Share your stories of desparation!

debbycatz

Stormybay wrote:

These stories here are great. It just shows how we all have some sort of survival instinct. I can remember when I was a single parent to 3 children, at the time ages 4, 5 and 6 and I had to sell my bed, my dining room table and my portable TV (I only had a portable at the time) to buy 3 pairs of new school shoes. They were so happy with the new shoes as they'd spent all of the summer in the garden in bare feet so that I could buy the shoes on the last day of the holidays to get maximum wear out of them. I spent almost a year sleeping on the 2 seater couch in the front room until someone kindly donated me a bed.
By the way, 15 years later, I'm still sleeping in that same bed........although not alone anymore .....yey!!!!!!!!!!!

Stormy

Reading through this thread and these similar stories makes me wonder when the answer became plastic ? It seems to me that most of us have got through some dire situations in the past, but we managed so what makes us now think we can't and reach for the credit cards ? Not being judgemental or anything 'cos I will hold my hand up to credit card debt. Just wondered how or why it became the norm to go into debt to get through situations which we could have got through without going into debt - this thread has produced some very original 'alternatives' when money is short

Mrs_Sparkle

debbycatz wrote:

Reading through this thread and these similar stories makes me wonder when the answer became plastic ? It seems to me that most of us have got through some dire situations in the past, but we managed so what makes us now think we can't and reach for the credit cards ? Not being judgemental or anything 'cos I will hold my hand up to credit card debt. Just wondered how or why it became the norm to go into debt to get through situations which we could have got through without going into debt - this thread has produced some very original 'alternatives' when money is short

I think some of the blame lies with the freezing of student grants and the introduction of student loans. I remember how horrified I was at going £50 overdrawn in my first year at uni, while by my 4th year student loans were well and truly in place and I didn't even bat an eyelid at leaving uni with a £2.5K debt. And when you're in debt at that young an age and you're looking for your first job you think you'll have to get a suit for interviews, and you might as well stick it on your shiny new credit card as what's another £80 when you're already in debt? And so the downward spiral begins. Debt has just become so much more acceptable.

cathybird

I do have a story actually, I was so broke once that I nicked two toilet rolls from the loo where I worked, but then replaced them a week later after I got paid, with the new ones a nice soothing shade of bright hot pink that stood out like a sore thumb against the regulation white of most of the loo paper ... everyone who used that loo must have thought, "someone is bringing in this weird toilet paper, why???"..... anyway, I don't know which is sadder - nicking loo paper (pretty damn sad) or replacing it afterwards (kind of sad too, really)

Mrs_Sparkle

cathybird wrote:

I do have a story actually, I was so broke once that I nicked two toilet rolls from the loo where I worked, but then replaced them a week later after I got paid, with the new ones a nice soothing shade of bright hot pink that stood out like a sore thumb against the regulation white of most of the loo paper ... everyone who used that loo must have thought, "someone is bringing in this weird toilet paper, why???"..... anyway, I don't know which is sadder - nicking loo paper (pretty damn sad) or replacing it afterwards (kind of sad too, really)

Aw bless you! I think that's sweet. Not many people would have gone to the trouble of replacing them. I must admit I am sometimes tempted by this as where I work I could have a free stock of coffee, tea, sugar, loo rolls, dusters, all cleaning materials in fact. I draw the line at stealing though these days (although I remember stealing loo rolls from my university campus in my broke student days)

cathybird

if that's the worst thing you did when you were a student Mrs Sparkle then you didn't do too badly!!!! :rotfl:

Mrs_Sparkle

cathybird wrote:

if that's the worst thing you did when you were a student Mrs Sparkle then you didn't do too badly!!!! :rotfl:

:rotfl: No nicked traffic cones in my house! Only cos it wasn't big enough :-)

I found the perfect solution- I found an evening job in a fish 'n' chip shop and I got to take the leftover pies and chips home with me- my housemates thought it was fab!

MrsTinks

Worst I've done? Hmmm lived of noodles for longer than I care to think off at times - honestly compared to a lot of people then I've had an easy ride although I do recall having to call in sick for a few days towards the end of the month once or twice years ago because I couldn't afford to put petrol in my car till payday

elona

When we had our first house and were skint we had a few days of egg and chips - stuffed mushrooms and chips - omelette and chips - home made soup etc.

DH never twigged why!!

MoaningMyrtle

Mine would be taking childrens presents back to shops to get a refund to enable us to buy food. And withdrawing my eldest DD's savings from her birth/christening to pay bills.

We still keep a can of petrol in the shed to put in the car if it's empty and we can't afford to go to the petrol station.

Smashing

MoaningMyrtle wrote:

And withdrawing my eldest DD's savings from her birth/christening to pay bills.

My mum used the money from my brother's christening to buy a fridge
And I think my welcome into Gods' family provided her with a tumble drier!

Still, it's all for our benefit in the end.