how are Brits so poor yet the country is damn expensive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

This.

My spouse is British. Their sibling is retired in the UK. They live comfortably in a hcol city (not London). They generally don't pay for their medical care ( she just had a mastectomy due to breast cancer and paid nothing for it) and don't need health insurance. They walk into town mostly to run errands. She takes vacations with her friends quite often.

Their college costs are not insane like in the US. It's true that they don't eat out often but when they do, they don't tip.

One of the siblings works a low wage job, but they are still able to take vacations and have enough to live on because they don't pay for healthcare and worry about saving for it.

We are ready to retire now but for the cost of healthcare.

It’s simply not true that this applies to all of the US. Plenty of US states have low cost flagship universities. Only a few states, typically in the northeast and DC, do not.

Also most employed workers have access to employer provided health insurance.

My point is that the European claims that the difference in COL is made up for my high healthcare costs and college simply isn’t true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

Paid maternity leave is around $250 a week. Good luck surviving on that in London.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

This.

My spouse is British. Their sibling is retired in the UK. They live comfortably in a hcol city (not London). They generally don't pay for their medical care ( she just had a mastectomy due to breast cancer and paid nothing for it) and don't need health insurance. They walk into town mostly to run errands. She takes vacations with her friends quite often.

Their college costs are not insane like in the US. It's true that they don't eat out often but when they do, they don't tip.

One of the siblings works a low wage job, but they are still able to take vacations and have enough to live on because they don't pay for healthcare and worry about saving for it.

We are ready to retire now but for the cost of healthcare.

It’s simply not true that this applies to all of the US. Plenty of US states have low cost flagship universities. Only a few states, typically in the northeast and DC, do not.

Also most employed workers have access to employer provided health insurance.

My point is that the European claims that the difference in COL is made up for my high healthcare costs and college simply isn’t true.

DC I'll give you, of course. Which states don't have a (relatively) low cost flagship university?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

This.

My spouse is British. Their sibling is retired in the UK. They live comfortably in a hcol city (not London). They generally don't pay for their medical care ( she just had a mastectomy due to breast cancer and paid nothing for it) and don't need health insurance. They walk into town mostly to run errands. She takes vacations with her friends quite often.

Their college costs are not insane like in the US. It's true that they don't eat out often but when they do, they don't tip.

One of the siblings works a low wage job, but they are still able to take vacations and have enough to live on because they don't pay for healthcare and worry about saving for it.

We are ready to retire now but for the cost of healthcare.

It’s simply not true that this applies to all of the US. Plenty of US states have low cost flagship universities. Only a few states, typically in the northeast and DC, do not.

Also most employed workers have access to employer provided health insurance.

My point is that the European claims that the difference in COL is made up for my high healthcare costs and college simply isn’t true.

Employers try to make people part timers to not pay benefits. And more and more employers subsidize the cost for the employee well, but not for family, so plans can be very expensive even through employer. It is getting worse each year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

This.

My spouse is British. Their sibling is retired in the UK. They live comfortably in a hcol city (not London). They generally don't pay for their medical care ( she just had a mastectomy due to breast cancer and paid nothing for it) and don't need health insurance. They walk into town mostly to run errands. She takes vacations with her friends quite often.

Their college costs are not insane like in the US. It's true that they don't eat out often but when they do, they don't tip.

One of the siblings works a low wage job, but they are still able to take vacations and have enough to live on because they don't pay for healthcare and worry about saving for it.

We are ready to retire now but for the cost of healthcare.

It’s simply not true that this applies to all of the US. Plenty of US states have low cost flagship universities. Only a few states, typically in the northeast and DC, do not.

Also most employed workers have access to employer provided health insurance.

My point is that the European claims that the difference in COL is made up for my high healthcare costs and college simply isn’t true.

DC I'll give you, of course. Which states don't have a (relatively) low cost flagship university?

New Jersey
New York
Connecticut
Massachusetts


These states have in-state universities but the average UMC student doesn’t want to attend. The parents in these states complain about $70k a year college and think everyone is paying this. They don’t understand the average UMC florida student attends UF for $8k a year. There are a lot of states with desirable in-state colleges including Texas, Georgia, Florida, NC, etc. But not the NE.

[Anonymous]

I lived there for 4 years and returned to the US recently.

The standard of living is lower, as the per capita GDP is about 2/3 the US level. Food in grocery stores is cheaper, but eating out is more expensive, relative to salaries. Supermarkets also have a lot of inexpensive prepared food. There is a lot of competition in the grocery sector, and people are very price sensitive, due to the lower salaries. Grocery delivery is also cheap, as the high density makes it easier. School lunches are hugely expensive. I was spending 25-30 pojnds a week on one kid. Free lunch is only available to those making under 8 k per year. Teachers report lots of hungry kids.

