You know you're skint when...

[DontLetMeLetYouGo]

I know this was done a few years back but thought I'd do another.. The term skint has been debated in my household a lot..

So what do you define as skint? And what does it mean to you?

And you know you're skint when....

[mcdog]

This is actually a really interesting thread on a sociological basis as what one defines as skint another will define as well off. Interested in the different responses :)

[DontLetMeLetYouGo]

mcdog that is why I'm interested. I say I can't do a lot of things as I prefer to spend/save money elsewhere. I wouldn't say I'm skint at the moment though but I'm careful most of the time with my money.

[Badders123]

To me it means lack of options
Lack of opportunity
Lack of choice

[mcdog]

I'm fortunate now, but at my most skint (student nurse) I had to chose between toothpaste and shampoo.

I guess I would feel skint now if I had to turn down a lunch date with my friends

[meffhead]

The kids have packed lunch because you can't afford school dinners

[SweetieXPie]

The toilet roll runs out and you have to use kitchen roll or vice versa

[scandichick]

When you have to choose between utility bills and food

[frikadela01]

Agree with mcdog. When I was a a student nurse I had to ring in sick to placement because I didn't have even 50p to my name for the bus fair. Whereas now I'm lucky that skint means saying no to invites out/things for myself but certainly still having the money for necessities.

[hownottofuckup]

Skint was when I went 36 hours without electricity as I couldn't afford to top it back up and put petrol in the car to get to work/ DC to school.
It was fine, it was the summer so warm enough and light. During the day they went to school, I went to work, by the time we got home it was bed time! I think we spent 1 night at my parents too.

We survived.

[DontLetMeLetYouGo]

Mcdog I know that feeling as a student nurse. I was a lone parent too and childcare fees were 825 a month. Then costs of living/travelling. I didn't get travel reimbursements either.. Glad I'm out of that scenario now!

[frikadela01]

When I was growing up though skint meant having no electricity or gas in the house and making do with 5p beans from kwik save. I feel insanely lucky and thankful that non of my family are in that positon anymore.

[mcdog]

Perhaps we should start a thread about your most skint as a student moments :)

[DontLetMeLetYouGo]

My brother thinks I'm a freak because I try to get the best value for my money etc and that I'm always looking for ways to save. The difference is I have a safety fund. He has nothing and a lot of debt with nothing to show at the grand old age of 25.. Not just a couple of thousands.. Way past twenties...

I think he is one of the reasons I try and be so careful. I think of him and his lifestyle and how I do not want that.

[Fairylea]

When you have no lights working upstairs and haven't had for 3 years and counting as you can't afford to fix the electrics that were damaged due to a damp / roof problem. Currently living it....!

[WhizzPopper]

I class us as currently skint. We have 4 bank accounts, all at the bottom of our overdrafts and both cars will need fuel next week we are very close to absolutely zero money and it's scary. Pay day is Friday so we just have to last until then and thankfully should be ok for food.

[notagiraffe]

You know you are skint when you can't afford necessities for yourself and/or family food, waterproof shoes and clothes in bad weather, travel fares to work, rent on a habitable place etc. But I feel skint when I can't afford things I'd like to do, or that others appear to afford easily (even though I clearly choose to spend money on some things they think they can't or don't choose to afford) so that's not really skint.

[CremeEggThief]

Having no money to spare after essential food, bills and travel (work or school/college).

[IHaveBrilloHair]

When not all of your lights have bulbs in them, and you don't even think it's odd.

[lightcola]

When you have to pinch a loo roll from work to tide you over till pay day.

I always tell my DH off for saying "we're skint". Yes we can't afford the nice things we want, or to go out for meals, but we have a roof over our head, run a car, food in our tummys and clothes to wear. For that reason alone we are richer than many other people.

[Titsalinabumsquash]

I'd say we're skint when we are freezer diving for meals because we can't afford regular bills and food shopping.

However growing up we frequently went without meals, went without electric, heating, we missed school due to nothing for the lunch box and a few times we had to move because the rent arrears got too high and the bailiffs too frequent. Mum sold her stuff to make ends meet and had more jobs than was healthy. THAT was skint.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

You go out for a walk on a freezing cold day because you know your unheated freezing cold house will feel a bit warmer when you get back in.

[champagneplanet]

Fortunately I am lucky that DH and I are comfortable and our parents are in a position to help us if we weren't. However my DM told me a story a year or so ago that made me think.

When I was about 8 in the summer holidays I was looked after by a neighbour so I could stay in the street and play while DM went to the shops. DF had not long been made redundant and money was tight. DM had bought extra shopping and walked the couple of miles home instead of getting the bus (she couldn't afford both), when she passed us I apparently said I was hungry, she offered me an apple, and because I was with other kids offered them one too (reluctantly but it would be unfair not to). One took a bite and then said she didn't want it, DM said she could have cried as it was a waste. The thing that upsets me was at the time I had no idea that money was so tight.