Watching people spend.

kathfisch

You'd be surprised how many people are and you'd never know! Its not something that people talk about and, as we know, its not something you really want to shout about when it gets out of hand. There is still stigma attached to it despite rising levels of debt, I think if everyone was more open and less judgemental (bit like on here!) then more people would feel able to seek help.

library_lady_2

I have to agree, being in debt is a real taboo! I've never been "well off", never yet met the average national income (!!?) our max gross income in the last 21 years was probably 21k (a one off year - lots of over time) and our recent average is approx 16k for 6 of us. We live in rented accomodation and drive a 12 year old car, have always dressed at Asda (not literally!!) with the odd quality shop clothes thrown in occasionally (m&s next etc) my sons have always worn hand me downs with no hang ups and most of our furniture is from ebay! Yet I know we've wasted what feels like squilliions of pounds on nothing in particular, no foreign hols for us!! But we are responsible, we did it, nobody forced us to borrow money (although we were encouraged!!) and know its ultimately our responsibility to pay it back, so be it. We have made our bed, so lie in it we will and can't change the sheets for a while yet!! (ha,ha). I have a lot of really sensible friends who have always been savers and hard workers to get what they want and I envy them. My spending diary is an eye opener and I'd recommend one to everyone, seems a bit anal initially but worthwhile in the end!

VP

This thread is fantastic! I really thought it was just me going round looking at people and thinking "I wonder if you can afford that?".

I've really noticed a change in my behaviour too, like so many of you. I remember when the Bullring in Birmingham first opened (late 2004 - I live nearby). The first time I went there I was devastated - all these really trendily dressed people spending so much money and I looked round and saw only things I couldn't afford. I didn't buy anything but I was still depressed.

Last time I went shopping in Birmingham it was to take things back, and I have discovered that I now get as big a kick out of doing that as I ever did out of buying them!

I now walk around shopping centres and buy only the things I really need (which is usually only food, and I always go to the reduced section), and I see all these other people with bags and bags of clothing and all I can think is that I'm glad it's not me. Other people are quite welcome to do what they will with their money (and other people's!), but I find it motivating to know I'm not doing it.

Broken_hearted

The sad thing is people who spent what they havn't got almost always end up in a mess. I watch people in tescos buying more shopping than we as a family can eat in a month as one weeks shopping and that upsets me.

pivotalgubbins

sparkle84 wrote:

Nick Leeson didn't owe any money Barings did it he lost all Barings money none of his own

Not true, Nick Leeson has to pay 50% of all future earnings to his creditors. He was liable for a proportion of the debts generated due to the nature of his actions. This stance may have changed since then, I haven't kept up.

Has anyone here read his story. Fantastic read, couldn't put it down, and a very, very sad story in some ways. I'd like to read something from the other side now, because there is some obvious bias in his writings.

LookingAhead

I watch my colleagues who all (like me) moan about how broke we are and count down till pay day...yet every single day they go out and buy lunch...every day there are several trips to the vending machine to get cans of coke....one of them drives to work every day even though he lives 10 minutes walk away (which I find very disturbing!).

Begs the question (as has been raised before on DFW) how broke is "broke"?

Feej_2

Hi all, really interesting thread.

I find the hardest thing is people I work with who think they're hard done by, but only have to support self and child, or self and partner on the same wage that has sustained 6 of us - just - for years!

I've always had that feeling of existing in a parallel universe as far as spending is concerned. It's nice to have found MSE and realise that other people occupy it too!