So I've been very stressed lately about a variety of things; most of which are money related. But whenever I think about "just going home and getting a real job" I think more about how that's becoming increasingly difficult, even if I wanted to.

Am I normal? </Bratty>

But really, does anybody else ever contemplate this stuff? Seems to me that unless you already have a mortgage/other half/long(ish)-term employment prospects are grim. Whilst I'm struggling out here, that's largely due to my expensive rent. There's no way I could set up shop in the UK as a photographer with zero experience and a crop sensor camera with just two lenses and virtually immediately earn £200 a week.

It makes me wonder how people in their late teens/early twenties are faring. Am I completely out of touch, or is it really that bad?

It took me several years to find my first regular job after I left college in 1992. I lived off temporary jobs, over-draught and income support until I finally became a phone engineer. I started as an apprentice because all my schooling was basically worthless. I was in that job for 20 years, and then made redundant. By that time I had the experience and qualifications so quickly found a very similar job.

I'm lucky that I now love the people I work with and mostly enjoy what I do. The business has been growing steadily for over five years, despite the recent economic troubles. They've grown from 2 staff to 6, and we're currently interviewing for a new technical administrator. Despite the unemployment, it's incredibly hard to find someone that's actually intelligent enough and looking for work and responsible enough. It's totally impossible to find anyone with real experience. Although this may be related to the pay rate...

I can't imagine many people manage to start a successful freelance photography business in a week, especially given the huge number of people who want to. You'd definitely need a "day job" too. I guess the question is, can you find a better one here than you have over there? There's no harm in looking. At least get your CV on Monster and see who phones you - that's where I got all of my job leads from last time.

I don't have much idea what work you've been doing. Presumably nothing much fun, but there must be skills you can transfer?

Rent around here starts at £65pw for a room in a shared house, £450pcm for a flat or £600pcm for a 2 bed terrace. It's about an hour to London on the train, maybe 2 hours by the time you've included getting to the station and then the tube at the other end.

Well if you do come back there have been some changes to the benefits such as caps on housing benefit. You are expected to live with others until you are 35. Though if you get a job those rules do not apply but then if you lose it you face having to move again. If you are under 25 you are expected to live with your family, even if they have turned your bedroom into a guest room. I think that youth unemployment is higher all across Europe. Though some countries are better than others. It all depends on where you are and what the job prospects are like.

In all honesty, if I didn't have family ties, I would be sorely tempted to leave the UK, especially with the plans for the NHS.

Yes but since he is in Italy it is more about whether to return. Though the real problem is that many countries are already ticking time bombs and it is just a matter of time before they fall into a significant recession. Picking where to go is a choice that is a dilemma that many are having to face across Europe. He is in northern Italy so it is the italian equivalent of London and the south east of the UK. So if things are bad there, it maybe there are better prospects to returning to the UK.

What I find interesting/frustrating is that there's still boatloads of money around for those who are unaffected. For the past several weeks there have been 4 or 5 MKIV 2013 Quattroportes driving around town in the usual "spy photo preventative" camo wraps. I've seen plenty of spy photos in the past, but to see these guys drive up and down through town and at times just park up outside a cafe and go in for a coffee, seems rather surreal. The fact that the Bertone plant down the road can still crank out that kind of car and find a market makes me a little incredulous.

Then there are the hundreds of Italians that turn up here every weekend in their Range Rovers and Quattros, with two or three kids dressed in designer gear, to their second homes (many of which are in my apartment building) which lie empty for the vast majority of the season, ski for a few hours and then eat & drink like kings, before returning to Turin or Milan to continue whatever pointless, non-contributory job it is that pays them an absolute fortune.

It's the same in the UK. The gap is widening across the Western world (and probably in BRICs and the next eleven, too). If you're already established, fill your boots. For the rest of us, it seems that things are becoming increasingly difficult. If I could afford to, I would acknowledge that I have worked well in many different industries and areas, but never stayed anywhere, so I need to start at the bottom somewhere and work my way up - old school style. But I can't afford it, because the cost of living is disproportionate to entry-level wages. I fully accept that my choices are my own, and I could've been a bank manager by now, or other well paid, meaningless position, had I bothered to continue showing up, putting in hours and brown-nosing the right people - but I just can't bring myself to do that anymore.

Just rambling now I guess.

JJ, the idea of a "day" job is what worries me. I'd be happy to start something knowing it could lead to other things, but I just can't seem to find those entry level jobs that: a) pay enough to live these days, and b)are in areas I have interest/skill in. If I was in NH I would interview for the new job at your place coz I meet all those criteria happily. Finding good people has always been virtually impossible when I've been on that side of the fence. However, I AM a good guy and finding good employers seems just as difficult from this side of the fence. Who knows...?

There is and will always be rich people in this world. Money isn't everything. You don't know if they're truly happy. Enjoy your life, work hard and play hard and make the most of what you've got.

Being frustrated about other people doing well in their lives is not going to get you anywhere.

True BUT I belive that if you are pre-disposed to be happy or unhappy then money will not make any difference and personally I would rather the rich and unhappy than poor and unhappy

Not many people are rich though are they?

My point is that the UK doesn't look so rosy either.


I concur with this. We have a lot of affluent patients but we also have higher levels of depression in those who are affluent than those who aren't. In some cases, it's a bit of "Desperate Housewives" - they've got everything but still aren't happy and they magnify the tiniest things to the nth degree.

^5

There is a god lol

+1

I'm not looking at "rich" people and envying their position. I'm looking at rich people and being frustrated at how they aren't making more of their lives. With a little help from some of those people (especially in this town), I could really make a difference to a lot of "ordinary" people who work hard to afford a nice ski holiday.

I am happy with my life right this second, but not being able to pay the rent is somewhat of an issue and I fear the situation would be even worse in the UK. That's what I was wondering about...