No one shopping…
I have being reading a lot about the economic downturn in Ireland of late, and I always think about it when I am in Topshop. I was in there today, a warm sunny Friday evening which is seldom for Ireland at the moment. However, Topshop was full of teenagers and twentysomes buying shoes, clothes, jewellery anything that could be bought really. Most people had more than two items going to the till. This seems to paint a positive picture that the economic gloom that the economists are painting isn’t as grey as we think.
Then I see this and I wonder what shops are the CSO examining.
“Today’s retail sales figures are yet another indicator of an economy in the doldrums with consumer activity now running 5.2% lower than this time last year.
With far fewer houses being built and fitted out, sales of furniture and lighting was down a whopping 18.7% compared with June last year.
Sales of electrical goods, as well as hardware paints and glass, have also been badly hit with volumes down by more than 10%.
Car sales have also been badly affected by the downturn with motor trade activity running more than 14% lower than last year’s levels.
Publicans are also feeling the pinch, with bar sales down almost 6% as consumers continue to trim their spending habits.
The contraction in retail sales is having a huge effect on the Government’s budget because it means far less is collected in Value Added Tax.
VAT receipts for July, which reflect retail sales in May and June, came in a whopping €460m lower than expected.
So far this year the government has collected €1.1 billion less in VAT than expected at budget time.
Today’s figures also reveal that Ireland is one of only three countries in the euro area where retail sales have contracted. The other two are Italy and Spain.”
From http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0822/economy.html
I really don’t know what to believe what I see or what I read??
Caught in the race
There seems to be this in inability for people at the moment to live their own life without wanting to be five years older.
Whether its two girls in Topshop buying the same skirt but with a ten year age gap, young twentysomes moving in together and making home or mid twenties eyeing some sparkling rings on the window of Weir’s. What’s the rush?
Why are we all caught up in this race to live our life in the fast lane? Our age is forgotten, rather we examine what we have, and how we can push this to the next level. If your in a long term relationship you can feel pressurised to be engaged, or in a stable job to get married or buy a house.
For me I like been in a relationship I am happy where am I. I have felt the pressure that surrounds a long term relationship and it has resulted in rash and regretable decisions. However, I took my life back to what I want it to be, what’s the big deal, I’m in a relationship, I don’t own any capital ( unless my shoe and bag collection count) , neither do I have a secure job, or a job at all. Lucky for me I’m the happiest I have ever been, jogging away at my own pace.
