It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!

Sea_Shell

I didn't marry at 17!!! Although, I was only early 20's!!! No uni for me.

Only the real brain boxes did back in the late 80's, the rest of us got jobs.

Triumph13

Am I the only person who is planning to teach my kids to drive rather than pay for someone else to do it? It's not exactly rocket science!

westv

atush wrote: »

Different times indeed. Cant marry at 17 now.

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You can marry at 16 with parent consent.

JoeEngland

Triumph13 wrote: »

Am I the only person who is planning to teach my kids to drive rather than pay for someone else to do it? It's not exactly rocket science!

True, but it'd still be worth them having a few lessons prior to the test to check for bad habits and advice on doing the test.

westv

When I took driving lessons in the early 80s the BSM instructor also included a few tips on handbrake turns and rally driving. We ended a couple of lessons down the pub.

jamesd

JoeEngland wrote: »

All this talk of the cost of having kids makes me glad we didn't have any! ☺

You've also done way more than your share of the stopping of global warming, since having a child imposes costs so high that no other changes in lifestyle can come close to matching them. And you got it done long enough ago that most of the benefit has been delivered when it can make the greatest difference.

enthusiasticsaver

Sea_Shell wrote: »

I will just respond to this point. Surely, don't a lot of people do this??? Not for money saving reasons, but the pure logistics of "soaping up" without the water running, so you don't immediately wash all your suds off.

So yes, I get wet, wash my hair and face, turn the water off, soap up, then turn it back on to rinse, (in plenty of hot water I might add).

If that makes me tight or odd, then so be it.;)

I even had a long hot soak in the BATH after my latest long run, bubbles right up to my chin. Oh, the luxury of it - How extravagant of me!!!!

Both OH and I turn off the water mid shower too to soap up. As you say not only for mse reasons but environmental ones too. Wasting water either by running the shower unnecessarily or letting the tap run whilst brushing your teeth is a shocking waste. Nothing to do with saving money but obviously if on a meter it does.

Suffolk_lass

westv wrote: »

If I had them, I'd like to think they'd be able to fund their own driving and housing.
What is it with 17 and driving? Why do some many people automatically think you MUST drive then?

We live in a Village 4.5 miles from the nearest train station, 4.5 miles from the nearest small towns and 10 miles from the two nearest larger towns with facilities like cinemas, bowling, and organised events for young people. From 1st November our bus service to the Station (06:00 and 18:30, weekdays), and the two hour frequency bus between the two larger town will no longer come through our village and the school transport to the larger town in the next County is withdrawn. The cost of taxis is over £10 to (and £10 from) the nearest towns.

That is why we wanted our Son to learn to drive as soon as possible. Quite simply, it liberated us from the taxi of Mums and Dads

enthusiasticsaver

atush wrote: »

If you had them, you'd know better. Easy to be dismissive if you dont.

Where we live you MUST drive. Out in the country, limited to no bus service. Plus all my 3 are american citizens. And only the poor dont drive there. You can live in a city like NYC and not drive, but pretty much everywhere else you have to. So i made sure they know how. It is a life skill.

AS for paying for their own? Well i suppose they could have, but they needed to drive to school. And while they applied for Saturday jobs, there were over 50 kids for every job in a small town. One of the twins got down to the last 3 for an interview 3 times. but was a year younger than the others (Summer baby).

They managed to get summer jobs at 18, but were going to uni so had them save all their cash for that. Already had their licenses then though.

Once they started earning they had to pay for it all, incl insurance and annual service and road tax. Even with summer jobs had to pay for the petrol. Was a shock for them getting those first bills lol.

I agree with much of this. We considered driving a life skill so encouraged our daughters to learn and helped with the cost of driving lessons, first car and insurance. We paid half and they paid half. We live rurally, eldest daughter was at Uni 400 miles away so her driving saved us making the trip with all her stuff every year and it gave them more job opportunities. They both had summer and term time part time jobs to pay for running the cars and were both paying everything after leaving Uni.

enthusiasticsaver

Triumph13 wrote: »

Am I the only person who is planning to teach my kids to drive rather than pay for someone else to do it? It's not exactly rocket science!

Once my daughters had done a few lessons I let them practice driving using my car but I did not feel I could teach them to the level of a qualified driving instructor or be relaxed enough to let them drive my car without dual controls until they had learnt enough to be able master controlling the car fairly confidently.