buddy, can you spare a dime?

Ok, so just for shoots and giggles, I’ve been taking a look at statistics for income in the UK.

It was one of those things where someone was statusing on Facebook about not being able to afford something, and my mind went off on a tangent looking things up. This crazy internet ;)

I think in my mind I needed a bit of back up just in case I was to reply to the poster. (I do try limit my comments on people’s statuses, as more often than not you get a negative reaction if you question anyone, even friends. I decided not to reply in the end). So anyway.

I kind of wanted to see where my household sat in the scheme of things in the country. I’ve been hearing a lot lately about ‘credit crunch’, ‘people having less money than ever’ and ‘people living in poverty’. There was even a charming feature on the Children in Need programme last year talking about children living in poverty, which was filmed while they played on their X Box on their television set in their house. Just Saying.

So I looked up some basic facts that are sited in the context of money and income in relation to poverty.

Point One:

• ‘Poverty’ is defined as “having 60% less income than the median average total household income of the country”.

Point Two:

• The median average household income in the UK is around £25,123.

Point Three:

• 60% of this figure works out at: £15,073.80.

Now without going into too much personal detail, it actually turns out that my household is below the poverty line!

Hmmm.... This suggests to me that the definition of ‘poverty’ needs to be severely altered. Poverty to me suggests not having enough money to even scrape by. To not be able to afford food. To have to make a choice between one essential item and another.

So here are some of the things that we poverty stricken folks can do with the money we have (cue Generation Game conveyor belt music):

• Own our own property
• Obtained a mortgage, but have no other debts
• Buy all the food we like
• Don’t have to scour the bargain rails just to eat
• Have alcohol and treats
• Clothe ourselves
• Buy craft supplies, beads and sterling silver
• Buy computer supplies
• Be well entertained with DVDs, CDs and computer games
• Each own a computer, which we bought outright
• Each own a handheld games console, which we bought outright
• Save money, every month
• Have holidays and trips
• Own a car outright
• Buy four magazines a month
• Both have mobile phones, and a house phone, and the internet

In short – in no shape or form are we in ‘poverty’, and neither would I ever claim that we were, or dream of asking anyone for financial support on a regular basis.

People’s perception of money needs to be drastically altered. If we believe that people on a certain income level are in ‘poverty’, and that you can’t live without nearly £40 grand coming in, then people’s views are certainly very much out of kilter! You can get by very well with a small amount of money, and you don’t even have to make sacrifices.

It always bothers me when I see adverts, or hear people talking, about how it’s “hard to save”, and that “money is tight” even though they probably have more money than we do. If you manage your money wisely, it can work for you.

If I had an income of £25,123, I would feel like a millionaire. And I wouldn’t know what the hell to spend it on!