British homes are small, with small bedrooms. Rentals don't tend to have clothes dryers, and few have dishwashers.

Internet and cell service are cheaper. Energy prices almost quadrupled while we were there, due to Covid and the war in Ukraine.

The NHS provides decent basic care and is funded via taxes. It can be hard to get appointments, and if anyone in the family had been diagnosed with cancer or heart disease, we would have returned to the US. The UK doesn't do well on those according to international data.

I was teaching at a university. My salary was higher than the UK average salary, but much lower than what I earn in the US. The tax rate is 40 percent on any earnings over 50K pounds, and that is based on the earner, not the household. As a single parent, I paid more taxes than two earner couples with a higher household income. Insane. I think a lot of people stay in not so great relationships to save on rent.

My students paid 9k per year in tuition, but the room and board was what killed them, and many kids have to live at home during university.

The state old age pension is terrible: 600 pounds per month.

There are low cost package holidays and bus tours. Public transit is great, but not cheap. Many people take buses rather than the Tube to save money. Kids get a lot of price breaks: buses are free and the Tube is free until age 11, at which point the fare rises to 80 pence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

This.

My spouse is British. Their sibling is retired in the UK. They live comfortably in a hcol city (not London). They generally don't pay for their medical care ( she just had a mastectomy due to breast cancer and paid nothing for it) and don't need health insurance. They walk into town mostly to run errands. She takes vacations with her friends quite often.

Their college costs are not insane like in the US. It's true that they don't eat out often but when they do, they don't tip.

One of the siblings works a low wage job, but they are still able to take vacations and have enough to live on because they don't pay for healthcare and worry about saving for it.

We are ready to retire now but for the cost of healthcare.

It’s simply not true that this applies to all of the US. Plenty of US states have low cost flagship universities. Only a few states, typically in the northeast and DC, do not.

Also most employed workers have access to employer provided health insurance.

My point is that the European claims that the difference in COL is made up for my high healthcare costs and college simply isn’t true.

DC I'll give you, of course. Which states don't have a (relatively) low cost flagship university?

New Jersey
New York
Connecticut
Massachusetts


These states have in-state universities but the average UMC student doesn’t want to attend. The parents in these states complain about $70k a year college and think everyone is paying this. They don’t understand the average UMC florida student attends UF for $8k a year. There are a lot of states with desirable in-state colleges including Texas, Georgia, Florida, NC, etc. But not the NE.

Nobody is talking about "UMC" but you. Each of the states listed has a fine state university option with somewhat-to-very affordable tution for in-state residents

This is a converation in fact about "average" people, per the OP. Not strivers looking for vicarious bragging rights on SM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

This.

My spouse is British. Their sibling is retired in the UK. They live comfortably in a hcol city (not London). They generally don't pay for their medical care ( she just had a mastectomy due to breast cancer and paid nothing for it) and don't need health insurance. They walk into town mostly to run errands. She takes vacations with her friends quite often.

Their college costs are not insane like in the US. It's true that they don't eat out often but when they do, they don't tip.

One of the siblings works a low wage job, but they are still able to take vacations and have enough to live on because they don't pay for healthcare and worry about saving for it.

We are ready to retire now but for the cost of healthcare.

It’s simply not true that this applies to all of the US. Plenty of US states have low cost flagship universities. Only a few states, typically in the northeast and DC, do not.

Also most employed workers have access to employer provided health insurance.

My point is that the European claims that the difference in COL is made up for my high healthcare costs and college simply isn’t true.

DC I'll give you, of course. Which states don't have a (relatively) low cost flagship university?

New Jersey
New York
Connecticut
Massachusetts


These states have in-state universities but the average UMC student doesn’t want to attend. The parents in these states complain about $70k a year college and think everyone is paying this. They don’t understand the average UMC florida student attends UF for $8k a year. There are a lot of states with desirable in-state colleges including Texas, Georgia, Florida, NC, etc. But not the NE.

Nobody is talking about "UMC" but you. Each of the states listed has a fine state university option with somewhat-to-very affordable tution for in-state residents

This is a converation in fact about "average" people, per the OP. Not strivers looking for vicarious bragging rights on SM

It was in response to someone saying that salaries are lower but not having insane college costs makes up for it. Point is not everyone has insane college costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

This.

My spouse is British. Their sibling is retired in the UK. They live comfortably in a hcol city (not London). They generally don't pay for their medical care ( she just had a mastectomy due to breast cancer and paid nothing for it) and don't need health insurance. They walk into town mostly to run errands. She takes vacations with her friends quite often.

Their college costs are not insane like in the US. It's true that they don't eat out often but when they do, they don't tip.

One of the siblings works a low wage job, but they are still able to take vacations and have enough to live on because they don't pay for healthcare and worry about saving for it.

We are ready to retire now but for the cost of healthcare.

