spend spend spend

[stitch]

thats what all the media wants us to do. thats what advertisers encourage us to do. thats what i want to do.
but on mn when i read about people being evicted, and/or in serious financial hardship it reminds me to stop clicking away on the internet for things i really really dont need. and tbh, dont even want that much.
in rl i would never know the details of a persons finances in the way we discuss on mn, i am so grateful to mn for keeping my eyes open.

I love to spend spend spend too. I have just spent the last 20 mins mentally shuffling my money about to get everything paid and have managed it bar a 199 quid credit card bill.
Havent managed to magic up enough dough for that yet!

well, youre still doing better than me. i just click, and tell dh he has to pay up!
and we are not rich by any means.

I hate the ...are you skint...would you like a new car...oh borrow from us...35 % interest when you read the small print. Have never fell for it myself but thousands do. They arent so nicey nicey when it turns out you cant aford the payments after all.

I'm a shuffler too. Just fiddled about with everything on online banking to make sure everything can be paid, and am waiting for the 0% credit card to come back and transfer the old balance onto there. Soooo wish we didn't have the credit card, but it paid for house move and a pile of wedding things, so at least it was proper things rather than pointless cr*p (iyswim).

I'm always amazed at how many people buy things on credit/hp - we have the credit card for emergencies only (the house move was sudden, and the month leading up to the wedding was a nightmare), and I worry myself sick about paying that back, then I see friends with 5 or 6 credit cards per partner.

Things like this really drum it home, and yes, they make me more nervous about money, but that is probably a good thing.

clicing and buying online never feels like real money to me somehow.

No not like a crispy 20 pound note in your hand you know should be going else where. Its the bill falling through the door 3 weeks later that suddenly feels real.

I try to deal in cash totally now, after building up huge credit card bills and loans. I finally got frightened enough to deal with it and am now solvent, but realised if I deal in real money I am a lot slower spending it. Credit cards are kept in a safe place at home so no more impulse buying.
A good trick I heard is to freeze you credit card in a block or water - it's still usable but you have to wait for it to defrost before you can use it so it restricts impulse buying.

Stitch, while I agree with you, I also think people are responsible for themselves and shouldn't put too much blame on the financial instutions. People need to be more financially aware though, I wonder if anything like this is taught in school?

I know what you mean about onlineshopping..
I'm the worst with ebay..I think I've gotten a bargain so I get carried away, then i find I have to pay loads out for stuff i would have thought twice about or left in the shop.
Can't blame anyone though!

no, i agree you cant blame anyone. its personal responsibility. thats what i am saying though. that having not fallen into the dreaded pit, its healthy for me to hear about how other people are in major crisis because of irresponsibilty with money.
nothing like this is taught in schools. its down to the parents. as i feel it should be.