Unfortunately there are large vested interest groups in the UK which will do anything to maintain high property prices. It is economically destructive. Higher rents means less profit for business – staff also have to be paid more in order to have a decent living wage. Higher wages is less competitive as workers from the East work for much less. Who gets the jobs?

Personally, I’m staying at home for the moment with an eye on moving out of the UK. I pay a reduced rent to my parents – much better than giving it to some two-bit landlord. Rents are extortionate. Mortgages are a con at current house prices. We’ve all read the stories about first-time buyers being 35 years old now. Then what… you’ll be 60 before the mortgage is paid, off… and most likely skint.. what about pension and having fun? Many I know put off decisions like having kids as they just can’t afford it.

In general, we’ve been shafted. The good times have been had and we’re all meant to pay for it now. Who in their right mind would move out of home to be debt servitude to a bank for the majority of their lives? My aim is to be able to pay a mortgage off within 10-15 years of starting one. That’s how it should be. I mean look at the quality of modern houses nowadays – absolutely tiny (some of the smallest in Europe), paper-thin, crammed in… it’s a total rip-off! What do people think anyway… tha that house prices only ever go up? Will a 1-bed flat cost £10m in 10 years time? Buffoons! Even worse are parents who complain about the state of things, but when asked if they (and everybody else) would take a hit on their property ‘value’ so that their offspring could have a decent financially secure life… they say no! Go on, ask!

What’s the conclusion? Well, I’d urge you to do the same as me if you’re lucky enough. Stay at home and save. Big time. If house prices still cost a fortune, just look at going abroad – your life will be enriched for it.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-2067258/Best-paid-jobs-2011-Tables-official-figures-UK-salaries.html

Starting salary was £26k (Scotland). After 2.5 years I got another job (same sector of course) for £29k. Having done well, after 2.5 years I’m now on £33k. To be honest it doesn’t go far, and I live at home! The problem is not low salaries, it’s high cost of living. Housing is the biggest con going – I plan to relocate to Germany as the UK is sucking me dry. Saying that, salaries in the UK are also pretty low. I’d get taxed more, but I could be earning €65k Euros if I left for Europe now, or €100k in America. Salaries of £15-18k (starting) truly are the norm from what I see, and that is pretty depressing. Salaries have barely moved in 2 decades while the cost of everything else has shot up. At some point the dam is going to break…

Engineering is in good demand (of course with competition from the East) and pays high starting salaries, but as you progress into your career, you may find that other professions make you better off. E.g. Retire at 50 in the police with an amazing pension, senior social workers get more than I’ll earn (in the UK), the list goes on. But at least it’s enjoyable and pays ok – middle of the road all round and I’m ok with that.

You’d be surprised at some of the salaries on offer, mind. Coming from Edinburgh University, I’d say the average grad salary really was £25k+. Some went into banking which pays a LOT (stressful, though), one guy went into oil & gas on £40k + bonus, and I know two IT contractors for banks earning £100k easily – I kid you not! Sometimes I would love to knock on peoples’ doors (those with big houses, anyway) and ask them just what they DO!

In any case… I am planning to leave the UK – the level of debt to be paid for the last generation’s excess is appalling, and I wont be paying for it. Some may be shocked but I feel I am worth more than £33k and am looking for a pay jump within the next year or two, hopefully £40k prior to age 30. You always hear about front line teachers and police, bankers etc in the news… but without engineers everything would grind to a halt ;D Considering I do advanced maths daily, circuit design, programming, specification writing, laboratory testing, sub-micron circuit inspection and test etc etc… I think I should be getting more than the bankers, but then that’s the way this world is.

Good luck. Don’t go to University unless you do something that is going to PAY as the costs now are horrendous and you may be worse off in the long run if you choose to do something ‘easy’ with no few prospects. Consider the opportunity cost of going to uni. Look at options abroad. Or do a good solid course and work hard, getting relevant work experience during the summers. I almost never went to uni due to the cost, but it was the best thing I ever did. £15k in debt… £8.5k to pay off. It’s a burden, but the doors that it has opened have been wonderful.

Don’t listen to the media or your friends – listen to yourself. Use your HEAD. You might enjoy something, but studying for that passion may lead you to a dead end, career-wise. Be smart.

As the gap on my CV gets bigger, I’m starting to despair of ever getting a job that will give me enough to live independantly and repay the debts from my MSc

Dear Miss, Dear Sir,

We thank you for your application and the interest you show in joining
BALENCIAGA

Your application is currently being reviewed by our Human Resources
Department.

If you haven?t heard from us within a month, please consider the answer as negative.

However, if this should be the case, we would wish to keep your resume in our file for a period of one year.

Please be assured that if an opportunity matching your qualifications
opened, you would then be contacted by our services.

Sincerely,
Human Resources Department

PS: This is an automatically generated e-mail. Please do not answer.

I suppose this is how fashion works – much of the time, the people who are making the clothes are getting a lousy deal too