MSE News: Dump Sky and iPhones, struggling homeowners told

missesther

ferrari042 wrote: »

The article is about mortgages is interesting but looking at the estate I live on only around 40% of houses have sky dishes compared with 90% on a nearby council estate,

I live in a council estate (own home) and have a sky dish but don't have Sky - I have Freesat purely because I don't think I could afford to pay out every month. However, freesat and sky will look the same so not all the council estate sky dishes may be for sky. Just as an aside.

Oh and I'm buying a house on another council estate and it has a sky dish that isn't used at all.

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

Spiggle wrote: »

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver wrote: »

So punish the poor? ... When did giving advice on what is really essential in life become punishing the poor? My reading of Chomsky, Klein et al leads me to think that those retailers, that you and I agree don't give one jot about us, the customer (far better quality word than consumer with all the connotations that come with it), and neo liberal economics/politics/society have spent years and millions of pounds convincing, coercing and peer pressuring people into thinking that an iphone or similar is an essential in life (which is why I don't have one). The authors you quote have taught me to think about what I need not what I want and to make an informed, educated and thought through decision when buying things.

I have no mortgage. So the likelihood of NR calling you is nil then.
How will I get a Mortgage in the long run out of NOTHING to SOMETHING!!!!!!??

Shoppers are exploited at the Retailers by 25% price rises in overall food inflation. I agree.

The Retailers don't give a flying !!!! about the wellbeing of consumers/targets of constant intrusive marketing messages utilising psychologically invasive techniques. So true. Which is why so many people who don't need and often can't afford luxuries such as ipads, iphones and sky "have to have them"!
Why are the above marketed not only to consumers but to Businessmen as utility items ie multiple utility? is it not because there are multiple purposes to Iphone Ipad etc ownership because of the hardware and thousands of apps? GPS, Pedometer, Diet and Weight Management, Recieved Replies Texting (useful for relationships of various sorts), books. I take it you believe that MSE Members don't need Iphones and so don't need faccilities like GPS if you were in the Highlands and needed to download a map and get waymarkers.
I find it insulting that you believe I believe any swearword advertiser that comes to me and that Apple is just about marketing and not about technical merit.

... High qaulity. ... Qaulity is a cheaper decision. Very often the right thought but you still have to get that quality at the best possible price for you provided you need it and can afford it.
People, shock horror have different ways of interpreting 'budget'. I would rather let educated taste inform my financial ways than be swept along a cloud of niave ignorance resulting in buying stuff I hate from food to iphones.

It is not my fault I was made redundant. The mathematics of job seeking mean 100 applicants to 1 post. At my age 50+ employers view me as over the hill. The situation is appalling and no one should should suggest that redundancy is your fault. I don't think anything on here has suggested that?

I believe in qaulity and praise the lord own a beautiful Iphone 3GS ... It's a phone FGS! Beautiful!!!!!
I appreciate your joy. It is a thing of beauty and technical merit with multiple functionalites as regard uses.:eek::eek::D:D:cool:

My iphone makes up for the slaughter of adult education going beyond cookery classes to real academia. No it doesn't. You are taking valid, thoroughly researched and painstakingly expounded theories (Chomsky et al) to attack those who have not attacked you and to justify your ownership of a phone. What was it you said about "constant intrusive marketing messages utilising psychologically invasive techniques"? To justify high costs and coerce people into buying products? Anyone fancy an apple?!?!?
I have in place a developing practice of avoiding over exposure to advertising material from it's many sources. My family are Iphone and IPad owners (my next purchase perhaps!) and my current phone is a 50th Birthday pressie. I don't believe in crap technology and the multi-functionality of my iphone serves me well and even has a a budget application!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:money::money::beer::beer::eek::eek:

My apps can mark my maths work better than an disinterested teacher only allocating me 10 minutes. Now I may have to start using the asterisk and exclamation mark button for my response to this. No I won't bother.
This is based on true experience. Both experiences traumatised me.

No Maths teacher to touch me up in my attempt to overcome maths problems and become whole. I am truly sorry if this was your experience, no-one should have to experience such abuse.
...

