How many people complaining they are broke have fancy devices?

[IRememberXanadu]

I was waiting to pay for petrol this morning when I overheard two ladies who were queuing up for the till next to mine, complain about the price per litre (of petrol). One way saying that she is really worried about the upcoming increase in price of electricity and gas, with the other agreeing and saying they don't know how they'll cope. While talking, they were looking at their phones - these were very expensive iPhones.

Later, I was relaying this exchange to a colleague, who said he has a friend who has also been going on and on about the upcoming price hikes and how worried he is, but also just bought (himself - it was not a gift or a work phone) a brand new iPhone.

So that got me thinking - while it's unbelievable that we are having to worry about utility prices in this country in this day and age - how many people are saying they are worried about how they will afford to heat their homes and use electricity, while still spending money on non-essentials? Of course we all need treats, but surely spending hundreds of pounds on nicer stuff when you could still buy something cheaper and put the savings towards essentials you are worried about affording, beggars belief? We are not hard up but have been thinking twice about buying luxuries when we are still in the dark about how much it will cost us to run our home, come this winter. Surely it can't be just us...

I agree op..
I've never ever been near an I phone or anything like it.

Couldn't and don't want to pay for it.

Yes , lady at work has one and yes she has been moaning about money, however....I think for one reason or another it's just one of her luxuries in life.

Well I'm not broke neither are the people I actually know - so we're winning already, yes.

I'm liked by people similar to me, that's all that matters.
I'd rather be rich than well liked anyway.
I'm not a criminal - nothing to be ashamed of.
The people that would not 'like' me, well I'm hardly going to be crossing their paths unless occasionally when you have to encounter admin, service colleagues. I'm hardly going to express my views to them openly as I am doing here.

@Miajk Lots of people also saying "well they took out the contract before" - right, if you're in a situation without savings where a shift in the economy (which happens often) would make you worry, why would you ever take out a contract for 3 years for an expensive phone?

Well, I'm 33, so the shift in the economy which you may have fully expected, has never been seen in the time I've lived away from my parents home - so, Since I left home at 18 and thins have always been pretty stable then this sudden downturn is quite a shock yes - my buying my phone 12 months ago would have made a huge difference now wouldn't it (with the massive interest I'd have got on the £15 a month savings for my Iphone 12)

@TSIFT If you can't afford childcare, then stay at home. well, our childcare is bloody expensive, at double the mortgage price, but If I'd left work when I had my children I'd still be on Min wage, as it stands - in the Few years since having the kids and returning to work (often to only break even each day) I've doubled my salary, upped my pension pot and paid a shit ton to both a nursery and HMRC.

even if it's a crap house in an area full of people you wouldn't touch with a barge pole and then rent it out to those people.
I know lots of people like me from humble backgrounds that have lots of money and assets - they spent their money, time, energy where it belongs - education, career development, assets. and this is just bullshit! Private landlord wealth is the exact problem, and Fil (who owns 6 properties in deprived areas agrees) He bought those houses at knockdown prices 20 years ago and rents them out to people who can't get mortgages but who grew up in the areas - he wholly acknowledges his privilege and Isn't a dick in doing so. He has kept the rents at the benefit allowance for his long term tenants who need it - has replaced carpets every few years and redecorated for them annually - they are homes and not just his profit margin.

@Wealreadyknewcant you read?
I said I have an old Motorola.
I don't need an iPhone to make myself seem important!!

I don't agree with the phone example, but I do agree that as a general principle; people don't want to go without anything anymore.

Can I ask how you became your version of 'rich'?

The people that would not 'like' me, well I'm hardly going to be crossing their paths unless occasionally when you have to encounter admin, service colleagues.

you might be surprised

What a ridiculous post, OP.

I see you have a car. Presumably ancient and completely necessary and you bartered cabbages for it?

Ah yes, if all of us younger than boomers simply didn't have smart phones, stopped eating avocado on toast, made coffee at home and cancelled Netflix we'd all be millionaires. So kind of you to share your unique observation with us. Have you contacted the daily fail yet?

• Phone contracts aren't that expensive generally. Probably cheaper than buying a phone outright and then having a sim only/PAYG and less warranty.
• A year or 2 years ago we didn't know utility bills, fuel, food and everything inbetween were going to increase so much.
• there's quite the jump from affording a £25/30/50 a month phone contract to monthly outgoings increasing by hundreds
• a smartphone isn't luxury anymore, a lot of our lives require access to the internet and a smartphone is a great way to combine that and having a communications device- again essential and potentially saving money by not having a landline
• judge the people who got us in this situation not the people trying to get by
• or just keep your judgement to yourself as clearly you are ill informed at best

I haven't read this thread through so perhaps someone has already said what I am going to say and no doubt I will be sworn at for writing this. I was born in 1947. I grew up through the 50s and 60s. Round about 1960 Harold MacMillan said that by and large the people of this country had never had it so good. I think he was right and by and large this good has gone on getting 'gooder'.

