector/article6974029.ece

erictheviking1 wrote: »

I think your famous claim of 49k minus 14% would give me an answer of less than 47k.

My claim is the same as that of the c.s.o. Check the website out for yourself. It has been gone in to detail and everyone accepts the 47k current figure.
n.b. you are confused with the pension levy ; it does not affect gross pay.

erictheviking1 wrote: »

Thats Really good coming from somebody whose sole aim on here is to attack the public sector, the unemployed or anyone else who doesn't agree with your extreme views.

I do not attack anyone : there are many fine people among both the ranks of the public sector and the unemployed. I merely question why does the government pay among the highest public sector pay and social welfare in the whole world, when the country is one of the most bankrupt ?

erictheviking1 wrote: »

Ah come on now:):rolleyes: It is a porky!...admit it!;).

Believe it or not, despite what the union has brainwashed you, if you check you will see fuel prices ( diesel + petrol ) are higher in UK than here, and they have to pay domestic water rates and property tax etc. You really should get out more !

erictheviking1

gigino wrote: »

According to the front page of the Sunday Times "Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that average annual earnings of public sector workers rose to £22,405 last year"

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/public_sector/article6974029.ece

Have a look at table 13.3a in this official link.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/ASHE_2008/2008_pps.pdf
It gives Mean, that is, average basic pay for full time uk public sector employees.
Your figure is median, it includes casual and part time workers. The link doesn't include overtime or benefits or pay increases received since 2008:)

gigino wrote: »

My claim is the same as that of the c.s.o. Check the website out for yourself. It has been gone in to detail and everyone accepts the 47k current figure.
n.b. you are confused with the pension levy ; it does not affect gross pay.

I agree pension levy doesn't affect gross pay but it affects TAKE HOME PAY. Less pay to take home = PAY CUT
..or are you using stats to suit your own agenda:rolleyes:

gigino wrote: »

I do not attack anyone : there are many fine people among both the ranks of the public sector and the unemployed. I merely question why does the government pay among the highest public sector pay and social welfare in the whole world, when the country is one of the most bankrupt ?

Yeah right!:rolleyes: You never stop rubbishing them. Have a look back through your post history.

gigino wrote: »

Believe it or not, despite what the union has brainwashed you, if you check you will see fuel prices ( diesel + petrol ) are higher in UK than here, and they have to pay domestic water rates and property tax etc. You really should get out more

Nobody more based in reality than me. I get out to work every day instead of spending my days on here begrudging working people the little bit they've got.:rolleyes:

Read this next bit carefully!
I'll say it again on top of the tax I paid last year I will be paying around €1500 more in income tax this year. Then theres the USC;) Then my €600 for annual bin charges. I reckon this is more than I'd pay in council tax and income tax and water rates in the UK.
Then of course from next year you can add property tax and water charges
Please don't f***ing patronise with the bull**** that somehow we have it easier down here. We don't and you know it!!!
Argument Won! You lost! AGAIN!!!

mikom

*Little Johnny could never say for sure the exact day he became a man, but he felt it was around the time himself and the boys stopped competing for the biggest penis and instead began to compare taxes.*

The_Honeybadger

RichardAnd wrote: »

Tell me about it. To be honest, I think I've got an irrational issue with saving that isn't healthy but I've always been that way. I still have my communion and my conformation money stashed away in an ancient post office account .

Realistically, 50% or so would probably be wiser as life is for living but I just can't bring myself to spend over a certain amount each month.

Jesus 60% of your salary, on 25k that is some achievement, you must live like a monk, are you living at home or something? None of my business but to me that does sound excessive, I'm a few years older than yourself and without trying to sound like some all knowing yoda, be careful your youth doesn't pass you by. I really enjoyed my 20's, worked very hard after graduating third level and saved to go travelling, partied most weekends etc. Those days are well and truly behind me and I'm now married with kids and would love to occasionally have the freedom you have, enjoy it, even saving 40% of what you earn is phenomenal, especially on that salary. Fair play to you in one way, but it's not the life I'd choose.

danbohan

erictheviking1 wrote: »

Duh! The figure of £28k I gave is the mean uk figure, You claim it is £22k. You are wrong. as for the 47k down here....
Didnt public sector people have total cuts of around 14% (pension levy and pay cuts). I think your famous claim of 49k minus 14% would give me an answer of less than 47k. Or are you using stats to suit your own agenda again:rolleyes:



:D Thats Really good coming from somebody whose sole aim on here is to attack
the public sector, the unemployed or anyone else who doesn't agree with your extreme views.


