Watching people spend.

vyvyan_2

I've not been here long but I've been a lurker for longer. I've made some life-changing decsions and actions thanks to a lot of support and advice to everyone on here. The long slog bit is next.

However it's hit me that with 82,483 registered on this forum, just what is the rest of the population up to?

What are the real debt levels?

The person in front of me in tescos with a stack of plastic in their wallet, the clothes, the holidays, the cars on finance etc.

This must be all part of the lightbulb experience. I am still feeling a bit distant to the world, as I'm in a different one now. Just shows how reolutionary it is.

I'm off to work now for more people watching!

Thinking of you - I'll be back later.

BTW my spending diary makes me not want to! Is this normal? lol

Montymoo_2

I often wonder what the true financial situation fo the country is...after all its was on the news that payplan and CCCs were struggling after xmas due to the amount of people that contacted them.

THE_LONE_RANGER_4

the way i look at it is if you no there jobs and you can usually suss out salary in the main the big house flash cars 4 hollidays a year if it dont match with there income there either lottery winners or a rich auntie popped it or they have a lot of managable debt ....as long as they keep there jobs...dont get divorced etc ...i car dealear told me last year only 7 people came in to his dealership and bought a car with out having to sort out finance ,ie bank loan hp etc .my next door nieghbor god help them if he loses his job ,i do think if you have been there you can spot the signs i was the best bull s around so no when bull is rife as it is when i pick kids up from school or talking to local villagers, theres a lot of managble debt out there and in 24 months debt is of no interest to me as ill be debt free the one and only way and ill still be only 43 with 40years debt free in front :T

dinkylou

Yep, I also look at people spending money and wonder how much debt they are in.

I look at people with nice cars and things now and think, oh dear, you are wasting so much money and I bet you're in debt.

Does having that flash car/outfit really make you that much happier? For me, thats always a 'no'

And I'll be sooo smug when I am finally debt free.

kathfisch

Totally agree, I find myself watching people and disaproving when they spend on something that seems extravagant, or not the best deal around. Obviously this is totally unfair of me as it all depends on their personal cirumstance and choices about how they spend their money.

I do get infuriated with Sky tv in our local shopping centre, happily signing up young women (late teens I mean) who have children etc. Now that's stereotyping on my part but very young mothers (be they single or no) are unlikely to have very high incomes and I sometimes feel like shaking them and saying "spend the money on something more important". But its not Sky's place to be responsible, each person for themselves etc :rolleyes:

Sorry for that diversion....!

I think watching other people's spending (and feeling a bit smug) is all part of the transition to a new way of thinking about money and spending. Its part of a new found awareness of all things money related and is a good sign, enjoy it!

tattooed_lady

I often wonder about this too. Someone I know is always moaning about how they need to cut down on their spending and that money is so tight blah blah blah, yet that very same person has booked a hol abroad again this year and has not even finished paying the loan off for last years spending money!! :eek: I haven't been abroad for 9 years!!! ( not that I'm bothered really - would rather spend any money I save on my home) :A

piptiddlepip

I notice this more and more myself. There is a desperately sad article in the Daily Mail today (I read our secretary's copy - now there's money saving for you!) about a woman who tries to live without shopping for a month, and suddenly realises how much rubbish she's spending her cash on.

Who needs Jimmy Choo shoes, or the latest copy of Hello magazine, or a flash car that will lose most of its value in depreciation in the first five years? I see people buying all of these things and paying with their credit cards and I really pity them. My debt is not huge but it is a worry to me, so I live in a very simple way now. I buy my clothes at Asda, live on basics and drive a car that's worth less than £700 and I'm the happiest I've ever been!

MORPH3US

The amount of people in debt in this country doesn't surprise me at all, but then its easy to judge when you are a tight !!!!!! like me!!! Its the whole mentality of wanting everything NOW, spending other peoples money, must have everyting brand new and better than next doors, wanting everything for nothing and shafting anyone to get it.

I have a loan with Nationwide £5000 and half paid off. I got a letter off them yesterday saying that I could take another £8000 if I wanted to!!! !!!!!!, if I wanted another £8000 then I would have asked for it. Offering money to people on a plate like that is asking for trouble, some people can't say no and thats why some people get themselves in over their head!!!

M

Gerradene

i too am finding myself looking at people spending money.

every lunch i go over to the shopping mall, sometimes get lunch, sometimes just walk around and now i'm noticing myself looking at all the shopping bags people have. Wondering if they are in debt or if they have money, if they are impulse buying or have saved up etc. I also wonder if they are MSE's.

i suppose now i spend less time shopping i have more time to notice what other people are doing

mrtaus

I remember reading something Nick Leeson said after being released from prison, and still owing creditors of Bearings bank over 100 million pounds.

Within two weeks of being home he got a letter from a credit company offering him a £10000 gold card!

Exactly when did they expect that to be repaid :rotfl:

$17mma

I have been an observer too for a while now. And funny thing is I enjoy it.

It empowers me to know and think that I am no longer riding that wave that is doomed to crash as soon as it hits land. I feel sorry for these people too cause they have no control over their life it is determined by credit agreements, aprs etc.

Unlike us we have chosen to take back that control, yes it is hard but it is empowering.