Money

[neko]

I've always been 'good' with money. Even as a young kid, I had good jobs and a bank account. I had quite a bit for a young kid, and I think it taught me some valuable lessons.

 

To me money is all about freedom. I only want/need enough to do the things I want to do. I've always been a good investor and always pay off my bills (not once in my life have I carried a balance on a credit card). You should never spend more than you earn, in my opinion.

 

I don't think I'm cheap at all, and I despise people who are, but I'm frugal. Same as others have mentioned, we don't drive a fancy car (my bikes are worth far more). We indulge in certain luxuries, but enjoy the simpler things. I donate a fair amount to charities (almost exclusively animal related).

 

I never like having less than a couple months of cash in our accounts, and I don't like even borrowing on our mortgage for investment properties, but it's been a great investment and easily manageable.

 

One of my personal mantras is that I don't trust (hardly) anyone when it comes to money. People can be really stupid with it, which I find shocking. 

 

Damn, I'm boring.

[Scott_M]

Is that a philosopher?

Des'ree.

[stringvest]

You can use it to free you, but you can become a prisoner of it.  

 

I definitely have a different attitude to it since becoming a parent - which was a long time ago.  I used to blow it as soon as I earned it, but now the responsibility to provide enough for the children to get them through education is the big one for me.  I do play a hard line with them in terms of pocket money etc - they're too old for that shite now, so they are expected to go out and earn it.

 

I was on the bones of me arse as a kid, and I saw many families (including my own) just crippled by poverty, with no way out.  I was vey fortunate to find a way out, but many of my peers were not.  Because of that, I never take money for granted, but at the same time I refuse to let it be the boss of me.  

 

Age teaches you about the futility of chasing the dollar.  If that's what you hanker after, what you have will never be enough.  

Be happy with who you are, and if you can't, then change things so that you can - it's in your gift.  Engage with people.  Smile.  Think well of people, and you'll sleep well and feel better for it.  

 

Even SD.

[Remmie]

For many years I was single and free to my own devices with a middling income and had become used to buying what I want and going on holiday all the time. But now my wife lives with me, going out, eating, clothes etc costs twice as much and she hasn't got a job yet so it's on the same income. Added to that I got a (third) wedding to fund not to mention a honeymoon, for the first time in a very long time I have needed to really watch my pennies. Coming from Ukraine, my wife is very adept at this and it's weird her saying we can't do this or that due to money. Going out with mates is almost automatic to me and the idea of saying no seems weird.

 

In some aspects of life I am good with money: I go on cheap holidays, don't waste money on a car, don't have many expensive techy gadgets, get a lot of my food from the market but in other areas I am a dick and too used to using a credit card without analysing the financial impact. I was good with money when I was young but University completely desensitised me to debt. Time to reign in bad habits as it won't be too long before we start trying for kids. 

[lifetime fan]

I've had a fluctuating relationship with money over the years. Like many when I was younger I'd spend every penny I earned and a fair few more on top, built up some debt and then got in the mind frame of wanting to be debt free so maxed out the overtime and drastically reduced what I was spending.

 

It got to a point where I'd never have any savings but I never had any debt apart from a car loan and that would never be for anything over two thousand.

 

I got to the point where my credit rating was excellent but could never have afforded to buy my own place as I just wasn't able to build up the required deposit and Carly had a different view on life. She'd rather an extra horse than own her own place so whilst between us we had a very comfortable income we had a lot of outgoings too.

 

After what happened I'd never say she had the wrong approach, just a different one to many.

 

I was in the fortunate position after Carly's death she left me 3 pensions and a few other bits of money that then allowed me to buy a small place of my own. I did that up but ended up going massively over budget and running up nearly £15k of debt in doing so. That money you could argue was an investment as the value of the place I bought has now gone up by £35k in less than a year but that money needed repaying every month and it was a significant cost I needed to budget for.

 

The fiancée doesn't like debt, she hates it and gets uncomfortable if she has anything approach a thousand pound on a credit card despite having substantial savings in the bank from the sale of her house. After a lot of talking about weddings, debt, property and future plans Tegan made the decision to clear off my debt with her savings.

 

It's a very generous thing to do and will save me/us a shitload on interest but its all swings and roundabouts to us. She doesn't own a property so my place will be increasing in value and we'll both benefit from that, she has also been able to give up work and move to Dubai on my salary. She is looking for work but has been able to have a 4 month holiday so far.

 

There is no pressure for Tegan to have to work but if she wants the wedding she does, then she'll have to use more savings if she doesn't find work and that's not the first choice for either of us.

 

We're currently being very sensible with what we spend and are trying to rebuild the savings up as quickly as possible. The debt whilst being paid every month actually affected Tegan's sleep and would keep her awake at night. Her attitude is that she would much rather be starting from a position of having a little in savings and be able to put £500 away every month than see the same amount going out in debt. It's only a subtle difference I guess but it does help with your mindset when it comes to spending I've found.

 

Instead of seeing 500 quid disappear as soon as I'm paid and then thinking everything else is left to spend you view your money as a pot to live off and try to minimize all out goings and save £600 say that month. Manage that each month and the savings quickly add up.

[Elite]

Ideally I would be debt free with a few grand in the bank and a spare £500 a month to do as I please with. I would be very happy with that.

[Rico1304]

some kind of financial awareness should be taught at school, it'd save a lot of problems described in this thread.