I can monitor my habits so I make good virtuos ones, diet etc.
Please tell me you haven't also fallen for the diet propaganda.
I haven't one just needs to learn how to self-regulate the iphone is very handy for that. Time Manager App

I would act prudently to keep my mortgage intact and have a lifestyle that is high qaulity but cheap. You would but you don't have a mortgage so this thread is irrelevant to you except to give you a vent for your at times misguided reading of Chomsky et al.
Ie applying it to MY OWN LIFE our collective lives gosh shock horror @Chomsky. Chomsky et al begs for practical application and rigorous skepticism at multiple levels, coupled with impeccabley good taste on a budget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cool::cool::eek::eek::money::money:
Big Business gives us a little as humanly possible at the greatest possible cost. Now that's an accurate reading! The thing is the majority of the forumites on here understand this already. There are a vast majority of the population who don't though mainly as a result of neo liberal politics and economics and the success it has enjoyed for such a very long time. QUOTE]

I'm sure this response is not going to be welcomed but I could not see authors and theorists for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration used to justify your ownership of a bl**dy iphone!
More the pity you, an Essay on Chomsky and the Iphone why poor people should only own crap merchandise please by deadline here
Seems judgemental and proscriptive of the poor who have enough problmes with their peers getting up on their high horse and judging them when we have monstrous tax evasion that costs us billions in lost revenue and whining #feralelites #bullingdonclasselite
I hope you get your anger dealt with soon and settle into an informed and considered exploration and application of fantastic theory and find rewarding employment that you enjoy.
I wish no ill of anyone on this Forum but have learned of the hatred levelled at people who do not wish to be on benefits, who are disabled etc and this on MSE!!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::A:A I wish myself the most glorious Academic Texts, the most slick and professional apps, the greatest friends including on MSE, the most cowering of critics, the nicest of rents ( no punishment for me please judge) the most decent of clothes and decent food that tastes nice so I can save money!!!!:money::money::j:j:beer::beer::eek::eek:

All the best,
Spigs

smileytiger

It wouldn't bother me if i got a call from the bank...but to be honest i only ever spend what i've got left after paying all the bills each month. (my hubby has a severe cervical spine stenosis and despite major surgery and spinal implants in his neck, can longer work) so i work full time and he gets a small amount of benefit - which would be more if i gave up work (as advised by nice lady in benefit office) - go figure - yeah i give up work to get more benefits, and then lose my home through not paying the mortgage- no thanks. As we no longer have 2 salaries coming in we have cut back on most things to keep the roof over our heads & i'm quite proud of the fact that since we have been on one income i have managed to pay off all credit/store cards, i have no loans other than my mortgage. I have maintained my credit rating. The only way i have done this is to justify(to myself) every penny i have spent for the past few years as essential or not. It's not always been fun - but we have a decent enough life - never had skyTV even when we had 2 lots of wages - and i've an old mobile i use for when i'm on call at work - wouldn't know how to work an iphone!.....you can't tell people how to spend their money - they either have common sense or they don't. I know people up to their eyes in debt - still having 3 or 4 holidays abroad every year etc - but as long as i don't have to worry about my finances they can do as they like..simple really.

missesther

smileytiger wrote: »

I know people up to their eyes in debt - still having 3 or 4 holidays abroad every year etc - but as long as i don't have to worry about my finances they can do as they like..simple really.

When debts get cancelled because of the government scheme to reduce debt and help people in stupidly huge amounts of debt - who do you think picks up the excess? The taxpayer of course.

I don't mind if someone overspends, as long as they don't expect any breaks from the government/taxpayer because they couldn't control their spending and now might lose their house.

Money_Saving_Dude

jimjames wrote: »

Why is it unreasonable for banks to give people advice on how to avoid losing their homes?

Because it's the nanny state -- silly!

But the real question that is taxing policy makers -- which dies first, Thatcherism or Thatcher?

Percy1983

J_i_m wrote: »

I kind of know what you mean. I've never had SKY, and even though I consider myself a F1-aholic... I'm still not ever going to get SKY. I don't actually watch much TV... maybe a tinny bit of news, Dr Who, the F1 and Quantum Leap. That's about it. I'm certainly not going to waste money on Sky because I'd never use it.

