J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I think we can just say **** it sometimes and that is ok occasionally but it becomes a way of life, credit confuses people and blurs the line between money and purchasing, in the past if you didnt have the money then you couldnt spend it, now there is always money available but instead of for emergencies it becomes normal, I have known people well in debt that feel flush becuase they have a new card or some available balance.

As a nation, since the war we have got used to more prosperity, cars, holidays, nice stuff that our grandparents never had, then we get to the nineties and the boom years, houses going up, wages going up and people got used to the finer things, sponsored sometimes by equity in houses, three holidays a year, new X5 or similar, saw it at the kids school, I wondered how they did it, basically they didnt, not gloating or glad, I like to see people doing well but it did kind of make me wonder where I was going wrong, one of them went to prison for fraud last year.

I dont think credit or loans are evil, just they need to be used sparingly and for the right reasons.

I think some people spend as therapy, as a project or a distraction, I work with a guy that, no longer has he finished one round of research, agonising and eventual purchase of an item he starts on the next, he usually ends up selling one item to finance another at a big loss, in fact I write this on one of his cast offs ! think we all do it but it is recognising it that is key, my weakness is tools, i.e. diy stuff, not penises, mostly ;D

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I think a lot of people like to give a devil may care impression with finances, that they are rich enough to be above all that but they either are, or more likely up to their bollocks in debt and just ignoring it, a bit like those kids that at school prentended to never do any homework but actually did loads.

Osimabu

iTrader: (2)

One tip for saving if you're with the AA. Come annual renewal time, ring them and go for the 'thinking of leaving' option.

Talk to them politely and you'll find your annual premium miraculously drops considerably. It helps too to have gone on-line beforehand and got a quote for whichever options you're on, but as a new customer. It's always much cheaper than your renewal price. I've saved several hundred quid in total like that over the last few years.

I know there are cheaper breakdown firms incidentally, but I always stick with the AA as they cover me, not the car.

Ellie*

I spent a few months last year with no income.
Mortgage, loan, credit cards, phone, sky, council tax, electric, water, car insurance, gym membership etc all to pay and £0 coming into my account, which was on the £2.5k overdraft limit.
I was lucky though. I managed to get my head together and was able to sell my house and got £1k out of it, which went towards credit card bill.
Could easy have turned out much worse.

I won't buy a house again!

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I did this with the RAC the other day, I was paying £14.13 a month, I ended up paying £16 !

I went with Green Flag via Natwest so get travel insurance, mobile insurance and some other bits and pieces for the same as I was paying pretty much for just breakdown.

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

I tend to get my breakdown cover from Gary with my policy
Normally £40-£50 per annum and it's been covered by Rac which was great when I had a fan belt snapped last year and home start too

P1Fanatic

+1. If it’s anything like Asda and Morrisons in Reading I will gladly pay the extra to shop in Tesco/Sainsbury’s to keep away from the track suit wearing, dole scrounging chav’s.

Midweek I use our local Spar and Londis for bread, milk etc. Slightly more but I spend less on petrol and very unlikely to buy something I had no intention of getting. Worst thing ever is to do your grocery shop when hungry

Ste RB5138

I think one of the most wasteful outgoings can be your mobile contract, this is good for working out what you actually need:

http://www.billmonitor.com/

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Back in our dark days of 2008-2009 when unemployed and facing losing everything, I started doing a monthly expenditure. Broken down into weeks with a monthly incomings/outgoings. I didn't waste a penny and have continued doing it to this day even though I'm now a qualified craftsman. Both my major debts were/are with creditors who I have payment plans with, on the best deal I can be for utilities, and generally budget for every single penny. I probably shouldn't have the Impreza on my budget but I make sacrifices to afford it.

We also do a fortnightly shop over a weekly one, which even now after the food price hike we still feed a family of three on approx. £125. Freezer stuff is now a once a month haul round Farmfoods, fresh fruit/veg is every few days from Aldi and we don't just throw branded goods in the trolley unless they're on offer. Before our son was born 2 years ago we easily managed on £75-80 every two weeks on food shopping. Makes me wonder how those who spent 2-3x that complain tbh!

Leslie

When it comes to food, we know what we like and generally stick to that,we don't overbuy so nothing is wasted.

We only buy items that we need, it all seems to tick along perfectly well like that.

If we want to go out or something like that, we don't waste the cash but make the most of what we actually spend.

Les

legb4rsk

Food is a big one for me.I used to just throw every thing in the trolley.
Now I shop every day or every 2 days with a menu plan.I buy stuff on offer & check the prices carefully as 'special offers' can sometimes be a con.

I very,very rarely through anything away because I haven't eaten it or it is past its sell-by date.

Also have no microwave or freezer so buy & use fresh stuff.


As for credit.........
I have drummed it into my kids that credit is spelt D-E-B-T!!!!!!!