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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be surprised that in a recession...

118 replies

Joolyjoolyjoo · 14/10/2011 23:04

The businesses that seem to be thriving in my town centre are nail bars, beauticians and travel agencies Confused Oh, and pawn shops/ buy your gold/ brighthouse.

The nail bars/ foot-eating-fish emporiums are always busy. But other businesses seem to be going under. I have been watching, as I've recently opened my own business (vets) in the town, and I am appreciative that times are tough. Don't get me wrong, we are slowly doing ok (lots of lovely clients and I think I am fairly priced). But it seems to me that when times are tough the first things to go would be the luxuries (to me, acrylic nails etc) but this doesn't seem to be the way it works. I am intrigued by this.

To me, priority is bills, then food, then essential household stuff (kids clothes/ shoes/ necessary repairs etc) I can understand why (sadly) some smaller speciality shops have gone, and even the demise of Woolies (which I loved Blush) but every time a long established business closes a beautician/ nail bar seems to open up and be busy.

It seems like the people in my town must be pawning their gear, selling their gold...then going to get their nails/ feet done before booking a holiday! Anyone else's town starting to look like this?

OP posts:
WinterIsComing · 15/10/2011 00:02

wonders if OP would have operated on my hamster. He had a tumour on his eye

AuntiePickleBottom · 15/10/2011 00:04

tbh i need the £6.50 i spend to get my eyebrows waxed.

it makes me feel better about myself and this is the only thing i have for myself in the month...i gave up smoking, drinking and coffee shops for the sake of the family.

i need something for myself

sunshineandbooks · 15/10/2011 00:08

I don't think anyone would choose a lipstick over their children's shoes TBH. What probably happens is that they buy a lipstick and then the DC comes home with the sole hanging off their shoes.

I'm a sensible person too, and I don't spend £20 on makeup over the year, let alone on one lipstick, but I do understand this.

I was poor for years - firstly as a student (without family to help), then married to man who couldn't keep a job, then as a single mother who earned a decent salary but was paying out so much on childcare that I had less than someone on benefits. Unless you've really really struggled with money it's really hard to understand how utterly soul-destroying it is to never have the money for something nice. Most people can cope with it for a while, sometimes even a few years, but when it stretches on longer than that it's horribly depressing. I completely understand why people build up credit card debts to break up the misery and monotony of being poor. It is quite often a stark choice between debt and sanity.

sunshineandbooks · 15/10/2011 00:11

But for what it's worth, I very much doubt that the regular customers of these shops are that poor. I think they're probably largely unaffected by the recession, or are those that have scaled down from more expensive versions elsewhere in favour of doing it cheaper locally.

Original poster
Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/10/2011 00:12

I would have operated on your hamster, winter! I do small furries cheaper as I believe they deserve the same care that bigger animals do, but understand that if someone has spent £5 on a hamster they won't necessarily pay £100s for an op. I get a lot of satisfaction out of operating on these guys. Would have been £20-£30 to remove your hamsters eye. I've taken bladder stones from a guinea pig that another vet refused to operate on, and 6 mths later he is doing brilliantly!

OP posts:
sunshineandbooks · 15/10/2011 00:16

Bladder stones from a guinea pig?! Bloody hell, that's impressive!

HoHoLaughingMonster · 15/10/2011 00:16

Everyone knows that nail bars / tanning shops / dog grooming salons are a cover for the owner's gangster-boyfriend's drug dealing business / money laundering. Or is that just round here?

WinterIsComing · 15/10/2011 00:18

You have a good point there, sunshine. DS is disabled and we had a disastrous Haven holiday so were looking hopefully at Centre-parks. We were a bit surprised at first that it was still so expensive in the current climate.

But we know many comparatively wealthy people who are having staycations in the UK, doing theatre and hotel trips, hotel and theme park visits etc instead of two foreign holidays, flights and passport renewals, so by the laws of supply and demand, many things are still popular and still the same price.

Original poster
Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/10/2011 00:18

sunshine- at the moment I am the person "struggling to have money for something nice"! I have resorted to wearing my walking boots to work because my shoes are all knackered! I haven't had my eyebrows waxed for over a year. I haven't had any new clothes in I don't remember how long, but I refuse to go into debt. Yeah, maybe when we start making a bit more money things will ease, but even then I can't see that I would spend on "frivolous" items, unless I had plenty savings behind me.

