Two-thirds of adults worry they cannot afford Christmas dinner

[Borchester]

Toots what bit of millions of people no longer have enough money to do that do you and others here not understand?  Aren't you watching news and current affairs. (Especially today on the massive rise in the cost of food.)

As far as I can see, Pappy can't afford Christmas and Toots wants to abolish it.

So what is everyone else up to?

[papasmurf]

I'm sure there will be someone who will call me an uncaring Christian Tory but there are lots of people who recognise the challenges facing them and many others who are simply reigning in their unnecessary spending and finding ways to cook nutritious meals on a budget. 

Toots what bit of millions of people no longer have enough money to do that do you and others here not understand?  Aren't you watching news and current affairs. (Especially today on the massive rise in the cost of food.)

[T00ts]

I'm sure there will be someone who will call me an uncaring Christian Tory but there are lots of people who recognise the challenges facing them and many others who are simply reigning in their unnecessary spending and finding ways to cook nutritious meals on a budget. The internet is full of suggestions for cooking differently to what we are all used to and we are all looking at the supermarket shelves and making choices to manage with less.
I am not for a moment suggesting that there is no-one struggling but surely it is fair to say that we have all become very used to having it all, with low interest rates etc. It isn't a bad lesson to learn how to cope in a crisis, after all who is to say that this won't be the norm for the foreseeable future? I feel we should all bend over backwards to show some self reliance and make every effort not to be a burden on others if we possibly can. Surely this will leave more available for those in desperate need.
One thing that perhaps should be assessed is what do we deem as desperate need? 
The homeless would be my first call. But if someone is affording to smoke and drink alcohol, use drugs, rather than feed themselves or their kids then questions need to be asked. 

[Borchester]

Borchester living within your means requires enough means to live on. Due to 12 years of Tory Austerity and a massive increase in the cost of living millions no longer have enough means to live on.

Exactly Pappy.

Everything is always someone else's fault

[papasmurf]

No, it is your fault.

If you refuse to live within your means

Borchester living within your means requires enough means to live on. Due to 12 years of Tory Austerity and a massive increase in the cost of living millions no longer have enough means to live on.

[Borchester]

No it isn't for some people it's called bloody struggling

cobblers.
Ah so when it was happening then it's was all Browns fault but this lot like Mr runaway then the revolving door prime ministers including a clueless one that tanked the pound and it's all someone else's fault.
Really?

No, it is your fault.

If you refuse to live within your means then some nice politician will come along, blame the Tories or socialists or Green Martians and start printing more pound notes or dollars or whatever and tell you that the problem is solved. It is all bollocks, but in moments of stress most folk have the tendency to blame someone else for their problems. Cowardly and counter productive, but there you are

[papasmurf]

Well here's  an idea why not have rents fixed at an affordable rate,no evictions unless rent is not paid or property damaged.
Then if in a few years the tenant is in a better place financially they be given the right to buy with a substantial discount......seems fair doesn't it?

Sounds great, try getting the Tory government to do it. Locally number of "no fault" evictions rising as are private rents. (Near me rents are in the £800-£1200 a month range, more for holiday lets.)

[cromwell]

Most of which have now ended up as private rentals.

Well here's  an idea why not have rents fixed at an affordable rate,no evictions unless rent is not paid or property damaged.
Then if in a few years the tenant is in a better place financially they be given the right to buy with a substantial discount......seems fair doesn't it?

[papasmurf]

You mean like when Thatcher bribed her way in to winning an election by selling council houses at massive discounts 

Most of which have now ended up as private rentals.

[cromwell]

Whether you're struggling or not you should live within your means, everyone struggles at some stage of their life, it's how you handle it that counts.

Brown tried to spend his way out of it with zero tightening of the belt. He also dobbed our gold in a rock bottom prices with the sole intent of lowering taxes to win an election.

You mean like when Thatcher bribed her way in to winning an election by selling council houses at massive discounts thereby leaving us where we are with the mess that is social housing.....or rather the lack of it.

Furthermore the utilities were sold off too and look where we are now with water companies and energy where we are paying through the nose for failed middle men and the total lack of govts....anygovts that is to ensure our energy security.

I don't condone the selling off of the gold but you cannot be getting away with the rewriting of history that it's labour bad bad bad  but not the tories.

[papasmurf]

Whether you're struggling or not you should live within your means, 

But millions do not have the means, due to Tory Austerity and inflation to meet their needs.

[Nick]

No it isn't for some people it's called bloody struggling

cobblers.
Ah so when it was happening then it's was all Browns fault but this lot like Mr runaway then the revolving door prime ministers including a clueless one that tanked the pound and it's all someone else's fault.
Really?

Whether you're struggling or not you should live within your means, everyone struggles at some stage of their life, it's how you handle it that counts. 

Brown tried to spend his way out of it with zero tightening of the belt. He also dobbed our gold in a rock bottom prices with the sole intent of lowering taxes to win an election. 

[Borchester]

Austerity: it's called living within your means, something the previous incumbents had no clue about and therefore dictated the subsequent squeeze.

And if you can't live within your means, live outside them. But at least have some fun on the way.

I will be straight with you Pappy, you can be a bit of a downer at times

[cromwell]

Austerity: it's called living within your means,

No it isn't for some people it's called bloody struggling

something the previous incumbents had no clue about and therefore dictated the subsequent squeeze. 

cobblers.

The cost of living is due to global events

Ah so when it was happening then it's was all Browns fault but this lot like Mr runaway then the revolving door prime ministers including a clueless one that tanked the pound and it's all someone else's fault.

how about you think about your posts. 

Really?

[Nick]

Nick, with 12 years of Tory austerity and the massive increases in the cost of living millions do not have the means to live on. (Frankly comments like yours are crass, and offensive given how serious the situation now is.)

Austerity: it's called living within your means, something the previous incumbents had no clue about and therefore dictated the subsequent squeeze. 
The cost of living is due to global events but you still managed you usual adventure to France. You can point the finger where you want and I really don't care if you are offended or not, the truth is not always an easy pill to swallow. You advocate various modes of violence to a large group of people you don't like, you offend many people with you views, how about you think about your posts.