Garda Sergeant can't afford food

Dan133269 · 17-10-2012 8:11am #1

All the tales from people suffering from the recession have evoked different reactions from me, but this story really tugged at my heart strings. A working Garda sergeant is unable to feed his family.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/1017/1224325341332.html

According to his wife:

The woman describes how a €1,400 monthly mortgage payment on a four-bedroom semi-detached family home bought seven years ago along with the repeated cuts to her husband’s wages have left them “living a nightmare”.

. . There are weeks when I can’t put food on the table. I call them ‘cornflakes days’ when all we eat all day is cornflakes . . .”

The woman wrote that even though her eldest child got enough points to go to a prestigious college they couldn’t afford the fees: “Imagine how upsetting that is?”

Her husband has gross earnings of more than €65,000 – including allowances and unsocial hours coverage. After tax, Universal Social Charge, pension, health insurance, mortgage and utility deductions, a typical weekly payslip shows a net payment of €109.

Where's a secret millionaire when you need them? Obviously I'm being sarcastic. This kind of whingeing really sickens me. There are people who are genuinely struggling, and this family making at least 65k a year gross (no mention on whether she's working or not) are moaning that they can't put food on the table. How in the name of god are they managing their finances?

Melion · 17-10-2012 8:12am

65k a year and can't survive, kindly **** off.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime · 17-10-2012 8:15am

another "oh no, i bought a flashy over priced house that i cant afford sob story.

staker · 17-10-2012 8:20am

How much would he have left out of 65k gross? 16800 raw cash gone on the mortgage,surely he has the bones of 20-25k a year to live on!!

I'd be banned for putting here what I've just muttered at the screen.

Islander13 · 17-10-2012 8:23am

staker wrote: »

How much would he have left out of 65k gross? 16800 raw cash gone on the mortgage,surely he has the bones of 20-25k a year to live on!!

I'd be banned for putting here what I've just muttered at the screen.

You can't afford health insurance so cancel it. Suggest porridge instead of cornflakes to save a bit of dough too.

This has to be a pisstake by the way. Comical

Fulton Crown · 17-10-2012 8:27am

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

another "oh no, i bought a flashy over priced house that i cant afford sob story.

A four bed semi "family" house is hardly flashy now !

Having said that I would agree with previous poster in wondering how they manage their finances ?

It seems reasonably obvious that the wife is not in employment....just get out love and get yourself a freekin job and quit the entitlement whinge..

Xavi6 · 17-10-2012 8:27am

I'd wager the family have at least some of the following -

- A post 2008 car
- Gym membership
- iPhone / A N other smart phone
- Games consoles
- Flat screen tv 36"+

If they don't have any of them then *maybe* I'll muster up an ounce of sympathy but even then, it's 65k a year ffs.

Is she working?

Also, she says they couldn't afford fees for a 'prestigious' college. What's wrong with a slightly lesser college and the kid working part time to pay the fees?

Another spoofer.

El Guapo! · 17-10-2012 8:30am

No sympathy from me. If they can't survive on €65k a year then that's their own fault.

Kylo Ren · 17-10-2012 8:31am

He should raid a KFC everyday with a warrant using false pretenses.

kneemos · 17-10-2012 8:32am

It could be a civil service can't afford pay cuts pre budget whinge

gobnaitolunacy · 17-10-2012 8:40am

Boo-fcuking-Hoo.

Go for the store brand instead of Kellogg's.

Outkast_IRE · 17-10-2012 8:45am

hope the criminals take note, garda openly admits financial problems, if the movies i watch are anything to go by they should be getting this guy to work for them on the side for extra money. :cool:

MagicMarker · 17-10-2012 8:48am

You're doing something seriously wrong if you can't support a family on 65k a year. Their mortgage isn't even that much!!

Squ · 17-10-2012 8:50am

they should go into apache pizza on swords main st. Gaurds get free food.

gurramok · 17-10-2012 8:51am

People like that who whinge to the media about their lifestyle in the public eye put hard working Gardai who get on with the job and are prudent in a bad light. The media are harsh.

GoodisonPark · 17-10-2012 8:52am

If they cant afford food it does'nt leave much hope for the rest of us !!!

leeroybrown · 17-10-2012 8:53am

For me the numbers really don't add up there. An €1400 monthly mortgage payment is large but still not at the upper end of what people out there are paying and it should be absorbing less than 45% of his net pay. The Garda Medical Aid payments they're making won't be small but they're still not out of line with good health insurance costs. The real detail must be in the 'utility' payments here which I'm assuming includes a decent TV package, mobile and landline phone bills and burning gas/electricity like it's going out of fashion to heat a badly insulated house.

