to cry over lost money?

[cozietoesie]

I just reviewed some documents. I was earning some £970 a month. (1990) My mortgage was £913.12 a month. I remember bursting into tears on London Bridge (in a bus) because I saw an Evening Standard hoarding on the street that interest rates had gone up. My then husband didn't work. I could have bought a plentitude of jewellery, handbags .... you name it.

Oh Lordy. I suppose it was good practice though.

I don't get it?? Why is the money "lost" assuming you were using it to pay off your mortgage?

So you lived on £50 a month? Why is this making you cry now? Confused, sorry.

My then husband didn't work. Wouldn't work. I did the business for the whole house.

Eh?

I'm somewhere between and

Yes - I lived on that money. I saw the mortgage statement just now.

Double eh?

Don't get it, sorry.....

Is this because you could've gotten benefits?

gabby???

I get it, you are regretting supporting a previous husband and thinking about what you could have done with the money if you had been with someone who contributed?

A cliche I know, but there is no use crying over spilt milk. I used to feel the same when I think back to my high earning/spending days...what a waste. But at least I had fun, doesn't sound like you did.

How did you cover all other bills? Must have been really stressful.

I cry over anything at the mo, most notably today because I forgot to add menthol refill things for dd's Calpol atomiser thing to the internet shop that just arrived, despite having pondering how to get more all bloody day.

I guess it's down to me being the complete breadwinner for all those years. I have one handbag and two pairs of shoes. I'd love to have more - but never could be done.

ahhh well you know, as Kierkegaard once said/wrote

"life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards"

hindsight is a wonderful thing. there must have been a reason why you were happy to live like that back then? must have been something good about it?

I think thah what Cozie means is that in 1990, when the country was in recession, the interest rates suddenly went sky high (to over 15%) and people's mortgage payments doubled or worse within a few weeks. Although it only lasted for a short period of time, many many people lost their homes because of it. The 'lost' money is the additional money she has to pay out unnecessarily, to cover the interest rates. Yes, people lived on £50 a month (or less) because holding onto your house was the most important thing.
This could very easily happen again in the very near future.

Ah right now I get it! Best not to dwell on the past. Having 'stuff' doesn't make you happy though, believe me. All you can do now is move on :)

*that

How did you get a mortgage costing £900 odd earning not much more than that? Council tax alone (not entioning travel et) would be nore that fifty pounds a month, even in 1990. Unless it was £970 a week?

jenrendo

Right!

It's just stuff! Too right. That's what I'm trying to tell myself.

I would like another handbag though...........

I remember the day when that rate change was announced. Was it 1991, 2? People were going mad in my office.

wahwahwah

Trust me - it wasn't easy.

PS - which was why I cried my eyes out on the bus.

I remember - our mortgage was a princely sum of £685 a month and that was a bloody fortune. By some mad luck we had got a fixed one and - have always done this ever since!

Well - to be fair. The mortgage went down to £880.21 and I became a dab hand at cooking with lentils! (And Mom helped a bit - although I paid her back, of course.) I just feel bad that I was the only one to work and had no pleasure. (The former husband wasn't interested in working. I had all the responsibility.)