Baby Boomers - Where's My Audi Then?

[delb0y]

It seems like every few weeks there's another article accusing me of being lucky, of being born into a generation that had and has it all, of being one of the lucky ones, etc etc. Today, for example, on the Beeb, I read this extract of a Times piece:

John Walsh, in the Times2 pullout, examines how the "smug, rich and happy" baby boomers were lucky to have missed WWII, "rode on the coat-tails" of the 1960s counter-culture and went on to befriend their children.
He sees them driving Audis, while the current "jilted generation" ride "Boris bikes" and describes those in their 50s and 60s sitting on huge equity in bricks and mortar, while 20-somethings scrabble together a deposit.
"They won't contemplate retirement - whereas their children in their twenties, are mortally afraid they'll never be able to retire at all," says Walsh.

I reckon I took a wrong turn somewhere. No sign of an Audi outside my house. Sure I have a house (or rather the bank does), and that means I've enjoyed (so far) 25 years of paying a mortgage with another 10 still to come, and that in turns means I've never had any spare money. No money in the bank, no holiday each year, still no Audi in the drive. Hell, I haven't even been able to buy the bicycle I'd really like.

Am I not contemplating retirement? Excuse me, but b@@llocks. I contemplate it every day. Can't wait. But over the years the government has increased the retirement age, but trust me I'm not going to keep a Generation X Y Z-er out of employment a day longer than I can help.

No, I reckon I must have taken the wrong train way back, because I keep seeing articles like this and it's starting to feel like I'm the only boomer who isn't living some golden life.

And as for the current generation...don't get me started. In our household there are wardrobes full of designer clothing, month long holidays to Thailand, weekends in European capitals, new iPhones every year, top of the range Apple laptops (and other devices) every year, multiple cars (all newer than mine), meals out every weekend, nights at the pub every weekend, concerts and festivals attended. I don't begrudge them any of it - I really don't. I say live life to the full whilst you can. At that age I was saving (for several years) to get the deposit together that would set me off on a lifetime of having no money. But just don't tell me that I'm the lucky one and they're the jilted ones.

Sorry. Rant over.

But hey, it's good to be unique - the only baby boomer that got it wrong :-)

 

[Mo1959]

@delb0y I know it will be small consolation, but I was born in 1959 and am now the poorest I have ever been I do at least own my own home but it is badly needing upgrades and a bit of modernisation now that I can't even begin to contemplate. Mostly my own fault as I have always been bad with money even when I occasionally have some! I left a stressful job a few years before I could have retired properly and lost around 37% of my pension so I am currently trying to live on £6600 per year......just scraping by most of the time, but hey, I am happy and relaxed getting away from a job that was making me miserable and was starting to make me feel ill.

As for holidays, my last one was 17 years ago but it doesn't particularly bother me fortunately. I live in a lovely part of the world and still have a roof over my head so I am strangely contented in many ways.

 

[asterix]

It's all balls. Journalists are literary prostitutes who, in return for money, will write whatever their audience wants to hear.

 

[biggs682]

what a load og bo@@o>>S who would want an Audi

 

[Mo1959]

what a load og bo@@o>>S who would want an Audi

I know I shouldn't tar them all with the same brush, but around here, it is Audis that seem to be the fastest and most aggressive drivers so if that's what it does to you they can keep them.

 

[biggs682]

I know I shouldn't tar them all with the same brush, but around here, it is Audis that seem to be the fastest and most aggressive drivers so if that's what it does to you they can keep them.

what about the Volvo owners

 

[Mo1959]

what about the Volvo owners

Occasionally, but they are inclined to be older so are just careless but not so fast with it.

 

[asterix]

Seems to depend on the model, the 4x4s are positively aggressive like tanks whereas the more traditional shapes are driven more as if they are armoured troop carriers.

It does seems to me the Audis have taken over the mantle once worn by Beemers.

 

[cosmicbike]

I often wonder if I was born in the wrong decade, at 37 I sit between those groups in the article, but most I know think I'm in my 50's the way I scrimp & save. It is often those 20 somethings moaning about how they can't afford a house who are also buying all the latest tech gadgets, designer label clothes and so forth. If you go out every night and p*ss it up the wall you will never own a house.
It does seem that some of the younger generation expect to be given it all on a plate. Need a first car? It's ok the parents will buy it, insure it etc etc. Some the the 9 year olds at my boys school have smartphones and iPads, why do they need them? Because they said I WANT and they got, teaches them well for real life.....

 

[cosmicbike]

Occasionally, but they are inclined to be older so are just careless but not so fast with it.

Seems to depend on the model, the 4x4s are positively aggressive like tanks whereas the more traditional shapes are driven more as if they are armoured troop carriers.

It does seems to me the Audis have taken over the mantle once worn by Beemers.

I object As a middle aged Volvo 4x4 driver, not sure what I qualify as then? Audi=C*ck, BMW=See Audi, Range Rover=Tosser (not my opinion but that of some here...), Volvo=Clunk, Click, blindfold on and we're off

 

[Brandane]

@delb0y I know it will be small consolation, but I was born in 1959 and am now the poorest I have ever been I do at least own my own home but it is badly needing upgrades and a bit of modernisation now that I can't even begin to contemplate. Mostly my own fault as I have always been bad with money even when I occasionally have some! I left a stressful job a few years before I could have retired properly and lost around 37% of my pension so I am currently trying to live on £6600 per year......just scraping by most of the time, but hey, I am happy and relaxed getting away from a job that was making me miserable and was starting to make me feel ill.

As for holidays, my last one was 17 years ago but it doesn't particularly bother me fortunately. I live in a lovely part of the world and still have a roof over my head so I am strangely contented in many ways.

This sounds like a carbon copy of my situation! Except that I do a dead end low paid job to top up my pension income, and I was born in '62. I am stuck with a paid for property which needs upgrading, but that is low on the list of priorities. I don't ever see me being able to afford to move home given the various costs involved. The 7 year old Toyota will likely be my last car. The 10 year old motorbike will get replaced though, but with something around 5 years old. Bikes are cheaper to run and depreciate less if you buy wisely! So much more fun than a car, too .
The upside is that low income helped to force my hand into the world of cycling, which is a good way to pass my spare time when the weather suits. Won't do rain or wind or ice .

 

[Archie_tect]

...whatever their paymasters want them to say.

 

[Peteaud]

Well our friends in their late 50's are off to the Canaries for xmas, their friends are already in Spain for the winter. Both drive big 4x4 and own big houses etc.

I know its not the same for all but of the 50 & 60 age group we know they are all minted.

 

[Archie_tect]

You've got posh friends Pete!

 

[gavroche]

Don't worry DelBoy, you are not the only one. I was born in 1950 and am fortunate enough to own my house outright. Apart from that I don't look forward to a retirement of £110 per week so I will never retire but just carry on part-time as I don't have a private pension. I don't have an Audi but have two cars on the drive, 2005 and 2008 reg. Will possibly get rid of one when I reach the magical age of 65 but you know what? I don't care about money, if I have it, I spend it, otherwise just do without. I regard my health and my wife's health as far more important than any money in the world. Only recently, I heard
that the average wage is £450 per week! Where do they get their figures from? I don't know many people around here earning that sort of money. I tend to feel sorry for the young people of today because, yes, they have all the latest gadgets, designer clothes etc... but how do they pay for it? Credit cards more like. So they start life with lots of debts and have no hope of ever owning their own house because they can't afford 20% deposits and a £1000 per month mortgage.
Life is a bitch as they say, and it certainly is but just make the best out of it as it is the only one you have.