For me it's someone running a carefully accounted for sob story.

Shenshen · 17-10-2012 8:54am

Dan133269 wrote: »

All the tales from people suffering from the recession have evoked different reactions from me, but this story really tugged at my heart strings. A working Garda sergeant is unable to feed his family.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/1017/1224325341332.html

According to his wife:

Where's a secret millionaire when you need them? Obviously I'm being sarcastic. This kind of whingeing really sickens me. There are people who are genuinely struggling, and this family making at least 65k a year gross (no mention on whether she's working or not) are moaning that they can't put food on the table. How in the name of god are they managing their finances?

How many children do they have?!
They're having more income than me and my husband combined, with roughly the same mortgage, and they can't afford FOOD??!!?

helimachoptor · 17-10-2012 8:56am

Seems a bit bogus tbh

starbelgrade · 17-10-2012 8:57am

A routine Gardai patrol was parked outside a local neighbourhood pub. Late in the evening the Garda noticed a man leaving the bar so intoxicated that he could barely walk.

The man stumbled around the car park for a few minutes, with the Garda quietly observing.

After what seemed an eternity and trying his keys on five vehicles, the man managed to find his car which he fell into. He was there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and drove off.

Finally he started the car, switched the wipers on and off (it was a fine dry night), flicked the indicators on, then off, tooted the horn and then switched on the lights.

He moved the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little and then remained stationary for a few more minutes as some more vehicles left.
At last he pulled out of the car park and started to drive slowly down the road.

The Garda, having patiently waited all this time, now started up the patrol car, put on the flashing lights, promptly pulled the man over and carried out a breathalyzer test.

To his amazement the breathalyzer indicated no evidence of the man having consumed alcohol at all. Dumbfounded, the Garda said "I'll have to ask you to accompany me to the Police station this breathalyzer equipment must be broken."

"I doubt it," said the man, "tonight I'm the designated decoy".

rsole1 · 17-10-2012 8:59am

Yes but they have maxed out credit cards and loans, plus two cars on hire purchase. And now poor child can't afford to go to a "prestigous college".

I have no sympathy at all. The AGS are over paid for what they do as it is.

xabi · 17-10-2012 9:00am

I bet they have 2 fairly new cars with high repayments along with all the other luxuries like full sky package, high speed broadband, iphones, gym membership, etc, etc. Most people seem to think these items are basic and couldn't live without them. I caught the tail end of this story on Ireland AM, they recon they have €109 / week left after all bills are paid!

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime · 17-10-2012 9:00am

Basic maths.... i dont know if gardai pay tax but i'll throw it in for the laugh anways.

65K a year minus 20% tax

52000 / 12

4333.3333333333 per month net pay

1083.33333333 per week pay

so if Garda is making €1,083.33 a week take home pay and cant afford to pay a €1,400 a month, then the garda is clearly spending his money on hookers and drugs.

antodeco · 17-10-2012 9:10am

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Basic maths.... i dont know if gardai pay tax but i'll throw it in for the laugh anways.

65K a year minus 20% tax

52000 / 12

4333.3333333333 per month net pay

1083.33333333 per week pay

so if Garda is making €1,083.33 a week take home pay and cant afford to pay a €1,400 a month, then the garda is clearly spending his money on hookers and drugs.

Higher tax rate after c37k of 42%!

Even still, when I was on the dole on €188 pw, I was still able to pay bills and have enough for food. €109 a week is more than enough for food! Unless of course the family insist on shopping in Superquinn

danniemcq · 17-10-2012 9:12am

even after taking out tax and mortgage he still takes in more than me.

from that i have rent, taxis, sky, bb, phone, utilities and nights out and still have enough for food.

Get oldest kid to get a job to help pay through college. Yes its crap but you are not a special case.

These sob stories are just making people numb to this situation. we no longer care and the more we read the less we care

Shenshen · 17-10-2012 9:14am

antodeco wrote: »

Higher tax rate after c37k of 42%!

Even still, when I was on the dole on €188 pw, I was still able to pay bills and have enough for food. €109 a week is more than enough for food! Unless of course the family insist on shopping in Superquinn

Even with 42% tax he would go home with over €400 a week after paying the mortgage.

horsemaster · 17-10-2012 9:15am

I can't really make a solid statement without knowing everything but I think 86k per annum is a lot of money for a person to make. Many people make less than half of that and are doing okay. 1400 per month mortgage is pretty hefty so they should have thought of getting a cheaper house before getting this one they are living in. Personally, I think there are people who are in much worse of situation than him.

corktina · 17-10-2012 9:15am

I guess they should sell up or otherwise come to an arrangement on their debts and rent somewhere.

