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Garda Sergeant can't afford food

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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    MagicSean wrote: »
    Actually it's not called budgeting. You obviously weren't able to balance the budget weekly if you were dipping into your savings.

    Yes- it is budgeting.

    When ones total income is 188 euro a week the only way to survive is to reduce all expenditure to ensure the necessities are covered. Which I did. You may disagree, but to me that is called being a responsible adult.

    It's quite simple- my income fell drastically so I had to make drastic cuts in my expenditure. However, I still had commitments to meet such as my mortgage - and no, all unemployed people do not get help with their mortgages.

    You would have preferred I didn't pay my mortgage perhaps?
    Or kicked the can down the road by going interest only?
    Or sold my house in a depressed market, possibly for less than it cost me than rented and claimed rent allowance?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,456 ✭✭✭fishy fishy


    fits wrote: »
    Everyone is busy dragging everyone else down and pointing the fingers at their neighbours while the people who caused this situation get off Scot free. The cheek of her wanting a dishwasher to work.. Honestly :(

    i don't think childcare is an issue, seeing as they say they couldn't get him into a prestigious college - but then again, maybe students need babysitters:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 787 ✭✭✭Emeraldy Pebbles


    But a policeman should be paid considerably more than someone on the dole, after all transfers and taxes, because he is doing worthwhile stuff.

    And he is.


  • Registered Users Posts: 292 ✭✭Tazzer



    I despair when I read stories like this and it reinforces the idea to me that budgeting should be a school subject.

    .

    THIS^^^
    I've been saying for years that we need a school module not just for budgeting, but for "cop-on" for the real world. eg, banking/budgeting/borrowing/taxes etc..

    The amount of people I know that have not got a clue how to pay, or even how much their bills are is unbelievable..(usually because their other half does it all, and before that their parents).


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


    Some of us did foresee it. Some of us were repeatedly told that we were idiots - complete idiots! - not to buy even one property. Some of us said that a crash was coming and half a million for a very ordinary house was insane. Some of us pointed out that government expenditure was ballooning for no very good reason, and that day to day costs were being funded out of stamp duty. Some of us pointed out that rental yields had fallen to their lowest since William of Orange was in short pants. Some of us were told that everything had changed and that our idiocy was a family embarrassment.

    Some of us are still waiting for an apology.

    good for you up in your ivory tower

    Unfortunately lots of others were unlucky enough to have bought during the boom years or to have remortgaged to build extensions etc, most of these people had sufficient income at that time to afford their mortgage so they didnt think twice about it. Fast forward to 2012 and many of the above people are either struggling to pay mortgages, have suffered job losses and have cut their cloths accordingly - be it through selling, moving out and renting, cutting out unnecessary expenditure, shopping more prudently, selling off a car, ceasing gym/golf membership etc etc...most of these people realised the predicament they faced and dealt with it and are managing to get by.

    The likes of the family in this article are not managing to get by and are whining to the press, but their circumstances (which do not add up in the article) are ridiculous - at 44 years of age a garda earning 52k enters into a 30 year mortgage of about 600k (based on 36k stamp duty they said they paid) what on earth were they thinking entering into a mortgage for 12 times the family income? Plus at 44 you'd imagine/hope a grown man would have either previously bought and/or had savings.

    I've no sympathy for any family earning 75k a year to be looking for the pensioner grand parents to cough up to fix the dishwasher. that is obscene and grandparent abuse.

    It certainly makes me wonder what service MABS are providing cause the fact they're still using a dishwasher if they're in such dire straits is pure stupid.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,701 ✭✭✭jam_mac_jam


    This is a joke. Oh boo hoo, we bought a huge house during the boom and now we can't feed the kids. Really? He is over 50 and has a 25 year mortgage? There is something else going on there, doesnt make sense. These are lies and a little sinister as well. I think it will backfire as most people will find it hard to have sympathy for somebody on 65K who is so stupid that they can't feed their family.


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


    Bannasidhe wrote: »
    Yes- it is budgeting.

    When ones total income is 188 euro a week the only way to survive is to reduce all expenditure to ensure the necessities are covered. Which I did. You may disagree, but to me that is called being a responsible adult.

    It's quite simple- my income fell drastically so I had to make drastic cuts in my expenditure. However, I still had commitments to meet such as my mortgage - and no, all unemployed people do not get help with their mortgages.

