Bob

Don't get me started on how much it costs to take kids anywhere, $15-25 entry for a kid over a year old. That's mental.

We use the library museum passes like crazy and it's still pretty expensive.

Don't know how bad things have gotten in the UK with this, but I certainly remember going to a lot of museums, galleries or what not for free and if they were boring would leave as it didn't cost anything. Here, we're spending the day to get the moneys worth, even if it is shit after paying the entry fees....which with a 3 year old can be just as much fun as the entry cost

Ethelred_the_Unready

You're in Massachusetts too I see. Where abouts? Snowing like crazy here.

I agree with you though, the US is no place for the Average Joe's among us who have no desire to be rich or join the rat race. Even in New England, I am limited by money and do not have the English countryside and the endless public footpaths, historical landmarks and public transport on my doorstep. Boston has decent public transport, but who can afford to live there? The commuter rail is infrequent and dated and may well be cut on weekends completely. I'm utterly sick of driving, made worse by the fact that people are overly aggressive behind the wheel and the roads in this state are far worse than those in the UK.

Bob

Inside of I-495 in the Metrowest area

Snowing a fair bit here too, though not much sticking, be gone with rain before long, and then snow and ice mix for the evening probably, which will be delightful

kimilseung

Did I have to fill one of those in?

Bob

Seems like one should have to, to venture further afield

dragon5254

I find it not very expensive here compared to Australia. Groceries are significantly cheaper and clothes and shoes.....I'm in heaven! But there is poverty everywhere I look and in San Francisco in particular the homeless situation is unreal. I saw a family..mother, father and three school age kids all sitting together and begging in Market Street recently. The kids all looked really embarrassed as they held up signs saying "Homeless" "Hungry".

scrubbedexpat099

I am back in the UK for a Funeral so she we say mostly an older age group. And the sort of related discussion that arises. Admittedly most if not all? had final salary schemes through State or Private employers, not something likely to be available to future generations. And they all made good capital gains on house prices going up, ditto.

I think there is a realisation that there is simply not the resources to pay for what has been currently promised, never mind future liabilities.

And of course all this come at a price, 20% VAT, $10 Petrol.

The 50p rate has backfired, something major has to be done, quite what is another matter.

TheEmperorIsNaked

God! How very very sad. The US Administration has spent trillions on 'liberating' countries from the 'scourge of terrorism',- encouraging other countries to join them in that endeavour; yet won't find the money for a decent health system or low cost affordable housing.

Australia pays far more for most things (even IKEA admitted recently that the load prices here!).
Interestingly, two countries lag way behind other developed nations for said low cost affording housing: The USA, and then Australia.

kimilseung

I am a great believer that museums should be free at entry as an educational tool. It is worth checking which ones are theoretical free.

for example, Seattle Art Museum is free, but you would not know it if you do not know it. You are streamed towards a row of ticket booths that have posted prices along with student rates (though no unemployed rates). There is even a guy at a faux gate, it looks like he checks tickets but he does not. I embarrassed the life out of my wife on our first few visits, but now even she walks through without paying. It is no problem not to pay, you just need the nerve, for even those that know, it can feel intimidating not to pay the first time. It annoys me how they hide the freeness..
The have even distributed 'free' vouchers, free vouchers to use at a free museum.

ian-mstm

I admit it's sad... but I've got to question how they ended up homeless. If the parents decided a nothing-down 100%-financed mortgage was the way forward, then this is clearly the parents' fault. If the parents lost their jobs because of corporate downsizing, then this is clearly the parents' fault for not having a backup plan when the writing was clearly on the wall. I blame the parents... but it's still sad.

Ian

dragon5254

It's more than sad it's disgusting!!
Australia is not perfect but it does have a safety net/welfare system. As for costs I don't understand the crazy prices of goods in Australia !

Gillymonkey

Having just left the UK 4 months ago I can say that most museums in Glasgow are still free entry. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in particular is brilliant for kids and is totally free.

I have visited London a few times recently and there was a couple of free Museums but most others were about 8GBP for entry.

dragon5254

That is hard! Unemployment is high in California and if you rent for many families they are one paycheck away from homelessness! Not everyone is rorting the system by getting mortgages that they don't deserve or can't afford. This is a tough country! The bottom line is there is no safety net.

kimilseung

Interesting:
A quick look online says that British Museum, V&A and both Tate's are still free. Can you remember which are charging.

SATX John

The common misconception is healthcare in the UK is free and housing is free, someone pays the taxes for these things. You are paying for it one way or another in taxes. So the difference is when and who you pay and your service. Also, this idea of "poverty" differs regionally and nationally, just a couple of facts from the US Census Bureau 2011:

-80 percent of poor households have air conditioning. In 1970, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.
-92 percent of poor households have a microwave.
-Nearly three-fourths have a car or truck, and 31 percent have two or more cars or trucks.
-Nearly two-thirds have cable or satellite TV.
-Two-thirds have at least one DVD player, and 70 percent have a VCR.
-Half have a personal computer, and one in seven have two or more computers.
-More than half of poor families with children have a video game system, such as an Xbox or PlayStation.
-43 percent have Internet access.
-One-third have a wide-screen plasma or LCD TV.
-One-fourth have a digital video recorder system, such as a TiVo.
-96 percent of poor parents stated that their children were never hungry at any time during the year because they could not afford food.
-83 percent of poor families reported having enough food to eat.
-82 percent of poor adults reported never being hungry at any time in the prior year due to lack of money for food.
-Over the course of a year, 4 percent of poor persons become temporarily homeless.
-Only 9.5 percent of the poor live in mobile homes or trailers, 49.5 percent live in separate single-family houses or townhouses, and 40 percent live in apartments.
-42 percent of poor households actually own their own homes.
-Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.
-The average poor American has more living space than the typical non-poor person in Sweden, France, or the United Kingdom.
-The vast majority of the homes or apartments of the poor are in good repair.