Ah come on now:):rolleyes: It is a porky!...admit it!;)
As for taxes. This year I will probably pay about €1500 more than last year in taxes. Considerably More than I'd be paying in the UK

This year I will probably pay about €1500 more than last year in taxes. Considerably More than I'd be paying in the UK

you keep talking about proving stuff but never do , so go on prove to us how you are paying more in taxes than uk

RichardAnd

mickeyk wrote: »

Jesus 60% of your salary, on 25k that is some achievement, you must live like a monk, are you living at home or something? None of my business but to me that does sound excessive, I'm a few years older than yourself and without trying to sound like some all knowing yoda, be careful your youth doesn't pass you by. I really enjoyed my 20's, worked very hard after graduating third level and saved to go travelling, partied most weekends etc. Those days are well and truly behind me and I'm now married with kids and would love to occasionally have the freedom you have, enjoy it, even saving 40% of what you earn is phenomenal, especially on that salary. Fair play to you in one way, but it's not the life I'd choose.

Yup, I live with my parent still as it's super handy for me to get to work from here. I pay them 200 euro a month in rent and my other expenses cost, at most, 300 euro a month.

I wouldn't say I live like a monk but I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't have expensive hobbies like gaming or the like. I do get your point about life passing me by but I don't think, at least in my eyes, that I'm being excessively tight. It's more a case of me not having a wish to spend money if I can avoid it.

jamesbrond

Tech3 wrote: »

I think 60% being saved on your salary is extreme. Im also in my mid 20's and you really want to enjoy life while your young. I'm not against saving, I save some amount per month also but over-saving can have a negative effect too.

ah, the words of the young.
You wont listen now, so no point in saying anything to you, but write that down and in 15 years or so, read it back to yourself.
I know what you will say then. Something like "ah, the words of the young".

jamesbrond

gigino wrote: »

Over 300,000 people in the public service and their families should say a big thank you to the Irish government for paying an average 47k ( while north of the border the government there only pays its public servants 22-23k stg ).

Party on!

Half a million people on social welfare of one type or another should thank the government for double the payments those on social welfare in N. I get.

Party on !

Same with old age pensioners. And after hearing from an English friend complaining about his diesel @ 1.50 stg a litre, his water rates and property tax etc .... he says we are all living like lords over here still.

Lets all thank the government. Only snag is, its not sustainable.

I was living like a lord. Never had any debts ever apart from a mortgage. We were still saving about €1000 a month and overpaying the mortgage. Now, we still live like lords. We just spend less and save more than 3 times as much as we used to.
Havent noticed any difference to life style at all.

And I think that the public sector have been treated unfairly and taken more than their fair share of any hits. But if im honest, im only too happy to let others pay more, if i can pay less. I also get paid more than someone doing a similar job in the UK, which im not going to complain about either. And I pay less tax than them too - for the moment.

And your example above comparing €47k to €23k. You should use more realistic exchange rate. Like what the average rate was before sterling went to the dogs. Exchange rates will always be a problem when doing comparisons with the UK. While you are at it, you better compare specific jobs too, or you really arent making any comparison.

Instead of begrudging them. Your effort would be better used by embracing it. Use the exchange rate to your advantage while you can. Say thankyou government for making others pay more tax, so i dont have to.

And if everyone else was honest they would admit that too, instead trying to hide it by coming up with excuses as to why other people should pay more tax than they do.

