Thread for the Uber Frugals..... Complete an SOA and lets see how we compare...

zarazara

no mortgage and no rent? where do you live? wild in the woods?
Is there a reason you dont use your savings to pay off your debts? what are the debts for?

mbga9pgf

Sorry MitchAA, wrong a couple of counts.

Enhanced learning credits - most aircraft servicing pers. do their exams whilst in the mob - at the mobs expense. The latest PFI sponsored aircraft, namely A330 tanker aircraft will require all engineering personnel to have the required civvie skillsets to sign off the engineering log and indeed service the aircraft. Same with supervisors signatures and independents. Some of our engineers ( a select few) will be qualled and licensed in multiple disciplines, IE avionics, engines and airframes. You are forgetting that most of what we do now falls under a lot of the same regulation, or regulation derived from the civvie counterpart, thus rather than learn skills from scratch, its a case of learning what is different and why, which is much easier.

As for pilots hours, 1500 hours multi type experience, 1000 P1 captain hours will give you the dispensations to do one ground school exam, the rating test which most mil pilots can do with their eyes closed and a net cost of around 3K, which is covered by enhanced learning credits. Those hours are getting done in 3 years currently. Until the downturn, we had a LOT of experienced but relatively speaking junior pilots leave as they just couldnt stand the 8 months in the desert that was being asked of them a year. typically, in a 3 year tour, individuals would typically do 6months max in other trades.

Officers are well trained academically but put them into practice and we all know its the soldiers, sailors and airmen that do the work, whilst generally officers sit in offices all day writing confidential reports about the progress of the people beneath them. Ask an AC engineering Army Captain/Major how to carry out a flight servicing of an aircraft and you will be met with a blank confused face, he wouldn't have a clue.

But, you are confusing roles; engineering officers are middle management, not grease monkeys! Some, in fact most I have met have the quals to at least countersign for the likes of independents on systems. We need to; the days of deploying to BFG and having everything to hand are long gone. Its all austre ops now, and you need the skills that go with that type of op to keep aircraft flying. That means more skills per deployed individual.

Do not kid yourself, there is a lot of talk with military officers, who more so than not sit and do desk jobs whilst thinking they are so much better than the people below them (Carrying out the work that the officer will get praise for)

Dont take this the wrong way, I can tell you were a very experienced engineer, possibly Army involved in Aircraft servicing, probably a Snec. I know what you mean. But what you talk about is the minority I would say; very few Junior Engineering officers would ever ignore their seniors (SNCO) advice, or at least their own peril. Each organisation can have their chisellers, I agree, but at the same time there are some absolute diamonds in the mob (a significant proportion IMO) who know how to challenge themselves and do very well in the Civvie sector on leaving. MOst dont look back twice once they have gone.

mbga9pgf

zarazara wrote: »

no mortgage and no rent? where do you live? wild in the woods?
Is there a reason you dont use your savings to pay off your debts? what are the debts for?

I dont have debt.

I have my rent, Council tax and water rates taken out of my pay before I receive it. I have commented on this previously.

As for the other poster, I have also already commented elsewhere that our actual outgoings are around 50-70 quid per month above the SOA.

Any constructive advice peeps? Instead of on-line assassination?

lana22

mbga9pgf wrote: »

Dont worry, im fine. I dont live like this as a result of my experiences, it does annoy me a lot though when I hear those complaining about their life lot in this country when the truth is they dont know how lucky they are. I was commenting on the selfish attitude that seems to have become prevalent in the UK together with a complete lack of community spirit to help your neighbours. Most of us havent event met our neighbours these days, never mind knowing if they need a hand with anything.

The military does plenty for PTSD, and isnt treated with the stigma that it used to have as little as 10 years ago... I have had friends who have suffered and are now fully recovered. We used to have a phrase "LMF" or Low moral fibre, which, imo, was an absolutely disgusting thing to label people, and one used typically by those that have not "been there". I can assure you each and every one of us, no matter how brave, has had to fight inner daemons and suppress fear. Unfortunately, if you push people long enough, they will do what their body knows is natural. The guilt people feel as a result has led people to suicide. I had one friend who told me he would have preferred to have suffered an injury than living with the guilt that he had problems dealing with fear on one occasion.

I didnt budget for presents, I am sure that is probably one of the areas that pushes our monthly spend up to around 50-70 pounds over my estimate. Its too irregular to factor. As for presents though, its typically a bottle of wine for the adults with a card, and something better for the younger ones. As I said though, my wife and I dont lavish gifts on each other just for birthdays or christmas, not to say I dont buy the odd box of chocolates, flowers or go to the extra effort of making a nice slap up meal. I personally dont see issue with this, we both agree its pointless to buy tat for each other that we simply don't need, nor really want.



