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Garda Sergeant can't afford food

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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,619 ✭✭✭ilovesleep


    I agree with others posting here. I don't believe this story.

    65,000 a year divided by 12 months is 5416 a month.

    5416 a month divided by 4 weeks is 1354 a week.

    To be left with 109 euro a week after tax he is paying 1245 a week in tax and other charges. Please spare me.

    At a guess he is coming out with 700 - 800 euro a week after tax. And that's 2800 - 3200 a month.

    A mortgage of 1400 a week is 350 a week.

    They are left with 350 - 450 a week after mortgage.

    If their mortgage is strangling them, and they are left with 109 euro for food a week, they have other outgoings that they are not mentioning.

    And something else:
    I'd say many people took out a mortgage without thinking:
    - what if I lose my job? How will I pay?
    - what if my pay drops?
    - what if I become sick?
    - what if I become pregnant?
    I'd say that's where many people are struggling. They didn't factor in hard times.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 34,915 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    How much was this guy earning when he 'bought' his house if he's gone from being wealthy to a pauper?

    250 euros a month on eletrciity sounds about 10 times too much unless he's got a growhouse on the go.


  • Registered Users Posts: 43,013 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    I have never known a Garda who did not do something on the side


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    ted1 wrote: »
    your fogettinn to allow for 250 Mortgage ineterst relief

    Mortgage relief is deducted at source. That means it happens before the figure of 1400.
    pc7 wrote: »
    They are also forgetting the 10k overtime that is on top of the 65k according to the radio reports this morning, add on childrens allowance too for 4 kids. I would bet my cornflakes this morning that there is personal debt outside of the mortgage. Mabs have the full picture we dont.

    Overtime? Very few sergeants see a lick of overtime. You may be right in relation to private debt. But even if you assume 200 per week in private debt you still have a deficit of 100 per week.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭Where To


    Stories like this really sicken me. People should take responsibility for their own actions. They chose to take out a €1400 mortgage on a house, if they can't afford it tough.

    Sense of entitlement stinks off this thread.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 363 ✭✭CONSI


    I think whats getting most people on here is that if this wasn't a Garda it wouldn't make the news. A lot of people are in this situation.

    Myself and my wife both work(thankfully), bring in about €75k between us and we can pay mortgage (bought in 2007), creche (or 2 kids) and cover all our bills and still have food on the table.

    And before people say about the travelling I have to travel 160km a day round trip for work.

    It's all about prudent management of finances, understanding what you need and what you don't.

    She should do up a spreadsheet like I have and count every penny she spends each week, you can get some great online ones from the banks, PTSB do a budget bainisteoir.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    ilovesleep wrote: »
    I agree with others posting here. I don't believe this story.

    65,000 a year divided by 12 months is 5416 a month.

    5416 a month divided by 4 weeks is 1354 a week.

    To be left with 109 euro a week after tax he is paying 1245 a week in tax and other charges. Please spare me.

    At a guess he is coming out with 700 - 800 euro a week after tax. And that's 2800 - 3200 a month.

    A mortgage of 1400 a week is 350 a week.

    They are left with 350 - 450 a week after mortgage.

    If their mortgage is strangling them, and they are left with 109 euro for food a week, they have other outgoings that they are not mentioning.

    And something else:
    I'd say many people took out a mortgage without thinking:
    - what if I lose my job? How will I pay?
    - what if my pay drops?
    - what if I become sick?
    - what if I become pregnant?
    I'd say that's where many people are struggling. They didn't factor in hard times.

    I'll post this again for you because you must not have read it.
    MagicSean wrote: »
    The 65k includes all allowances and I presume overtime too. After the pension levy that leaves 60k. After taxes that leaves about 36k, which is about 3000 per month. Less the mortgage that's 1600k per month. Electricity and gas for a family of four about 250 a month. That's 1150 he now takes in per month or just under 300 per week. Another factor to consider is that newly promoted sergeants are often sent to stations far away so travel costs would be high. He's probably looking at fuel costs of up to 80 a week. Which leaves 200 a week for all the other household bills and costs. Take away the cost of medical aid which is a necessity in his line of work and he is bringing in less money per week than he would be on the dole.

    It's not really hard to see where the money goes to be honest.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    I just don't believe its possible to run out of money on that income with two children. Someone can't do a basic housekeeping budget.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 Benji1974


    She sounds like she has the worst type of victim complex and pushy as hell. To top it all off, she has some skewed reasoning. Wonder where that came from?

    I remember a similar sob story last year like this about indebted Gardai, the poor things being left with no money after paying their bills.

    This lady doesn’t even say what she wants or offer a solution to her predicament, bet she just rants and probably feels the house should be given to her.

    What she has to do and many like her: is give up the house she can’t afford and rent.
    There is a solution but people like this don’t want to see it.

