Garda Sergeant can't afford food

hatrickpatrick · 19-10-2012 04:14PM

Why the F*CK is everyone concentrating on the 65k? It's 65k GROSS. God nows how much it is once you subtract tax and the myriad of stealth charges which have been brought in, AND mortgages, and soaring electricity, heating and fuel bills over the last number of years.

Seriously Boards, get a f*cking grip. This is the exact reason why Irish people will never succeed in beating this mess, we're seemingly hardwired to turn on eachother instead of on those who are bleeding us dry.

This thread makes me sick. :mad:

hatrickpatrick · 19-10-2012 04:23PM

Supposed Net Income from an online tax calculator (had to guess many of the criteria so not an exact figure) is approx 900 quid a week.

We don't know how much their electricity, heating, fuel etc costs are.
Mortage is 1,400 per month. Roughly 4 weeks in a month, 1,400/4 = 350. 900-350 = 550 euro per week.

The article states, in fact, "a typical weekly payslip shows a net payment of €109." We don't know how many kids they have, but €109 net per week to cover food, transport etc is definitely a massive stretch even for 3 people. If they have more than one kid it's going to be a lot worse.

How much are the golden circle living on these days? How much are their investors / bondholders living on? How much are our politicians and the EU's officials living on?

But no, trust Boards to always attack their fellow ordinary Irishman or woman.
Utterly pathetic.

tayto lover · 19-10-2012 04:26PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Why the F*CK is everyone concentrating on the 65k? It's 65k GROSS. God nows how much it is once you subtract tax and the myriad of stealth charges which have been brought in, AND mortgages, and soaring electricity, heating and fuel bills over the last number of years.

Seriously Boards, get a f*cking grip. This is the exact reason why Irish people will never succeed in beating this mess, we're seemingly hardwired to turn on eachother instead of on those who are bleeding us dry.

This thread makes me sick. :mad:

Great post and very true. I don't even believe this story as I have said several times as I feel it's only a media way of generating sales and keeping the Public v Private debate going on behalf of the Government.
The amount of gobs**** know-alls on this thread is amazing but as you say the Irish fight better when they fight with their own. They would rather see everyone in trouble than try and get themselves out of a mess.

19-10-2012 04:27PM

fits wrote: »

That's still a lot to come up with if you're stretched already. But thanks for clarification.

It's not an insignificant amount but it's her statement of how her kid got enough points for a "prestigious college" but they couldn't afford the fees that is shown to be rubbish.

pwurple · 19-10-2012 04:30PM

bamboozle wrote: »

well thankfully they get 140 children's allowance per child....
so 10k PA a year on food is reasonable for a family of 6?

I think the childrens allowance is already factored in those numbers... 200 per week is what's left over after the other expenses, petrol, electricity etc.

10k PA is still 33 per person per week though isn't it? Don't quite get what the multiplication adds, apart from that he needs to earn 20k it to get the 10K out in his net pay cheque?

Growing children are expensive. My shoes can last ten years... theirs won't even last 6 months.

But, then, I am just guessing. I don't actually have 4 teenagers and two other adults to feed. Maybe those numbers makes them loaded, but I seriously doubt it. I have a 17 year old nephew, skinny lad, but he is getting so tall so fast! He can put away about 10 spuds in one sitting easily and still ask for more. He goes through some amount of clothes as well. 33 quid per week would go nowhere with him.

I can see how they would be struggling some days.

TheLastMohican · 19-10-2012 04:30PM

tayto lover wrote: »

Great post and very true. I don't even believe this story as I have said several times as I feel it's only a media way of generating sales and keeping the Public v Private debate going on behalf of the Government.
The amount of gobs**** know-alls on this thread is amazing but as you say the Irish fight better when they fight with their own. They would rather see everyone in trouble than try and get themselves out of a mess.

Am not so sure of your conclusion. Because we are a small country we think that we know these people, thereby allowing us to criticize them in a more knowledgeable way. Spoof or no spoof, the feedback is right IMO

hatrickpatrick · 19-10-2012 04:31PM

Deleted User wrote: »

It's not an insignificant amount but it's her statement of how her kid got enough points for a "prestigious college" but they couldn't afford the fees that is shown to be rubbish.

Why is it rubbish? If they can't afford it he can't go to college. For all you know he could have got enough points for medicine, and will be prevented from becoming a doctor purely because of the registration fee (another stealth charge, when it was brought in it was 500 and it's gone up and up and up, even as the government insists education is free in this country AND discusses bringing back in tuition fees, on top of this rapidly rising "registration" cost)

Celticfire · 19-10-2012 04:34PM

Deleted User wrote: »

It's not an insignificant amount but it's her statement of how her kid got enough points for a "prestigious college" but they couldn't afford the fees that is shown to be rubbish.

How is it rubbish? Perhaps that college is in a city the far side of the country and they can't afford to put him/her in rental accommodation along with other associated costs. Not everyone lives beside (insert college)you know.

