[Newsbot]

Title: Belgians feel bite of austerity
Category: World
Posted By: martin14
Date: 2013-01-25 02:59:33

[martin14]

$1:

"At the moment I'm surviving on 180 euros [�151; $240] a month," she says. "That's what left when the bills are paid - rent, electricity and hospital bills."

Well, I can tell you from experience 180 euros a month is jack shit.


And hospital bills, where does that come from ?

[BartSimpson]

martin14 martin14:

$1:

"At the moment I'm surviving on 180 euros [�151; $240] a month," she says. "That's what left when the bills are paid - rent, electricity and hospital bills."

Well, I can tell you from experience 180 euros a month is jack shit.


And hospital bills, where does that come from ?

To clarify, that's not an income problem, it's a spending problem. I'm sure this person could free up more income by cancelling their cell phone, their internet service, their TV service, and etc.

[bootlegga]

martin14 martin14:

$1:

"At the moment I'm surviving on 180 euros [�151; $240] a month," she says. "That's what left when the bills are paid - rent, electricity and hospital bills."

Well, I can tell you from experience 180 euros a month is jack shit.

Hell yeah - when I went to Belgium in 2005, a crappy lunch (kebab, fries and a pop) was 5-6 Euros. Even food at the grocery store was more expensive than here.

martin14 martin14:

And hospital bills, where does that come from ?

Sounds like their health care system is only partially public and is more like the Us system;

$1:

One thing to remember is to take cash with you. Consultations usually end with a handing over of money and very few doctors offer payment by card of any type. If you have state social security, reimbursement rates are calculated but only after you’ve paid up front. If you are on a private scheme, or are uninsured, you pay the whole lot there and then. It's always worth checking fees before you book an appointment.

http://www.expatica.com/be/health_fitne ... _8299.html

[bootlegga]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

To clarify, that's not an income problem, it's a spending problem. I'm sure this person could free up more income by cancelling their cell phone, their internet service, their TV service, and etc.

You can't know that for sure - you're simply assuming that she has all of those things.

Given that the Belgian health care system requires cash upfront (and provides only partial reimbursement), coupled with her daughter being sick, it doesn't surprise me that she doesn't have a lot of money leftover at the end of the month.

[BartSimpson]

bootlegga bootlegga:

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

To clarify, that's not an income problem, it's a spending problem. I'm sure this person could free up more income by cancelling their cell phone, their internet service, their TV service, and etc.

You can't know that for sure - you're simply assuming that she has all of those things.

You made me look. Now I know for sure that I was right...

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&tbo=d&outp ... 79&bih=742

[bootlegga]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

bootlegga bootlegga:

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

To clarify, that's not an income problem, it's a spending problem. I'm sure this person could free up more income by cancelling their cell phone, their internet service, their TV service, and etc.

You can't know that for sure - you're simply assuming that she has all of those things.

You made me look. Now I know for sure that I was right...

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&tbo=d&outp ... 79&bih=742

That doesn't prove anything - there are lots of low income people in Edmonton who use PCs in the public library and have Facebook profiles.

[andyt]

bootlegga bootlegga:

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

To clarify, that's not an income problem, it's a spending problem. I'm sure this person could free up more income by cancelling their cell phone, their internet service, their TV service, and etc.

You can't know that for sure - you're simply assuming that she has all of those things.

And so what if she does. Do you? Does Bart? Jesus fuck, everybody is real eager to have everybody else give up these things and live isolated in a modern society. Can't complain until you live in a cardboard box, and then you can't complain because some guy doesn't have a cardboard box.

[martin14]

bootlegga bootlegga:

martin14 martin14:

$1:

"At the moment I'm surviving on 180 euros [�151; $240] a month," she says. "That's what left when the bills are paid - rent, electricity and hospital bills."

Well, I can tell you from experience 180 euros a month is jack shit.

Hell yeah - when I went to Belgium in 2005, a crappy lunch (kebab, fries and a pop) was 5-6 Euros. Even food at the grocery store was more expensive than here.

martin14 martin14:

And hospital bills, where does that come from ?

Sounds like their health care system is only partially public and is more like the Us system;

it's 7 - 8 euros now, but at least gas is cheaper than Italy, 1.60 compared to 2 euros now.. fuck.

Europe is more than Greece, but there are problems here too.

Someone on CKA keeps droning on and on about European free health care,
although I have no idea why.


2 molars out, special discount price of 150 euros.. but we get that reimbursed by the EU.
Shots for the cat, 65 euros, and no receipt.. ? ha ha ha.

[Brenda]

andyt andyt:

bootlegga bootlegga:

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

To clarify, that's not an income problem, it's a spending problem. I'm sure this person could free up more income by cancelling their cell phone, their internet service, their TV service, and etc.

You can't know that for sure - you're simply assuming that she has all of those things.

And so what if she does. Do you? Does Bart? Jesus fuck, everybody is real eager to have everybody else give up these things and live isolated in a modern society. Can't complain until you live in a cardboard box, and then you can't complain because some guy doesn't have a cardboard box.

But Europe is still "socialist", remember?

[BartSimpson]

andyt andyt:

And so what if she does. Do you? Does Bart? Jesus fuck, everybody is real eager to have everybody else give up these things and live isolated in a modern society.

If her concern is that she only has €180 for her monthly existence after expenses then ending services that are not absolutely needed, like the cell phone, internet, and TV services can significantly increase her net income.

For the record, this is a strategy I've used in the past myself.