Garda Sergeant can't afford food

18-10-2012 10:39PM

Stheno wrote: »

Ah god this has been said multiple times already.

LAST YEAR he grossed 75k including allowances and overtime.

Now given a reduction in overtime etc, he takes home 715/week

His basic salary is 51k before allowances and overtime.

And they're overspending by 300 a week despite not having enough money for food and now being on interest only payments for the mortgage now.

ZX7R · 18-10-2012 10:49PM

He must have bought one badly built house if he is spending over a grand a year on repair/ maintenance after only 7 years,TV liences only costs 160 and if they spend over 10400 a year on food and house keeping/maybe she should stop buying there cornflakes in mark and Spencer's and start cleaning their house themselves:rolleyes:

18-10-2012 10:53PM

tayto lover wrote: »

I was earning very good money then and bought a biggish house. The intention was to sell it when I retired and buy a small one using the remainder as a retirement fund. The house was worth a lot then but only about half now. Could have been a serious disaster if the recession had occurred 15 years ago instead of now. But sure that's life.

You bought a house 20 years ago that's only worth half as much now? :pac:

Stheno · 18-10-2012 10:54PM

Boombastic wrote: »

Still doesn't add

Why don't you try and answer some of the questions that haven't been answered multiple times already, like why is his tv licence €48 more than what the rest of us are paying?

No idea, MABS should have picked up on that?

Deleted User wrote: »

And they're overspending by 300 a week despite not having enough money for food and now being on interest only payments for the mortgage now.

Copied from Irish Economy forum (my post) they spend 866 per month on food already!

His basic is 51k, which people seem to be constantly missing out on.

Still though, when you consider some of their outgoings they are excessive.

They seperately call out €108.33 per month for heat and electricity and then another €186 per month on telephone and other utilities?

What other utilities? You can get phone, broadband and tv for much less than that?

They spend €866 per month on food and housekeeping, given the childrens allowance looks to be for probably two children, that's over 200 per month per person?

And €260 per month on clothes?

There is a fair bit of scope there to actually cut back in my opinion?

Az0th · 18-10-2012 11:22PM

My family would make more than 65k gross and struggle to buy food.

Dad used to run his own business but it fell through during the recession. Because we have so many debts from the business etc.. the money goes out before it goes in and there are weeks where food is in short supply.

Worst bit is the family are what I like to call functionally divorced. Although not formally divorced they are secretly seeing other people but are forced to live with one another since they cant afford to move out. It's really tense in the house and there is so much passive aggressive anger in the house.

Unfortunately they don't consider loans and many other forms of debt in government financial assessments so we have been unable to get any assistance that could go towards food or something else. They also consider there income for financial assistance for my college expenses even though I I pay all my fees (im on full fees), food costs etc.... (I am lucky to have a part time job but back to education assistance would have really helped)

So yea I do feel sympathy for them since me and my family are in the same boat.

Stheno · 18-10-2012 11:27PM

Az0th wrote: »

My family would make more than 65k gross and struggle to buy food.

Dad used to run his own business but it fell through during the recession. Because we have so many debts from the business etc.. the money goes out before it goes in and there are weeks where food is in short supply.

Worst bit is the family are what I like to call functionally divorced. Although not formally divorced they are secretly seeing other people but are forced to live with one another since they cant afford to move out. It's really tense in the house and there is so much passive aggressive anger in the house.

Unfortunately they don't consider loans and many other forms of debt in government financial assessments so we have been unable to get any assistance that could go towards food or something else. They also consider there income for financial assistance for my college expenses even though I I pay all my fees (im on full fees), food costs etc.... (I am lucky to have a part time job but back to education assistance would have really helped)

So yea I do feel sympathy for them since me and my family are in the same boat.

The difference between your family and the gardas are that he spends about €240 per month on debt repayments

This family spend in excess of 800e per month on food as per their budget

Potential-Monke · 18-10-2012 11:43PM

Boombastic wrote: »

Yes, but the credit union are always willing to come to an arrangement you can afford - they would take 20 or 15 quid a week if you explain your situation - some will still go to your loan and some to your savings.

Also he has savings - in yesterdays story they didn't.

Not so, they want to have more in savings than they do in loans, so €50 a week seems to be the minimum they will take towards savings (this is taken from experience talking to other members). When i had to renegotiate my loans, there was no way they would take less than €50 a week towards the savings even though i could have done with paying less.