Zillah · 19-10-2012 04:36PM

"Cornflake days" was a bit of a warning for me. They cost 3-4 euro. You could get several kilos of rice and pasta for that.

westendgirlie · 19-10-2012 04:37PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Why is it rubbish? If they can't afford it he can't go to college. For all you know he could have got enough points for medicine, and will be prevented from becoming a doctor purely because of the registration fee (another stealth charge, when it was brought in it was 500 and it's gone up and up and up, even as the government insists education is free in this country AND discusses bringing back in tuition fees, on top of this rapidly rising "registration" cost)

If I had to make a choice between my (hypothetical) sons education and having a second car in the household, I'd sell the car. Either way, the walking and the doctor in the household would be good for my health

tayto lover · 19-10-2012 04:37PM

TheLastMohican wrote: »

Am not so sure of your conclusion. Because we are a small country we think that we know these people, thereby allowing us to criticize them in a more knowledgeable way. Spoof or no spoof, the feedback is right IMO

Ah no. How did the country get into such a state with so many brilliant economists? The whole thing is spoof inc the feedback.

hatrickpatrick · 19-10-2012 04:41PM

westendgirlie wrote: »

If I had to make a choice between my (hypothetical) sons education and having a second car in the household, I'd sell the car. Either way, the walking and the doctor in the household would be good for my health

Ctrl + F for "car" in that article shows no results whatsoever to suggest that they have two cars.
Ridiculous and invalid post.

NIMAN · 19-10-2012 04:45PM

Surely a lot of this is common sense?

If you are spending €200 per week on food and still haven't enough to eat then you must have something wrong with your intelligence to work out how to make it stretch to feed you for the full week.

I honestly believe a lot of people are incapable of independent thought these days.

Its the same logic that has made personal responsibility a thing of the past in this country (I will take out a loan that I will never be able to afford, but I want someone else to take it off me when I am not happy paying it any longer).

Celticfire · 19-10-2012 04:46PM

Zillah wrote: »

"Cornflake days" was a bit of a warning for me. They cost 3-4 euro. You could get several kilos of rice and pasta for that.

"Metaphor" Look it up.

Kinda similar to saying "I'm starving".....

Celticfire · 19-10-2012 04:47PM

NIMAN wrote: »

Surely a lot of this is common sense?

If you are spending €200 per week on food and still haven't enough to eat then you must have something wrong with your intelligence to work out how to make it stretch to feed you for the full week.

I honestly believe a lot of people are incapable of independent thought these days.

Its the same logic that has made personal responsibility a thing of the past in this country (I will take out a loan that I will never be able to afford, but I want someone else to take it off me when I am not happy paying it any longer).

How much do you spend a week and for how many?

Boombastic · 19-10-2012 04:50PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

......................... God nows how much it is once you subtract tax and the myriad of stealth charges which have been brought in, AND mortgages,........................................:

I'm not god, but I know (if I am to believe the journalist)

He has €807 net per week which includes child Benefit, according to that shoddy journalist. This is €41,964 net per year or €3497 per month net.

€280/week mortgage (852/12) = €1213/ month mortgage

HeyThereDeliah · 19-10-2012 04:54PM

I have read all this thread but just laughed at some of the ridiculous post, I would like to see some posters on here succeeding in feeding a family of six on €109 a week.
I seen someone post about saving money, posted by someone who is not rearing a family no doubt, someone else suggesting renting and moving near his job, selling the house etc is the recession over and no one told the rest of us.

Many posters on here are so self righteous its unbelievable, dunno why this country is in the mess it's in considering the knowledge and expertise that's around or is that just key board warriors.

I have no idea if the story is true or not but the empathy shown here for certain professions is down right nasty.

westendgirlie · 19-10-2012 04:56PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Ctrl + F for "car" in that article shows no results whatsoever to suggest that they have two cars.
Ridiculous and invalid post.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1017/1224325338822.html?via=rel “We have no savings, no holiday home, no fancy cars,” she wrote. “We have never done anything to put ourselves at risk, only move house to have an extra bedroom . . . We are dying a slow death. We go nowhere.”

If they only had the one, would she not of said "No fancy car" ??? Her own words suggest thy have more than one.

I have crossed out your invalid post comment as it no longer stands. Ridiculous, meh! a matter of opinion :rolleyes:

Boombastic · 19-10-2012 04:59PM

HeyThereDeliah wrote: »

I have read all this thread but just laughed at some of the ridiculous post, I would like to see some posters on here succeeding in feeding a family of six on €109 a week....

€200/week is the budget for food, which can easily feed a family of 6;)

westendgirlie wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1017/1224325338822.html?via=rel “We have no savings, ....................

They were wrong about having no savings aswell:D

hatrickpatrick · 19-10-2012 05:03PM

westendgirlie wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1017/1224325338822.html?via=rel “We have no savings, no holiday home, no fancy cars,” she wrote. “We have never done anything to put ourselves at risk, only move house to have an extra bedroom . . . We are dying a slow death. We go nowhere.”

If they only had the one, would she not of said "No fancy car" ??? Her own words suggest thy have more than one.

I have crossed out your invalid post comment as it no longer stands. Ridiculous, meh! a matter of opinion :rolleyes:

That is the most massive leap of logic I have ever seen on Boards. "No fancy cars" does not signify whether the car(s) they actually do have are singular or plural. IF anything it's just an Irish way of phrasing something.

