Is having to much "stuff" the problem ?

cathybird

1) A computer at home (both use internet access at work;) I've got one of these, but use it for work from home
2)Have just one car (I cycle to work). Our car is 6 years old ie. year 2000 reg. I have a car
3)No camcorder me neither
4)No ipod me neither
5)no sat nav me neither
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. one mobile
7)one tv in the house (non plasma) two but one cost £40 and the other was free!!
8)no lap top.I do have a laptop
9) no play station me neither
10) we don't have many dvd's or CD's. a few, but got them cheaply
11) we don't have the full sky package. me neither
12)no digital camera. me neither
13) No dishwasher. me neither

and I'm still in debt too! the car accounts for a bit of it, though it was second-hand...

Batfink

Personally, I don't see that a 'I haven't got anything and no debt' is any more of a badge of honour than 'I've got everything and a big debt'.

While the list isn't things you need, they are in the bulk things that help improve your quality of life. A video camera, for instance, to capture moments of your growing child to watch in the future. Two cars for the days when actually you don't feel all the well or need to arrive at work looking remotely respectable.....

Batfink x

misfire

1) A computer at home (both use internet access at work - I have a laptop - hand me down (free!) from my mother in law! our last pc was also a relatives cast off.


2)Have just one car - husband has a good car essential for his work. I have a 13 year old car - very basic ebay bargain! again essential as i work quite a few nights and have to travel all over the location for work. I was spendig a fortune on public transport and taxis previously. For my job it is absolutely essential. I would love a new car but (a) there is still curent mot on mine till march 07 (wether it will pass again i dont know hope so!) (b) I can't afford one - no more credit or loans... i will be saving all my chrismas money etc.. towards one (hopefully march 08 when i have saved up enough!)

3)No camcorder - Never had one.... would love one but not essential!

4)No ipod - have a reconditioned mp3 15 quid ish from currys - bought with birthday money last year.

5)no sat nav- sat nav cost more than my car! cant see me getting one unless i get a hand me down!

6)until recently one pay as you go mobile between 2 of us. - PAYG mobile -last 7 years always have my mates cast offs! one i have now is not camera phone etc.. but does what i need (i.e call and text) and was free!

7)one tv in the house - 2 tvs.... not fancy.... the portable upstairs was.... another hand me down (from my old neighbour i have loads of there old stuff they used to change stuff all the time... they have had 5 3 piece suits in 9 years!)

8)no lap top. - as the pc question hand me down!

9) no play station - have xbox.... dh did loads of overtime to pay for it!

Our debt was inccured when we moved - our buyer dropped out and we had to sell our house for 4K less than we had orginally to keep the chain intact. We dont buy on HP (apart from DH car) i am not proud - I have lots of really decent hand me downs. - my washing machine was from a charity shop! as was most of our cupboards/wardrobes. It is the normal thing - we live in an area where house prices have sky rocketed and we got caught out badly when we moved (which in hindesight i wish we hadnt - but we had VERY good reasons to need to leave our last house).

I have lots of friend who are up to there eyes in debt and have top of the range pcs, cars, mobiles (one of my friends has 2 kids and they get 2 of everythign including tv+dvd player and they share a room i kid you not.. her joint loans are more than her yearly wage). so sometimes it is the issue but often not.

kate1976

1) A computer at home - I have one at home, it's a godsend when DS is stuck with homework, I'm not the brainiest person to have ever lived!!

2)Have just one car (I cycle to work). - I don't drive so no car!

3)No camcorder - No camcorder here either!

4)No ipod - Far too technical for my simple mind!!

5)no sat nav - No!

6)until recently one pay as you go mobile between 2 of us. 1 payg mobile!

7)one tv in the house (non plasma) - 3 but only paid for 1

8)no lap top. - Parents bought one for me and DS last Christmas

9) no play station - Son has but I didn't pay!

