Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
Jan 13th 2008, 4:27 pm
#46
LAH-DI-DAH.
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: SMALL TOWN U.S.A.
Posts: 21
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
Does anyone really believe that the Shriners and the Masons are devil-worshippers and if so, that the US is doomed because of this?
Does the growing season refer to something besides the average-time-of-last-frost to average-time-of-first-frost?
I've actually experienced far worse gender discrimination in terms of "glass ceiling" in Canada, not the US, and it's supposed to be pretty rampant in the UK as well. If you mean "gender roles" as in boys can't be fashion models and women can't be .... Charlie the ginger gardener, then maybe.
The US is a representative democracy (we elect those who then cast the direct decisive votes) and a republic of a relatively weak federal government comprised of 50 states each with its own government. Probably the average American could use many refresher courses in history and government.
What are Judo-Christian values? wrestling with one's conscience?
Does the growing season refer to something besides the average-time-of-last-frost to average-time-of-first-frost?
I've actually experienced far worse gender discrimination in terms of "glass ceiling" in Canada, not the US, and it's supposed to be pretty rampant in the UK as well. If you mean "gender roles" as in boys can't be fashion models and women can't be .... Charlie the ginger gardener, then maybe.
The US is a representative democracy (we elect those who then cast the direct decisive votes) and a republic of a relatively weak federal government comprised of 50 states each with its own government. Probably the average American could use many refresher courses in history and government.
What are Judo-Christian values? wrestling with one's conscience?
Jan 13th 2008, 4:34 pm
#47
gurt mint nit?
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: In my shed
Posts: 2,776
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
I'm just speaking for myself here; I'm American, I lived in the UK for years, and I moved back to the USA last year.
My standard of living has improved immensely. I make almost twice as much money as what I did in the UK and nearly every living expense is cheaper except electricity and car insurance. I understand health expenses are an issue for many people, but my job provides excellent insurance at no cost to me.
My quality of life has also improved immensely, though I think a lot of that has to do with being close to my family again and not being treated like a second-class citizen because I'm a foreigner....y'know, just being around my own kind. I would never move back to the UK.
Overall I'm much happier here than I was in the UK, but I'm not British...so interpret all of that as you will.
My standard of living has improved immensely. I make almost twice as much money as what I did in the UK and nearly every living expense is cheaper except electricity and car insurance. I understand health expenses are an issue for many people, but my job provides excellent insurance at no cost to me.
My quality of life has also improved immensely, though I think a lot of that has to do with being close to my family again and not being treated like a second-class citizen because I'm a foreigner....y'know, just being around my own kind. I would never move back to the UK.
Overall I'm much happier here than I was in the UK, but I'm not British...so interpret all of that as you will.
You basically named all the reasons I recall moving here for in the first place.
Lots more money and things.
Jan 13th 2008, 5:16 pm
#48
Banned
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 172
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
I'm just speaking for myself here; I'm American, I lived in the UK for years, and I moved back to the USA last year.
My standard of living has improved immensely. I make almost twice as much money as what I did in the UK and nearly every living expense is cheaper except electricity and car insurance. I understand health expenses are an issue for many people, but my job provides excellent insurance at no cost to me.
My quality of life has also improved immensely, though I think a lot of that has to do with being close to my family again and not being treated like a second-class citizen because I'm a foreigner....y'know, just being around my own kind. I would never move back to the UK.
Overall I'm much happier here than I was in the UK, but I'm not British...so interpret all of that as you will.
My standard of living has improved immensely. I make almost twice as much money as what I did in the UK and nearly every living expense is cheaper except electricity and car insurance. I understand health expenses are an issue for many people, but my job provides excellent insurance at no cost to me.
My quality of life has also improved immensely, though I think a lot of that has to do with being close to my family again and not being treated like a second-class citizen because I'm a foreigner....y'know, just being around my own kind. I would never move back to the UK.
Overall I'm much happier here than I was in the UK, but I'm not British...so interpret all of that as you will.
Jan 13th 2008, 7:49 pm
#49
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 45
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
I came back here because I was sick of being so far away from my family, I hated the climate in the UK, I didn't like being a foreigner in a strange country, and overall I was just not happy there.
The article the OP posted spoke about living standards and quality of life in the UK vs in the USA, so I answered honestly and shared my own personal experiences. It's true that I make a lot more money over here. It's true that almost everything is cheaper. At least that's what I've found. That doesn't mean I think everyone should move here; quite the opposite really. If people are happy in the UK, they should stay there. The grass isn't always greener, and I know from personal experience that it's very difficult to feel completely at ease in a country that isn't your own.
Jan 13th 2008, 8:40 pm
#50
A lion in your lap
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Sparta NJ
Posts: 7,605
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
that's partially because the dollar's in the toilet right now - but on our recent Christmas trip to Britain we were surprised to find that even with the crappy exchange rate a lot of stuff in supermarkets was about the same price in Britain and some things were significantly cheaper (baby formula was way cheaper over there).
