Surrounded by "Big spenders"

wymondham

When people seem to be doing better than me I always assume they are living off credit and are in debt - it helps me cope no end!

I_have_spoken

With interest rates a rock-bottom and likely to remain so for years, why not live a little? Debt/leverage is perfectly rational at the moment

There's no pockets in shrouds!

nearlyrich

I don't really care about what other people do or have, I am in control of my life and that makes me happy.

ruggedtoast

While it would make me feel better about myself to look at the BMW driver burning me up at the roundabout, and assume he is on the bones of his a5se, and his need for accelerating is based on escaping the debt collectors behind him. The reality is, he just has more money and a better job than me.

There are plenty of people in the UK who are doing OK. Assuming that everyone you know who looks flash is days away from financial meltdown is all a bit HPC for me.

nearlyrich

If you see me in my BMW be assured it's not mine and it costs me over £8k in tax each year

ging84

I find people who get wound up by other people spending on credit annoying, it's a pretty pathetic form of jealousy.
Mind your own damned business, they're not putting your savings or you house at risk, but i bet by the time you retire, consumer spending on credit will have enriched your pension fund by thousands of £.

quantic

Hmm, think I maybe touched a few nerves with this subject. Really all I was trying to say is that a lot of people I know seem to live way beyond their means and credit seems to skew reality somewhat. I'm not judging them, each to their own.

I do find it frustrating at times though, for example like when mates think its totally rational to have a stag do abroad followed by a wedding abroad in the same year, if you have a large group of mates this can be v expensive and seems excessive to me, especially given their modest income etc.

Two of my friends have cars that have end balloon payments larger than their gross salary, each time they tell me never again then get a more expensive one haha.

quantic

What I was really asking was... Does anyone else find it difficult to be disciplined and frugal, especially when you can afford not to be - so many people aren't, its so easy to justify to myself. I wasn't suggesting I think less of people who spend everything.

When a mate goes out and gets a nice new car that I know I could buy with cash but then I think that would put me back probably a year in savings. So tempting!

lisyloo

I don't personally find it difficult at all. I'd rather save than have a flash car. I'm not materialistic. You have to find a balance. A 7 year old car isn't too bad, ours are 10 and 17, so you're in the middle-ground rather than living like a hermit.

It isn't all about jealousy.
It's perfectly valid to be concerned about the state (all Us taxpayers) having to keep the !!!!less in their dotage. There is a valid economic concern as well as an unfairness.
The only consolation is that they'll be kept in relative poverty.

Generali

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISy0Hl0SBfg

Some people pay for thrills,
But I get mine for free
Man I'm just livin' my life,
Ain't nuffin crazy 'bout me.

I do struggle sometimes that I've gone from a pretty serious income and a very serious income outlook to getting by but scraping by and that's pretty hard.

Sometimes a get pretty jealous of other people's lifestyle but hey I can't afford to emulate it so what can I do. It's hard when I see mates from London though that I used to be on level pegging with who I can barely afford to buy a beer for these days.

Having said that, when I was earning well, I was pretty generous. Not madly so but there were a few times a mate couldn't afford to come out on a Friday night and I'd say, "Hey, no problem. I'll cover you." I'd just slip them some cash so they could buy a round or put in for a meal, nothing crazy. They've paid me back in spades and I think that says far more about them than me.