Hypno's "no more boom or bust" diary

Nargleblast

It is true you appreciate things more when you have to work and save for them. That is why many elderly people have no debt worries, if they couldn't afford it they went without. (We used to dream of living in a cardboard box.......)

hypno06

Nargleblast wrote: »

(We used to dream of living in a cardboard box.......)

I've warned you before about those unattainable aims.....perhaps something more realistic is in order :rotfl:

scrooge2008

Love the reminiscing, but so true.

We begged and borrowed, whatever we could to furnish our first flat. We raided family and friends lofts and garages and came up with a very eclectic mix of fifties furniture off grandma, sixties curtains, bedding etc, from mother in law's loft.

Then there was the brown seventies velour sofa, which went right around the room, with corner tables. You had to lay on it, because it was impossible to sit upright on.

This was in the early nineties, by the way. But, we were very grateful for it all. The deposit on the flat had taken every penny that we had, and DH thought a pair of tights was a luxury item in those days.

Verbatim

Absolutely! My Dad got me saving with 4 or 5 building societies to have options of where to get my first mortgaga. He advised me to save each month the sort of amount I'd be paying for a mortgage. The idea being that this would show that with the rent I was paying I'd be able to afford as well the other costs of home ownership, water, insurances, maintenance. And you had to do that over a sustained period a year or 18 months I think. But the amount of money available for mortgages was limited and when that year's allocation had been given out that was it until the next year, hence the advice to save with several BSocs. No building Soc would consider you if you hadn't saved with them first. i don't think the banks did a lot of ordinary home owner loans back then? maybe more bridging loans or high value stuff? This was the 70's though.

dfw844

Just to say all us youngsters don't expect things easy - we got the keys to our first house a few months ago, after lots of saving. My mum and dad have given us an old carpet to lay on the currently bare floor, my aunt and uncle have kindly given us old curtains and a sofa that was going to the tip, and as for a cooker? Well, not for a few months unless freecycle has one going! Unless it's sandwiches or made with a boiled kettle, we won't be having it. Pot noodle anyone? (where's a throwing up smilie when you need one?!).

Right, sorry, I'll go back to lurking now :cool: (that's me incognito).

Love you Hypno, btw!

InaPickle

dfw844 wrote: »

Just to say all us youngsters don't expect things easy - we got the keys to our first house a few months ago, after lots of saving. My mum and dad have given us an old carpet to lay on the currently bare floor, my aunt and uncle have kindly given us old curtains and a sofa that was going to the tip, and as for a cooker? Well, not for a few months unless freecycle has one going! Unless it's sandwiches or made with a boiled kettle, we won't be having it. Pot noodle anyone? (where's a throwing up smilie when you need one?!).

Right, sorry, I'll go back to lurking now :cool: (that's me incognito).

Love you Hypno, btw!

Pst...hey you, yes you dfw844: stop lurking! Come and join in the fun! :j

dfw844

InaPickle wrote: »

Pst...hey you, yes you dfw844: stop lurking! Come and join in the fun! :j

noooo shhhh I'm just sitting here quietly, enjoying the goings on, wishing I had chocolate hobnobs

InaPickle

dfw844 wrote: »

noooo shhhh I'm just sitting here quietly, enjoying the goings on, wishing I had chocolate hobnobs

Chocolate digestives are also more than welcome. In fact, chocolate in ANY form is most acceptable! And jelly beans (that's as I far as I am concerned, at least. You should ask Hypno about that as it's her thread and I'm just hijacking it! ).

hypno06

InaPickle wrote: »

Pst...hey you, yes you dfw844: stop lurking! Come and join in the fun! :j

Ah yes, do join in more often!

I'm not saying, BTW that all first time buyers "want it all" without saving, but the trend has been over the last ten years or so for people to be able to get 100% mortgages, so no need to save a deposit, and then being able to buy the sofa on 4 yrs 0% from DFS, etc......and of course, for a lot of people that has been the way they have done it, and understandably so.....but in the meantime, they haven't had to give up their car, or their holiday with their mates, or their Friday night clubbing, and so as we see so frequently on MSE, eventually it all catches up with them, and they are laden with bad habits as a result.

Anyone buying now, and over the last year or so, will probably have had to go back to the old fashioned values, and I am very pleased that they have - it means we don't always get what we want as quickly as we want it, but we won't be building ourselves up for bigger problems in the future.

So, hurrah dfw844 for making a perfect start.....I'll put the kettle on for a cup-a-soup for you, as that will be what I am having for my lunch too!

BTW, if you don't have a cooker/oven, do you have a slow cooker? Would be a very good investment for the winter.......:D

dfw844

hypno06 wrote: »

BTW, if you don't have a cooker/oven, do you have a slow cooker? Would be a very good investment for the winter.......:D

Oh dear us dwf's have all been brainwashed... I've asked the mother in law if I can borrow hers to see us through winter!

(and yes, you're right about some things - the friday night clubbing did contribute to the massive debt I had to pay off before we got the mortgage. Sold my car 5 years ago though, so I know how you feel getting the bus...)