Is it just me or is everyone broke!!

ClareP1983 · 28-08-2014 12:23PM #1

Hi All,

I just needed to come on here and rant as I am feeling somewhat alone.

I got paid today and after paying all my bills I am now left with approx €200 for two weeks. This is to do me for food and petrol. I have a good job but every week I seem to be in the same position. I don't spend it foolishly, I go out about once every two months, I also buy on sale if at all.

I don't know what I am doing wrong, I have my car insurance and car bill of €400 coming in the door and I really don't know how I am going to pay for it.

The worrying thing is I have NO savings. It that normal or am I the only one out there!

:(:(:(:(:(:(

Fizman · 28-08-2014 12:25PM

Define 'good job'.

All jokes aside, you seem to be living fairly sensibly, yet have a scary amount of disposable income to use.

Ken Shamrock · 28-08-2014 12:26PM

Your not the only one Clare by any means, my brother is in €9000 debt! Times are hard, even if you have a good job, is there justification for your car?

The Backwards Man · 28-08-2014 12:26PM

I've had to put the butler's manservant on a three day week.

28-08-2014 12:28PM

I'm downgraded to lighting my cigars with 50s instead of 100s. It's terrible

Grayson · 28-08-2014 12:28PM

ClareP1983 wrote: »

Hi All,

I just needed to come on here and rant as I am feeling somewhat alone.

I got paid today and after paying all my bills I am now left with approx €200 for two weeks. This is to do me for food and petrol. I have a good job but every week I seem to be in the same position. I don't spend it foolishly, I go out about once every two months, I also buy on sale if at all.

I don't know what I am doing wrong, I have my car insurance and car bill of €400 coming in the door and I really don't know how I am going to pay for it.

The worrying thing is I have NO savings. It that normal or am I the only one out there!

:(:(:(:(:(:(

It's something like 1/5th of people have no savings to fall back on. It really sucks. I'd love to have a little bit put away instead of what I happened to have paid off my credit card

The Backwards Man · 28-08-2014 12:29PM

OSI wrote: »

It's just you. Heck I upgraded from wiping my arse with 20s to wiping it with 50s! The bigger notes are much better at the job.

I'd wipe your ass with my head for twenty euro. I make twenty, you save thirty, everyone happy.

fizzypish · 28-08-2014 12:30PM

ClareP1983 wrote: »

Hi All,

I just needed to come on here and rant as I am feeling somewhat alone.

I got paid today and after paying all my bills I am now left with approx €200 for two weeks. This is to do me for food and petrol. I have a good job but every week I seem to be in the same position. I don't spend it foolishly, I go out about once every two months, I also buy on sale if at all.

I don't know what I am doing wrong, I have my car insurance and car bill of €400 coming in the door and I really don't know how I am going to pay for it.

The worrying thing is I have NO savings. It that normal or am I the only one out there!

:(:(:(:(:(:(

Is this every time you get a wage slip or just this time due to bills gang banging you? Either way it sucks for this month.

smash · 28-08-2014 12:30PM

People keep saying the recession is over but I don't see wages rising... all I see is:

More stealth taxes
Rents going up
Property values going up
The cost of products going up
The cost of services going up

FairytaleGirl · 28-08-2014 12:31PM

Same position here! F*ck the economy anyway.

Links234 · 28-08-2014 12:32PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I've had to put the butler's manservant on a three day week.

But you still kept his dogsbody on retainer, I hope?

The Backwards Man · 28-08-2014 12:32PM

smash wrote: »

People keep saying the recession is over but I don't see wages rising... all I see is:

More stealth taxes
Rents going up
Property values going up
The cost of products going up
The cost of services going up

That's known as the Yazz Effect.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 28-08-2014 12:33PM

Don't forget your water charges soon.

The Backwards Man · 28-08-2014 12:33PM

Links234 wrote: »

But you still kept his dogsbody on retainer, I hope?

No. On a lead.

scream · 28-08-2014 12:33PM

ClareP1983 wrote: »

Hi All,

I just needed to come on here and rant as I am feeling somewhat alone.

I got paid today and after paying all my bills I am now left with approx €200 for two weeks. This is to do me for food and petrol. I have a good job but every week I seem to be in the same position. I don't spend it foolishly, I go out about once every two months, I also buy on sale if at all.

I don't know what I am doing wrong, I have my car insurance and car bill of €400 coming in the door and I really don't know how I am going to pay for it.

The worrying thing is I have NO savings. It that normal or am I the only one out there!