Plazaman · 17-10-2012 9:16am

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Basic maths.... i dont know if gardai pay tax but i'll throw it in for the laugh anways......

Yes, it's a well known fact that all Gardai do not pay tax :rolleyes:

Although I do call bullshít on this :

Her husband has gross earnings of more than €65,000 – including allowances and unsocial hours coverage. After tax, Universal Social Charge, pension, health insurance, mortgage and utility deductions, a typical weekly payslip shows a net payment of €109.

A Garda Sergeant would not be paid weekly, it's either fortnightly or monthly. You Madam, are a liar!

Duggy747 · 17-10-2012 9:17am

Huge amount of stuff is missing from that story because it doesn't add up as it is where they supposedly don't have enough for food.

Story sounds full of shìt, to be honest.

antodeco · 17-10-2012 9:19am

horsemaster wrote: »

I can't really make a solid statement without knowing everything but I think 86k per annum is a lot of money for a person to make. Many people make less than half of that and are doing okay. 1400 per month mortgage is pretty hefty so they should have thought of getting a cheaper house before getting this one they are living in. Personally, I think there are people who are in much worse of situation than him.

Jaysus, must have gotten a great 21k bonus since the interview

hawkelady · 17-10-2012 9:20am

Plazaman wrote: »

Yes, it's a well known fact that all Gardai do not pay tax :rolleyes:

Although I do call bullshít on this :

A Garda Sergeant would not be paid weekly, it's either fortnightly or monthly. You Madam, are a liar!

Afaik .... Guards are paid weekly.

Precious flower · 17-10-2012 9:20am

It seems slightly odd to me as well. I understand that they could have a lot of bills and the fact that they don't have benefits like a medical card etc. but surely there's no way that a most of his take home pay would be gone to this.

I thought it was unusual as well that she mentioned they have no savings. What person would not put money aside for a rainy day? I'm sure when the boom was going they definitely could have afforded to put away money for their children's education. It mentions nothing of her working either and she makes no mention of whether she's looking for work and simply can't get it or anything like that. It said in the article this related article here http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1017/1224325338822.html?via=rel
that the mabs adviser couldn't see how they could get they outgoings below 1,100 euro a week. If this has been calculated by a professional adviser maybe they really are having problems?

12vdc · 17-10-2012 9:23am

Ya ha ha , wasters do f##k all n anyways,
This is a great site
Us dirt bags need to all band together and slate the pigs

the keen edge · 17-10-2012 9:23am

Xavi6 wrote: »

I'd wager the family have at least some of the following -

- A post 2008 car
- Gym membership
- iPhone / A N other smart phone
- Games consoles
- Flat screen tv 36"+

If they don't have any of them then *maybe* I'll muster up an ounce of sympathy but even then, it's 65k a year ffs.

Is she working?

Also, she says they couldn't afford fees for a 'prestigious' college. What's wrong with a slightly lesser college and the kid working part time to pay the fees?

Another spoofer.

You must adhere to personnel austerity when you're broke. You do it to avoid falling into debt; or deepening your current debt, hardly rocket science.

As I'm a poor student midway through a college degree I'm doing it myself.

iPhone? Not a chance, I've the same €30 Nokia for the past 3 years, I count myself lucky to have a phone.
Annual vacation is the over to London for the October bank holiday weekend spent on my cousins couch.
Clothes: Not quite X-Works jeans and fila hoodies, but far from this season Hilfiger collection. I'll start being part of the latest skinny jeans look in about ~2017.
Gym membership; my dads garden is my gym.
The new car I have is a 13 year ago 1 litre polo, its predecessor, a 12 year old Hiace van got the road as she was to heavy on fuel.
Consumer electronics? I've a fairly decent Tamagotchi, I hope to get a new battery for it next birthday.
Christmas? Christmas is cancelled. Its a bullsh!t modern phenomena anyway promoted by cash hungry business suits for rich frivolous ****.

I'm pretty much a modern day Oliver; now wheres my fcuking medal.

pc7 · 17-10-2012 9:24am

According to the radio this morning with his O/T his earnings were over 75K, there has to be personal debt payments if they can't afford 1400 a month mortgage. It stinks of bullsh*t to me.
As for the kid can't go to college, get a part time job/student loan, don't believe a bar of it.

leeroybrown · 17-10-2012 9:25am

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Basic maths.... i dont know if gardai pay tax but i'll throw it in for the laugh anways.