[Scott_M]

some kind of financial awareness should be taught at school, it'd save a lot of problems described in this thread.

I agree. There should a course or something for learning about how mortgages, loans, credit cards etc etc all work.

[Pidge]

Or how a £3.5k higher job offer translates to a £30 increase in take home...

 

Money is tough, the constant short-term vs long-term battle, always having some one off things crop up when you're trying to save, seeing all the money you pay to the state paying for less and less while the government dismantle the support structures you believe in. How the economy almost died because of cheap credit yet we're coerced towards it and held hostage by credit scores... Ugh.

[Jairzinho]

I agree. There should a course or something for learning about how mortgages, loans, credit cards etc etc all work.

 

That seems about as likely as teaching about Socialism and Anarchism.

[VladimirIlyich]

I'm 1 old person away from being mortgage free(the wife's grandad). Problem is I'll probably go before him, can't even do the old roller skate on the stairs as he live in a bungalow.

 

I spunked a load of my parents money away when I was fucking around at various universities, what an ungrateful little shite I was. I'll never be able to repay them but I try and look after them now. My mum mentioned the other day that she's worried about her and dad retiring and having enough money. In reality they'll be ok, house is paid for and they've got a couple of pensions. Nearly broke my heart as if I hadn't spent all their money when I was 20 they'd be a lot better off.

I'm very surprised you havent disconnected their Gas supply yet. I guess you will be leaving it until the Winter to avoid suspicion.

 

[Bjornebye]

some kind of financial awareness should be taught at school, it'd save a lot of problems described in this thread.

Too right. Not enough life skills taught at school. How to be with money, how not to be a prick, how to fend off muggings....

[Rico1304]

I'm very surprised you havent disconnected their Gas supply yet. I guess you will be leaving it until the Winter to avoid suspicion.

When their moaning starts to annoy me they've had it.

[Mook]

some kind of financial awareness should be taught at school, it'd save a lot of problems described in this thread.

 

Maths covers a lot of it but doesn't take into consideration that the vast majority people are fucking nuts.

 

I was a tit with money until a few years ago (spent every penny I had & was in the deep end of my overdraft for two weeks a month) but I knew exactly what I was doing.

[Bobby Hundreds]

The more cash I have I find the less things I want. Iv'e always been more of a saver anyway, happiness to me used to be a full pack of ciggies in one pocket and a few quid  in the other. I don't smoke anymore.  

[Guest Pistonbroke]

I'm pretty good with money even though I'm overly generous with it at times. I can't remember the last time we had debt, we are not rich by any means but just tend to live within our means and buy stuff if we have the cash to pay for it. Missus Pisto will always keep me in check if I become to frivolous. 

 

On a side note, some of the best times of my life have come about when the cash flow has been tight. 

[Champ]

I was great with money until we had kids

[Nunavut Patrick]

I'd have more of it if the price of ale was lower.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

You can use it to free you, but you can become a prisoner of it.  

 

I definitely have a different attitude to it since becoming a parent - which was a long time ago.  I used to blow it as soon as I earned it, but now the responsibility to provide enough for the children to get them through education is the big one for me.  I do play a hard line with them in terms of pocket money etc - they're too old for that shite now, so they are expected to go out and earn it.

 

I was on the bones of me arse as a kid, and I saw many families (including my own) just crippled by poverty, with no way out.  I was vey fortunate to find a way out, but many of my peers were not.  Because of that, I never take money for granted, but at the same time I refuse to let it be the boss of me.  

 

Age teaches you about the futility of chasing the dollar.  If that's what you hanker after, what you have will never be enough.  

Be happy with who you are, and if you can't, then change things so that you can - it's in your gift.  Engage with people.  Smile.  Think well of people, and you'll sleep well and feel better for it.  

 

Even SD.

 

 

I've seen Peaky Blinders mate, I can imagine.

[lifetime fan]

I've no problem someone being very sensible with money, tight even. But disappear when it's your fucking round and we won't be friends for long.

[The Golden Eel]

I've no problem someone being very sensible with money, tight even. But disappear when it's your fucking round and we won't be friends for long.

I hate doing rounds, it gives rise to all sorts of unnecessary hassle.

[Mook]

I've no problem someone being very sensible with money, tight even. But disappear when it's your fucking round and we won't be friends for long.

 

I think if you're skint then you just need to withdraw from rounds & look after yourself. I've taken some stick for it down the years but it's a lot better than doing what you've described.

 

I know cunts who will move everybody to a cheaper boozer when their round is coming up on a pub crawl, absolute twats.

[lifetime fan]

I think if you're skint then you just need to withdraw from rounds & look after yourself. I've taken some stick for it down the years but it's a lot better than doing what you've described.

 

I know cunts who will move everybody to a cheaper boozer when their round is coming up on a pub crawl, absolute twats.

I've never had a problem or once given anyone shit for staying out of a round and looking after themselves.

 

It's when someone has 5/6 pints and then all of a sudden they've fucked off home before they've got a round in that makes my piss boil.

[Champ]

Kitties are good when there's a few of you but equally if you're not prepared/able to pay your way, dont go

[Jairzinho]

I hate doing rounds, it gives rise to all sorts of unnecessary hassle.

 

Yeah, it's total fucking shite. After eight pints who can be arsed to be keeping count of who bought what. Are we on the second round of rounds? Was it pints or shots? Just buy your own fucking drinks.