MazThe saying of ‘earning a living’, does not hold the value it used to. People used to work, pay their bills, put some money aside for the future and enjoy a little for themselves. Unfortunately, those days are gone for our generation. This is the case for many reasons but one we are familiar with already is obviously, bills!
Once we leave the comfort of adolescence and step into the real world, those bills find us. That thundering sound you hear when they slam on the floor when they’re posted. Those bits of paper that determine just how much of your wage packet will be issued to each company. Energy providers, Northumbrian Water, TV Licence, Council Tax, Broadband providers and the list goes on. All of these have a claim on your wage packet before you do. You’re the one who gets up every day, sacrifices 40+ hours out of the week, potentially persevering a job you get no satisfaction from, just to pay all of these companies.
The corrupt Government continues to control inflation, making all of the above increase their prices to be able to pay their VAT bill (if they’re honest of course) and we are the ones who suffer.
Over the last 5-6 years, there has been up to a 35% increase in utility prices. There have also been increases in VAT, fuel prices, car tax, council tax, insurance, broadband and TV providers, telephone providers, mobile networks have all increased over the last 5 years by a minimum of 7%. All of the essentials we pay for, have increased by approximately 45% overall. Over the last 5-6 years, National Minimum Wage for over 22s has increased by 13.4%. As you can see, the figures don’t work out.
I’m sure most people in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties know, we are part of the worst generation financially. This country has been thrown into oblivion financially by the Government and the Banks.
These people who sit up in their fancy house, with fancy cars on the driveways with their ridiculous expense accounts, bank CEOs responsible for the collapse of the economy getting £5 million bonuses or pay offs, ultimately have dictated where our finances are to be consumed. Our ability to obtain credit is dictated by credit reference agencies. These companies who validate decisions to penalise people for the small instances where people have found themselves short, missed a payment here and there despite being up to date for the better part of 5 years. When I was 18, there was zero education about the implications of getting credit cards, loans, overdrafts and unfortunately I have suffered those implications. Despite being in a much better position financially, there is always a risk of falling victim to the very corrupt financial infrastructure our earnings are raped by.
A majority of the population get up every day, go to work, sacrificing 40+ hours out of the week, to be able to pay for all of the s*** we need to ‘live’. That’s right. To have any quality of life, that wage packet you go to work for, needs to be violated by the companies whose name appears on top of those bills first. It’s disturbing the fact that you’re the one who goes to work to earn a wage, yet you’re technically the last one to get paid. Your wage packet starts from your employer and is passed down a line of companies owned by huge corporations who pay less tax than you do and whatever’s left over is left to you. For people on minimum wage, whatever’s left is not very much at all.
Our generation, overall, goes to work, to pay bills. If you are fortunate enough to have money left over to be able to go on holiday, or buy new clothes, shoes, a new console, little indulgences many do not have the pleasure of enjoying on a regular basis, then you are extremely lucky.
I am not talking about people fortunate enough to have a partner who pays for everything, or whose parents pay for everything or even some things. I am talking about the people who are completely self-sufficient. The type of people who consistently work in a stable job, prioritise their finances appropriately and just persevere the rest of the month living on a minimal allowance. You know who these people. The people who very rarely get to enjoy a meal out, or a night on the town.
I do, however, hold no judgement for those people who have tried to live independently but it just did not work out financially so at the very depths of desperation, ask for support from their parents or friends. Either way, the ultimate message here is, is that it’s hard to ‘live’ in this day and age without assistance in some shape or form. Because all we try to do, is pay our bills. To pay our bills and to survive. Anyone who at least tries, should feel a strong sense of pride. Because the fat cats who run this country have made it very hard for people to be honest.
Some people get frustrated that they work so much and are unable to play with the money they earn, so they resort to a credit card or loan. Easiest way to acquire something they’d like almost immediately. This results in a new bill coming through the door and obviously this bill has interest to pay.
Some people live in their overdrafts. Some people live on nothing especially if they debt. Some people just scrape by on a monthly basis, able to cover all of their essentials with little left over for fuel, leisure or fixtures but have nothing left for the future. We are in the wrong generation for pensions, simply because a majority of people can’t afford them.
The workforce of the UK continues to feed the slowly recovering economy which is controlled by the Government whose decisions have affected the value of our monthly earnings. We continue to sacrifice the majority of 5 days out of the week to try to earn money to keep our head above water. To earn our way in this world. To ensure our bills are paid. Unfortunately, a majority of our generation earn a wage to pay for bills and nothing else. Despite their efforts to earn, they do not earn enough to pay for any kind of pampering, leisure time or new purchases to enjoy the fruits of their labour. They are ultimately working to live instead of the other way round. We go to work to earn for other people, as we can’t for ourselves or certainly not enough to enjoy it as much as we’d like to. I certainly would not consider that ‘a living’.