    You would have preferred I didn't pay my mortgage perhaps?
    Or kicked the can down the road by going interest only?
    Or sold my house in a depressed market, possibly for less than it cost me than rented and claimed rent allowance?

    Not at all. You were sensible to put money away. But there's no point coming on here and bragging about your ability to budget while on the dole when in actual fact you were wiping out your savings.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,375 ✭✭✭DoesNotCompute


    AH response: He's spending €10,000 a year in Coppers :pac:

    Real answer: Maybe his wife has a medical condition that precludes her from working, and they're not getting any assistance from the state (carer's allowance, medical card, etc)? Maybe that's what they're spending most of their cashflow on?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    AH response: He's spending €10,000 a year in Coppers :pac:

    Real answer: Maybe his wife has a medical condition that precludes her from working, and they're not getting any assistance from the state (carer's allowance, medical card, etc)? Maybe that's what they're spending most of their cashflow on?



    You can guarantee she would have mentioned that in the letter if that was the case.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,202 ✭✭✭Rabidlamb


    jackal wrote: »
    Maybe you should have lived with mammy for a few more years instead of spending a lotto size figure on a house you are struggling to afford. Sounds like you are the one who is out of your depth.

    My OP noted the big difference that my mortgage is half what they are paying.
    I spent less than €200k on a 4 bed in 2005 & got small tracker.
    Neither struggling or out of my depth I'm afraid.
    jackal wrote: »
    There is also a concept of renting, which is a new and exciting alternative to living with mammy, but people who bought overpriced houses seem oblivious to that option. You either bought your overpriced shoebox or lived with mammy.

    My mortgage costs less than rent & in 18 years I'll own the house, which will be nice.
    jackal wrote: »
    The jumbo mortgage in this story is a side issue, and would be comparable to renting costs for a family anyway. The problem is they are spending €1100 per week, of which €340 comprises their mortgage. Where is the other €750 per week going? Does the dishwasher break every second day?

    Health Insurance premiums
    Petrol for 2 cars
    Car loan repayments
    2x Car Insurance premiums
    2x Car tax
    2x Car upkeep costs
    Electricity
    Gas/Oil
    Weekly shop
    TV Licence
    Sky/UPC Sub
    Broadband
    Mobile contract & prepay top up
    Childcare
    Doctor visits
    Children's school expenses
    House upkeep & decoration costs
    Gardening costs
    Residents Committee/management fees
    Holiday savings
    Prescription medicines up to €130 per month

    As I've said, try walking in their shoes for a week & see how you get on.
    Of course they represent the high earning coping class which the government will gouge in the next budget for their huge disposable income.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭✭mariaalice


    This is only going to make people angry and I can see it has by looking at this thread, my take on the whole thing is this there have been a very slow nibbling away at peoples income and because individually they are small they can creep up unnoticed on people..household charge, increases in petrol prices, increase in gas and electricity prices and so on...so its perfectly possible for someone to have managed reasonable well a few years ago and to now be struggling even if the income has not changed.

    At the same time you have got to wonder why the wife is not working.

    The bit that annoys me when I read any articles like that and similar ones are the narratives around ideas like "bettering yourself" and the belief that a certain jobs/income entitle you to a particular lifestyle.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    MagicSean wrote: »
    Not at all. You were sensible to put money away. But there's no point coming on here and bragging about your ability to budget while on the dole when in actual fact you were wiping out your savings.

    Why the passive aggressiveness?

    Who is bragging?
    There are hundreds of thousands of people who are still doing what I had to do. It's called facing reality.

    If one is living beyond ones means then one needs to reassess ones expenditure and start making cuts. That's just life.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    MagicSean wrote: »
    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


    Don't forget to add the €5,136 for Child benefit.


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


    Don't forget to add the €5,136 for Child benefit.

    Why would I include child benefit when showing salary calculations?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,645 ✭✭✭IzzyWizzy


    Initially, I had a bit of sympathy because I've seen plenty of people struggle despite earning 'high' salaries, including my parents. People just don't get how much tax high earners pay and conveniently forget, while they brag about how easy it is to manage on the dole, that higher earners have to pay for all the stuff they take for granted like medical care.

