Britains Spending Secrets

[outnumbered]

I'm not enjoying snooty Manchester woman very much.

[Nickbrapp]

Im quite shocked im not seeing people have a brain meltdown over that woman not wanting to over pay her mortage and have the audacity to want to buy things.

[blank]

When they quote these income figures are they gross or net?

If the figures are before tax/NI I'm struggling to see how most of the families afford what they do!

[Super Slo Mo]

It appeared to be nett or take home.

[smithyithy]

Jesus, that mom and daughters talking about handbags and laughing at the other woman for buying a £10.

Arrogant, aspirational, vile people.

[Super Slo Mo]

It's cringeworthy. I suspect there's an element of showing off for the cameras though.

[Pistom]

I could empathise with most of them but is this what we have become?

Some of them who think they are well off have just been conned into the delusion of wealth by surrounding themselves with tacky designer labels.

[okgo]

I don't think it was net income was it? Who quotes that usually?

But yes, I can't see how you can be doing 8 grand on holidays and 1k on laptops each xmas along with 200 quid sunglasses for the kids. There again the mortgage on a place up there could be under 500 quid.

[Rich1973]

Elder daughter is being raised to be a precious horrible princess. Great parenting.
Grey haired woman was really grating my cheese too.

[anonymous-user]

The biggest surprise of all this is how well Anne Robinson comes across when she isn't doing The Weakest Link.

I thought she was brilliant.

[bingybongy]

Phones 4 u man didn't seem exactly ecstatic with his life.

[Laurel Green]

Symbolica said:

The biggest surprise of all this is how well Anne Robinson comes across when she isn't doing The Weakest Link.

I thought she was brilliant.

Yep! Nice to see the real Anne Robinson - certainly doesn't take herself too seriously.

[Super Slo Mo]

okgo said:

I don't think it was net income was it? Who quotes that usually?

But yes, I can't see how you can be doing 8 grand on holidays and 1k on laptops each xmas along with 200 quid sunglasses for the kids. There again the mortgage on a place up there could be under 500 quid.

The only reason I think it's Nett income is that they had a breakdown of spending for both the families that they examined in a little detail (Manc woman and the 'poor' family). The first figure was household income. There was no mention of tax, so I'm assuming (I know!) that it's net. Given the rest of the figures, I think it has to be net otherwise it wouldn't add up.

The poorer family had the main breadwinner's income listed at £11k, which would be below minimum wage assuming he's full time.

[SydneyBridge]

Wasn't their income £18k and they spent £1k a year on takeaway...
that's a huge percentage of your income.. it would make more sense for the £18k to be net

[Super Slo Mo]

It is, although I liked the guy's justification for it, not saying he was right or wrong, but it's one little treat a week in effect, if that, for working pretty hard by the sounds of it.

I wouldn't take that off him/them.

[gregf40]

I'm pretty sure they quote gross income not net.

[mgtony]

The girl shopper with the kid, sure knew how to shop for a bargain and save money. Then you see her flat. Now living in a hostel and selling clothes/shoes off which will probably not even cover her storage costs.

[Super Slo Mo]

gregf40 said:

I'm pretty sure they quote gross income not net.

It seemed like they were doing both, depending on which example they were showing. The PR woman on £100k sounded like it was gross, but the two families they compared directly, that seemed more like nett, if for no other reason than £18k gross between two people is extremely low, and I doubt they could even afford the limited things they currently have if that were the case.

They did refer to household income, in those cases, which I would take to mean actual money available after tax.

Of course though, that might take into account tax credits and stuff.

[Zoon]

Nickbrapp said:

Im quite shocked im not seeing people have a brain meltdown over that woman not wanting to over pay her mortage and have the audacity to want to buy things.

She's obviously an imbecile, had to laugh at the quote about the mortgage "they aren't getting any more of us"

But they are, masses of it on additional interest.

[Bullett]

Anyone want to take a bet on if they were on Interest Only?