What is your MSE bug bear?

Bayblue

Reading this thread is making me realise how lucky I am with my friends and family. Most of my friends are either in the same financial boat as me or are too polite to comment on my money saving (penny pinching!) ways. As for family, those closest too me love money saving and bargain hunting.

Now that I think about it, I was brought up with a 'make do and mend' attitude, and I can't really see how I lost that and got into debt. Laziness I think, that and taking my eye off the statements. Anyway, I don't have anyone around me putting me down for my DFW ways, most folk seem all for it. NOT that I'd take any notice if anyone did disapprove- I flaunt my Lidl shopping and snobbery over which shops people use really baffles me- they even had it as a storyline in Corrie recently, honestly who cares who shops where??

wherediditallgo

I know someone who spends £3 a time on a chicken salad from Sainsbury's for lunch, which amounts to some pasta, a few strips of chicken, about 5 cherry tomatoes, a sprig of lettuce/herbs & some dressing. She buys that at least 3 times a week. She could make it herself for no more than £3 for all 3 portions, but says she can't because she hasn't got time to put it all together in the morning before coming to work. She looks about to have a cardiac arrest if you suggest doing it the night before & putting it in the fridge. You can buy pasta for 19p for a 500g bag which will do for several meals, & just add your own meat & sauces - once it's been cooked, it only takes a couple of minutes to heat up in the microwave.

Another colleague goes to the cafe on the way to work & gets breakfast for "only" £2.50. God forbid they bring a box of cereal to work & keep some milk in the fridge. There's also the person who regularly buys a jacket potato salad for lunch for nearly £4 a time. They could buy potatoes & make their own filling for £1 tops.

And why am I made to feel like a miser because I see no reason to put the heating on a timer when I can't guarantee what time I'll be in to make use of it? I'd rather get home & wait a few minutes for the place to warm up than have the heating on for hours unused. Even the guy who came to service my boiler asked why it wasn't on. Why would I have the hot water on when I'm not using it? He looked at me like I was a freak.

And the next person who comes to my home & fills my kettle to the limit for just a cup of tea or instant coffee is going to get a slap. Why waste the electricity & the water? I have a small flask, & if I boil too much water I pour the excess into the flask to use later, rather than boil the kettle again.

wendy_ann1983

I get made to feel a bit stingy at work sometimes when i say i shop in costco, lidl or buy tesco value. I was on a course with a guy at work and he was saying he had to go to M&S to pick up some pre pred salad, whe i asked why he didnt just go to lidl (almost opposite M&S in the local retail park) he said something like 'no way would i shop there, its all cheap poop' now ok, we earn very good money but he has 3 kids and i dont think the missus works so surley every penny should be looked after

it took a while to get OH into the mse way, he wasnt sure about he value stuff but now hes tried it he thinks its great and loves that i can cook a really nice meal from whatever leftovers i have stashed in the cupboards. There is still a few more things id like him to do, switch off his PC and the games consoles etc when not in use but hes getting there.

my paretns also bug me a bit, both pretty much retired, only dad getting a pension (long story but basically mum doesnt have one, both only in mid 50s) but mum has a part time receptionist job and pops into M&S to buy lunch evry work day, she has started taking snacks and her own drinks but is still wasting soo much and dad says its too much effort trying to swap his cards around to get a better deal (hes been with current card -access- for more yrs than i can remember and getting a poo deal. (ive just looked online, you cant even get an access card anymore!!)

Also my nan, pensioner, also has an access credit card that all food shopping is done on (mum and nan go shopping together every wk and mum pays her as soon as nan gets statement) card is payed in full every month, i suggested last yr she try and get a cashback card so that they get something back, even a tesco card as that is where they shop but nope, no one listens.

tealady

What a great thread! I go mad if lights are left on and for tumble driers well don't get me started on those!!
Holidays are another annoyance. When I say I am not going on holiday cos I can't afford it people look at me pityingly, well as single supplements are anything up to 75% I refuses to subsidise someone elses trip. I don't run a car either and cope very well getting around
Also I have no intention of getting into debt for something that I couldn't afford to pay for up front.
Rant over.

sammy115

I think I have most of the bad habits on here, but my real bugbear are people who cry poverty and can't afford to go anywhere or do anything yet smoke like chimneys and drink loads every night at home.

