Are we getting our priorities straight?

As the clock counted down to the new year, people all over the UK gathered around television screens or headed for London and other cities around the UK to watch impressive firework displays.

They estimate that 100,000 people showed up and paid £10 to watch the massive display that cost a whopping 1.8 million.

If you combine all the displays held in the UK that night alone, imagine the overall expense.

And that's fine, who doesn't love a good celebration right!

The problem is, not everyone can afford to celebrate. In fact an estimated 13 Million UK residence now live below the poverty line.

Which means many families are having to turn to foodbanks for help. In 2013-14 foodbanks in the UK fed 913,138 people nationwide and statistics provided by The Trussell Trust say that 330,250 of those helped were children.

Given those statistics can we really justify a 1.8 million pound bill for a firework display that lasted just over 10 minuets.

 That's far from the only money wasting that been going on either. The Royal family cost us an extortionate 33.3 Million between 2012-2013 and there cost apparently rise on a yearly basis. On top of that, the belief that they create revenue by attracted tourist is untrue. In fact the only time that the revenue created from tourism that can be directly attributed to the Royal family has come anywhere close to covering the costs of having them, has been when there have been special events such as wedding and births and the buildings an history alone could continue to draw tourist, even once the Royals were cast out. So why do we insist in supporting a family and providing them with untold luxury at our expense, when so many others in the UK are struggling to feed their children.

And then there was the 2012 Olympics, which cost an eye watering £8.77 bn. The reality is all of these things have something in common. They are designed to impress. To say look at us, how big and expensive everything we do is, which begs the question posed as the title of this post.

Are we getting our priorities straight?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and feelings on this matter in the comments.

love and hugs
Joss xxx