10) we don't have many dvd's or CD's. - A few

11) we don't have the full sky package. - Me neither

12)no digital camera.- my parents bought me one for my birthday

13) No dishwasher. - I wash the dishes!

I'm not in a lot of debt, less than £700 now and that wasn't because I was buying material stuff, it was caused by grocery shopping using a credit card and being ignorant about the interest!!

The_Tax_Mans_Cash_Machine

1) A computer at home - YES
2)Have just one car - Company car
3)No camcorder - YES an ancient one
4)No ipod - No
5)no sat nav - Yes, installed in cie car (& its rubbish)
6)mobiles - I have a company phone, the wife has a contract one (cheap!)
7)4 tv's in the house (non plasma)! - One bought, 3 were free (2 for the kids)
8)no lap top. - YES - my old works one. The hard drive died & they were going to chuck it. I took it & paid £90 to get it fixed.
9) no play station - No
10) we don't have many dvd's or CD's. - ditto
11) we don't have the full sky package. - Freeview
12)no digital camera. - YES (slightly old model but v. good spec - only £150)
13) No dishwasher. - No

&

14) No tumble drier.
15) No designer clothes
16) No expensive holidays (always in UK - it's great if you go & explore)
17) No gym memberships (though could probably use it)
18) No pets

Seaxwyn

HI,

I have big debts but not much 'stuff'. I've never been a spender or interesting in buying things I didn't need.

Of the things you list we have: three computers - because we both work at home and have a laptop for when we need to work elsewhere (it cost less than £100)

4 PAYG phones - one each for two adults and two 12-year-olds, but spend less than £20 per month on all 4. Three of them were given to us so only one actually bought, and that was from ebay.

a car - bought for us by my mother. I also bike everywhere (bike rescued from being taken to the dump so cost me nothing)

several digital cameras, bought second-hand from ebay and much used by artsy husband and children

No tv/dvd/playstation

No dishwasher. Tumble dryer was free from freecycle.

I've bought 3 CDs in my entire life, and one was for a present.

My debt comes mostly from tax bills, I'm self-employed and seem to live so hand-to-mouth so never save. Twice a year I have to borrow to pay tax. I had a bad blow when I earned loads one year then very little the next. Also we were foolish enough to build an extension to our house last year which we couldnt afford to do.

but stuff is not the cause of our problems.

emma_b_4

interesting thread i would say that i do kind of agree with OP and our debt was down to "wanting" things.........but then again why shouldnt we...............but then again we cant afford it...............but then again we work for it so why shoudlnt we have it................but we cant afford it..............

round and round we go!

above is either my counsciounce kicking in........or me and my hubby "discussing" .. im usually the one saying we cant a4d it by the way

Broken_hearted

1) Two computers at home both were free one is over 10 years old, the other will is seven
2) NO car it was scrapped as I couldn't afford to fix it
3) Camcorder never used nearly 10 bought to tape kids and holidays lots taped and never watched
4)No ipod
5)no sat nav
6)Two broken mobiles (they work for calls but the screen has given up on one and the buttons on the other)
7)Two tvs both from my parents
8)one laptop again broken (why does he keep junk)
9)Two ps1, one ps2
10) Loads of videos cost between 25p and £2 from boot fairs and charity shops
11) Freeview
12)digital camera (wedding present
13) No dishwasher.

emma_b_4

we have sky, a 32 inch tv, not plasma,
a computer (free from my brother in law)
no dishwasher (thatd be a luxury!)
, a shared car,
no ipods mp3 or anything else,
2 mobile contracts
a digi cam (free = prezzie)
a camcorder bought with wedding money
a ps2 (prezzie)

no laptops, not many bought CDs or DVDs


sky tv basic package

Broken_hearted

Holidays arg lots France, Spain, Florida, London, Scotland, Egypt and others I can't remember.
Pets one dog and cat
no tumble dryer (again broken so chucked and second hand 'free' to start with)