It’s simply not true that this applies to all of the US. Plenty of US states have low cost flagship universities. Only a few states, typically in the northeast and DC, do not.

Also most employed workers have access to employer provided health insurance.

My point is that the European claims that the difference in COL is made up for my high healthcare costs and college simply isn’t true.

DC I'll give you, of course. Which states don't have a (relatively) low cost flagship university?

New Jersey
New York
Connecticut
Massachusetts


These states have in-state universities but the average UMC student doesn’t want to attend. The parents in these states complain about $70k a year college and think everyone is paying this. They don’t understand the average UMC florida student attends UF for $8k a year. There are a lot of states with desirable in-state colleges including Texas, Georgia, Florida, NC, etc. But not the NE.

Nobody is talking about "UMC" but you. Each of the states listed has a fine state university option with somewhat-to-very affordable tution for in-state residents

This is a converation in fact about "average" people, per the OP. Not strivers looking for vicarious bragging rights on SM

And the UK has a similar range of public universities. In fact the one attended by the future king is ranked #19.

https://www.4icu.org/gb/public/

And they are significantly cheaper under certain circumstances. For instance, the University of Edinburgh is a top school, and is only 1820 pounds for Scottish students- basically the equivalent of being "in state".

https://www.ed.ac.uk/tuition-fees/find/undergraduate/2024-2025/full-time-current-students

[Anonymous]

The social contract in euro countries has collapsed….”we will work for peanuts but have good health care and will retire on a crap, but comfortable pension.” I’m from Ireland and am comparatively loaded compared to my peers there thanks to going it alone in the USA, thanks to being able to read and thus get ahead here in a sea of ignorance….USA simply a different kind of shithole with more crap and greater access to loans. It’s also easier to hide cash in the USA there is more fluidity here…

In general, euros traded money for lifestyle. Their lifestyle now sucks…. Except for the educated and the rich, of course!!

[Anonymous]

And, btw, who gives a shit about ‘cursing’? Go have a beer and get real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t afford it. They live in much smaller homes, have fewer cars, fewer clothes etc. Anyone with British friends know they have a lot less stuff and can afford less entertainment.

Well who the hell is buying all of these 30-40 pound dinner plates, 15 pound glasses of wine, and 9 pound baskets of strawberries? These are literally prices we saw all day in small towns and smaller cities that weren't even London. GB is expensive AF. I wanna know how Brits earning garbage salaries afford there own damn country.

Why are you cursing so much? Do you think what it makes what you are talking about sound more important to us?

It's OP's signature style: ranting with curse words.

I've seen their posts before. All a bit unhinged. Who is this angry about UK salaries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have to pay for or even consider saving for things like:

Healthcare
A pension
Transportation (you do not need a car)

Jobs have job security and guaranteed vacations. Paid maternity leave. Also very cheap to holiday in europe. Council estates gor the poor. Etc.

This.

My spouse is British. Their sibling is retired in the UK. They live comfortably in a hcol city (not London). They generally don't pay for their medical care ( she just had a mastectomy due to breast cancer and paid nothing for it) and don't need health insurance. They walk into town mostly to run errands. She takes vacations with her friends quite often.

Their college costs are not insane like in the US. It's true that they don't eat out often but when they do, they don't tip.

One of the siblings works a low wage job, but they are still able to take vacations and have enough to live on because they don't pay for healthcare and worry about saving for it.

We are ready to retire now but for the cost of healthcare.

It’s simply not true that this applies to all of the US. Plenty of US states have low cost flagship universities. Only a few states, typically in the northeast and DC, do not.

Also most employed workers have access to employer provided health insurance.

My point is that the European claims that the difference in COL is made up for my high healthcare costs and college simply isn’t true.

DC I'll give you, of course. Which states don't have a (relatively) low cost flagship university?

Since you specified flagship, Virginia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we do the rest of Europe too? I have seriously wondered this. A friend in France in her made like 30k euros and I was shocked her salary was so low. A friend in London made 18k pounds and I wondered about that too.

I do think Americans have upped our standards of living to rates we really can’t afford. As noted by how many people have car payments.

You can’t really compare the cost and use of cars between UK and the US, because cars are essential in most parts of the US. Americans probably do spend too much on new cars, but cars also just cost a lot. The average price of a non-luxury car is 44k.

A separate question is: What's the true cost of a car? It's crazy that the car industry has kept this such a secret. I keep hoping the answer will come out. I bet it costs $10K or less to make a car, and car companies earn $30K plus profit on each one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our family in U.K. vacation in Europe easily (short quick flights), have nice homes in little villages outside of London area, seem so much less stressed than here. I do think it’s the healthcare and the pension (social security?) once one is retired. Also not everyone goes to university and if they do not as costly as here.

Yes, and they only go to uni for three years (not four like in the US), so that's a huge cost savings too.