I passed one of them money loan shops today

ILW

It is the iphone that gets me. It has very little advantage over a £10 phone for everyday use, but does seem to be a must have amongst many on very low incomes as a pure status symbol.

fozmcfc

sandraroffey wrote: »

i am on a state pension and pension credit ONLY> yes, i am always skint and behind with my bills. BUT i have these things you mention - not new i have to add - but i couldnt be in touch with my family with these things. and its all cost me nothing. my computer screen, nice new flat screen was given to me by my son; not new but still very serviceable. the tower with all the workings in was given to me by a very good friend, and i have had it only a month or so. before that i didnt have a computer at all. i used my daughters when i stayed with her. my phone is an old one of my sons, and just a bog standard mobile. my tv came from my son also; he works in removals and teh person he was moving didnt want it any more and asked him if he did, so he got it for me; again not a new one, but a great tv none the less.

so yes, i have all these things, but my nearest and dearest are recycling everything in my direction and its money saving at its best.

a christmas present this year is a sewing machine. 2nd hand and quite old, but who cares??? its brilliant. and i wouldnt have it any other way.

and i have to say that like you, i would love to know how they get the money for all that stuff. maybe they just dont eat properly or something.

Good for you, it's a shame that many more aren't like you. :T

danothy

geoffky wrote: »

I passed one of them money loan shops today and picture this..a women came out absolutely over the moon with joy showing her dear husband and daughter who must of waited outside two twenty pound notes she had got for a loan and she then asked the daughter to phone someone..daughter them pulls out a brand new iphone and told her mother she had no credit.....
the irony of it all floored me....:):)

I think this paints quite a sad picture, especially if you fill in the reasons behind this situation with the assumption that the family in question are spending their money on luxuries they can't afford to maintain or run for whatever reason.

Of course we'll never know if this is the case here, but the law of averages implies that those assumptions will be right for some people somewhere, hence the sadness of the picture.

I think it just comes down to realising that you not only need to be able to afford to run an iPhone/car/other gadget to make it worth while having one, but you also need to need it to make it worth while. As for the status thing, well status is something that those who claim to provide it (e.g. Apple with the iPhone) seem to have convinced people that they need, personally I don't feel that way but I can see why some people do if it frees them from the negative feeling of being looked down upon for having less.

It would be a better world if everyone could derive happiness from their own ability to make a good well reasoned decision about whether or not to buy something they would otherwise want.

robpw2

fozmcfc wrote: »

Possiby my point is though, that many of these are luxuries and not essentials and could be sold if money is needed.

so you would take away the daughters phone to sell just because your in hardship
also how do we know she did not win the phone lucozade were doing a competition to win one

you lot know nothing of the circumstances and are yet all very quick to judge

ILW

"Designer" clothes are something else I don't understand. Most come out of the same chinese factories as the cheap stuff and are made from the same fabrics, but once they have a label on them will sell for many times the amount. They seem to be most prevalent amongst those who claim to be poor. (I do not include pensioners in this, many who are truly poor)

ILW

robpw2 wrote: »

so you would take away the daughters phone to sell just because your in hardship
also how do we know she did not win the phone lucozade were doing a competition to win one

you lot know nothing of the circumstances and are yet all very quick to judge

Could still sell the iphone for £100 or so and buy a cheap phone for a tenner. Better than taking out payday loans.

robpw2

ILW wrote: »

"Designer" clothes are something else I don't understand. Most come out of the same chinese factories as the cheap stuff and are made from the same fabrics, but once they have a label on them will sell for many times the amount. They seem to be most prevalent amongst those who claim to be poor. (I do not include pensioners in this, many who are truly poor)

is primark designer because if thats the case im guilty lol .. or i go to the charity shop and buy clothes .. lots of designer gear in their too ..
have you asked all those in designer clothes if they bought them outright .. or got them cheap

robpw2

ILW wrote: »

Could still sell the iphone for £100 or so and buy a cheap phone for a tenner. Better than taking out payday loans.

but its their daughters .. yes if it was mums phone i would fully agree with you ..

ILW

robpw2 wrote: »

is primark designer because if thats the case im guilty lol .. or i go to the charity shop and buy clothes .. lots of designer gear in their too ..
have you asked all those in designer clothes if they bought them outright .. or got them cheap

Check out you local chavs and the trainers. Would not be seen dead in last years model and their stupid parents are probably going into debt to buy the things at close to £100 a pair. Mad.

jamespir

ILW wrote: »

"Designer" clothes are something else I don't understand. Most come out of the same chinese factories as the cheap stuff and are made from the same fabrics, but once they have a label on them will sell for many times the amount. They seem to be most prevalent amongst those who claim to be poor. (I do not include pensioners in this, many who are truly poor)

i have an Armani dinnersuit but im not a millionaire neither am a what you would consider rich

i brought it for 20.00 quid from a charity shop