    That said, my sympathy disappeared when I read that the woman is going to take 100 euro off her retired parents to pay for the fecking dishwasher! Who on earth would do that? If she can afford a dishwasher while her kids eat cornflakes, she has her priorities wrong. It also sounds like she has a massive sense of entitlement. I'd have to have an urgent need for money to take it from a retired couple, I'd never take money for something so ridiculous.

    No sympathy about the college kid either. I paid for my own college expenses and so did most people I know. I wasn't entitled to a penny in grants. There are part time jobs, student loans, opportunities to study abroad where fees are low or free. If the kid isn't going to college because the parents can't fund it, they obviously don't need/want it that much, do they?


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


    angelfire9 wrote: »
    Now take that as a weekly figure of €694.58 because gardai get payed weekly
    Mortgage €323 a week
    Net pay is now down to €371 per week
    Medical Aid (which is not optional) 62.38 a week
    Net pay now down to €309 or €1236 a month

    Lets look at the Utility Bills
    Mobile probably 30 quid a month (and thats being cheap) and yes a mobile is required for work
    Eircom for broadband and house phone (The kids will want the internet for studying) 40 quid a month
    Electricity 50 quid a month seem reasonable??
    Gas or Home Heating lets allow another 50 quid a month
    insurances (lets allow 400 a year for the car and 400 a year for the house being generous) say €70 a month (rounding up)

    So that is bills of €240 a month
    Leaving the family with €996 a month or 249 a week
    petrol probably costs him 60 quid a week leaving him with 189

    Not too far off the figure MABS looked at
    And i haven't included a sky subscription
    Or Bin Charges
    Or the Household tax
    And i've underestimated most of the bills

    Not mention health insurance. If you don't have a medical card, it doesn't pay to get sick in this country and IMO health insurance is a need. Nobody knows when illness or sickness is going to strike.

    How many kids does he have? Four, is it. One at collage age. The rest probably school going and that costs money with uniforms and books and other bits and pieces.

    Thank you angelfire for this post. Fcuk! So it's very much possible to end up with fcek all after taxes and charges and other outgoings.

    I'd say many more are in this position too and just too fcuking proud to say anything.

    :-(


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


    Bannasidhe wrote: »
    Why the passive aggressiveness?

    Who is bragging?
    There are hundreds of thousands of people who are still doing what I had to do. It's called facing reality.

    If one is living beyond ones means then one needs to reassess ones expenditure and start making cuts. That's just life.

    Your point was that you could budget for expenses and a mortgage while on the dole implying that the sergeant in question ahouls be able to. In fact the dole payments alone were not enough for you to budget with so your point is moot.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    MagicSean wrote: »
    Why would I include child benefit when showing salary calculations?


    Good point.

    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.


    Don't forget to add the €5,136 for Child benefit. Also €1,600 minus €250 is not €1,150.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭summerskin


    try lidl - you can get baskets of fruit and veg and healthy foods for next to nothng.

    We do our shopping at Aldi, Tesco and the greengrocer.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 787 ✭✭✭Emeraldy Pebbles


    MagicSean wrote: »
    Why would I include child benefit when showing salary calculations?

    It has to be factored in because it contributes to income.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 343 ✭✭Sorcha16




  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    MagicSean wrote: »
    Your point was that you could budget for expenses and a mortgage while on the dole implying that the sergeant in question ahouls be able to. In fact the dole payments alone were not enough for you to budget with so your point is moot.

    No my point was that due to necessity I had no option but to cut back as my income was less then it had previously been.
    I had no choice in the matter. If this family - or any other family regardless of income - is spending more then their income they also have no choice but to make cuts.

    If someones expenditure exceeds their income they are not budgeting properly a fact you seem to be either unable to grasp or for some reason wish to ignore.

    But go ahead and Damn my eyes for being prudent..


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


    IzzyWizzy wrote: »
    Initially, I had a bit of sympathy because I've seen plenty of people struggle despite earning 'high' salaries, including my parents. People just don't get how much tax high earners pay and conveniently forget, while they brag about how easy it is to manage on the dole, that higher earners have to pay for all the stuff they take for granted like medical care.

    That said, my sympathy disappeared when I read that the woman is going to take 100 euro off her retired parents to pay for the fecking dishwasher! Who on earth would do that? If she can afford a dishwasher while her kids eat cornflakes, she has her priorities wrong. It also sounds like she has a massive sense of entitlement. I'd have to have an urgent need for money to take it from a retired couple, I'd never take money for something so ridiculous.