    PS I feel depressed that 65K is considered middle income?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    I have never known a Garda who did not do something on the side

    Do you know many personally? I do and i can say with certainty that very few have outside work these days.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,473 ✭✭✭Wacker The Attacker


    Dunkin Donuts probably see more of his weekly salary that his bank do.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    Dunkin Donuts probably see more of his weekly salary that his bank do.

    This is an Irish forum. You appear to be stuck in the US. It was established in last weeks Garda bashing thread that Gardaí eat nothing but free coffee and sandwiches from the petrol stations. Try to keep up.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 787 ✭✭✭Emeraldy Pebbles


    Their mortgage isn't even that much!!

    My thoughts exactly! Looking to rent a one-bedroom place in Dublin with my BF in the new year. Anything decent is at least 900 per month. They get a four-bed place for 1400/month. Not too shabby!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,775 ✭✭✭Death and Taxes


    Another "we are emergency services" we should be paid enormous saleries so we can keep our tiger lifestyle stories! Sickening.


  • Registered Users Posts: 43,271 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    MagicSean wrote: »
    The 65k includes all allowances and I presume overtime too. After the pension levy that leaves 60k. After taxes that leaves about 36k, which is about 3000 per month. Less the mortgage that's 1600k per month. Electricity and gas for a family of four about 250 a month. That's 1150 he now takes in per month or just under 300 per week. Another factor to consider is that newly promoted sergeants are often sent to stations far away so travel costs would be high. He's probably looking at fuel costs of up to 80 a week. Which leaves 200 a week for all the other household bills and costs. Take away the cost of medical aid which is a necessity in his line of work and he is bringing in less money per week than he would be on the dole.

    It's not really hard to see where the money goes to be honest.

    I'm getting 43k here, mortgage of 17k still leaves 26k or 500 a week. I suppose if they've high travel and bills €100 a week to live on is very possible.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,699 ✭✭✭bamboozle


    MagicSean wrote: »
    Mortgage relief is deducted at source. That means it happens before the figure of 1400.



    Overtime? Very few sergeants see a lick of overtime. You may be right in relation to private debt. But even if you assume 200 per week in private debt you still have a deficit of 100 per week.

    Incorrect, it depends on the bank.

    as things stand the article says they've income of 65k, but fails to mention Overtime, Mortgage Interest Relief and Childrens allowances.

    As i said earlier, if their oldest kid is college going age they had plenty of opportunities to save or buy a house before 2007 so it is pretty clear to me they are living far far far beyond their means if net income of circa €4200 turns into a €1200 deficit each month...so their monthly costs are over 5000PM...after mortgage that 3600 they're spending on stuff other than food...its a lot of electricity, diesel...a lot of bullsh1t if you ask me.

    If fuel costs are so high why dont they rent out their house they cant afford, move closer to his station & rent a cheaper house. save on diesel & mortgage.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,473 ✭✭✭Wacker The Attacker


    MagicSean wrote: »
    This is an Irish forum. You appear to be stuck in the US. It was established in last weeks Garda bashing thread that Gardaí eat nothing but free coffee and sandwiches from the petrol stations. Try to keep up.


    who woke up with a hard on this morning


  • Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭Mellio


    I heard this on the tv this morning and couldnt beleive they were giving it any ounce of sympathy just like the mortgage debt reduction for those that can't afford(tic, say they cant afford)excluding those who lost jobs, well let me tell you I cant afford my mortgage right now as probably like this seargeant I have a €1300 a month mortgage, Child Care at 400 month for 3 half days, Bills,Shopping, Credit Card and Loan.

    you know what it is the CC and Loan thats killing me this is life right now for a lot of people, what makes this gaurd any different to the rest of us, is he looking for mortgage debt releif, if so we all should be getting it not a select few.

    By the way 2 of us working and earning more than €10K less if he is on at 65K a year and over 20K if he is on 75K a year.

    My wife manages to put food on our table every day of the week whether it be a coddle or a sunday lunch its manageable, you need to learn to budget and manage your money better, get a grip.

    Like someone said above, food is first from everyones pay then the mortgage then the utilitites, give over the sob stories.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23 12vdc


    Another "we are emergency services" we should be paid enormous saleries so we can keep our tiger lifestyle stories! Sickening.

    Ur right !


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,226 ✭✭✭angelfire9


    My husband is a member of Garda rank and if we lived off his salary we would be on the breadline
    FACT

    I have no trouble believing the €109 a week figure ours is about €130
    Thank feck i earn enough through self employment to put proper food on the table though there is a bill missed every month in this house we have to rotate them :(
    When our kids are of college going age they are going to have to take out loans because there is no way we can afford the fees unless things drastically change and soon


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,881 ✭✭✭JohnMarston


    Why cant the wife get a job too? A second source of income would solve their problem


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,318 ✭✭✭✭Menas


    I dont get it either - the numbers do not add up!

