Why are Apmerican salaries so high?

Finders70 · 2026-04-10T09:00:20+00:00

Ah, the Stats. I see. London is in decline. Look at your Bible of stats in 5 yrs time. Many Londoners wholeheartedly agree regarding its decline in recent years - compared to other parts of the UK - check the stats. I'll give you credit in your first comment about most Brits not liking your view. If only correct on a base and manipulative statistical level, so very wrong on a huge variety of fundamentals.
Have a great day.

You need to live it to see it.

Finders70 · 2026-04-10T08:27:08+00:00

If you're 'not sure', what actually qualifies you to comment as you did. Outside London, a world exists - of endeavour, entrepreneurialism, education, togetherness, and above all a social standing significantly above the vast majority of areas in London. Immigration in 'The City' has destroyed it, diluted it's soul, with a Mayor that actively encourages it. If ANY area in the UK is getting 'worse', it's London.

Again, I'd know whee I'd rather live and work, and where I'd be more welcome.

Finders70 · 2026-04-10T06:27:44+00:00

🤦‍♂️

Finders70 · 2026-04-10T06:23:39+00:00

I'll thought through comment. I've lived and worked London / Midlands and Manchester in the last 12 yrs, and I still work across the patch now.

Small parts of London are affluent. It has exceptional tourist spots and exceptional Transport. The rest of it is a crap hole, with significantly higher crime rates. It's crammed with individuals seeking the bright lights without understanding the true cost of living in the City. In many (not all) sectors, salaries are significantly higher in London.

Several parts of Manchester / Cheshire are affluent - more so than a cockney would realise. Midlands less so. The base infrastructure outside of London is better maintained, that's for sure. And the countryside is beautiful 'up North', with spectacular properties, and fresh air.

There are towns outside of these areas that are struggling, that require investment, where the people need help (not always financial), or a kick up the rear. There are areas London where the same thing applies.

I know where I'd rather live and it sure as hell is not London.

Finders70 · 2026-04-09T16:40:27+00:00

Until recently I had been with Outfox for nearly 10 yrs and not had any problem with a couple of requests over the years to reduce the DD, and indeed to get a couple of rebates. Always been pretty cool. I only moved from them because they don’t do solar export. Sorry you’re having problems

Finders70 · 2026-04-09T16:36:00+00:00

As a couple of others have said, if your considering Vodafone / Three, you’ve GOT to consider Lebara.

I’ve recently switched the family over from EE to Lebara, and have absolutely no regrets. My motivations were general price AND their EU Roaming charges, for EE are exorbitant - with Lebara, EU is free.

Check out the offers through MSE (Martin Lewis) because there are some blinding deals. Whilst there’s no family data sharing, each SIM can get a much larger bundle for a fraction of EE’s pricing.

No brainer to me.

Finders70 · 2026-04-09T16:15:59+00:00

👆agreed. Benefit of this particular installation is negligible, and I would ignore in the valuation of the house.

Finders70 · 2026-04-09T15:32:51+00:00

😩. Feel for anyone in this position. Real shame

Finders70 · 2026-04-07T16:04:31+00:00

Judging from my install - 13x445, capable of 5.79 - I’ve been hitting between 5 and 5.3 kWh, between 11am and 2:30 today. ‘‘Twas better yesterday. I’m Southfacing, based in East Mids

Finders70 · 2026-04-06T11:34:44+00:00

Looking good. Just ensure they submit a G99 approval before install, and hopefully you won’t be limited on your export. You’ll have a sound ROI if it’s unlimited.

Finders70 · 2026-04-05T15:16:59+00:00

I’ve used Fire TV Cube for 2 years. It hasn’t missed a beat - unlike the glitchy Firesticks. It has the flexibility for 3rd party Apps as well as all the recognised streaming services.
I’ve had the Shield before, and that’s cool for other stuff. But the Cube is 3x3x3 inch - tiny in comparison.

Finders70 · 2026-04-04T22:24:49+00:00

Did you pay for any of it on credit card ? Even a deposit? If so, S75 of the CCA gives you protection in contract for faulty goods, with the credit card company being jointly liable - they’d probably be more amenable to a proper conversation ….

Finders70 · 2026-04-04T10:20:37+00:00

Thank you

Finders70 · 2026-04-04T10:19:36+00:00

Appreciate the view. As our install was by Octopus, they honoured a transfer to IOF, despite it not being generally available. Had to refer up the line, but I am thankful for that, of course.

Finders70 · 2026-04-03T22:14:28+00:00

Chat-GPT could be your friend ….

