working and being a wife

[Arthur Little]

My parents first house was a 3-bed semi and my dad supported my mum. No way could most people do that now as you'd need to earn a very good wage, which in these current times isn't so easy! I'm now on my 2nd year with no salary increase after a paltry £600 the year before!

I disagree! Wages have - for the most part - generally been proportionate to the cost of living. As my age indicates, I am a State Pensioner ... but I'm also in the fortunate position of being in receipt of a modest occupational pension.

However, this year, the current economic recession has meant I've had to forego my customary annual index-linked increase in the latter. Yet Myrna and I still manage to get by well enough financially ... possibly because we don't incur the added expense involved in the upkeep of a car!

[South-east boy]

I disagree! Wages have - for the most part - generally been proportionate to the cost of living. As my age indicates, I am a State Pensioner ... but I'm also in the fortunate position of being in receipt of a modest occupational pension.

However, this year, the current economic recession has meant I've had to forego my customary annual index-linked increase in the latter. Yet Myrna and I still manage to get by well enough financially ... possibly because we don't incur the added expense involved in the upkeep of a car!

Maybe property is cheaper where you are or you had good wage increases, but there are not many 25 year olds now that could buy a 3 bed semi valued at £220k as their first house and be able to support their house-wife as well. Most first time buyers are now in their mid 30's and even then they can't buy a 3 bed semi as their first house on a single income. You'd need to earn around at least £65k+ and sadly I earn nowhere near that! In 2003-2005, during certain periods, I saw the type of property I was looking for increase in selling price in just a couple of months by what I earnt in a whole year!