WEA, I find it interesting how you judge "doing it tough".

No overseas holidays, no 2 cars, no 6 monthly dental vists etc.

Two points. First, as a nation, we are doing it easy. We live in
world's largest houses, some of the world's highest average wages,
some of the world's cushiest bells and whistles when it comes
to working conditions. We blow 20 billion a year gambling, most
of it at the pokies, making us the world's largest gamblers.
We are right up top when it comes to buying electronic gizmos.
From widescreen tvs, mobile phones, ipods etc, air conditioning
today is pretty well standard, the list goes on.

No matter what you pay people some won't be able to manage and
spend it faster then they earn it. No matter what you pay people,
some will want more and think that they are hard done by.

Yet in this same country, we see pensioners who do ok, learn
how to budget, learn that sometimes doing without something is
not the end of the world.

In a way you've made my point for me. Today Australians have
such high expectations, that some are convinced that they are
"doing it tough".

That said, some actually are, but I judge "doing it tough" by
rather different standards then you do. I think we are a spoiled
nation really and people will forever just want "more"

"Certain people" yes Yabby not a collective "We" is my point. I agree with you in entirety regarding many people who are middle to high income wage earners always wanting more and most other points you raise. However, I mix with an approximate 40%, among others, who are lower income earners doing it tough. This was the point I was making, to make people aware that the current economy has changed for those people. Kindest wishes Yabby and for the record, you do deliver mostly validated points of view.