    No sympathy about the college kid either. I paid for my own college expenses and so did most people I know. I wasn't entitled to a penny in grants. There are part time jobs, student loans, opportunities to study abroad where fees are low or free. If the kid isn't going to college because the parents can't fund it, they obviously don't need/want it that much, do they?

    How long ago was it since you went to college?

    4/5 years ago maybe it was possible to pick up a part time job but nowdays jobs are hard to come by and few and far between. And tesco shelf stacking internships! taking real paying jobs out from the economy. How the hell can a student compete against that. My sister went back to collage about two years ago. She knew in advance she wanted that and she saved in advance. She was hoping to get work but she was unable to and she was living in a city. She had to live off her savings. She lived of 150 a week - rent, bills, 20 euro food in aldi.
    She had the opportunity to save. A school leave does not. Even if they were to take a year off after school in the hope that they get work, they may not get work. Fcuk, they may not even get unemployment assistance depending on his her parents.

    To some degree the state are responsible for this. The government of the time were egging people on that all was fine and dandy and many people went with it and many probably never saved for theirs third level thinking that free third level will always be there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭barbiegirl


    Rabidlamb wrote: »
    My OP noted the big difference that my mortgage is half what they are paying.
    I spent less than €200k on a 4 bed in 2005 & got small tracker.
    Neither struggling or out of my depth I'm afraid.



    My mortgage costs less than rent & in 18 years I'll own the house, which will be nice.



    Health Insurance premiums
    Petrol for 2 cars
    Car loan repayments
    2x Car Insurance premiums
    2x Car tax
    2x Car upkeep costs
    Electricity
    Gas/Oil
    Weekly shop
    TV Licence
    Sky/UPC Sub
    Broadband
    Mobile contract & prepay top up
    Childcare
    Doctor visits
    Children's school expenses
    House upkeep & decoration costs
    Gardening costs
    Residents Committee/management fees
    Holiday savings
    Prescription medicines up to €130 per month

    As I've said, try walking in their shoes for a week & see how you get on.
    Of course they represent the high earning coping class which the government will gouge in the next budget for their huge disposable income.

    Everything boldedd is non-essential. If you can't afford get rid of it. Gardening expenses my eye :rolleyes:


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


    (edit) Barbie girl beat me to it. However I would not agree that TV licence is essential when you cannot put food on the table.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 632 ✭✭✭Forest Demon


    The average BMI does not tally with all this lack of food. Especially in the Guards :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,150 ✭✭✭Wompa1


    After taxes it's not all that much in fairness BUT it sounds like they are just living well beyond their means. Adjust and you'll be fine.


  • Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭Mellio


    barbiegirl wrote: »
    Everything boldedd is non-essential. If you can't afford get rid of it. Gardening expenses my eye :rolleyes:


    Valid points on all bar one - childcare is non essential, what do you propose get rid of your kids. Mmmmmm :D

    I still think this thing shouldnt be given any legs, there are far too many people in this boat right now to focus on just one presons plight no matter what they are left with. dont beleive one minute that there kids are on cornflakes some days. even with €109 you can shop economically to provide well balanced meals for the week.

    I think what this really highlights is how peolpe are just managing these days yet the government are hell bent on attacking the people that work in the private or public sector.

    You need to have either of the following to live comfortably:
    • A low mortgage
    • High Mortgage and €100K a year
    Not many middle or working class of the second option.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭Fromthetrees


    This isn't really applicable to this story but in general people need to know the beauty of renting, I'd love to own my own house eventually but for now renting is a winner for me. The hoover broke last week, ring landlord, new one delivered to the house today, light bulb goes, ring the handyman and he calls around with a ladder to fix it (have very high ceilings), washing machine broke last month, come and fix it now man I'm not going to pay, there's a communal bin area that costs nothing, when I shared a house with my friends the Sky sub (with Sports ect.) was a third of the cost, a third on a playstation, a third on BB, likewise the heating and all the other bills that came in. It's obviously not for everyone but renting can be a serious money saver if your circumstances are right for it.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 776 ✭✭✭sellerbarry


    Just saw this thread and had to look at the calender.! Thought it was april 1st. This has to be a piss take.


This discussion has been closed.
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