HeyThereDeliah · 19-10-2012 05:11PM

Boombastic wrote: »

€200/week is the budget for food, which can easily feed a family of 6;)

D

It might feed your family does not mean it feeds every family, they might have special dietary requirement.
There is only me and my OH in our house but I'd spend €100 a week on shopping easily but if I had to shop cheaply I would as well.

A pint of milk would last us four days and one loaf a week is all we would eat but a growing family is a bit different, there is school lunches to factor in here as also, it's easy make judgments but living the reality is different.

19-10-2012 05:25PM

If any one read the original article they will see family is getting 800 and something in child benfit...so how many children do they have?

Shenshen · 19-10-2012 05:37PM

Celticfire wrote: »

How much do you spend a week and for how many?

€50 for two people. And as I said before, before I heard this sob-story, I considered ourselves well off.

talla10 · 19-10-2012 05:37PM

I wonder would this thread have gotten as much interest and bad feeling if it wasent a Garda's finances being discussed.

Shenshen · 19-10-2012 05:43PM

HeyThereDeliah wrote: »

I have read all this thread but just laughed at some of the ridiculous post, I would like to see some posters on here succeeding in feeding a family of six on €109 a week.
I seen someone post about saving money, posted by someone who is not rearing a family no doubt, someone else suggesting renting and moving near his job, selling the house etc is the recession over and no one told the rest of us.

Many posters on here are so self righteous its unbelievable, dunno why this country is in the mess it's in considering the knowledge and expertise that's around or is that just key board warriors.

I have no idea if the story is true or not but the empathy shown here for certain professions is down right nasty.

It's got nothing to do with his profession, and everything with him making nearly 1.5x what my husband and me earn TOGETHER.
So forgive me for not breaking down in tears for a family struggling on multiple times my own salary.
I've no idea what they spend their money on, but all I can say I've no problem coping with a fraction of what they've got.

Why should I feel sympathy for someone financially better off than myself?

NIMAN · 19-10-2012 05:44PM

Celticfire wrote: »

How much do you spend a week and for how many?

Haven't a baldies, never count what I spend on food or how long it lasts.

Maybe I will start.

19-10-2012 05:44PM

talla10 wrote: »

I wonder would this thread have gotten as much interest and bad feeling if it wasent a Garda's finances being discussed.

Of course it would, its saying that a family with an income of 75k have only cornflakes to eat somedays.

Shenshen · 19-10-2012 05:45PM

talla10 wrote: »

I wonder would this thread have gotten as much interest and bad feeling if it wasent a Garda's finances being discussed.

Probably.
It would propably have generated even more interest if he was a banker, for example.

HeyThereDeliah · 19-10-2012 05:53PM

Shenshen wrote: »

It's got nothing to do with his profession, and everything with him making nearly 1.5x what my husband and me earn TOGETHER.
So forgive me for not breaking down in tears for a family struggling on multiple times my own salary.
I've no idea what they spend their money on, but all I can say I've no problem coping with a fraction of what they've got.

Why should I feel sympathy for someone financially better off than myself?

We don't know your circumstances, we know his or some of them.

How much do you and your husband earn ? How much is your mortgage, how many kids do you have?

You may be just as well off as this man and his family are.

Your last post smacks of begrudgery and jealousy tbh. Lot of that in this thread.

jackal · 19-10-2012 05:54PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Supposed Net Income from an online tax calculator (had to guess many of the criteria so not an exact figure) is approx 900 quid a week.

We don't know how much their electricity, heating, fuel etc costs are.
Mortage is 1,400 per month. Roughly 4 weeks in a month, 1,400/4 = 350. 900-350 = 550 euro per week.

The article states, in fact, "a typical weekly payslip shows a net payment of €109." We don't know how many kids they have, but €109 net per week to cover food, transport etc is definitely a massive stretch even for 3 people. If they have more than one kid it's going to be a lot worse.

How much are the golden circle living on these days? How much are their investors / bondholders living on? How much are our politicians and the EU's officials living on?

But no, trust Boards to always attack their fellow ordinary Irishman or woman.
Utterly pathetic.

Hello there johnny come lately, thanks for wading into the debate after skimming the article and telling us how dare we question a very dubious piece of clearly agenda driven drivel.

900 quid a week is double or triple what a lot of people have to live on. They are the ones I would be worried about. You are late to the debate and seem to have missed the fact that this story, as presented, has more holes in it than swiss cheese.

What the fúck has the amount the golden circle live on got to do with anything? Are they writing to national newspapers about how they cannot make ends meet?

I don't give a flying shíte whether or not they are my fellow Irishmen or not. Can you IMAGINE the vitriol if this was written by a Polish national living in Ireland.

If someone goes to the media with a sob story when they are in the top 10% of earners in the country, then they damn well better have their facts straight. €200 a week on food but they end up eating corn flakes.

Nobody gets sympathy just because they feel they deserve it. They deserve it if other people can see their plight, and in this case they are earning a lot more than most other people.

Garda Sergeant can't afford food

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