We all love the binmen, tip-toeing around - quiet as a mouse while they stealthily load our mountains of plastic crap and uneaten food into their nice lorries...
Image source:- https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/how-much-binmen-merseyside-paid-13655277
That roguish smile and cheery demeanor that always gets ramped up a bit, the week before Christmas, as a last-ditched plea for you to give them a Christmas tip. You can't beat a binman.
The question is do they need a Christmas tip? The Liverpool Echo reported on how many beer vouchers scouser binmen get given a month to piss up the wall.
Long story short - their top, TOP drivers get £25,000 a year. I mean that's the binman equivalent of Abbie Eaton!
I wonder how quickly our Abbie could GET one of these around the Ebola Drome?
Image Source:- https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/east-yorkshire-racing-driver-abie-987570
Image Source:- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4845324/Bin-lorries-carrying-seven-spy-cameras-catch-out.html
And could she wake up the pensioner living at 'Old Ladies House' and load sixteen wheelie bins, while cursing and shaking her fist at other drivers en-route?
But what if Mr. Binman isn't the sort that basically lives at the pub?
I know, I know. It seems unlikely. The tattooed skinheads, often sporting multiple piercings that seem to frequent the waste removal industry DO look like the sort who enjoy a pint and a bit of blokish banter. But if you WERE that driver, that IS the refuse equivalent of a 'Grand Tour' Test Pilot... Maybe you'd want to hang up the keys to your 'Dennis' and go out for a spin in something a bit nimbler, a bit more luxurious, and which doesn't smell of soiled nappies.
I may have the answer!
I was perusing the Autotrader and I stumbled upon this beauty.
Image source:- https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901073721150
You can check out the ad here.
I know, I know. I could've looked at a late nineties Arnarge or Turbo R. But I really wanted something which would at least REASONABLY reliably get Mr. Binman to work on time. I don't fancy my rubbish building up over weeks while he waits for a replacement water pump!
At face value this looks like a fairly tasty, fairly tidy car.
Image source:- https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901073721150
Okay, the interior has PERHAPS seen better days. But it will smell better than Dennis and at least it HAS leather seats and not those vinyl, wipe-clean ones that stick to you when you're sweaty.
Image source:- https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901073721150
The bottom line is, after a busy morning weaving 'Dennis' through the busy streets of Liverpool - THIS would be a pretty appealing place to sit.
Image source:- https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901073721150
The big question of course, is can he afford it?
If he's earning £25,000 per year, then he's around the average earnings for the UK. If he's mr. average then he's married too, and his wife could be earning a similar amount.
Image source:- https://www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/salary.php
Now that gives us, allowing for a 5% pension contribution and all taxes - a take home pay of £1648.44. If his wife earns the same then that makes £3296.88.
Average mortgage payments for the UK are around £670 per month (Source)
So that leaves £2626.88 a month left.
I reckon our binman has two kids, the average Manchester living cost for a family of four is £2,108 (Source) but we've already accounted for the mortgage so knock that off equals £1438.
So that leaves us with £1188.88 per month going spare.
An average UK family spends £4792 plus £227 per day spending money on a 14 day holiday. (Source)
So that makes £7970 per annum, or £664.16 per month. That takes us to £524.72 remaining a month.
Assuming he has £2000 of old car to part-ex, our binman borrows £23,000 over 5 years. The monthly repayment works out at £412.86 per month (Source) leaving £111.86 to cover increased running costs and maintenance.
That is only £1342.32 a year to cover maintenance and repairs. The Bentley is a heavy, fast, car that will chew tyres and brake pads and spit them out. I believe a major service costs £850 if you use a dealer. I would say on balance, our binman who is otherwise an average UK citizen CANNOT afford a Bentley...
Or can he?
The present Mrs. Stanley is very keen on having an annual vacation. Last year we blew thousands taking the kids to see Singapore, staying in 5 star hotels. The kids love vacations too - as you can imagine. But not everybody does!
Going on an epic holiday feels great, but it also feels a bit like setting fire to a five figure sum of cash and just watching it burn. If your kids happen to like camping and are prepared to spend the family holiday in a rainy field in Birkenhead... Well, you can slash that holiday budget to probably £2000 TOPS!
That means we can add £5970 to the £1342.32 to give us £7312.32 to budget for maintenance. Provided nothing major goes wrong that SHOULD cover all the yearly maintenance and leave a few quid for the kids to get Christmas presents to boot!
So a binman CAN afford a Bentley, as long as his idea of a great holiday is spending two weeks in a cold, damp tent in Birkenhead - playing cards and complaining about the weather.
Martyn Stanley
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Comments (25)
Factor over time/additional shifts and bonuses, and binmen in Birmingham can earn £45k a year, so the answer is, yes they can afford to buy a Bentley. Maintaining it to a decent standard is an entirely different proposition though.
I think that’s pretty much the conclusion I came to - the maintenance would either kill the finances or the car. 👍
The parts and oil alone for doing a oil, filters and plugs change are a whopping £414, including discounts from GSF and Euro. And it's not really the kind of car an amateur mechanic is really likely to want to do! 😮
He should do it. If nothing else, it makes him look mysterious, like collecting rubbish bins is a cover for some 'other operation'.
That’s true... people would think he’s MI5 undercover or summat! 😜
Or a creative drug dealer, but yes.
I think he should get one.
Ha I would if I get the chance 😂😂
Are these expensive in the US?
Ehh no they are expensive in South Africa