Dont be this guy :
The drowning man doesnt care about the guy treading water on the surface, who may just have a chance of survival because hes not in as deep. The drowning man will pull that f*cker down with him, because he doesnt want to see someone else survive if he cant. That is the nature of a berudger Irishman.

erictheviking1

danbohan wrote: »

This year I will probably pay about €1500 more than last year in taxes. Considerably More than I'd be paying in the UK

you keep talking about proving stuff but never do , so go on prove to us how you are paying more in taxes than uk

Never prove anything?:rolleyes:
OK. If you check through the history of my posts, Dan. You will find that I endeavour to try and prove everything I post.

Here is a tax calculator from Ireland.

http://www.hookhead.com/Tools/tax2011.jsp

Here is a tax calculator from the UK


http://listentotaxman.com/index.php

Knock yourselves out Lads!

P.S. For those of you who don't work. Everybody who does work is paying a LOT more tax this year.

danbohan

erictheviking1 wrote: »

Never prove anything?:rolleyes:
OK. If you check through the history of my posts, Dan. You will find that I endeavour to try and prove everything I post.

Here is a tax calculator from Ireland.

http://www.hookhead.com/Tools/tax2011.jsp

Here is a tax calculator from the UK

http://listentotaxman.com/index.php

Knock yourselves out Lads!

we all know where to find calc eric , what you said is you are paying 1500 euro more in taxes this year and substantially more than you would if you lived in the uk , show us

jamesbrond

danbohan wrote: »

we all know where to find calc eric , what you said is you are paying 1500 euro more in taxes this year and substantially more than you would if you lived in the uk , show us

He is spot on. Its actually more than he said in my case. Obviously im not going to give you my salary, and i doubt erictheviking will give you his, but play with those calculators and you'll get an education about the difference between paying tax in the uk and ireland.

Heres a better one http://taxcalc.eu/

erictheviking1

danbohan wrote: »

we all know where to find calc eric , what you said is you are paying 1500 euro more in taxes this year and substantially more than you would if you lived in the uk , show us

:rolleyes: Should I post payslips?
The link for the irish calculator also has a calculator for 2010. compare the two with any salary. Go on!
The tax calculators show that you will pay more tax in Ireland. Salary don't matter. Whatever you earn you will pay more here. End of!
Argument over.:D

RichardAnd

jamesbrond wrote: »

Dont be this guy :
The drowning man doesnt care about the guy treading water on the surface, who may just have a chance of survival because hes not in as deep. The drowning man will pull that f*cker down with him, because he doesnt want to see someone else survive if he cant. That is the nature of a berudger Irishman.

There was a little fable posted here some weeks ago about that, I'll try to paraphrase it from memory.


A man is walking down a pier one after noon when he comes across a fisherman. He sees that the fisherman has a bucket of crabs beside him but also that one of the crabs is escaping by crawling over the side of the bucket.

The man calls to the fisher man, "hey!, one of your crabs is escaping". The fisherman quietly turns and laughs.

"Don't worry, they're Irish craps. The others will pull him back in."


Clever but at the same time, sad

danbohan

jamesbrond wrote: »

He is spot on. Its actually more than he said in my case. Obviously im not going to give you my salary, and i doubt erictheviking will give you his, but play with those calculators and you'll get an education about the difference between paying tax in the uk and ireland.

Heres a better one http://taxcalc.eu/

i just did , single £25000, take home uk £368 , ireland euro 28301 , take home e456

so uk £368 , ireland £403

now am sure if you go higher it widens out , but we are far from been a high tax economy , yet , but by 2013 i would say we most certainly will be

erictheviking1

RichardAnd wrote: »

There was a little fable posted here some weeks ago about that, I'll try to paraphrase it from memory.


A man is walking down a pier one after noon when he comes across a fisherman. He sees that the fisherman has a bucket of crabs beside him but also that one of the crabs is escaping by crawling over the side of the bucket.

The man calls to the fisher man, "hey!, one of your crabs is escaping". The fisherman quietly turns and laughs.

"Don't worry, they're Irish crabs. The others will pull him back in."


Clever but at the same time, sad

Very Good!:)
those little stories sum up the attitides of a lot of posters on here.
The good news is that away from keyboard warrior land begrudgery isn't so rife!

jamesbrond

danbohan wrote: »

i just did , single £25000, take home uk £368 , ireland euro 28301 , take home e456

so uk £368 , ireland £403

now am sure if you go higher it widens out , but we are far from been a high tax economy , yet , but by 2013 i would say we most certainly will be

You'll need to take more samples than one.
As the teachers used to say in school - You're not fooling anyone but yourself.

