YOUR SAY

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Are your wages keeping up with the costs of living, and what would help relieve the financial pressure?

COMMENTS

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  • PAUL REID FROM PERTH SAYS:

    09:46:34 PM Tuesday, 13th May, 2008

    Watching this mainstream TV fear-monngering in WA and so far the collection are PC users - they need to consider getting a Mac if they are unable to secure the own PCs.

    I agree (1 agree)
    I disagree (1 disagree)
  • TIM FROM BRISBANE SAYS:

    08:15:34 PM Tuesday, 13th May, 2008

    I believe the issue driving inflation is not simply people spending their money, but rather the unscrupulous greed of buisnesses and the profit increases demanded by the stockmarket. "Charge whatever they can bear" sounds like an appropriate motto for modern companies...

    I agree (2 agree)
    I disagree (2 disagree)
  • MARTY FROM ROSEMOUTN SAYS:

    05:32:05 PM Tuesday, 13th May, 2008

    Perspective people. There are millions of people (Burma comes to mind) who would love to trade places with you and have your problems of not affording to drive your car every day of the week. What would the most powerful kings of 100 years ago have paid to have a TV or car. We live better than them, but still whine because we only compare "rich" to what we see close by every day. Harden up and appreciate what you have and the country you live in and use those advantages to better your own life instead of expecting the "guvvament" (ie the rest of us) to prop you up to some sort of lifestyle you THINK you're entitled to.

    I agree (4 agree)
    I disagree (1 disagree)
  • GLORIA ACARKOL FROM KEILOR EAST VIC SAYS:

    12:16:14 PM Tuesday, 13th May, 2008

    No wages seem to be decreasing while the cost of food, petrol, living expences, rent and pretty much everything else and the costs of raising children seem to be rising up. Raising the pension and lowering the costs of basic living expences, child care, food etc would help and then you have personal loans and credit cards prior to having children it is difficuult to manage all these expences when you cant get on top of them in the first place when your allowence wont increase with everything else that increases

    I agree (1 agree)
    I disagree (1 disagree)
  • MAT FROM PICTON SAYS:

    11:37:47 PM Monday, 12th May, 2008

    I think the biggest financialburden is the mortgage repayments. I think it would be a great help if we could negative gear our home or even have some sort of salary sacrifice mortgage payments.

    I agree (2 agree)
    I disagree (2 disagree)
  • D FROM MELBOURNE SAYS:

    08:58:22 PM Monday, 12th May, 2008

    in the episode jenny asked if 'debt x' was caused by spending on essentials or non-essentials, but, not surprisingly, kept quite about whether having kids is an essential or non-essential. most people seem to take for granted that it is. i would like to suggest that it isn't and if your in a financially shaky situation or know yourself to be irresponsible with money, maybe having kids is the wrong idea.

    I agree (3 agree)
    I disagree (1 disagree)
  • RICHARD LANE FROM MARGARET RIVER 6285 W.A SAYS:

    06:02:05 PM Monday, 12th May, 2008

    I work for Eagle Boys and my wife for coles. We each earn $16 an hr. Not nearly enough as we live in an area where food prices are among the highest in the country and where we are paying $1.64 p/litre for petrol, it is nearly impossible to keep up with living costs.

    I agree (2 agree)
    I disagree (1 disagree)
  • ELLEN FROM FITZROY NORTH SAYS:

    04:58:27 PM Monday, 12th May, 2008

    I am a full time student who has a casual retail job and recieves youth allowence payments. My casual work wage is very good compared with other students i know however it's only one shift a week, so the hourly wage is good but the hours aren't. What is really effecting me is that my youth allowence is so low in relation to rent and other living expenses. The pressure to pay rent, petrol, public transport and food means most student can't afford to study. The government say education is one of the most important things for australians however they do not support student with fair financial support. Also if you live at home with a parent you a penalised getting less then $100 dollars a week, this does not depend on your parents situation for eg. my mum is on a low income and renting yet i can't recieve the full youth allowence $175 a week or rent asisstence whist living at home. This puts a pressure on both of us and i'm sure other families. Student should recieve better payment for example the same as someone on the dole and if living at home shouldn't be penalised. My total wage is about $230.00 which is terrible when you consider the amount of time full time study takes out of you week.

    I agree (3 agree)
    I disagree (1 disagree)
  • ME FROM SYDNEY SAYS:

    04:43:33 PM Monday, 12th May, 2008

    What I find interesting is that a lot of people are talking about \"voluntary\" spending as the cause of all these problems. I found myself arguing with two large insurance companies today, both of which have increased their home insurance premiums for this financial year by 12% and 30% (!!!), respectively. No logical argument that wages don\'t keep up with these sorts of increases helped me. Their response was - if you don\'t like it go elsewhere. (Note: I had not made a claim or in any way contributed to the increase of this premium.) I was told that ALL incurances companies do it. I suppose that makes it ok (not). Another argument I heard was that the recent disasters caused such a large payout that the insurance company needed to cover its costs. I checked their 2007 net profit after disaster payout (from their own website, I may add). Their profit for the year 2007 was $770,000,000.00 (that is millions, in case anybody is having troubles with the zeros)!!! Also, has anyone noticed the horrendous increase in premiums for private health insurance ever since it was made quasi \"compulsory\"? What is that doing to the value of our dollar? Mr Treasurer, have a look at insurance companies to get some money for your budget.

    I agree (4 agree)
    I disagree (1 disagree)
  • SHANE FROM YEPPOON SAYS:

    04:12:58 PM Monday, 12th May, 2008

    2 mature aged in the house. one on full disability and the other a full time carer. grow our own vegies, chickens, eggs. don't drink, smoke or gamble. yes we drive. but the cost of rentals now means that we live 25 miles from town. so the driving is one trip into town a week. life is not as easy as the government et al it is. as for those that say ride a bike etc. wake up to yourselves. if we cut our expenditure any more the police would find 2 bodies (eventually). we, like others have really reached our limits but banks, oil co, governments and most importantly the stockmarket want more everyday.

    I agree (3 agree)
    I disagree (1 disagree)
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