Agree totally with Resinate, I too live in the UK, I too, work full time, I too live like a flaming hermit.

Fortunately, I'm not in as dire straits as Res here...
Here's my budget:
Payday ::: £800
Mortgage: -£500 (but increasing as intrests rates are fluctuating) started on £450.
Council tax : -£100
TV license: -£8
Bills: -£75
Food:-£90

£800-$774 = £26 a month to live on after bills.
Not being funny, when I was born and raised, I like everyone, didn't dislike anyone because of beliefs / situation etc etc.
However, now, people come over to england, claiming this, that and the other.
They are GIVEN, houses, food, clothes and generally have more luxuries than me, oh and btw I DO KNOW this, for a FACT as at one point in my school-life I was friends with 2 illegal immigrants who were granted asylum and we were so close we went to each others houses and they were better off than me and I hardly lived in "the ghetto"

As an example of taxes, we have speed cameras, affectionately known as "gatso's", There are now THOUSANDS OF THESE, in the UK, one in london in 6 months, has made £750,000. Thats more than $1 million USD, for ONE camera.
UK prices are ridiculous, and what's more ridiculous as seeing as I live in the capital, I should theoretically make more money to provide for my living area due to high prices + living accomodations. Bollocks does that happen, where I am currently working it's a company, so regardless of where you live, the wage tiers are the same.
I just applied for a new job paying £20k a year, after taxes on this, I'll make about 17k as 15% goes to National insurance and other GREAT (intense sarcasm) government schemes.
If health care was private, and I could "opt out" of this great NHS we have, especially seeing as more people die in hospital of MRSA than of actual illnesses nowadays.
Plus the fact that I wouldn't be losing 10% a month due to it, means I would save thousands of pounds. Yes I'm aware I could be hit by a truck or something, but rather than wait 30 minutes for an ambulance, taken to hospital, get an infection and lose a leg or something.
I'd rather go private and pay big bucks seeing as I've saved cash by opting out of the NHS.
There's more, but I'll do a second post seeing as I'm thirsty.
Mole2k4 Reviewed by Mole2k4 on . Severly Pissed Off I am severly pissed off. I live in a country that it so taxed, that I cannot afford to go to work. It sounds bizarre, doesn't it? But, when I look at the amount of money that is taken from me in the form of taxes, it is no wonder. It costs me nearly £60 a week in petrol alone, add to that the ridiculous council tax that is imposed upon me, the maintentence required of me to support my kids, income tax, VAT, tax tax tax tax tax.... Of the amount that I earn a month, my disposable income Rating: 5