Is having to much "stuff" the problem ?

Bestthingsinlifearefree

Me and Mrs best both work (though she is on maternity leave at the moment, may or may not go back to work).

We have no debt accept a mortgage (we have paid of credit card / car loan).

We have some rainy day savings.

I am just wondering how much debt is the result of needing "stuff".

Though our joint income is fairy good we do not own any of the following.

1) A computer at home (both use internet access at work;)
2)Have just one car (I cycle to work). Our car is 6 years old ie. year 2000 reg.
3)No camcorder
4)No ipod
5)no sat nav
6)until recently one pay as you go mobile between 2 of us.(mobiles are not camera mobiles) only when she became pregnant did we buy a mobile for me.
7)one tv in the house (non plasma)
8)no lap top.
9) no play station
10) we don't have many dvd's or CD's.
11) we don't have the full sky package.
12)no digital camera.
13) No dishwasher.

etc etc

now we could buy all the above in cash today but choose not to. I get the impression that we are probably unusual in not having all the above stuff.

I'm not having a go but is the desire for stuff / keeping up with the Jones that gets us into debt ?

Are you in debt and do you have any (or all) of the above ?


Best.

winkle1

1) A computer at home (both use internet access at work
2)Have just one car (I cycle to work).
3)No camcorder
4)No ipod
5)no sat nav
6)until recently one pay as you go mobile between 2 of us.
7)one tv in the house (non plasma)
8)no lap top.
9) no play station

out of all them, i only have 1), 7) and 8).

and i am still in debt! (although paying it off and should be debt free by the end of the year!)

JohnInDebt

Bestthingsinlifearefree wrote:

1) A computer at home (both use internet access at work;)
2)Have just one car (I cycle to work).
3)No camcorder
4)No ipod
5)no sat nav
6)until recently one pay as you go mobile between 2 of us.
7)one tv in the house (non plasma)
8)no lap top.
9) no play station

Are you in debt and do you have any (or all) of the above ?

1) Yes
2) 2 cars (me & OH), but both cars are needed due to distances travelled
3) Yes
4) Yes
5) No
6) PAYG Mobile
7) One TV, non plasma
8) No lap top
9) Playstation 2
10) We don't have many dvd's or CD's
11) We do have the full sky package
12) No digital camera yet (getting one for Christmas)
13) No dishwasher

Items 3,4 & 9 were gifts so it really only leaves the PC unfortunately, I wish i had more to show for the debt.

Edited to add the 4 other items.

Bestthingsinlifearefree

I have added 4 more to the list winkle

I guess we are just not keeping up with the Jones :rolleyes:

Best.

jak

i HAVE A COMPUTER (FREE FROM MY MUM)
1 tv
1 MOBILE (FREE AS PRESENT)
nO SKY
1 DIGI CAMERA (FREE AS PRESENT)

nielingren

yes a lot of people have there live mixed up and want stuff even tho that can't pay for it.

but i think its down to alot of people not knowing how to control there money you can have lots of stuff just not all so the need to chose. but they want it all

but there is also a lot of people have not have much and just get by (living) and know how to control there money.

dinkylou

I am almost exactly the same as you ie, none of the above. The only thing I do have is a contract phone but thats not a particularly expensive one.

If I was like many of my friends who do have most of the above and other things, then yes as a single person with a house, I would be in some serious debt.

jak

i WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT TO IMPLY THAT EVERYONE HAS WASTED MONEY AND IS NOW IN DEBT IS A SHORTSIGHTED VIEW. pEOPLE HAVE LOTS OF DIFERENT REASONS. My resons are as follows: Joint finances with very bad ex. I gave him money to pay bills, he spent money and hid final notices etc. and ran up massive phone bill while I was in hospital extremely ill.
When I got out, had no idea. When we split up, debtors found me after I moved, some only recently, (3 years later) and I had to use credit card to pay off bills. This accounts for about 70% of my debt.
The other 30% is my BAD totally.

beer2006

I think the one word answer is YES

When I was a kid in the 70's we had one TV and an old stereo and that really was it.
Ummm you look at most council houses now........ and we were I suppose middle class.

ps nothing against council houses

immoral_angeluk

1) A computer at home - Yes, but recently paid off the loan for it.
2)Have just one car - Yep, I'm the only driver but DH is learning.
3)No camcorder - We have a camcorder which was bought from a friend.
4)No ipod - No Ipod here either.
5)no sat nav - We just use a map.
6)until recently one pay as you go mobile between 2 of us.(mobiles are not camera mobiles) - We both have contract mobiles.
7)one tv in the house (non plasma) - We rent a LCD flat screen tv (Can't cancel til MArch. :mad:)
8)no lap top. - Sold our laptop to DH's brother.
9) no play station - We have an Xbox 360 AND a playstation 2 (DH is a games freak.)
10) we don't have many dvd's or CD's. - We had tonnes up until recently when they all went on Ebay.
11) we don't have the full sky package. -We've recently cancelled our sky altogether as it wasn't worth the money.
12)no digital camera. - Can't live without my digital camera, especially as we have a child and another on the way!

Gemmzie

I don't think you can blame "stuff" for everyone's debt - some, yes but not everyone.

I have a computer - which I paid for in full from my wages from when I worked two jobs last year. PlayStation ditto. And my MP3 player.

I buy this things because I have the money for them and save.

All of my debt is due to poor health and car costs, and it's not possibly for me not to have a car.

I now earn £250 per month btw