I suggest you try higher and lower figures too. I know you are looking for one particular answer to suit your position, but you would be better served with varied examples. eg married/single. Range of incomes. both lower and higher.

jamesbrond

RichardAnd wrote: »

There was a little fable posted here some weeks ago about that, I'll try to paraphrase it from memory.


A man is walking down a pier one after noon when he comes across a fisherman. He sees that the fisherman has a bucket of crabs beside him but also that one of the crabs is escaping by crawling over the side of the bucket.

The man calls to the fisher man, "hey!, one of your crabs is escaping". The fisherman quietly turns and laughs.

"Don't worry, they're Irish craps. The others will pull him back in."


Clever but at the same time, sad

Very good. Theres a good one in this link too, for those who dont understand the tax system, which is mostly those who dont pay much tax.

http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2007/03/barstool-tax-policy.html

danbohan

jamesbrond wrote: »

You'll need to take more samples than one.
As the teachers used to say in school - You're not fooling anyone but yourself.

I suggest you try higher and lower figures too. I know you are looking for one particular answer to suit your position, but you would be better served with varied examples. eg married/single. Range of incomes. both lower and higher.

i am sure we can create figures to suit any argument on tax or income , i have no vested interest either way just that a lot of irish people think we have a high tax country here , we have not , we have a high wage average tax economy . europe will make sure we end up with a low wage ,high tax, no services economy inside a few years

jamesbrond

danbohan wrote: »

i am sure we can create figures to suit any argument on tax or income , i have no vested interest either way just that a lot of irish people think we have a high tax country here , we have not , we have a high wage average tax economy . europe will make sure we end up with a low wage ,high tax, no services economy inside a few years

Which is exactly what you did. You should have used a more varied base, but you posted one figure only.

So when you went back and tried lots of different data, what were the numbers you got?

RichardAnd

danbohan wrote: »

i am sure we can create figures to suit any argument on tax or income , i have no vested interest either way just that a lot of irish people think we have a high tax country here , we have not , we have a high wage average tax economy . europe will make sure we end up with a low wage ,high tax, no services economy inside a few years

Judging from some of your posts, you seem to be looking forward to just that happening.

gigino

jamesbrond wrote: »

And I think that the public sector have been treated unfairly and taken more than their fair share of any hits. But if im honest, im only too happy to let others pay more, if i can pay less. I also get paid more than someone doing a similar job in the UK, which im not going to complain about either. And I pay less tax than them too - for the moment.

And your example above comparing €47k to €23k. You should use more realistic exchange rate. Like what the average rate was before sterling went to the dogs.

exchange rate ; big deal. we are mid to high eighties now, in the past we were low eighties and not too long before that low nineties. It does not matter the exchange rate, the government as you acknowledge is still paying us more than UK rates ; in fact our public sector wages are some of the highest in the world even though the country is one of the most bankrupt.

fat__tony

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

I hear ya. When I get paid I immediately transfer 2/3 of my income into my savings account. I'm then broke for the rest of the month and have to live off whatever's left.

But you know what? It's not so bad.

Take tonight for example.

Sitting at home with the GF, drinking a selection of O'Haras stouts and ales, listening to music, surfing the web, and watching the odd economics clip on youtube (e.g. Peter Schiff, Max Keiser, Marc Faber, etc.)

I'm pretty sure 80% - 90% of the world would swap their lives to have this standard of living.

Life is good.

Why in blazes are you saving so much if you're that 'broke' for the rest of the month?

Try spending some extra cash instead of hoarding it away. If thats what most people working are doing at the moment then there will be next to zero growth for the next few years in Ireland.

