Old Finances (back in the day)

yellowbear

I remember going to redeem GReen Shield Stamps too. Couldn't tell you where we went or what we got but I do remember it being a huge warehouse-type place.

Gigervamp

Where we got our Greenshield stamps redeemed turned into Argos. Not sure if Argos bought the place out, or if that's how Argos started.

I remember going to get rollerskates (the old fashioned type!) for my brother and I using the stamps.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

3v3 wrote: »

Crikey! You sure that was 1980???? I never tasted tinned veg until '90's ... fresh was too plentiful/frozen. Baths were definately more than once a week for us (and that is back in the '60's!)

You had it tough ... that certainly wasn't the "norm" for the 80's!

Mum was unexpectedly widowed at the age of 35 in 1973 with 5 children ranging from 4 months old to 16 years, one of which was seriously ill with asthma, one just diagnosed with tumours on the acoustic nerve and spine, one with Aspergers, one with spina bifida and one in SCBU for being premature.

Went from comfortable living, pleasant and large home, car, going out, etc, to a rubbish council house on benefits in the 15 seconds it took a stroke to kill a superfit 42 year old.

I don't think that she was best equipped to deal with everything on her own, as the inlaws had both died within the previous 3 years and she was unceremoniously cut off by the entire family by the time the death certificate had been signed.


The 1980s were only good to those with wages.

Gigervamp

Ah.

As sales slowed and other retailers abandoned the scheme, Green Shield Stamp catalogue shops were rebranded Argos in July 1973.

Greenshield stamps.

Bobbykins

Newly married in 1976, my now ex OH earned about £40 a week and was considered well paid. I was in the civil service and brought home just over £100 a month.

We had to run 2 cars because of travelling to work but, fortunately, ex OH was a mechanic so at least repairs were cheap.

Our mortgage was £86 a month - I remember my Dad being astounded that anyone would have to pay such a huge mortgage! Gas and electric were about £20 a month each, we had a TV from Radio Rentals for £9.25 a month, and I used to spend £12 a week on food.

Like all our friends, we managed with 2nd hand furniture from our family until we could afford to buy new, although we were bought a new bed and a pine dining table and benches (the latest fashion) as wedding presents. We didn't have a fridge or washer for some time until we saved up.

We always felt poor, although to be fair, we never actually went hungry. Once we started with children though and I gave up work, things were VERY tight. Plus mortgage interest rates started escalating, at one point we were paying 15%, and I remember constantly worrying about how we were going to manage. I can't even say we were "poor but happy" - but that's probably more to do with the ex OH than anything else:o


To be honest, I wouldn't go back to that for all the tea in china!

Justamum

Does anybody else remember taking pop bottles back to the shop and getting the deposit back on them? Or am I much older than everybody else? :rotfl:(48, and that looks so scary in print!:eek:)

culpepper

In the 1970's it was quite hard to get credit. Mum and dad bought the dining room suite on the never never (hire purchase).
There used to be adverts for 'American Express' which was the new? credit card. You knew if someone was well healed if they flashed that baby(not like today where they are likely to be in debt if they have a credit card).
Pocket money was around 25p a week and that would buy a comic and a chocolate bar.

Gigervamp

Justamum wrote: »

Does anybody else remember taking pop bottles back to the shop and getting the deposit back on them? Or am I much older than everybody else? :rotfl:(48, and that looks so scary in print!:eek:)

Yep! It was a way to supplement the pocket money.

Along with *Penny for the guy* :rotfl:

Gigervamp

We had the Co-op around the corner.

It wasn't just the supermarket, it consisted of the supermarket in one unit, the greengrocers in another and the butchers in another.

I used to go to the greengrocers and ask Arthur for boxes to make things with. Arthur always had his brown overcoat on and not only let me rummage around the back for boxes, but always gave me an apple.

The butcher was Dave. He was in his 20's or 30's (when I was that age, they both seemed the same). He had bad acne, short dark hair, but again, was a lovely bloke.

The whole block of building with the Co-op (forgot the undertakers) on the bottom and a hall and flats above was owned by the Co-op.

The Woodcraft folk that I was a member of had their meetings in the hall above the Co-op.

Justamum

My mum used to work at Tesco in the 1970s, and in those days bread had different coloured tag closures depending on the day it was baked. She would often send my sister and I to a small grocers round the corner and tell us which colour tag to look for to get the fresh bread. The grocer wasn't best pleased I can tell you - he obviously hoped to sell bread which was a few days old!