Super Scrimpers

[Deleted User]

perhaps after tomorrows budget there will be a change of heart by the programme organisers, and we can have the very eminently sensible Mr Alvin Hall back on to help folk streeetch there money a bit better.Because I guarantee what ever we have at the moment will have to be steeetched even further once Osbourne gets his greedy mitts on it.Things are tough now but I have a nasty feeling they are going to get a lot worse before getting better for millions of people

Pollycat

livalot wrote: »

I too loved Alvin Hall, Can you remember his amazing laugh!!! He gave out such good advice.

luxor4t wrote: »

Alvin Hall :heartpuls - the first money saver who made sense to me.

starsandmoon wrote: »

I loved Alvin Hall, got all his books too.

I thight Alvin was great, he really showed empathy (but wrapped up in tough love) to people.

Now, Mrs Moneypenny - I find her incredibly irritating. I have an (almost) uncontrollable urge to slap her face every time I see it on TV.

Goldiegirl

Another Alvin fan here, I always found his programmes were in the real world.

APennySaved

What larks! Suggesting people swap a hobby for something so different as street dance for ballet & table tennis for tennis. Daft or what?!

Normally 'Superscrimpers' makes reasonable - and effective - suggestions.Their regular ideas re change are quite fair: e.g. changing a style of holiday:a holiday is just a 1-off change-of-routine to give the user a break from their regular schedule. If it not a good holiday then a later holiday of a different type can rectify that. This is even more relevant when the kids being taken on holiday/entertained are under 10 years of age('ish). Even 'Superscrimpers' usual ideas re changes in long-term budget decisions (e.g. using taxis cf public transport) when the users are clearly not budgeting correctly: again, good: this incorporates good sense into long-term living costs that are currently clearly stretching the user beyond their means.

But to ask kids of that age to change their hobby?!?! The kids involved all looked over 10. By that age a kid will know what they like more than a younger child, and I believe would be doing the hobby because they want to (not just because Mum & Dad want them to). The kids looked very skilled/settled in their chosen hobbies. So you can't force teenage kids in another direction. If you like tennis it is unlikely you'll want - at the age of c. 14 - to change to table tennis. A hobby is not a holiday. A change in location or type of holiday can still offer the 1-off 'break' that the holidaymaker needs. Changing a hobby is, however, a completely different matter. A hobby is a style of life that - like an education - will make the person what they want to be. It is part of who & what they are. The hobby therefore has to be MODIFIED to within the user's budget range, not OBLITERATED!!

I have never heard anything so daft in my life! 'Superscrimpers' might as well suggest that a lover of European films starts watching horror films because they are easier to find & cheaper to rent/view!!

Surely a better decision by 'Superscrimpers' would have been to find a cheaper dance studio, less frequent piano lessons, & drop just 1 hobby, etc.

Are 'Superscrimpers' no longer thinking straight?!?!

Even the 'Superscrimpers' idea of using a Piano 'App' in place of an actual piano lesson, is an extreme that has gone 1 step too far . . . No! You cannot learn piano that way! So, instead - for a beginner learner - use that software over one week & then pay for a face-to-face lesson the next week, alternating thereafter.

Then they suggested replacing an active & sociable team sport of rugby with a lonesome golf drive!!!! :mad:

About the only useful suggestion re a hobby was attending an arts & crafts 'stitchers' class (which offers sociability as well as VFM). And that added advantage assumes the teenager wants to share this hobby with others.

Oh boy! This programme has - in the past - been quite informative &interesting.

So I'd like to see that 'common sense' :T approach return to the series!!

APennySaved

Sorry about all that detail: I went 'on' a bit there - LOL!! (That segment of 'Superscrimpers' - re the hobby bit - got me really rattled!! :eek: )

I shall now calm down! & have a nice cup of tea!

:beer:

p00

Last night I had to wonder on the common sense of the family involved. £82 a week on hobbies? If you can afford them great, if not speak to the children and compromise on what you can actually still afford. I felt a bit sorry for the lad that does ballet - you could see in his face he thought his love of ballet was going to disappear.

What is wrong with people today that they cant see how much money they waste and how to cut back when needed.

As for making a gold arm band thing. Why is that girl on the program? I havent see her make anything nice yet never mind free. Yuk.

[Deleted User]

Have to agree last nights show was not great. The gold lace cuff was just silly. I have not seen that contributor make one realistic thing on the programme so far. what about sensible knitting or sewing skills to resue old wool or ol clothes?

Love Alvin hall, I wish he would do another show - I used to love Your Money or Your Life on BBC2.

givememoney

The one piece of information I did find interesting although of little relevance to myself, was the fact that wedding dress manufacturers sell of stock to Oxfam. So you can pick up brand new dress for around £200

Chickenopolis

Re- the after school hobby section of the programme ... In my childhood if I wanted to pursue a hobby I would have had to fund it and I did not expect my parents to do so. I had a Saturday job which paid for my "hobbies" .

gallygirl

Just done a 50p survey for yougov on last nights tv, including super scrimpers. Said it was rubbish, bring back alvin