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AIBU?

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Original poster

...or does skint mean different things to different people?

71 replies

PinkyandtheBrainyOne · 30/05/2017 20:07

Sometimes I'll be asked out for drinks with work friends and reply that I can't because I'm skint. They'll then suggest I come for "just a couple". Now personally, when I say skint, I mean I have no money - or no extra money - to go out with.

But it does seem like some people mean skint in the sense that they don't want to dip into what money they do have. I hope I'm making sense. Basically, I'm wondering what side of the fence the majority of people side on?

Thanks.

OP posts:
MugwumpSupreme · 30/05/2017 20:13

It does. I have a friend who is regularly 'too skint' to come out but will spend £400 on clothes the next day. To her it means 'I don't want to spend my money on going out with you'. I think by saying 'Just have a couple' people mean they'd appreciate your company anyway, you could theoretically still go and just drink tap water or whatever.

Instasista · 30/05/2017 20:14

I think tbh it's can be used as a way of allocating their money according to what they prefer- after all there is no harm not coming out with you and spending £400 on clothes if what they want is £400 worth of clothes.

Justmadeperfectflapjacks · 30/05/2017 20:16

My ex friend was always skint.
I use to pay for the coffee /cakes at least twice a week. . Maybe lunch once a week. Never begrudged it. .

Until she bought a Mercedes convertible cash!! Second hand but still. . .
Wiped the mug sign off and walked away. .
Not just for that but def a contribution to the decline of our friendship.

ChickenBhuna · 30/05/2017 20:20

Skint , to me , means all of my cash is for something and that I have nothing spare.

When I was younger , in my teens and 20s, skint meant that I literally didn't have a tenner to spare.

If the woman you mention had £400 saved for a shopping trip then I'd say that's okay. Maybe she was saving for that new bag/dress for a while by cutting down on nights out.

anyoldname76 · 30/05/2017 20:20

my mate always says shes skint but saves ar least £500 a month, im skint when i have no money at all

ChickenBhuna · 30/05/2017 20:22

...though it is cheeky to allow others to pay for you when you are saving for that treat item.

DoubleCarrick · 30/05/2017 20:23

We're broke but not broke. Genuinely don't have money for holidays and have to be careful with how much money we spend - we allocate ourselves about £20 maximum a month leisure money for the two of us, however, it allows us to spend the odd £100 every so often on decorating the house. I'm sure friends think me odd that I always refuse to go out for lunch/coffees (maternity leave - lunches/coffees seems to be the norm annoyingly)

DoubleCarrick · 30/05/2017 20:24

I mention holidays because I was told the other day "don't go on holiday, that's a good way to save money"

blackheartsgirl · 30/05/2017 20:24

Skint to me is scrabbling down the side of the sofas for extra pennies for a pint of milk that u have to try and make last for 2 or 3 days. Or having 46p left on the emergency leccy and you all need baths or showers before u can too up.

Been there too many times

Justmadeperfectflapjacks · 30/05/2017 20:27

I once had to borrow a quid from a neighbour when dd lost a tooth!!

bottledatsource · 30/05/2017 20:27

Ive realised my DSis doesnt know the meaning of skint. I once mentioned I was skint and also had a heavy cold. She said "well at least get yourself to the chemist and get some cold remedies and plenty to drink". She has never experienced having an actual empty purse, nothing in the bank, nothng left to sell, no money anywhere.

BikeRunSki · 30/05/2017 20:27

If my sister says she's skint, it means she's got less than £200 in her current account.

For me, it means I've got enough to get by on doing the minimum, but trying not to touch savings if I don't have to - so no splashing the cash on a night out.

gillybeanz · 30/05/2017 20:28

I say skint when I can't justify wasting money that is needed for something else, so not wanted but needed, like a bill or food etc.
If the money is already spoken for I consider myself skint for luxuries iyswim

bottledatsource · 30/05/2017 20:29

Justmade Bless you Smile

Seenoevil · 30/05/2017 20:34

My skint is skint in my current account, so less then £50 and not wanting to dip in to savings I have.

So technically I'm not skint skint but too skint for luxuries such as lunch out etc, but not skint enough to not be able to afford a loaf of bread and pint of milk.

BitchQueen90 · 30/05/2017 20:41

I have a savings account which I do dip into if necessary but I'd rather not spend it on frivolous things, it's for emergencies. As in if I have an unexpected bill, or DS needs something, etc. So if I get an invite somewhere for food or drinks out and I've got nothing left in my current account I will say "oh I can't, I'm skint."

I would not accept anyone else paying for me though, I just wouldn't go.

TeachesOfPeaches · 30/05/2017 20:44

Hate the word skint. My colleague lives at home with her mum and puts £800 away in savings every month and bangs on about being 'skint' to me every month. I'm a single parent who relies on housing benefit to help pay my rent even though I work full time Hmm

flummoxedlummox · 30/05/2017 20:47

Skint for me is one little thing going wrong making me go overdrawn or having to borrow money off family, which I hate.

c3pu · 30/05/2017 20:49

To a person better off than me I have no doubt they'd consider me to be skint. I have a long term financial plan that I stick to, which gives me a fair degree of stability, if not a great deal of luxury.

No doubt to somebody who is struggling to make ends meet, I would not appear skint.

It's all relative.

Lanaa · 30/05/2017 20:52

It means different things to different people. I also think it can change according to age/circumstances. When I was younger, skint meant having less than a tenner to my name. Now I get a bit panicky when there is less than one month's wages in my current account.

YY to it being about how people allocate funds. At the moment I think I'm too skint to buy new clothing, but I've just been on a long haul mini break, and this afternoon I bought a fridge full of delicious food opposed to the Tesco value fayre I'd eat in my younger years.

My mate is always complaining of being skin, yet has the latest gadgets and head to toe designer clothes. Its relative I guess,.

migrating · 30/05/2017 20:53

It can mean people cannot afford food, or it can mean people have nothing leftover after putting x amount into holiday fund/hairdresser fund or whatever.
Either are acceptable, people don't have to explain or justify their financial position or decision. If someone is saving hard for a deposit or something, they are not lying, just being strict in their budgeting. Nothing wrong with that.

Expecting others to pay for you however is not acceptable!

Frouby · 30/05/2017 20:55

My mate is always skint. Always. Never got a penny to her name. Always just a couple of quid to last until payday.

Goes on naice holidays 3 times a year though, smokes like a chimney and often spends money on clothes/shoes/stuff for her hobby etc.

I used to pay for her lunch if we went out. Dp used to buy her drinks on a night out. I stopped it when she had 3 holidays one year and we didnt go away because we couldn't afford to.

It's up to her what she choses to spend money on. But I don't pay for things she could afford herself anymore. If that means she doesn't come it means she doesn't come. I miss her company but not the feeling used bit afterwards.

KanielOutis · 30/05/2017 20:56

Skint for me is also skint for luxuries. I can have £1k in the bank but if it's the end of the month I'm no more flush than I am at the start of the month because that's bills money. It's rare that I'm truly skint.

StarUtopia · 30/05/2017 20:58

My mate said she was skint to me last week..

Just posted pictures of her on holiday in Greece?! Like WTF! Haven't even had a holiday in over 8 years because we actually ARE skint.

Skint as in...found enough money to get the kids an ice-cream each at McDonalds today (back of the sofa...under the bed etc) but couldn't afford a coffee for myself so just sat their watching them have their ice creams.