And, i'm not saying he has savings, i'm saying that part of the repayment process is that you contribute towards savings, so depending on when the loan was taken out, he might only have a couple of hundred in savings, and savings which he cannot touch until the loans have been repaid (which don't equate to savings to me, you should be able to have access to savings, you don't with the Garda credit unions as long as you have a loan. Maybe normal CU's work this way too, i don't know).

Deleted User wrote: »

How much less is he getting now, would it be as much as the over 300 a week they're in the red?

Well i'm down at least €150 a week, and i don't have the same rank or service. So it's very possible he is down that much, and i have heard others saying they are down similar amounts.

Always number 1 · 18-10-2012 11:45PM

I didn't go through all the pages of this thread so apologies if this has been asked already but did they get a 100% mortgage that seemed to be offered to people who IIRC worked in the financial sector and certain jobs such as Gardaí.

My husband and I earn €60k between us and have a mortgage of €1450 and (although we don't have any kids) we can comfortably afford our mortgage and bills, keep a car on the road and keep food on the table and have a bit left over for a night out or whatever.
They either have other debts she doesn't mention in her letter or she does her weekly shopping in M&S and they are only buying brand name stuff all the time.

Boombastic · 18-10-2012 11:47PM

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Not so, they want to have more in savings than they do in loans, so €50 a week seems to be the minimum they will take towards savings (this is taken from experience talking to other members). When i had to renegotiate my loans, there was no way they would take less than €50 a week towards the savings even though i could have done with paying less.

And, i'm not saying he has savings, i'm saying that part of the repayment process is that you contribute towards savings, so depending on when the loan was taken out, he might only have a couple of hundred in savings, and savings which he cannot touch until the loans have been repaid (which don't equate to savings to me, you should be able to have access to savings, you don't with the Garda credit unions as long as you have a loan. Maybe normal CU's work this way too, i don't know).

I know exactly how credit unions work and their loans and the above minimum €50 towards savings a week is nonsense, especially if your children are starving

Just to point out - the total amount paid to the credit union each week is €50, so if it's €50 min towards his savings..how much is paying back off a loan, or is it just savings? Please explain

Potential-Monke · 18-10-2012 11:49PM

Unfortunately, i can't explain his situation, i don't know it. I'm giving an answer on my own personal experience. Also, the reported stated that they cannot post the exact details as outlined in the Sergeants pay-slip as it may identify him, so we also can't take those figures for exact figures, and there may also be other payments coming out that can't be divulged (i notice "other expenditure" is €84pw)

Boombastic · 18-10-2012 11:52PM

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Unfortunately, i can't explain his situation, i don't know it. I'm giving an answer on my own personal experience. Also, the reported stated that they cannot post the exact details as outlined in the Sergeants pay-slip as it may identify him, so we also can't take those figures for exact figures, and there may also be other payments coming out that can't be divulged (i notice "other expenditure" is €84pw)

We can't take tham as exact figures because they are projected figures and the person doing the projecting has just made up figures all over the shop:D

Stheno · 18-10-2012 11:56PM

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Well i'm down at least €150 a week, and i don't have the same rank or service. So it's very possible he is down that much, and i have heard others saying they are down similar amounts.

Have you adjusted your spending to accomodate that though?

If I were that garda losing 150 per week, I'd half the food budget they have, and be 2/3 of the way there to being back to normal.

Always number 1 wrote: »

I didn't go through all the pages of this thread so apologies if this has been asked already but did they get a 100% mortgage that seemed to be offered to people who IIRC worked in the financial sector and certain jobs such as Gardaí.

My husband and I earn €60k between us and have a mortgage of €1450 and (although we don't have any kids) we can comfortably afford our mortgage and bills, keep a car on the road and keep food on the table and have a bit left over for a night out or whatever.
They either have other debts she doesn't mention in her letter or she does her weekly shopping in M&S and they are only buying brand name stuff all the time.

Their mortgage is interest only at 1400 a month, so realistically about 2500 a month on real payments.

fasttalkerchat · 18-10-2012 11:56PM

Sell the house at current rates. Rent something affordable and have 3K a month to save towards a deposit on another house!

Stheno · 19-10-2012 12:01AM

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

Sell the house at current rates. Rent something affordable and have 3K a month to save towards a deposit on another house!

And what would they do about paying back the massive negative equity they have?

Potential-Monke · 19-10-2012 12:11AM

Boombastic wrote: »

We can't take tham as exact figures because they are projected figures and the person doing the projecting has just made up figures all over the shop:D

It is a possibility.

