I never feel guilty spending money. As soon as I get it, I spend it. Come to think of it, I really shouldn’t be allowed to contribute to a consumer food website. However, I was broke during the boom and I’m still broke now, which menas I know how to get by. I also get the feeling I shall rise like the proverbial ‘phoenix from the flames’ out of the current economic strife, buy the ‘Residence’ private members club on Stephen’s Green, rename it something a little less obnoxious like ‘Recession’ private members club and only let really poor, dirty folk in. You know, just to piss off the shelbourne
I have always been money-wise, ever since I got my 50 French Francs (about 5 quid at the time, ah! the 70’s!) pocket money each month. Believe it or not, but as a child and then as a teenager, I used to keep my pocket money in a box where I also had a sheet on which I used to add everything I used to get and deduct everything I spent and then wrote down the remaining balance.
Even now, I do my own accounts (cash, current account, credit cards, savings accounts) on an Excel file. It must be a French thing, and may or may not explain why I studied accountancy in college.
Anyway, I have always been looking for bargains (I never buy Actimel or any brand product at full price, I only get them when they come with a promotion or if I have a coupon) and bought the cheapest stuff I could find.
I realise his may seem like obsessive behaviour but boom or bust, I am driven by the need for saving money.
I definitely wasn’t among the big spenders over the last few years as I wasn’t among the big earners! I try to keep some kind of balance between saving and spending. I don’t want to behave as if I had more or less than what I actually have. If I can’t afford it, I do without. What really annoys me though is being ripped off so often – I can’t believe some shops are increasing the price of bottled water. Bad habits and all that.
like everyone else so far I didnt over spend in the good times. My biggest luxury was a newish second hand car which although needed I could have gone with a slightly cheaper option, saying that its not like I bought an SUV, just a 1.4 litre engine little car over a 1 litre engine.
I did buy a house though but just before it went really mental and I still figure it was money better spent than on rent.
I came late to the party as I spent nine years in college between my degree and doctorate. So I joined the workforce officially in 2006. I could never understand the fever that gripped my colleagues when it came to houses. It was clear that we were in a period of expansion, and as physics says, periods of rapid expansion tend to be followed by periods of rapid contraction.
I have always spent based on a mixture of price and value. In other words, I will spend the money if I think something is worth it. The recession hasn’t changed my attitudes at all. Possibly because I was never really in the boom to start with.
I don’t feel guilty by any means, but wish I had saved more when money was cheap, and didn’t throw caution to the wind when it came to credit cards and getting taxis everywhere (the only thing I feel guilty about from the boom, wasting money on taxis)
Wednesday 20 January, 2010 at 7:27 pm
I never feel guilty spending money. As soon as I get it, I spend it. Come to think of it, I really shouldn’t be allowed to contribute to a consumer food website. However, I was broke during the boom and I’m still broke now, which menas I know how to get by. I also get the feeling I shall rise like the proverbial ‘phoenix from the flames’ out of the current economic strife, buy the ‘Residence’ private members club on Stephen’s Green, rename it something a little less obnoxious like ‘Recession’ private members club and only let really poor, dirty folk in. You know, just to piss off the shelbourne
Wednesday 20 January, 2010 at 8:42 pm
I have always been money-wise, ever since I got my 50 French Francs (about 5 quid at the time, ah! the 70’s!) pocket money each month. Believe it or not, but as a child and then as a teenager, I used to keep my pocket money in a box where I also had a sheet on which I used to add everything I used to get and deduct everything I spent and then wrote down the remaining balance.
Even now, I do my own accounts (cash, current account, credit cards, savings accounts) on an Excel file. It must be a French thing, and may or may not explain why I studied accountancy in college.
Anyway, I have always been looking for bargains (I never buy Actimel or any brand product at full price, I only get them when they come with a promotion or if I have a coupon) and bought the cheapest stuff I could find.
I realise his may seem like obsessive behaviour but boom or bust, I am driven by the need for saving money.
Thursday 21 January, 2010 at 10:29 am
I definitely wasn’t among the big spenders over the last few years as I wasn’t among the big earners! I try to keep some kind of balance between saving and spending. I don’t want to behave as if I had more or less than what I actually have. If I can’t afford it, I do without. What really annoys me though is being ripped off so often – I can’t believe some shops are increasing the price of bottled water. Bad habits and all that.
Thursday 21 January, 2010 at 11:55 am
like everyone else so far I didnt over spend in the good times. My biggest luxury was a newish second hand car which although needed I could have gone with a slightly cheaper option, saying that its not like I bought an SUV, just a 1.4 litre engine little car over a 1 litre engine.
I did buy a house though but just before it went really mental and I still figure it was money better spent than on rent.
Thursday 21 January, 2010 at 1:15 pm
I came late to the party as I spent nine years in college between my degree and doctorate. So I joined the workforce officially in 2006. I could never understand the fever that gripped my colleagues when it came to houses. It was clear that we were in a period of expansion, and as physics says, periods of rapid expansion tend to be followed by periods of rapid contraction.
I have always spent based on a mixture of price and value. In other words, I will spend the money if I think something is worth it. The recession hasn’t changed my attitudes at all. Possibly because I was never really in the boom to start with.
Friday 22 January, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Jean that’s hilarious about Granny freaking out over the unfinished cornflakes!
Friday 22 January, 2010 at 4:22 pm
I don’t feel guilty by any means, but wish I had saved more when money was cheap, and didn’t throw caution to the wind when it came to credit cards and getting taxis everywhere (the only thing I feel guilty about from the boom, wasting money on taxis)