Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Aug 16th 2013, 6:56 am
#571
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I was in Australia for a period back in the 80's & here I was thinking Canada was the big wide open spaces. What amazes me about OZ is the fact that its so big with relatively low population the cost of running the infrastructure must be huge cost per person compared to the UK. Also the distribution of wealth by state must also be wide & varied. From family that live in OZ since 1970 they tell me life is grand, way better than living in the UK. The fact that the minimum wage is over $15/hr, some things are more expensive than the UK but their money I'm told goes further. The OZ GDP is approx $67k (42k GBP) which seems a decent amount. Then again the bank rate is high as is the mortgage rates. The OZ old age pension as well as support supplements also appear to be better than those in the UK?
I understand the grass is not always greener in other places (through rose tint glasses) - that people live their lives the way they want, may at times complain &/or compare to others & other places - but in the end its whats best for the individual. After all there are (and I don't know this for sure) more ex-pats still out there than have returned back to blighty in the past 25 years.
Don't know who came up with the phrase 'whinging pom', it seems to me it has a stigma about it
I understand the grass is not always greener in other places (through rose tint glasses) - that people live their lives the way they want, may at times complain &/or compare to others & other places - but in the end its whats best for the individual. After all there are (and I don't know this for sure) more ex-pats still out there than have returned back to blighty in the past 25 years.
Don't know who came up with the phrase 'whinging pom', it seems to me it has a stigma about it
Aug 16th 2013, 7:05 am
#572
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 862
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
New post: Yes Chris. I know how that view is probably going to be judged on this particular thread , but in fact it is a very simple logic,-how would they know?
.......letters from Aunty Ethel I suppose..
I wuz thinking about the bored and the sleepy.....you don't need to post do you? You could just do some knitting or something, perhaps warm milk for a good ni ni's?
Aug 16th 2013, 9:16 am
#573
Dichotomus tinker
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,678
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
It always amuses me when I hear stories like this, if the family have been in Australia for 40 odd years how can they possbly know their life is 'way better than in the UK' . We are actually here and our life is easily as good as it was in Australia and in most important ways it is better. It must be remembered that for all sorts of reasons many expats wouldn't be able to return even if they wanted to. My own mother would sooner be here.
To add about that the family left the UK in the 70's for (at the time) seeking a better life of prospects, climate & wealth. A few years ago the said family returned (now retired) back to the UK after 30 uninterrupted years away (not even a holiday back) for two separate 6 month stays 2-years apart to see if they could settle. The result was they couldn't & returned 'home' to Australia.
Some folks on the threads are posting 'did they make the right decision to return back after 1, 2, 3 or within 10 year or how unsettled they are.To those 'you made the choice to leave, then return' - give it time, its not easy for everyone - some settle, some don't, some will ying-yang all their lives and moan how good, bad or indifferent each place is
In the old days we called it the $1000 dollar cure - God only knows how much it cost these days.
Now I must go & make a cuppa, put on the old gramophone (or whatever its called these days that people listen to music on) and blast Roger Whittaker singing the 'Last Farewell'. After that a brisk walk humming 'land of hope & glory'
Last edited by not2old; Aug 16th 2013 at 9:50 am.
Aug 20th 2013, 12:39 am
#574
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 191
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Well of course they would. But those who didn't buy into the overpriced housing ponzi scheme are bailing out the borrowers - by the cut in interest on their savings!.. to the tune of billions
Aug 20th 2013, 3:30 am
#575
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,477
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Love love love Roger Whittaker..
Aug 20th 2013, 2:55 pm
#576
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,814
Aug 20th 2013, 7:48 pm
#577
Dichotomus tinker
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,678
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
it really is the ex-pat song
Aug 20th 2013, 10:26 pm
#578
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
That Ponzi scheme is going to be kept alive for decades. Perhaps you should buy into it after all?
Aug 20th 2013, 11:25 pm
#579
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 191
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I wouldn't think decades, maybe they can prop it up until a rate rise is forced on them. When that will be is anyone's guess. They are creating the mother of all bubbles and the mother of all crashes with no money left to bail it out this time.
Aug 21st 2013, 12:10 am
#580
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2011
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 225
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I would agree that these countries all have high debt. Not every country looks like a basketcase and could in time, pay it back. Eire possibly by exit from the euro and re-issuing of punts and devaluation. I don't know what will save the UK after the housing bubble has been blown up again. Is there any money left for yet another bail out?
Aug 21st 2013, 12:27 am
#581
Not actually a squirrel
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: England
Posts: 3,446
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Aug 21st 2013, 1:07 am
#582
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
For a long time I was a house price crash doomster, but now I have changed my opinion. Houses have been allowed to inflate to current levels to enrich the baby boomers via equity release schemes and BTL. This is because the governments cannot meet their pensions responsibility to them. If there is a crash, it will bring a catastrophe without precedent because of the levels of debt involved. If you don't think they can keep IRs suppressed for a long time then I would direct you to Japan where they've been running a ZIRP for nearly 20 years. British rates went down to near ZIRP in 2009, and Australia presumably will join it in the next year or so. If they follow Japan's model rates will be 0.5% until at least 2030.
Aug 21st 2013, 8:01 am
#583
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
For the OP some good news coming out of the UK recently, unemployment trending down, GDP to rise, return of confidence in the manufacturing sector.
Aug 21st 2013, 8:47 am
#584
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 862
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