I am talking about an older generation of pensioners now (related) who live their lives around when they can next have a smoke when they go out so its not even really worth going out!:mad: I am so glad I gave up years ago

wendy_ann1983

oh dear, have been sat here since around 4am and have just realised i left the bedroom light on when i got up (was hoping to get back to sleep) whoops, you may all slap my wrist for being a naughty mser

MYLITTLESISTERLOLA

I get money saving from my mum, she raised two children in the 80's on one salary, she is reasonably well off now but it still really careful when it comes to spending.
I often have collegues making jokes about me ebaying stuff, I just laugh and say making £150/week clearing out stuff I don't need, it's a no brainer for me:rotfl: .
My dad used to call my son '2nd hand Sam' as almost everything he has is 2nd hand, I remind my dad how much these things cost in the shops & how much I got them for ( usually buy 2, one for mum's and one for home ) he is now proud of me for being so good with money, he goes about telling people, my daughter got something that was £75 in the shops for £5, then when she was done she sold it for £20. When people make snipes about money it makes me laugh out loud, I try my best to get the absolute best deal out of every purchase and as a result we will be debt free in 1 year allowing for price increases in the credit crunch.
I often try to teach people about ebay, quidco, bootsale etc and have had some success 3 of my sister-in-laws now sell at bootsales regularly, my dads secretary thinks quidco is great
I try to share my money saving knowledge and experience of good deals, if people aren't willing to take my advice ( tell everyone to have a look at this site etc ) then as long as I'm saving I really don't care
We can't convert everyone to moneysaving ways but as long as we are saving and getting the best deals and not being conned by shops/services then I'm happy !!!!! but I still always try
p.s. my work collegues always joke about how many holidays we have a year, Last year Portugal, Costa del Sol & Greece, This year Jamaica, and I say well if you watched you pennies like me:rotfl:

MYLITTLESISTERLOLA

wendy_ann1983 wrote: »

it took a while to get OH into the mse way, he wasnt sure about he value stuff but now hes tried it he thinks its great and loves that i can cook a really nice meal from whatever leftovers i have stashed in the cupboards. There is still a few more things id like him to do, switch off his PC and the games consoles etc when not in use but hes getting there.

I'm just recently married ( 3 months ) and since we came home from honeymoon I had been on a moneysaving mission, new baby planned for next year and credit crunch biting as well as debts to clear up before baby
He used to think it was a pain, but now he thinks its great.
Everyday when I come home from work he gets a money saving update and surely everyday there something I have either learned or bought for a song
He envies my mney saving knowledge and I'm teaching him step by step
He'll know when it's my birthday in a few weeks it better be a bargain present or money, my biggest bugbear is when husbands go to buy presents and just buy the first thing they see, don't even look at price, but he's learning last Xmas he bought me a bracelet that was on a half price sale... he's learning I liked it and was so glad he didn't buy a rip off present

jak

Ohh that's a good one! I hate when my husband buys me stuff full price. He's still in the mindset of 'if it's expensive..it must be better.' For Christmas he got me a digital camera- it cost £150!!! And we couldn't afford food! I mean it was a lovely pressie but I said i'd rather be able to eat this month, and he couldn't take it back!!! AND I still need to get a memory card for it! Love him!

wherediditallgo

sammy115 wrote: »

I think I have most of the bad habits on here, but my real bugbear are people who cry poverty and can't afford to go anywhere or do anything yet smoke like chimneys and drink loads every night at home.

You & me both. Many years ago, a friend came round & asked to borrow some money as she was "desperate". She had two young children at the time, so I assumed she needed something for them, so of course I lent it to her. We then walked back down to her house together, as I was going to get some shopping & the supermarket was near her house. She came into Safeways with me & I watched her get herself a bottle of wine & a pack of ciggies - from my money that she was so "desperate" for! :mad: I was so angry, especially as I felt I'd been misled.

Although I don't have much money these days, I'm still prepared to help someone if I can. However, when people ask to borrow money now, I say "I don't think I can help you with money, so let's see if I can help you in another way - what's the problem?". If they're not prepared to tell me or if an alternative way of helping isn't good enough for them, I wish them the best of luck & keep my purse firmly shut.