I think that is the crux. I accept I'm NOT "worth it"! Grin

OP posts:
cate16 · 15/10/2011 00:20

hoho
maybe it's just our areas, because that's exactly what I was thinking.

sunshineandbooks · 15/10/2011 00:22

What will you do when your walking boots fall apart and there still isn't any extra money?

sunshineandbooks · 15/10/2011 00:24

Sorry, didn't mean that to sound as aggressive as it did.

But my point is that you've only been poor for a comparatively short time - you haven't had your eyebrows waxed for a year - and you expect things to improve in the future so you're hanging on in there until they do. Other people have been poor for best part of a decade and have little or no chance of things ever improving.

That said, I'm with you all the way. I am the no-fun person who never went out for years and had second-hand shoes off friends. Thank god things are better now! Smile

BustersOfDoom · 15/10/2011 00:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

madmomma · 15/10/2011 00:25

Winter I am in danger of weeping over your hamster. (am pregnant). And I don't even like animals! His poor little tiny eye!Sad

Spuddybean · 15/10/2011 00:26

i know exactly what you mean OP, but a lot of things are on groupon vouchers etc. So, before the recession i had never had a pedicure. But now i have less, i concentrate my money and have lentil soup etc for lunches but once a month i buy a voucher for £10 for a fish pedi etc. and get to feel a bit decadent.

Original poster
Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/10/2011 00:27

My walking boots won't fall apart in the near future Grin

besides, I have money in savings that is earmarked for Christmas (was earmarked for a new (second-hand) car, as mine is a nightmare, but hey-ho, can't afford it now) I'd probably buy a cheap pair of shoes to tide me over if I had to.

OP posts:
WinterIsComing · 15/10/2011 00:29

Oh. I wish I had insisted. I had that sort of money then. Perhaps it was more of an inoperable brain tumour. He was a dwarf hamster so it might have been difficult to tell.

Wow wrt the guinea pig Smile

brighthair · 15/10/2011 00:29

I spent £120 on my hamster with a pyometra last week. 24hrs later she had to be put to sleep

A treat for me is a £10 fish pedi or a starbucks cake and drink or a new nail varnish

sunshineandbooks · 15/10/2011 00:30

Sorry to digress on the subject of shoes, but it brings to mind a wonderful Terry Pratchett quote about being poor:

"The rich man can afford to pay $50 for a pair of boots that will last them 10 years. The poor man buys $10 boots that last a season, because he only has $10 to spare. At the end of 10 years, the poor man will have spent twice as much as the rich man on boots, and he will still have wet feet."

Grin
lesley33 · 15/10/2011 00:32

I suspect there is a bit of difference as well in what some people see as higher priority purchases. For some women without lots of money, not looking poor is a pretty high priority. So regular haircuts and nails being done is a fairly high priority.

I'm not saying they are spending money on this rather than buying food for their kids, but maybe spending money on this rather than things for the house.

My experience is that many people who have been really poor for a long time - now or in the past - don't want to appear poor. There is a huge stigma in our society to being poor. So many some long term poor people would never buy stuff in a charity shop for example.

People aren't logical in their spending - whether poor or rich.

lesley33 · 15/10/2011 00:35

By logical I mean feelings come into purchases rather than just the utility of a purchase.

WinterIsComing · 15/10/2011 00:35

Oops, sorry madmomma, posted that before I saw yours. He had a very good innings though and was truly cherished. He waited until I got up in the morning and took his last breath while in my hands.

DC are not allowed pets Hmm

WinterIsComing · 15/10/2011 00:37

I love that quote, sunshine and it's true. I read on another thread today that someone's grandmother said that there's nothing as expensive as a cheap pair of shoes.

Original poster
Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/10/2011 00:38

Busters- I never assume people's financial position. I quote and am often surprised at the results- the well-to-do looking guy has school fees/ mortgage etc and baulks at the idea of spending on the dog; the wee old lady nods and pulls out a wad of £50 notes!! You can never ever assume. I just feel a bit sad when the same people who are groomed to perfection can't/ won't pay for treatment their animal needs.

sunshine- sadly I've not only been "poor" for a comparatively short time. I've only worked (very) part time since having the dcs and had a big income drop- which has dropped even more since I started my own practice and worked full-time, but I know things are getting better. Fact is, I am comfortable where I am. There are things I would like to buy, but I can't afford them. That's ok. Someday I will no doubt be better off. but I doubt I will ever EVER pay to have fish nibble my feet !

OP posts:
sunshineandbooks · 15/10/2011 00:38

Sorry about your hamster Winter Sad