Hard Times

aardvaak

Is anyone actually having harder times or is it just the media hyping it up?

PasturesNew

Nothing much has changed in my life so far.

Just probably another 50p on groceries and another 50p/week on petrol. So now I buy less groceries (cut back on sweets) so I'm ahead again (and thinner maybe??) and for petrol, I am probably driving £1/week less (less groceries to buy). So ahead overall. Maybe.

But I lead a very, very simple life.

fimonkey

Well my weekly petrol has risen by £5, so I've had to give up one of my daily bottles of wine.

Pasturesnew, like your myersbriggs scores, did you get them for free? If so, which site please? (Off topic I know, but v interesting)

beingjdc

Read the debt-free wannabee board. Plenty of people are having harder times. Their mortgages have gone up hugely, their wages haven't, they're paying more for food, fuel, etc, and the credit line of borrowing to cover the difference has been cut off.

Me? Well, I'm saving slightly less than I have been, because food has gone up so much, but I try to live on half my wages, so I'm ok!

fimonkey

oooh the DFW board... that's where you get lots of cyber hugs isn't it? http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=965141

Kez100

I've nothing to complain about but I am noticing the difference and, if I am, there must bemany, many more out there that are noticing it more.

High fuel prices helped determine the car we bought in March but we had to buy one anyway. We are also growing more veg which we have been intending to do for years (having grown soft fruit successfully) but food prices have kicked our butt into gear on that one. We are considering our summer holiday a bit more carefully (like location for mileage purposes).

beecher

I am noticing a difference, but then my salary has been frozen since April 2006 so it isn't suprising. Next year it is going down by 10% and that'll be a bit of a shock. Food's definitely more expensive, but I've cut down a lot, and fuel is more expensive. Don't really mind a more frugal lifestyle though as I say next year will be tough.

aardvaak

You see various "specimen families" being interviewed on television - it would seem obvious that the media are picking the very worse case or is it these people write in or contact the media to get on television?

PasturesNew

fimonkey wrote: »

Pasturesnew, like your myersbriggs scores, did you get them for free? If so, which site please? (Off topic I know, but v interesting)

Yes. I've a rule that goes "Never pay for anything unless you REALLY need it". No idea where. Googled at some point... google is your friend, go stroke your friend.

P.S. for others: NO mention of butt plugs there! See!

beecher

aardvaak wrote: »

You see various "specimen families" being interviewed on television - it would seem obvious that the media are picking the very worse case or is it these people write in or contact the media to get on television?

I don't know if they do show the worst cases as everytime I see a story of woe on the tv I think 'well maybe if you cancelled Sky and hadn't bought the huge tv and vast collection of dvds/computer games you'd be okay'. Then I usually have an uncharitable thought about the amount of food they obviously eat and feel bad about myself.

I think it is obvious that many have overstretched themselves financially on mortgages, and many more just can't spend less as they are so used to buying 'stuff'. Everyone without a safety net is going to be caught out while the rest of us can maybe do without a few things and not really notice the difference.

Dithering_Dad

fimonkey wrote: »

oooh the DFW board... that's where you get lots of cyber hugs isn't it? http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=965141

Isn't it where people get helped by sympathetic people who have already walked a mile in their shoes? Or it is the place where people who are sitting pretty just offer abuse - I always get mixed up...

To answer the OP. Our bills have gone up and so the amount we put into our savings has gone down. No drama as yet.