Stheno wrote: »

Have you adjusted your spending to accomodate that though?

Still trying, personal circumstances changed at the start of the year which put my in a worse situation, but i'm working on it!

jmayo · 19-10-2012 12:16AM

fits wrote: »

The absolute stinking prevailing attitude on this thread is appalling. Some people wont be happy til we're all back eating potatoes and running around without shoes. (shoes! what sure in my day we didnt need any shoes)

Anyway, some clarifications from the journalist fyi

Do you always believe everything you read in the papers ?
I suppose you still think the poor retired couple in Dalkey/Kiliney should keep their home ?

BTW do you spend 3,000 a year on clothers and shoes ?

Boombastic wrote: »

Here's the figures Lemming was aiming for (if they're not nitpicking, I am )

*52/year Outgoing
Mortgage (interest only) 14560
Mortgage Protection Insurance 780
Buildings/Contents Insurance 364
Food/Housekeeping 10400
Electricity Usage 1300
Heat/Fuel Usage 1300
TV licence 208
Waste Charges 260
Telephone/Other utilities 2236
Transports costs 6604
Educational costs
(college registration fees, children’s uniforms) 3900
Clothing/Footwear 3120
Medical costs (insurance) 3807.96
Repairs & Maintenance 1040
Other Expenditure 4368
Credit Union 2600

Total Outgoing/year 56847.96

...
At first I thought €25 for heat/week ok, but we only need to use the heat 6 months of the year, max so are they projected to spend €50/week on heat during winter? how the frig are they heating the house??

I have already found a saving for them.
Stop paying too much for your TV license.
Oh and stop heating the house in summer.
Our summers may be wet, but they are not fooking freezing.

Oh and spending over 3,000 on clothes and footwear sounds excessive.
As a garda he gets an allowance for uniform/plain clothes and footwear AFAIK.
Ah but shure allowances are part of salary.

Always number 1 wrote: »

I didn't go through all the pages of this thread so apologies if this has been asked already but did they get a 100% mortgage that seemed to be offered to people who IIRC worked in the financial sector and certain jobs such as Gardaí.

I keep saying this that I find it incredibly that they did not already own a house before they purchased the current one in 2005 when he was aged nearly mid forties.
This is Ireland, they were already a family with gorwing kids and he is a guard ffs.
All of those point to house ownership.

And if they didn't they surely must have had a fair bit of cash saved up to help with the purchase.
So then why would they need a 100% mortgage.

Always number 1 wrote: »

They either have other debts she doesn't mention in her letter or she does her weekly shopping in M&S and they are only buying brand name stuff all the time.

The story stinks and journo is trying to spin a newer version now.

Japer · 19-10-2012 12:20AM

vitani wrote: »

Only got to page 16ish, so I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned, but what on earth were the banks thinking of giving a mortgage to someone who'd be retiring about ten years before it was due to be paid off??

but Gardai retire on full pension after only 30 years ssrvice, plus they get a tax free "gratuity" cash lump sum of 18 months finishing salary. No wonder so many Gardai have apartments let out. The stereotype of the landlord Guard is all too familiar.

fasttalkerchat · 19-10-2012 12:21AM

Stheno wrote: »

And what would they do about paying back the massive negative equity they have?

He makes 65k a year! I'm sure he'll sort out a deal with the bank. Its not like he's offering a fiver a week from the dole money.

0066ad · 19-10-2012 12:26AM

I'm feeling sorry for the sergeant, can you imagine the stress that poor ****er
is going through, living with a wife like that.

She will sit on her ass expecting him to work 10 years still after he is dead just to
keep up the life style she lived during the boom, just so she doesn't lose face
with the neighbours

Most people i know would give their left nut to earn the money they are getting,
but then again the people on this tread defending her are probably the same people
who say people on the dole can drink all day, live in the bookies 7 days a week and
afford 20 exotic holidays a year.

I'm not on the dole by the way, but when i come home to check boards.ie, i would love to know what all these people do during the day that degrade people on the dole during
the afternoon and claim i would rather sweep streets and clean toilets than sit on my
hole and yet have the time in their job to post on boards while sitting on their hole,
i would be sacked if i done that

Potential-Monke · 19-10-2012 12:28AM

Japer wrote: »

but Gardai retire on full pension after only 30 years ssrvice, plus they get a tax free "gratuity" cash lump sum of 18 months finishing salary.

