BBC Breakfast interview

Nonnadiluca

Someone was telling me yesterday about an interview on BBC Breakfast, she thinks last week, with a woman who spent a year only buying the absolute necessities in order to see what she really needs to live on. Did anyone see this and was it any good?

PasturesNew

Yes, Ms McGagh of the Guardian newspaper.

But it's mostly guff and huff.

She actually spent "£30/week on living, AFTER mortgage and bills were paid" - no telling what those bills were. She also is quite young and lives in London with her husband, so wasn't "alone" and had plenty of company in her own home and on a daily basis. There's also a lot of free stuff in London.

And ... as she was doing this, specifically to be paid for her articles and to write a book at the end, it was short-term and she'll be loaded now etc etc.... she gave up a few things for a year knowing it would come to an end and she could go mad again (and she did) .... because, ultimately, doing it was "her job".

So, it's a "staged event" not something many can actually learn lessons from.

Yes she went on holiday - she took a cycling holiday - with her husband in Norfolk. Fine if you're young and have a bike and a husband.... and, as she was "playing at it" she could afford to take risks and waste money on camping. This was "for a book".

She's a financial journalist by trade.

You have to actually buy her book to find out how she did it ....

At the end of the year she'd saved over £10k and had paid £27k off her mortgage... indicating she usually had £17k kicking around anyway.

In short: If you moved into somewhere with a friend, for a year - and all bills were paid, could you live on £30/week if you knew it was only for a year and you'd make a shed load of money from writing about it, with the weight of the national press behind promoting your book? I think most people could ... and £30/week is probably more than most single people on the dole have left over each week AFTER bills.

Slinky

I take it you won't be buying the book then Pastures New?!

Pollycat

Slinky wrote: »

I take it you won't be buying the book then Pastures New?!

Proably an excellent synposis, PN.:T
You have saved me the money I'd have wasted on the book.

(Only joking, I wouldn't have bought a book like that anyway - not even from a charity shop).

Caterina

Aren't all attempts at savings quite laudable, regardless of the age and social status of the person attempting them? And isn't the fact that this young woman has renounced so many fripperies of modern life in favour of frugality very laudable too? I will certainly look her up, even though I am not young and have no intention of taking up a cycling holiday (although a RESOUNDING YES! to camping - in summer).

There is so much moaning, rolling of eyes and grinding of teeth on these boards about the young nowadays, how they don't save, how they squander, how in the Olden Times we used to do so much better in these areas of life, then one Young One appears to be doing just so, let's encourage her! It does not matter that it is only for a book! It does not matter that it is only temporary! She has learnt very good lessons by the experience, I am sure, and has done what she had to do to make a living, compared to her peers - financial journalists, they don't live on 30 quid a day, not even after bills, I bet.

Let's just be glad that the frugality message is becoming more mainstream and let's applaud a young woman for joining the bandwagon! And, no, we don't have to buy the book, probably listening to the interview on catch up or reading the blurb about the book is more than enough to give us OSers a good idea that she is "teaching Granny to suck eggs" in our case, but her book might inspire many people to live a more financially sensible life.

PasturesNew

Pollycat wrote: »

Proably an excellent synposis, PN.:T
You have saved me the money I'd have wasted on the book.

(Only joking, I wouldn't have bought a book like that anyway - not even from a charity shop).

I'll give you my take on another "sound byte".

Official: Didn't go to see her old grandad in Ireland, missed out at Xmas, because she couldn't afford to go on her budget.

My take: Started late November, so had been in contact with parents and said "Look, can we do Xmas mid-November this year, maybe make a weekend of it at Thanksgiving... and we can swap gifts and have our own fake Christmas, it'll be fun. Doing this new book lark so can't come at Xmas .... but that'll be over by next year so I'll definitely come then. See you in a couple of weeks then."

But let's not forget - she made her new life in London, so wouldn't be "home alone rubbing two £1 coins together...." she'd have been in her nice London home having a "family Christmas" alone with her husband. Many people's idea of a dream Christmas not having to drag themselves around at the worst time to travel.

PasturesNew

Caterina wrote: »

...

The thing is, people who are "playing at it" are giving hope to those who will have to live their life like that. It's an entirely different lifestyle/scenario.

I feel they give "false hope and illusions of a really jolly and upbeat time" when knowing it'll all be over soon and often living in good accommodation etc, whereas their target audience might be really down on their luck and living in a damp bedsit in Bradford.

I just feel "sad" for those that think she's "like them", that's all.

Yes, good for her ... but what if her roof had fallen in, or the washing machine broke, or the telly, or the freezer broke and all food was lost - realities for those "living it" and not "playing at it".

Not entering into a "tit for tat/argument" here, just saying that ... I feel for those whose situations will not change, which isn't always because "they should've worked harder" either at life or at the challenge.

Even £30/week, especially if sharing food costs with somebody else, is quite a good amount to have each week for many.

Here she is: https://www.theguardian.com/money/blog/2016/nov/26/no-spending-year-over-new-way-living-wealthier-wiser

Caterina

I see what you are saying, PasturesNew, and I did not post with an intention to enter any tit for tat, it is just that I feel that any attempt at frugality and potentially inspiring other people to spend less is just to be applauded. Of course people who are already very poor might see through what you call the "jolly and upbeat times" and know what's behind the scenes of having a very limited income.

However, then we could sneer at the 5 days living under the poverty line initiative by the same token, or giving up certain treats for Lent.

I am happy to applaud the lady's attempt to live with less, without any agenda on my part. Good for her if she gets a book out of it, again, it might inspire some other people to do the same.

No offence intended, whatsoever.

PasturesNew

Caterina wrote: »

I did not post with an intention to enter any tit for tat

I had to say that because .... I'm rubbish at it and cannot "type what I mean" and so I always look "in the wrong" when I wasn't trying to "be right" IYSWIM

Nonnadiluca

Thanks for your input, I will look her up and see what I think. Although I am fairly frugal, I find there's often something to be learned from others experiences so am always interested in reading/seeing what people are doing.

VfM4meplse

She was on Woman's Hour as well last week, distinctly unimpressive!

OP, I'd recommend that you read "Stuffocation".