Generation Skint

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

carolt wrote: »

What a cosseted world you must live in. Do toughen up - I can certainly manage without all the gadgets. You'd clearly find it rather hard.....

Don't think I'd find it hard. My early life was far from cosseted:D but I wouldn't change any of it. Anyway, you certainly spend alot of time surfing for someone who has an aversion to gadgets.

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

Benefits_Blagger wrote: »

Even the homeless have ipods now, although i guess the older tramps tell the younger ones that it was harder in their day as there wasn't any about to nick off people.

Yes this thread is becoming reminiscent of that old Monty Python sketch - "try telling that to the kid's of today and they won't believe you?". Remember it anyone? I used to lick the road clean with tongue:rotfl::rotfl:

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

Maz wrote: »

I can relate to this. When I go into other peoples homes, I'm staggered at the 'appliances' and gadgets they have, not just in the kitchen but throughout the entire place! Tellys in just about every room, amazing bits of kit in the kitchen, ipods etc.

We are a family of 4 - my kids are 12 &14. We all have our own computer and we are all on them all the time. We all have an ipod. We love our computers and we love our ipods. :smileyheaIt's not like they are sitting in the corner not being used. In fact, I wouldn't be on this thread if it wasn't for my lovely lap top:iloveyou:

JonnyBravo

carolt wrote: »

No, I don't.

Would you rather live on the street, but with your own kettle, toaster etc?

Have you never heard of kettles you put on the hob? They existed in 'the old days', you know. You can make toast on the grill too, you know. I've lived without washing machines - happy memories of washing clothes in the bath... I've also certainly lived without central heating - haven't you?

What a cosseted world you must live in. Do toughen up - I can certainly manage without all the gadgets. You'd clearly find it rather hard.....

oh carolt, its good to see you back, but clearly your argument here is a little one dimensional. I thought renting was acceptable in the short term? It seems to be people arent allowed "luxuries" until every person owns their own house?
(Incidentally if your dad owned his own house in the 50's (on his "average" salary) he was far from the norm as has been discussed on here before.)


So you live without these "luxuries" do you?

You have no central heating? No kettle? No toaster? No washing machine?


:rolleyes:

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

JonnyBravo wrote: »

So you live without these "luxuries" do you?

You have no central heating? No kettle? No toaster? No washing machine?


:rolleyes:

But she has a computer....:rotfl:Bet she has a phone too:p

PasturesNew

BACKFRMTHEEDGE wrote: »

We all have an ipod.

People will read this and think !!!!!!!!! but .... I've never seen/held an iPod yet. Really.

And if you put one in my hand and told me to do something with it I'd look at you all gormless and go "eh?".

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

PasturesNew wrote: »

People will read this and think !!!!!!!!! but .... I've never seen/held an iPod yet. Really.

And if you put one in my hand and told me to do something with it I'd look at you all gormless and go "eh?".

It's not so clever really - it's just away of carrying all your "records" around with you in your pocket;)

SingleSue

Lol....an Ipod!

We only have the one computer (yep the one the kids are always complaining that mum has taken over)

We don't own any ipods although eldest son does have an ageing cheapo MP3 player.

Shock horror, we don't own a dish washer, can't see the point in them personally, by the time I try to work out how to use one, I could have a whole sinkload washed by hand!

With increasing gas prices, my central heating is more off than on and my children are slowly learning that if they are cold then to put an extra jumper on or to sit on the sofa with a quilt around them.

I don't even have a toaster! All toast is done on the grill.... I tend not to burn it that way.

My childrens experience of holidays is not luxury hotels in a far off place via a plane but camping or a static caravan in exotic places such as Great Yarmouth and earlier in life, Dorset (lovely place, would love to go back there again but the fuel price makes it unaffordable) and going by car.

Their experience of shopping is also a little different to some of their peers, clothes are purchased via ebay or the sales in local shops - mum never pays full price. In supermarkets, value for money is the hot topic, so no big brand names (unless they are on special offer) enter the trolley although my big discovery is that squid which I always thought was expensive actually makes a very cheap meal for a family of 4. (1LB of squid (£2.09), fry in (home made) batter and add some cheap noodles - 8p a pack - feed a family of 4 for less than £2.50).

Some may say that the children are being denied things but I prefer to think they are being set up with the tools to budget in their later years, to seek an alternative to their wants and to above all, save money.

Budget queen signing off!

Edited to add - And all this done without credit, they see mum actually using cash and if the money isn't there, then the item does not get purchased!

abaxas

Look at it this way.

2008 - everyone can afford ipods/computers but cant afford to go out and drink or smoke

1970 - !!!!!! is an ipod/computer but I can drink myself to death in a pub and smoke 40 coffin nails a day.

We are no better off, just the goalposts moved from social situation/additions to buying tat.

tomstickland

My kitchen is smallish so no microwave, have a hob kettle, do my toast under the grill and got rid of the telly long ago. I see all these appliances as unecessary clutter for me and more importantly, as a waste of my money!

I don't mind equipment, as long as it is useful.

Do have:
washing machine.
cooker
fridge
steam iron
desktop pc. See no need for a laptop, I never plan on taking it anywhere, plus I get more performance and utility for less money this way.
pay as you go mobile phone. Very useful when used.

Don't have
tumble drier - it can dry for free
dish washer - no space
microwave -no need
toaster - use the grill
ipod - I like the principle of digital storage and music playback but have never got round to buying anything. I listen to most music from hi-fi CD using high end headphones (one toy I did allow myself, but they do get used every day for a few hours and the old ones were knackered). Anything else will sound a bit cack.
tv - no need

Some may say that the children are being denied things but I prefer to think they are being set up with the tools to budget in their later years, to seek an alternative to their wants and to above all, save money.

It'll do no harm at all. My parents were hard up when I was young, but I still had a lot of fun. It does make you realise how cluttered up/soft some people are though.