Jan 13th 2008, 9:24 pm
#51
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Posts: 45
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
that's partially because the dollar's in the toilet right now - but on our recent Christmas trip to Britain we were surprised to find that even with the crappy exchange rate a lot of stuff in supermarkets was about the same price in Britain and some things were significantly cheaper (baby formula was way cheaper over there).
Brits should enjoy the strong pound while it lasts; the pound has lost value against the dollar recently (was under $2 last I looked) and a lot of financial analysts feel that the pound will be the "dollar of 2008". Good thing I changed my money when the pound was ridiculously strong.
Jan 14th 2008, 3:31 am
#52
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Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 4,525
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
Stop the goverment pouring money into an unwinnable war.
Make a change in the interest rates.
Encourage businesses to keep jobs in this country (esp the car industry in MI).
Jan 14th 2008, 10:52 am
#53
Banned
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 172
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
Even before the dollar fell against the pound, things were cheaper over here. We must not be buying the same things; I'm saving loads. Then again, I don't have to buy formula.
Brits should enjoy the strong pound while it lasts; the pound has lost value against the dollar recently (was under $2 last I looked) and a lot of financial analysts feel that the pound will be the "dollar of 2008". Good thing I changed my money when the pound was ridiculously strong.
Brits should enjoy the strong pound while it lasts; the pound has lost value against the dollar recently (was under $2 last I looked) and a lot of financial analysts feel that the pound will be the "dollar of 2008". Good thing I changed my money when the pound was ridiculously strong.
The USA economy is really going to struggle in the next few years the experts are saying, when I was on holiday a few years back the exchange rate was $1.24 to the pound, now it's $2 what does that tell you
Jan 14th 2008, 11:54 am
#54
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Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
It tells me that the US deficit is very large and this deficit is reducing the dollar's value. Taxes have to go up or spending has to go down, or both.
Jan 14th 2008, 12:33 pm
#55
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Location: Tampa, FL
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Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
No denying the dollar is very weak at the mo, but it could be corrected as Tableland said - not sure when that might happen however; maybe after the elections....
Last edited by Dan725; Jan 14th 2008 at 2:28 pm.
Jan 14th 2008, 1:23 pm
#56
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Posts: 45
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
That tells me the British economy could see some bumps ahead too. The health of the US economy cannot be determined solely based on the exchange rate between the pound and the dollar. However, the pound is strong against multiple currencies...not just the dollar. This has the potential to create problems for the UK, but a more serious issue in the UK is the staggering amount of consumer debt. Once the housing bubble bursts (which it must, it's unsustainable), the credit crunch there will get much worse.
Jan 14th 2008, 1:44 pm
#57
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Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
There will not be a universal house market crash in the UK within the next few years. We might see some regional corrections, and some areas may well increase, but all we are seing at the moment is a slow-down at the rate of increase. This, in conjunction with the fact that there is much more demand then supply and low interest rates means the market will retain its value.
Much of the whining about a crash is created by those that blew all their money on depreciating assets in the good years and now want a crash so they can buy a house. But whining is all it is, and anyone waiting for a major crash is going to be waiting for a long, long time.
Jan 14th 2008, 2:16 pm
#58
A lion in your lap
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Sparta NJ
Posts: 7,605
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
It should be noted however that these figures still pale in comparison to U.S. consumer debt, which, seasonally adjusted, reached $2.3 trillion in July, or $7,856 per American, more than $1,800 more than the average Briton.
http://www.yourcreditadvisor.com/blo...s_largest.html
Jan 14th 2008, 2:45 pm
#59
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
UK consumer debt is more than double that of other Europen nations according to a report released today from Datamonitor. Excluding mortgages, the average Briton has £3,175 of debt, the equivalent of $6,040. The average European meanwhile owes just £1,558, or $2,964.
It should be noted however that these figures still pale in comparison to U.S. consumer debt, which, seasonally adjusted, reached $2.3 trillion in July, or $7,856 per American, more than $1,800 more than the average Briton.
http://www.yourcreditadvisor.com/blo...s_largest.html
It should be noted however that these figures still pale in comparison to U.S. consumer debt, which, seasonally adjusted, reached $2.3 trillion in July, or $7,856 per American, more than $1,800 more than the average Briton.
http://www.yourcreditadvisor.com/blo...s_largest.html
Jan 14th 2008, 4:00 pm
#60
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 45
Re: Would you rather live in the UK or US (Telegraph Article)
There will not be a universal house market crash in the UK within the next few years. We might see some regional corrections, and some areas may well increase, but all we are seing at the moment is a slow-down at the rate of increase. This, in conjunction with the fact that there is much more demand then supply and low interest rates means the market will retain its value.
Much of the whining about a crash is created by those that blew all their money on depreciating assets in the good years and now want a crash so they can buy a house. But whining is all it is, and anyone waiting for a major crash is going to be waiting for a long, long time.
Much of the whining about a crash is created by those that blew all their money on depreciating assets in the good years and now want a crash so they can buy a house. But whining is all it is, and anyone waiting for a major crash is going to be waiting for a long, long time.
I've seen some convincing arguments both in favor of and in opposition to the possibility of a house price crash. We'll just have to wait and see. As for me, I cashed out of the UK property market and made a great profit on the sale of my house, so I won't be affected either way.