Back on the subject..

I did spend a couple of years living outside of my means though, this was via simply living in accommodation where the rent was just that bit to much for me.

However.. I've moved back in with the parents..I hardly ever go out, I spend as little as £20 a week on groceries, although that is getting much harder now. I changed my car to one that is cheaper to run and I generally try to walk to most places except work.

I do have a iPhone on contract (waits to be blasted ), but I am considering changing it to the cheapest plan once my contract is up or going PAYG.

For holidays, I tend to visit friends, who are generous enough offer free accommodation... or I go in a group holiday where we car pool etc and bring the cost down.

I do like to give myself the odd treat now and then.. like a gadget (shock horror! :mad:) although to be fair I am now saving upwards of £400 a month now on top of paying off other debts including car finance and a bank loan.

I've made financial mistakes in my life... but I've learnt from them. I don't think I'd be too pleased to receive a phone call from some faceless company telling me what I should or shouldn't buy.

Best pick up the pace my deposit will surpass you soon (believe it or not).

As it is I have been looking at ways to watch the F1 without sky and it seems to be possible.

Not really on topic but to have savings and debts doesn't make sense as you will be paying more interest than you are earning.

smileytiger

missesther wrote: »

When debts get cancelled because of the government scheme to reduce debt and help people in stupidly huge amounts of debt - who do you think picks up the excess? The taxpayer of course.

I don't mind if someone overspends, as long as they don't expect any breaks from the government/taxpayer because they couldn't control their spending and now might lose their house.

I get what you're saying...but let's be honest..since when has life been fair to the majority of hard working tax payers?

Money_Saving_Dude

musicmaker29 wrote: »

I'm not sure about that - banks don't need £100k to lend someone a £100k mortgage - they need about £25/30k. They create the other 70k(ish).

The only way they could mess that up is through greed.....oh wait lol

It's called fractional reserve banking. The theory is that not everyone will want to get their money back at the same time as long as they can service all customer liquidity requirements they can trade quite happily. In addition they have used the bricks and motor of the homes they lend against as collateral. In a rising market that's not a problem. But with a falling market negative equity is a real risk. This means if they force people out for none payment they could be left with an asset that has limited value.

The current plan with low interest rates is to prevent such defaults so the bank does not have to recognise they have an asset problem. In other words it's in the banks interest to keep people in their homes -- this is nothing to do with altruism. Funnily enough the banks have been buying government bonds (aka QE). They used 'money' obtained by lending to home owners. Now they have Gilts (Treasuries, Bunds, etc). So who has the bad debts? We do, of course; we the tax payers. (I say 'money' because money is essentially being created out of debt, so as long as someone is prepared to take on a loan the bank has instant 'money.')

In short, we started from a financial crisis where banks had houses that sometimes wouldn't cover the cost of their loans (in normal business this is called insolvency). We have moved to a sovereign debt crisis, meaning these bad loans have been given to the government in exchange for bonds. The government has always honoured its coupon payments, so we are all owners of the the bank's (bad) loans.

I wish I had a business like that where I could swap my bad loans for something that is certain. But then I'm not a banker (did I spell that right?).

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

*Seriously tempted to start a thread titled ' Iphoners of the MSE unite' the more I read this thread and the antagonism towards this frightfully useful device (which has Budgeting App btw) the more I think a cosy club of guilty owners should be formed to form a strong base of security where at least on a personal level we can ALL acknowledge that our respective Iphones need NOT be a barrier to good, well thought out Budgeting and financial prudence.
(Just as I think us poor Benefits Claimants ought to do the same the Fellowship of the Dole where we can hash out our respective woes and hopefully educate the rest of MSE to drop their prejudices and meet us as where they might end up given the woeful state of the Economy).
Nuff said
Let two orderly queues be formed.

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

:beer::beer::beer::money::money::money::D:cool:
and we is gonna save a pretty penny as well USING OUR IPHONES!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::A:A:A:T:T