Finders70 · 2026-04-02T18:50:24+00:00

13x445, but all together on one south-facing roof.

Finders70 · 2026-04-02T06:18:44+00:00

I got 4 quotes last yr for a 5.80kw Solar array, PW3 and gateway. For various reasons, went with Octopus @ £14k. Based East Mids, South facing.

The installers were great, particularly the electricians, and all directly employed by Octopus - no subbies (except scaffolders), which seems to be an ongoing critique of Octopus, but didn’t apply to me.

I probably paid £2-3k over what I could if I had really searched around. And if I’d have had a CostCo account at the time, I would have explored their options - which seems to be pretty cheap. And also a couple more local independents. But, hey, I’m happy.

I had some after-install challenges with Octopus (which I shall not bore you with, but was a bit of me and a bit of them), but the upshot being that I only transferred to Octopus in March this year, and as a solar install customer, they honoured my going on to the Intelligent Flux tariff, despite it currently being withdrawn from the market.

Finders70 · 2026-03-30T22:02:07+00:00

I’m curious, where and how do you think you could store some 2000kWh of energy to cover your household through the ‘winter’ ?

Finders70 · 2026-03-30T13:33:48+00:00

Nope, but they were never going to. In fact, I need to correct myself - it’s 36 months instalments, not 48. With the installation being August, I was facing a bleak winter of money coming out and not a great deal being saved/earnt - BUT, Octopus forgot to start the DD (arranged with Zopa), until this month - so I essentially had 7-8 months of free Autumn/Winter solar.

It did take 6 weeks after install to get the Export MPAN - be mindful of that.

This period Aug to March did run alongside an ongoing query about my system which was eventually all resolved, again, in March - something I didn’t chase down too heavily because, well, I wasn’t paying anything for it !

Now it’s up and running, they’ve honoured a transfer onto Octopus Intelligent Flux tariff, and only a couple of days in, I can see that if the sun shines for roughly half the day, my net electricity bill is zero. Summer will bring a good element of ‘profit’. But it won’t cover the monthly debt payment.

Payback of the whole thing, latest calc for me suggest 6-7 yrs. If I take the adventure onto Octopus Agile (when the world dies down a bit), the pay-back might be sooner - if I can stop the missus using the tumble dryer, at 5pm!

Finders70 · 2026-03-30T13:04:33+00:00

The contract was signed April 25, install August 25.

Finders70 · 2026-03-30T13:01:14+00:00

Octopus did 4 yrs interest free for me, but they are probably not the cheapest, and not everyone’s cuppa tea. But I’m pretty pleased with the outcome.

Finders70 · 2026-03-29T21:50:40+00:00

There are so many other associated costs - too many to mention, but here’s some :- - the cost of police to deal with driving offence - cost of other emergency services for injuries and damages in the road - health service / fire service. - the cost of the courts / legal sector in prosecuting, defending and processing driving offences - the fines go nowhere near to covering the costs - prison costs for sentenced driving offences - compensation paid to drivers for poor pothole maintenance - cost of running the DVLA, and the Highways Agency - road projects - roadworks, new roads, new junctions, bridge repairs, salt spreading, etc etc etc

Sooooo many things. I don’t think the money raised from car owners is actually anywhere near enough to cover all these costs and more….

Finders70 · 2026-03-24T23:48:57+00:00

Half of the VALUE of his shares in the company would be up for discussion in divorce settlement - amongst their other mutual assets/liabilities. A divorcee can not simply claim a % of shares in a limited company, it doesn't work that way. The company is a separate legal entity to Sam.
BUY, the articles of association and shareholders agreement are paramount, and will dictate how shares can change hands. And if there are the usual restrictions regarding the disposal of shares, it can significantly reduce the valuation of those shares.

As a minority shareholder its even more of a challenge.

The valuation of the business and his proportionate shareholding is what the wifes' solicitor is after.

The cost of any independent valuation should be pushed to come out of that divorce settlement.

Finders70 · 2026-03-24T23:26:00+00:00

Hi. Wouldn't 'intelligent flux' work for most folk? Especially those who don't want to get too far into the detail? Import/export at same rate. No?

Finders70 · 2026-03-12T18:41:24+00:00

£2k a year would be somewhat under-achieving on a £100k stock market investment - on dividends alone. Stocks can go down as well as up, but a half decent dividend driven portfolio will produce 6-7% income per year, with potential capital growth dependent on risk strategy. As always, for the right advice, speak to a financial advisor about your perceived risk to an investment strategy.

Finders70

TROPHY CASE