What could you live without?

Queenie

A: TV
Foreign Holiday
E: Men (total waste of money)

Kantankrus_Mare

We don't go on foreign holidays.........I don't like mobiles as they make people ignorant. It really irritates me when I see a couple out together and they are both sat texting on their phones!!! I have a mobile of course but really its only for emergencys.

Telly id miss for a week or so but I could soon fill my time with reading, listening to music, gardening and of course surfing the net on my PC which is what I wouldn't really want to give up. Ridiculous really considering that five years ago we never even had a computer. :rolleyes:

jat100

I voted for "foreign holiday" but I can't afford one now so it's not something that I would have to give up. The only holiday I've had in years was one that I won in a competition. I would give up the mobile as I haven't had it long, it's PAYG and I only use it rarely. I wouldn't want to give up the TV but could if I had to. The biggest wrench would be the Internet/Computer.

milkydrink

I consider the TV, internet & foreign holidays necessities, The TV would be over the dead bodies of our family:rotfl: , the internet I'm fairly hooked on & I'm off on holiday Friday & can't wait (I think everyone needs AT LEAST 2 weeks proper holiday to look forward to each year).

But the mobile I could live without, it's handy to keep in touch with DH & DD, but I could live without it OK too.

competitionscafe

rdwarr wrote: »

I think it was the notion that a foreign holiday was deemed a "necessity" that most people found surprising. It's still a luxury that many cannot afford.

Exactly. Or cannot take for various other reasons - it hardly qualifies as a necessity, much as I would love to have one.

Bartlam

There's only so much media the human brain can take.
We have two children & haven't had a TV in at least 2 years.
When we tried to convince the TV licencing people of this they didn't believe us & said darkly "We WILL come round to check you know...".

The pros are:
1. Life seems more laid back (no incessant news reports of the imminent end of civilisation).
2. We don't feel under duress to constantly redecorate/buy a 'crash pad' in the city/condo in the sun or have teeth whitening/cosmetic surgery.
3. Not being advertised at the kids don't even know they have pester power - and I'm not telling!
4. We have conversations about real life - not X Factor/Big Brother etc.
5. We already know what's happening in every soap/reality show because they're always the same stories anyway!

The cons are:
1. No Doctor Who or Life on Mars (but we'll rent them from the library on DVD later).
2. I'll get back to you on this one...

On the occasion we do see TV at a friends or relatives most seem to agree that nearly all programming is a waste of their time - but can't give it up!

The mobiles we have are pay as you go. Bought 3 years ago from Amazon after a tip off from MSE and, effectively, free.

Haven't had a holiday abroad for years. We decided that we don't know enough about the UK yet so we're working our way around the beautiful parts of the country. Haven't missed the flight cancellations/lost luggage/cheap tourist gimmicks/Greek tummy etc. one bit! And it costs a lot less. Thanks MSE again.

The computer/internet/email I can't do without as it allows me to pick up work briefs & send completed jobs back without leaving the house or spending out on printer paper & inks. I get to be a real dad to my kids - not absent all day.

Plus I think we're starting to scrub away at those stubborn old carbon footprints...

We finally paid off our credit cards last week! (Thanks MSE) and serioiusly trying to earn enough to be 'mortgage free in 3' (years).

Come on in the water's lovely!

macaroni

Bartlam.........if you dont have a TV how do you watch videos or DVDs????? *

Anyhow, TV and holidays (home or abroad)

Holidays are far too stressfull to benefit me, and I never get to watch my choice of programmes on the TV.

I dont need my mobile either but like it for keeping track of hubby and kids

Ive been without the net and hated it so I would cling onto it

*On the PC I guess??!!! DOH !!

foreversomeday

Well I think I could easily live without foreign holidays - have had so much fun just in and around the UK in the past. But then the thought of never seeing the world... I would like to go abroad at least once. So I think what I would give up for life, never to see again, is TV. That is assuming I could still go to the cinema and things.

I couldn't live without a mobile phone but I suppose I am of that generation - can only just remember life before them, and my boyfriend gets annoyed if he texts someone and they don't reply within half an hour. I don't know whether he's missing the point or I am!

I could possibly live without the internet but I would find it difficult as I tend to use it more than I think I do! Also computers and internet are part of my work so I'd be stuck without them too.

Plum_Pie

Christ, when I was in debt, the ONLY one I had was a phone and that was because one of my 3 jobs was on a shift basis and the wage I got from filling in at last minute made it worthwhile!

Internet access is free in libraries and community centres. Although you miss out on a lot of money saving deals if you don't have a secure connection for shopping.

TV is rubbish compared to radio and reading.

The idea that an annual foreign holiday is a necessity is laughable.

snow_imp

Being in the process of moving to a bigger house my budget is seriously under review. For now I have cancelled my broadband account (as I really don't want to take such an expensive one with me when I move) but I'll probably get a new one at some point. Work provides a free alternative for now. During the moving process the mobile has been invaluable to me so right now I can't live without it, but since it's a work provided phone and they pay the rental it only costs me the price of the calls (which are cheaper than standard anyway) so I can live with that cost.

Foreign holidays I'll give up for now, but since the only way I will get to see my new nephew (1 week old today) is if I fly to San Francisco, they'll be back on the list relatively soon as it's still cheaper for me to fly myself over there than to wait for my brother to be able to afford to fly the 4 of them over here.

TV - I could probably live without - but I won't, my sky+ will be up and running the day after I move in thanks to the installation of the dish! Ah well, can't save money everywhere.