    Salary - after tax = +3700 pm
    Childrens allowance (3 kids under 18) = +422.
    Morgage tax credit (assuming you get this on a 7 year old house?) = +140

    I dont see where all their money goes. If she is not working then there should not be a kid in creche. I presume that MABS would not see private health insurance as essential.
    I am guessing two cars but both drivers likely to be in their 50s so the insurance can not be too expensive unless they have decided that having a 17/18 year old on the insurance is essential.
    Mobile phone/refuse/gas/electric/sky/broadband could not be more than €400 per month if they are trying to conserve. I belive mabs will allow sky/broadband in their assessment.

    The bottom line is that we are clearly missing some detail here. The infromation offered tells us that they should be able to comfortably survive. Perhaps no big holidays, but there would be food on the table. So as said earlier, there must be debt on top of the mortgage.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,318 ✭✭✭Fishooks12


    Another "we are emergency services" we should be paid enormous saleries so we can keep our tiger lifestyle stories! Sickening.

    No it's not. It's one Guard.

    But try and get your pathetic Garda bash in anyway


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,226 ✭✭✭angelfire9


    Why cant the wife get a job too? A second source of income would solve their problem

    If i had to pay for childcare i wouldn't be able to afford to work
    My eldest is in school but my youngest is minded by my mother

    Its not so simple as trotting out the door to work every morning you know!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,897 ✭✭✭MagicSean


    K-9 wrote: »
    I'm getting 43k here, mortgage of 17k still leaves 26k or 500 a week. I suppose if they've high travel and bills €100 a week to live on is very possible.

    It's not suitable for calculating a Gardas wage. Here's my own calculations.

    Gross pay €47,314.95
    Rent allowance €4,113.75
    Boot allowance €123.04
    Uniform allowance €226.00
    Saturday allowance €538.46
    Sunday allowance €4,367.53
    Evening allowance €554.82
    Night allowance €5,392.84
    Total Income €62,631.39

    Pension levy 5% 15001 -20,000 €250.00
    Pension levy 10% up to 60k €4,000.00
    Pension levy 10.5% on over 60k €276.30
    Total pension levy €4,526.30

    Taxable Income €58,105.09

    PRSI (4% over 6,604) €2,060.04
    USC 2% on €10,036 €200.72
    USC 4% up to €16,016 €239.20
    USC 7% over €16,016 €2,946.24
    PAYE 20% €6,560.00
    PAYE 41% €7,075.09
    Pension contribution 5% €2,905.25
    Basic Deductions €21,986.54

    Net pay after basic deductions €36,118.55


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,670 ✭✭✭Rascasse


    A repair man arrives and gives an estimate of €100 to fix the dishwasher. Later, sitting in the unheated house, she says her parents, a couple on “ordinary pensions”, will probably pay for the dishwasher and the college fees.

    Dishwasher? Feck me, talk about getting your priorities right. Do yourself a favour and buy some sponges and washing up liquid. Saves your elderly parents €100 and saves you electric.
    Garda overtime is not available anymore, they say, and the allowances are under threat. They know that the €77.06 weekly rent allowance (designed to cover the cost of gardaí being obliged to live away from their home area), will probably be a target of the cuts.

    And here is the nub of the issue. The budget is in what 6 weeks? No doubt the profile this has got has had nothing to do with their representative bodies pushing the issue at this precise moment.


  • Registered Users Posts: 436 ✭✭wendydoll


    We simply don't know what luxuries and necessities are anymore.

    I remember that report on RTE news during the summer, stating people had €100 or less after paying essential bills are paid and it cut to women paying €96 for sky, €65 for her mobile and €90 for her landline and whinging about surviving off little money

    Since when did sky, mobile and landline bills become "essential" bills :mad:


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,645 ✭✭✭✭El Weirdo


    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1017/1224325338822.html?via=rel

    I find it hard to believe that a Mabs adviser would simply lie about their financial state, so I guess they really are in trouble.
    Except we only have the woman's word that that is what MABS have advised.

    Story has bullshit all over it - the same as that guy from Kerry that was feeding his family cardboard last year.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,473 ✭✭✭Wacker The Attacker


    wendydoll wrote: »
    We simply don't know what luxuries and necessities are anymore.

    I remember that report on RTE news during the summer, stating people had €100 or less after paying essential bills are paid and it cut to women paying €96 for sky, €65 for her mobile and €90 for her landline and whinging about surviving off little money

    Since when did sky, mobile and landline bills become "essential" bills :mad:


    A mortgage isnt essential.

    They could rent for less than they are currently paying


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  • Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭jackal


    The key quote is this:
    The picture painted by the Mabs adviser is not quite as cheerful. She calculated the family’s net pay and child benefit total at €807.37. After totting up the mortgage payment and items such as fuel, food, clothing and footwear, education/medical/ transport, bin charges etc, she saw no way of getting their outgoings below €1,100 a week.

    The mortgage payment is €350 per week, yet they are spending €1,100 per week according to MABS. So where is the €750 per week going? It cannot be "fuel, food, clothing and footwear, education/medical/ transport, bin charges".

    Is there a "buy to let" that we are not being told about? There is definitely something missing from the picture.


This discussion has been closed.
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