I don't know that I can quite agree with the idea that the standard of
living is much higher here in the UK.
Yes we do have free medical care - when you can get in. A news item last
night was that a nearby hospital is closed to all new patients because
they're full. The flu epidemic this winter, among other things, has filled
all beds so that elective and more urgent surgeries have been endlessly
postponed. To see a dentist in this area you're looking at a 2-3 month
waiting list for an appointment.
It's only 5 years ago we got a washing machine, before then I was doing all
my wash by hand, we have no central heating & no double glazing. Perhaps in
our family we're not very representative but this is how I was brought up.
There are still houses in this country with outside privies, (though we do
actually have an indoor one!)
I take care of my dad who'd disabled and no matter how often I asked I never
got any help from the social services with him, during my time away from
here he's taken care of by neighbours & meals-on-wheels. He had to buy his
own stair-lift and disablilty electric buggy and also pay for several
thousands of pounds of adaptations to the house from his own pocket as he
was considered to have too much in savings - so much for acting responsibly
during his work years.
None of my family, or any close friends have ever bought a brand new car -
they're simply far too expensive, nor do people in my circle generally have
foreign holidays as so many people seem to do (my trips to the US haven't
exactly been in the category of 'holiday'). And in yesterday's budget the
government has just hiked tax on petrol again to bring us to 80p a litre, (&
25p on a pack of cigs, bringing them to over £4 for those of us who still
indulge). The UK has the highest petrol prices in europe. As most people
seem to realise, that cost then gets transferred onto the costs of
everything else due to the high transport costs.
You can look at most things, food, clothes, electronics, furniture etc and
if you see US & UK prices next to each other they look the same - in
figures - till you factor in the exchange rate and see that UK prices are
from 1.6 to 2 times the cost of the equivalents in the US.
Sorry about this non-lbc rant, spending so much time in the US recently just
made me more aware of the differences. Like Laura I'm also on a fixed
income, only currently mine is nil. That makes me even more aware of the
cost of everything, and of the lack of jobs in this area too.
Suzie
Laura wrote:
>
> Having lived in Europe for 7 1/2 years, and having a major part of my
> friends from Europe, I dan tell you that, gas prices aside, the cost of
> living may be higher in cities like Rome and Paris and London, it is not
> higher in the smaller towns and suberbs. And overall, the quality of life,
> the standard of living is much higher than ours. Credi me! (And at least
> they're honest about the corruption in their governments! We try to make
> excuses!)
>
> Besides, just because their government tax the bejeebers out of gas-does
> that make it right for us? I think not.
>
> Here, in California, I cannot remember the last time we had .97 cent gas!
> Not in 5 years.
>
> Laura
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