:(:(:(:(:(:(

Oh you're certainly not the only one. I'm much the same. In fact I've just been posting in another thread about wages not going into the bank on time which really shouldn't be the major event that it is, but due to not having any savings myself it does cause a lot more concern than it should really. The USC charge is a bigger culprit than it might at first seem. That was approximately €150 vanished from my monthly wage literally overnight. It's easy to forget about things like that when it's coming out piecemeal each week, until you total it up per month. I believe it's known as The Elephant in the Room. Screw people over bit by bit and they're less likely to kick up a fuss.

the groutch · 28-08-2014 12:33PM

smash wrote: »

People keep saying the recession is over but I don't see wages rising... all I see is:

More stealth taxes
Rents going up
Property values going up
The cost of products going up
The cost of services going up

and people still living beyond their means.

jester77 · 28-08-2014 12:35PM

Sounds like you are not so good at budgeting. You should sit down and write down every bill that you have to pay during a year. Then divide the annual bill amount by your number of salary payments and set that amount aside every time you get paid.

This way, when the bill comes you will already have the cash for it and you won't have a situation where you can't pay a current bill.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 28-08-2014 12:35PM

OSI wrote: »

Depends where you're looking. Most of the people around me have seen their income rise. My own has risen a good 50% in 3 years.

That you, Viper Foley?

cml387 · 28-08-2014 12:36PM

Have you written down a list of your outgoings,a nd looked at where you might cut back?

Expensive phone contracts?
Satellite TV?

smash · 28-08-2014 12:37PM

the groutch wrote: »

and people still living beyond their means.

This is a bullsh1t quote really. For a lot of people out there it's hard to live within your means when your wages are cut and slashed as everything else goes up. Does this girl sound like she's splashing out on luxuries? I don't think so!

animaal · 28-08-2014 12:37PM

No, you're not alone.

When Brian Cowen spoke about a "reduction in living standards" being on the cards, this is what he meant.

If you can increase your income in the medium-term, that would be a good way to recover.

If not, the longer-term possibility is that as the economy improves, taxation (some combination of direct and indirect tax) can be reduced somewhat. Although inflation is low, in the longer term it should go some way towards reducing debt. But these effects will be small, and won't be really possible for a number of years.

The problem we face is that although our direct taxation is fairly middle of the road compared to our neighbours, we have high indirect taxation and high prices for goods and services. Not to mention debt and financial commitments that were set at levels that were only viable during the boom times. It's going to take time to work all that out.

sbsquarepants · 28-08-2014 12:39PM

I'd have to win a few bob to be broke. What I am, is what economists refer to as fúcking smashed.

Sugar Free · 28-08-2014 12:44PM

October to December is a bad few months for me as I've weddings, milestone birthdays, insurance, NCT, motor tax and of course Christmas all coming up.

Outside of those few months I'm fine and have plenty to use for savings and discretionary spends.

Dowl88 · 28-08-2014 12:47PM

On 30k in the center of Dublin. Cant afford to rent my own place so I either drive 120km to and from work, sleep in car or get a hostel. Im not house sharing with randomers or renting a kip of a box room! Sickens me

Ken Shamrock · 28-08-2014 12:49PM

Dowl88 wrote: »

On 30k in the center of Dublin. Cant afford to rent my own place so I either drive 120km to and from work, sleep in car or get a hostel. Im not house sharing with randomers or renting a kip of a box room! Sickens me

You're on 30k and too pretentious to rent a studio or share with others, that's not the economies fault, that's yours.

whiskeyman · 28-08-2014 12:51PM

smash wrote: »

People keep saying the recession is over but I don't see wages rising... all I see is:

More stealth taxes
Rents going up
Property values going up
The cost of products going up
The cost of services going up

And the number of threads like this on boards going up...

seamus · 28-08-2014 12:53PM

smash wrote: »

This is a bullsh1t quote really. For a lot of people out there it's hard to live within your means when your wages are cut and slashed as everything else goes up. Does this girl sound like she's splashing out on luxuries? I don't think so!

Pretty much impossible to say without knowing what falls under the heading of "bills" and how much she earns.

If she's a single person paying €1,600 rent on a two-bed apartment, then I'd say she may indeed be splashing out on luxuries by not a renting a more appropriate property within her budget.

Squatman · 28-08-2014 12:54PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I'd wipe your ass with my head for twenty euro. I make twenty, you save thirty, everyone happy.

Its not often i actually lol. but this made me lol

Buona Fortuna · 28-08-2014 12:54PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I'd wipe your ass with my head for twenty euro. I make twenty, you save thirty, everyone happy.

You just had to load up that image for me didn't ya.

Now I can't get rid of it

Caliden · 28-08-2014 12:55PM

It's not just you.

I've got a reasonably paid job but every month I find myself with less than 50 left in it.

No idea where I'm going wrong. I think it's a case of Parkinson's law, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson's_law , only in this case with money. i.e. I'll spend whatever I have.

So this month I'm going to try something different, instead of trying to keep spending low so that I have something to save at the end. Take 100-200 out at the start of the month and put it somewhere.

Highflyer13 · 28-08-2014 12:56PM

And the media keep peddling out 'we've turned a corner', 'recovery is strong', 'get on the property ladder quick as house prices are on the up' (obviously a supply problem) but yet my pocket is not seeing it and things seem to be getting a lot harder. Most people I work with are in the same boat.

Is it just me or is everyone broke!!

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