I certainly wouldn't swap my lifestyle for the so called 'living' you have either. Its sounds **** to be honest.

danbohan

RichardAnd wrote: »

Judging from some of your posts, you seem to be looking forward to just that happening.

i think we have an overpaid , overstaffed public service if thats what you mean , i also think irish people have had some of the highest wages in europe and that is going to change for everybody as it already has for construction workers . having employed quite a few people here in the last 10 years and like most employers here have had to deal with less productivity and more attitude than i ever found abroad i am not shedding any crocodile tears for irish workers

ei.sdraob

RichardAnd wrote: »

I wouldn't say I live like a monk but I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't have expensive hobbies like gaming or the like. I do get your point about life passing me by but I don't think, at least in my eyes, that I'm being excessively tight. It's more a case of me not having a wish to spend money if I can avoid it.

I used to be like that, very frugal, but in the last year and half i have spent most of my savings buying land and building home for family, beast of a 4x4 (life's little luxuries :P), then travelling and investing rest in own business.
Thanks to FF crashing the economy we now have a spacious home/office build to our needs and high spec and no mortgage
Like the good Keynesian that I am :P Ive spent more in last year than probably in decade before. Going forward will start saving again (not in irish banks) and maybe invest around (to diversify).

On the flipside thanks to FF we will now spend decades paying increased taxes and have less services, with a prospect of inevitable default leading to potential chaos. Eitherway I will continue to hedge my bets and prepare for any up/down turns.

RichardAnd

danbohan wrote: »

i think we have an overpaid , overstaffed public service if thats what you mean , i also think irish people have had some of the highest wages in europe and that is going to change for everybody as it already has for construction workers . having employed quite a few people here in the last 10 years and like most employers here have had to deal with less productivity and more attitude than i ever found abroad i am not shedding any crocodile tears for irish workers

No, you clearly aren't and you show you show this very well in the following post from the WPP thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=66790674&postcount=199

This post was made in responce to a women who stated that her husband had been laid off a week before his job appeared on FAS as a WPP placement. Says alot about someone to respond like this.

danbohan

RichardAnd wrote: »

No, you clearly aren't and you show you show this very well in the following post from the WPP thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=66790674&postcount=199

This post was made in responce to a women who stated that her husband had been laid off a week before his job appeared on FAS as a WPP placement. Says alot about someone to respond like this.

terrible isnt it , its a rough world out there , get over it . Irish people need to stop stop whining and blaming everybody but themselves for their problems

RichardAnd

danbohan wrote: »

terrible isnt it , its a rough world out there , get over it . Irish people need to stop stop whining and blaming everybody but themselves for their problems

Does the word alturism mean anything to you? You might be of a mind that would allow you to make an absolutly outrageous remark to that poor woman from the FAS thread but I don't simply write off unfair treatment of individuals as the symptoms of a "rough world".

Honestly, you are one one of many posters on these boards who seem not to have a shread of humanity to share. The more I read, the more sickening it can be some times as I've heard nonsence suggestions such as 100% cuts to the dole and the like. What about those people whom you assume to hold the right to pass judgement upon? What about honest men and women who simply have had the misfortune to find themselves unemployed? Should they not be given a helping hand or would you rather simply tell them to take it on the chin?

People with attitudes like yours are, in my opinion, as bad as any dodgey banker or crooked politician.

later12

RichardAnd wrote: »

Does the word alturism mean anything to you? You might be of a mind that would allow you to make an absolutly outrageous remark to that poor woman from the FAS thread but I don't simply write off unfair treatment of individuals as the symptoms of a "rough world".

Honestly, you are one one of many posters on these boards who seem not to have a shread of humanity to share. The more I read, the more sickening it can be some times as I've heard nonsence suggestions such as 100% cuts to the dole and the like. What about those people whom you assume to hold the right to pass judgement upon? What about honest men and women who simply have had the misfortune to find themselves unemployed? Should they not be given a helping hand or would you rather simply tell them to take it on the chin?

People with attitudes like yours are, in my opinion, as bad as any dodgey banker or crooked politician.

I have to agree with this. If there's one thing worse than armchair republicans on boards.ie it is armchair monetarists and Friedman economists championing these schools as though doing so were an inherent mark of success while playing bullbearings and blasting the great unwashed in unemployment lines. The internet, ladies and gentlemen.