65K a year minus 20% tax

52000 / 12

4333.3333333333 per month net pay

1083.33333333 per week pay

Very very basic. When you factor in tax credits, PAYE, PRSI, USC, Public Sector Pension Levy and pension contributions you're probably looking at €65k turning into approx. €750-800 per week net. I'm not sure what pension contribution he'd be making and what taxation agreements exist for particular Garda allowances so I could be out by a bit.

phasers · 17-10-2012 9:25am

Sure for half the price of a box of cornflakes you can get some lovely noodles and veg in Aldi and do a stir fry

Obviously this bunch don't know how to do a proper weekly shop.

bamboozle · 17-10-2012 9:27am

firstly - repeated pay cuts? since when did gardai get repeated pay cuts? she fails to mention the 'repeated' pay increments.

Mortgage of 1400PM she fails to mention the Mortgage interest relief they are receiving.

Cant afford to send the eldest kid to college...this would indicate they are at least 18 years a family...go back 18 years if you bought a house you'd have got it for a snip and the mortgage would have 2 years remaining...sounds like they sold up or extended the equity to buy a newer fancier house or bought rental property(properties)

65k gross should net to about 3700-3800 PM assuming she's not working. lets say 3700 to be prudent, knock off mortgage of 1400 add back mortgage interest relief of 140, add back children's allowance (3 kids by 140) 420 so after mortgage commitment they're left with circa €2,860PM to feed themselves...Boohoo.

smash · 17-10-2012 9:29am

Wonder what the real figures are? I'm guessing its 65k basic + overtime + children's allowance + mortgage interest relief + I'd say he has all his wife's tax credits too.

Ellis Dee · 17-10-2012 9:31am

Good to see that at least one thing is still alive and well and thriving in Ireland - an beal bocht!:):):)

12vdc · 17-10-2012 9:32am

65k is gross not nett

12vdc · 17-10-2012 9:33am

Gob****es

Fuinseog · 17-10-2012 9:36am

Dan133269 wrote: »

All the tales from people suffering from the recession have evoked different reactions from me, but this story really tugged at my heart strings. A working Garda sergeant is unable to feed his family.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/1017/1224325341332.html

According to his wife:

Where's a secret millionaire when you need them? Obviously I'm being sarcastic. This kind of whingeing really sickens me. There are people who are genuinely struggling, and this family making at least 65k a year gross (no mention on whether she's working or not) are moaning that they can't put food on the table. How in the name of god are they managing their finances?

eastern europeans in this country snigger when they listen to the like of this and liveline. if you have a problem got off your hole and solve it. dont go bitching.

smash · 17-10-2012 9:36am

12vdc wrote: »

65k is gross not nett

No shít. I fail to see your point though.

Fuinseog · 17-10-2012 9:38am

Padraig Flynn should come back and say how hard he has it these days.

gobnaitolunacy · 17-10-2012 9:39am

Fuinseog wrote: »

Padraig Flynn should come back and say how hard he has it these days.

But he had TWO houses!

What a burden.

giftgrub · 17-10-2012 9:39am

It doesnt make sense to me...my mortgage is tipping 1400 now thanks to rate hikes...and we bought AFTER things went wallop.

I dont make anywhere near 65K a year and right now we're down to one salary and maternity benefit.

never missed a payment but we recently went interest only because there was a delay in getting the maternity and we were down a big chunk every month but we'll be back to normal payments in January.

If i had a 65K salary I'd be delighted.....

12vdc · 17-10-2012 9:41am

Tax? USC ? Pension levy? Prsi? Health insurance ?mortage? Food?
65k? Get the fuc
And do the maths

hyperborean · 17-10-2012 9:42am

12vdc wrote: »

Gob****es

Relax, this is not a Gardai bashing thread! This is a winging moaner thread. Most people respect the Gardai..........

Chill

The fact that someone with a €65k wage can be under financial pressuer is undeniable but its usual down to keeping up with the Jones and bad financial planning, people here are just calling them out.

PS, we have €75k gross between myself and the missus(and a young kid in creche), yet to survive in the last few years I quit smoking,drinking, gave up the gym membership(not too hard)-havent had sky for 3 years. Our only luxury is decent broadband, a holiday every now and again and paying our own way (bills) without expecting handouts or moaning!

floggg · 17-10-2012 9:43am

Plazaman wrote: »

Yes, it's a well known fact that all Gardai do not pay tax :rolleyes:

Although I do call bullshít on this :

A Garda Sergeant would not be paid weekly, it's either fortnightly or monthly. You Madam, are a liar!

Not to mention I've never seen ESB deducted from a payslip.

Garda Sergeant can't afford food

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