Sorry, I dont agree with this at all. I appreciate my family and friends. My relationship is not defined by how much tat I buy them, but my willingness to drop things at a moments notice to help them, using my leave if necessary. Again, if buying things that people really dnt need is seen as a sign of living life to the full, I suggest you get out a bit more.

SO you do buy presents. And your wife does go to the dentist. As suspected you were lying about how little you spend.
I didn't say anything about buying things people don't need (and in my opinion flowers and chocolates come in this category). I give presents with personal meaning, and I know my family well enough to not buy them things they don't need.

I "get out" a fair bit, thanks. Sometimes free, sometimes not. I know I'm not going to look back in 50 years and regret anything. I have had old ladies tell me when they are about to go in to a Nursing Home about all the things they wish they had done with their life. I am determined never, ever to feel that way.

And by the way I drive an ancient fiesta, have saved for a (modest) deposit on a house (which we bought last year), don't have a plasma screen tele etc etc, have no debt (bar mortgage/student loan), and am not wasteful with money.
But the minute being frugal impacts on my life, it is time to reassess.

mitchaa

mbga9pgf wrote: »

Sorry MitchAA, wrong a couple of counts.

Enhanced learning credits - most aircraft servicing pers. do their exams whilst in the mob - at the mobs expense. The latest PFI sponsored aircraft, namely A330 tanker aircraft will require all engineering personnel to have the required civvie skillsets to sign off the engineering log and indeed service the aircraft. Same with supervisors signatures and independents. Some of our engineers ( a select few) will be qualled and licensed in multiple disciplines, IE avionics, engines and airframes. You are forgetting that most of what we do now falls under a lot of the same regulation, or regulation derived from the civvie counterpart, thus rather than learn skills from scratch, its a case of learning what is different and why, which is much easier.

As for pilots hours, 1500 hours multi type experience, 1000 P1 captain hours will give you the dispensations to do one ground school exam, the rating test which most mil pilots can do with their eyes closed and a net cost of around 3K, which is covered by enhanced learning credits. Those hours are getting done in 3 years currently.




But, you are confusing roles; engineering officers are middle management, not grease monkeys! Some, in fact most I have met have the quals to at least countersign for the likes of independents on systems. We need to; the days of deploying to BFG and having everything t hand are long gone. Its all austre ops now, and you need the skills that go with that type of op to keep aircraft flying. That means more skills per deployed individual.

Dont take this the wrong way, I can tell you were a very experienced engineer, possibly Army involved in Aircraft servicing, probably a Snec. I know what you mean. But what you talk about is the minority I would say; very few Junior Engineering officers would ever ignore their seniors (SNCO) advice, or at least their own peril. Each organisation can have their chisellers, I agree, but at the same time there are some absolute diamonds in the mob (a significant proportion IMO) who know how to challenge themselves and do very well in the Civvie sector on leaving. MOst dont look back twice once they have gone.

I agree with all your points above, like i said in my last edited post, i think it's gone a bit too far off topic and your profession shouldn't have even come into it so apologies.

mbga9pgf

mitchaa wrote: »

I agree with all your points above, like i said in my last edited post, i think it's gone a bit too far off topic and your profession shouldn't have even come into it so apologies.

No troubles!

milkybars

mbga9pgf wrote: »

you get to appreciate what is important in life. And its not buying/receiving loads of presents.

No parcels for you on your next tour!

Its good you're saving... provides financial support for your family should anything happen and if/when you leave the army, it's a great buffer to keep you on your feet whilst walking down civvy street.

zarazara

busy thread this! If OP is happy with what they spend/dont spend I cant see any problems. Still cant understand why they dont pay off the debts though.
When OP leaves the Army will they have somewhere to live?

minnie123

mbga9pgf wrote: »

I dont have debt.

I have my rent, Council tax and water rates taken out of my pay before I receive it. I have commented on this previously.

As for the other poster, I have also already commented elsewhere that our actual outgoings are around 50-70 quid per month above the SOA.

Any constructive advice peeps? Instead of on-line assassination?

Constructive advice?? like what?

Get rid of the internet
Don't buy groceries - get food from the supermarket bins it's ok to eat.
Cancel your holiday
Get rid of your phone
Replace the cars with pushbikes!!

Is that constructive enough? You basically don't spend money on hardly anything so what advice are you after?

My advice would be life is too short - life life to the full - spend a bit too much - drink a bit too much - and enjoy yourself.

mbga9pgf

lana22 wrote: »

SO you do buy presents. And your wife does go to the dentist. As suspected you were lying about how little you spend.
I didn't say anything about buying things people don't need (and in my opinion flowers and chocolates come in this category). I give presents with personal meaning, and I know my family well enough to not buy them things they don't need.

Read reply 5 on the original page. I did comment that we spend above the soa, but not by much. I am trying to work out where that little extra goes, but, as I said originally, I was more interested in sharing ideas with other savers than getting flamed for the thread. But thanks for the concern.