Down the social I encountered a lazy little woman who had three children and made a fuss because Social Fund refused her a loan for a washing machine. She didn't know how she was going to do her 'fucking washing'. I'll explain how - soapy water in a bowl, get up off your backside, babe, and a pair of hands, or a trip to the launderette. She is one example among thousands, whining their whole lives through that the world will not give them everything, never, ever, having the self-respect of standing on their own feet, and nowadays, encouraged by the TV journalists to continue the boring, wittering whine.

The people of this country have been so spoiled with material-wellbeing for so long that many have lost sight of what really matters. I am sure there is a big gap between the have muches and the have not muches and that is down to many things, including the fact that wage rises are always percentages rather than flat rate. I am also sure that some people can make ends meet ok and could explain kindly to other people how to do that, but it would probably involve having to learn that you can't have everything that you want.

When I was a teenager there weren't different flavoured yogurts in wasteful pots and there weren't nail parlours. It was egg custard that your Mum made and paint your own nails. It's nice to have things. I was quite bowled over when I BOUGHT a pair of curtains rather than making them, but there are so many things that we can live without. Grandad was happy. He didn't have central heating or an I-pad or a car or a big ego that needed to swank to people.

Now I'll be reported for having common sense.

@onthefencesitter

If that happens well half that money is mine anyway!!!

Plus he doesn't like white women so he's hardly going to fall in love with that type!!

He doesn't like fake women of any race - so really isn't going to happen.

It could happen of course, could happen to anyone - but it'll have to be a meeting of brains - not some trashy tart.

Plus, we're religious people - we don't have the same issues you might face.

Pious as well? Gosh, you really are the gift that keeps on giving, @TSIFT.

Camels, eyes of needles, wasn't it?

Everyone is moaning about the cost of petrol plus the cost of fuel so who knows how much each person earns and what their circumstances are.
Fuel is very expensive so folks will comment on the price even if they're loaded

One day a busybody will start a thread about you OP they'll be criticising and judging and how will you feel when someone sticks their beak into your life..
Nobody is perfect including you OP

@TSIFT I’m not broke (might even be considered ‘rich’ by your standards) but I’m also not lacking in empathy, emotional intelligence or frankly a total c word. And I’m not winning. I’m lucky, yes I might have made good decisions but a lot of it is down luck. Winning to me is good health and happy, healthy friends and family.

And I don’t select my friends based on their pensions or spending habits.

I have a feeling though that you are someone that seriously lacks the ability to view life from other people’s perspectives.

After well over a decade of cheap interest rates I do worry that many people are massively over leveraged. We have all been encouraged to borrow.

Where I agree that a smart phone is now a necessity having the latest model is not. It might only be £70 a month but then add in the car finance, credit card debt, overdrafts, mortgage repayments... As the prices continue to rise more and more people will reach breaking point.

What a stupid post! OP, you'd say the same about my mum I guess. She has a samsung, it would look to you like an expensive phone even though its a samsung s9 which is considered old. You'd think why did she get a £600+ phone, well she didn't buy it. She gets my hand me downs when I upgrade so how does your generalisation work out now then? You don't know the circumstances in which that person got their 'luxury phone'.

Very few people actually buy a phone outright.

I always do. It works out much cheaper and you can be more flexible with sim deals. I recommend it to people but they seem to feel more reassured to buy in a contract. I think they just are reluctant to change normal practice.

Its debatable. I have always bought phones outright; so has my DH. But my parents who are much richer than I am buy their phones on contract. They are in a different country and they say based on their calculation, its cheaper to do it that way. I haven't devoted the time and energy to calculate if this is also the case in the UK.

I suspect it may be break even... I buy a cheap phone though, my current phone was £139 and I have a sim only deal with giffgaff.

I don't understand how you can assume I am not religious. I am actually religious? DH is from such an orthodox jewish background. But I don't make assumptions about people based on their religion. You aren't a better person just because you are religious.

There are literally all sorts coming out of the woodwork on this thread.

@UnnecessaryFennel
I'm not interested in English sayings or Christianity - so if you're going to make a point make it clearly

I think @TSIFT has jumped the shark with their last couple of posts. Fun while it lasted, though.

Agreed