My Tuesday Moan

Pattie1968

I think ‘them’ out there make it so hard for folks to live within their means and to satisfied with what we have.

I mean why can’t I be happy for the rest of my life just renting my council house. I’m so grateful for it. I don’t have a flat screen TVI don’t own dishwasher, I don’t have hard wood flooring. I don’t 76in plasma TV with 50,000 speakers dotted around the front room.

I hate the expression on peoples faces when I say I choose not to have a car, you would have thought I have just told them I soiled my pants, so I have to make up an excuse that I have a phobia of driving and if I get behind a wheel, I’ll break out in boils. Why can’t I be happy not driving? I haven’t got 5k a year to run a car, and besides I live & work in London.

I’m extremely happy to clothe shop in Primani (Primark), Matalan, Asda etc…
It’s a conspiracy; they make us feel that some major part of our life is missing if we don’t have the latest whatever. If we’re always wanting, feeling inadequate, we’ll plunge ourselves into this never-ending debt cycle, and it’s no wonder there is so much debt out there. It’s easier to find credit than a decent school or doctors!!! Thank God for MSE. :A

Thanks for letting me vent

Pattie:D

in*the*red_6

Hi Pattie

You are quite right, I think a huge part of having your 'lighbulb moment' and becoming a moneysaver is realising that the whole thing is a conspiracy by advertisers that most people are completely suckered into. Then you can step back and let them get on with it, quietly satisfied that they haven't got you fooled!

looby75

I suppose it's because its a part of human nature to "better ourselves" and for some people part of that improvement is to own the things as you describe. You have a sensible attitude towards credit, you know what you can and can't afford and stick to it, but for others credit is the easy way to "better themselves"

You are right, it sucks but it's human nature.

LJD1_2

I'm behind you on this one. Why don't my friends realise that I really don't want to go out shopping with them as I don't buy designer gear? Why don't people realise that my children and me really are happy going for a picnic in the park or planting seeds or things like that? I'm already being pressured to agree to days out to theme parks over the summer. I'm starting a counter campaign to pressure them to come out on one of my cheap days out and let them see how the other half live!

southernscouser

Pattie1968 wrote:

I hate the expression on peoples faces when I say I choose not to have a car, you would have thought I have just told them I soiled my pants

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Have you tried soiling your pants to comapre the expressions?

consultant31

It's funny Pattie, but my son left home to live and work in the centre of Leeds and he is so proud of the fact that he doesn't have to have a car any more, you wouldn't believe!!
I think he 'markets' it as a plus point rather than feeling belittled when anyone asks.
I also have a friend with children who doesn't own a tv and somehow, she makes me feel like a heathen for having one.
What I'm trying to say is that the way you feel about not having all the things other people seem to feel necessary is something you can change.
If you're happy with your lot, tell people that you really wouldn't want a 42" tv cluttering up your living room, and you feel you're doing your bit for the planet by not running a car etc.
You never know, you may make other people look at all their 'possessions' in a different light

dazzanator

hi hear hear
i l have no debt overdraft credit ect dont want them but our freinds think we are strange when i say i dont need them or telling lies we have sky we have new mobils ps2 dishwasher dvd telly in kitchen frontroom and bedroom we have a laptop pool swing slide for kids in the garden but it was ALL paid by cash
we done overtime saved up and brought it we may not have got it when it first come out but we have it now and best of all we are not still paying for it

i find talking to people that nowdays it unusal if you dont have debt it seems more common to have debt we do have a car but its company car and we dont pay a bean for it not even petroll but if we didnt have the company car we would save and buy a car like we have in the past
credit is evill its not yours untill you have paid well over the odds for it and that bargin you think you brought with your cc is in fact dearer than if you paid by cash as you have to add the intress to it so im with you on this one

ms_london

I am past the peer pressure stage of being in debt (although I am now out of debt). But I think when I first had my lightbulb moment, peer pressure did affect me, now I dont care & am happy as I am. I dont feel the need to explain myself or justify my actions in any part of my life, if people dont understand why I do something, thats a problem they have, not me!!

I suppose I am quite lucky that my friends/work colleagues/family are all quite "normal" too & dont feel the need to keep up with the Jones's.

I love finding a bargain or offer & my friends love the fact that I do. I love shopping in Primark/Charity Shops - why spend 4 times as much on the same item?

I feel a million times happier now than when I was trying to keep up with old friends & running up the debt.

Its your life, dont let other people's issues affect your life!! xx

Littlemiss-lotsofdebt

It's taken me a while but like Ms London, I'm past the point of peer pressure and I don't really care what other people think. I have relatives that spend money like water on material things, yet they owe thousands and don't seem to care about this.

I love getting a bargain and have had some great clothes from shops like Primark, Tesco and the like. I can't remember the last time I actually bought clothes at full price and shop around for absolutely everything.

I think you have the right attitude in that you are grateful for the things you have, and in this day and age, to have your health and happiness are worth a lot more than a 42" plasma tv that is out of fashion by the end of the week.

Good for you!