What's your point? Are you unhappy because you won't be getting the same? Do you no think that Gardai should be entitled to something decent on retirement due to the nature of the work involved? And i'll be the first to say that not every serving member should be entitled to it, but the majority should. For every lazy, incompetent member there are 100's of competent hard working members. But we don't hear about them.

Japer wrote: »

No wonder so many Gardai have apartments let out. The stereotype of the landlord Guard is all too familiar.

This is a generalisation. I know over 200 Gardai personally, and only 3 of them have other properties.

Boombastic · 19-10-2012 12:30AM

jmayo wrote: »

.......................
Stop paying too much for your TV license.
...............

I have just banged off an email to Mabs querying this:D

I await their response

Japer · 19-10-2012 01:24AM

jmayo wrote: »

I keep saying this that I find it incredibly that they did not already own a house before they purchased the current one in 2005 when he was aged nearly mid forties.
This is Ireland, they were already a family with gorwing kids and he is a guard ffs.
All of those point to house ownership.

And if they didn't they surely must have had a fair bit of cash saved up to help with the purchase.
So then why would they need a 100% mortgage.

The house they had up until 2005 is rented out in Rathmines and is needed to suppliment the poor Guards retirement income when he retires aged 50 with his pension pot worth only 1.1 million, poor fellow. He has led a very stressful life, its the least he deserves. All Guards are entitled to retire after 30 years service on full pension - you would not begrudge them that, would you?

19-10-2012 01:27AM

Cancel the 'Schnack box' Tommy

Boombastic · 19-10-2012 01:29AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Cancel the 'Schnack box' Tommy

Schnack boxes are free in the right establishments;) Make mine a lunch box Tommy, I have to bring half of it home to feed the wife and kids:pac:

Japer · 19-10-2012 01:34AM

each retiring garda pension is worth 1.1 million.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/garda-pension-worth-11m-1664588.html

I'd starve myself on a salary of 65k a year until the age of 50 if my pension pot was then woth 1.1 million!

No wonder the country is bust. Law and order seems to have broken down too, with someone being murdered in the country every second day and isolated old people living in great fear.

B.A._Baracus · 19-10-2012 01:46AM

Just read this thread ... how the fu*k is this thread 36 pages long?

So some Gardai Sergeant and his Wife got mortaged up to the eyeballs. Thousands of others have aswell.... Thousands of others who don't currently have a job.

So who gives a fu*k?

Are they meant to be special?
Is this a "please give me a hand out" - if in that case f*ck them again.

Potential-Monke · 19-10-2012 03:32AM

Japer wrote: »

each retiring garda pension is worth 1.1 million.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/garda-pension-worth-11m-1664588.html

I'd starve myself on a salary of 65k a year until the age of 50 if my pension pot was then woth 1.1 million!

Correct me if i'm wrong, but that article is stating that, going by their figures, a Garda retiring at 50 gets €80k lump and €25k a year. And, going by their figures, he is effectively a millionaire. That would be true, if that Garda lived to 87 years of age.

But it's well known that the life expectancy of a Garda is less than the average. I can't find the original document, but a CSO report stated that in 2006 the average life expectancy of a male is 83.6 years, but a retired Garda is 76.

So, this would mean the Retired Garda would have a pension of €730k (including the lump sum). So, no, not quite millionaires.

Cue people giving out that it's still too much, blah, blah.

stoneill · 19-10-2012 04:52AM

that still too much, blah, blah.

fits · 19-10-2012 06:59AM

jmayo wrote: »

Do you always believe everything you read in the papers ?
I suppose you still think the poor retired couple in Dalkey/Kiliney should keep their home ?

I have no reason to disbelieve this story.

BTW do you spend 3,000 a year on clothers and shoes ?

If I had a family of four or five I might, yes!

What would it take for people to sympathise?

If he werent a garda would it help?
If the salary were divided between two people would it help?
If they had already let their massive mortgage get into huge arrears would it help?

This middle income bracket is supposed to be the one propping up the economy but they are more and more pressed.

I have left Ireland now and all I can see when I look back are a load of people squabbling on a sinking ship.

gurramok · 19-10-2012 08:19AM

fits wrote: »

I have no reason to disbelieve this story.

Of course you wouldn't. You believed it from the moment it first emerged.

fits wrote: »

If I had a family of four or five I might, yes!
.

Start shopping in Penneys. The days of River Island are numbered when you're broke.

Garda Sergeant can't afford food

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