Joined
·
2,594 Posts
I just read a post in 'Important announcement' that has got me thinking.
I hope this isn't offensive to anybody (it certainly isn't meant that way) but I'm wondering about being frugal and/or 'poor' in different countries and what our differences are.
Here are my reasons:
Firstly part of the post read as follows:
I use the support to deal with the fact that my financial and sometimes my emotional situation is so dire. I cannot afford "extras" I don't pay for web service (I access at work) I can't afford clothes or presents to myself etc... Most of the times I depend on the kindness of others for groceries just so we can survive.
I KNOW that we DO have differences for example straight away ~ We don't have to pay for medical care unless we WANT to. We do pay a prescription fee for medication but that's it.
Here is a bit about my own personal situation (and that's all I can talk about with knowledge!)
Neither I or my husband have employment at the moment and he 'did' have a very good job so things are quite hard for us, compared to what we are used to,
I have five children and we recieve approx £179 per week (which eBay tells me (LOL) is approx $300 US)
I am lucky that I have been bought up to save both money and 'things' instead of buy, buy, buy.
I NEVER buy new clothes for myself ~ they come from car boot sales or charity shops. And luckily so far I can't remember the last time I HAD to buy my kids new clothes.
We don't have coupons here so we 'just' budget and buy shops 'own brands' etc.
But neither I or my kids have gone without anything (except maybe cable TV, expensive named trainers, computers and all the other over the top things kids CAN'T survive without LOL)
I drive a car (second-hand) we have animals, I pay for the internet etc etc etc. (I can give loads more details obviously but I don't want to be boring lol)
I'm just wondering how 'help' varies from country to country and 'what' we spend our money on as it may be pig-headed of me but I honestly can't see any reason to be 'seriously' poor.
Don't get me wrong there is loads I 'want' that I can't have, I sometimes worry about where the bill money is coming from and I have had days when I've wondered what we will eat even.
But I don't use a credit card so luckily I'm not actually 'in debt' we just either have spending money (or not as the case might be)
But my 'needs' have gracefully ALWAYS been met (even at the last hour
) and if my kids were starving I KNOW there is still more I could cut out on to save even more.
Drastic things (to me) maybe ~ out the mobile phone and the car, sell the computer
and if really necessary everything else I own! I just 'choose' not to go that far at the moment ~ but I could.
I don't in any way want to get everyone 'heated' :fuming: I'm just being nosey I guess and I'm interested now in whether we are actually watching the money out of choice or because we have to or because we CAN'T even EAT!
Sorry to go on and on ~ I just had to justify why I'm so nosey.
I hope this isn't offensive to anybody (it certainly isn't meant that way) but I'm wondering about being frugal and/or 'poor' in different countries and what our differences are.
Here are my reasons:
Firstly part of the post read as follows:
I use the support to deal with the fact that my financial and sometimes my emotional situation is so dire. I cannot afford "extras" I don't pay for web service (I access at work) I can't afford clothes or presents to myself etc... Most of the times I depend on the kindness of others for groceries just so we can survive.
I KNOW that we DO have differences for example straight away ~ We don't have to pay for medical care unless we WANT to. We do pay a prescription fee for medication but that's it.
Here is a bit about my own personal situation (and that's all I can talk about with knowledge!)
Neither I or my husband have employment at the moment and he 'did' have a very good job so things are quite hard for us, compared to what we are used to,
I have five children and we recieve approx £179 per week (which eBay tells me (LOL) is approx $300 US)
I am lucky that I have been bought up to save both money and 'things' instead of buy, buy, buy.
I NEVER buy new clothes for myself ~ they come from car boot sales or charity shops. And luckily so far I can't remember the last time I HAD to buy my kids new clothes.
We don't have coupons here so we 'just' budget and buy shops 'own brands' etc.
But neither I or my kids have gone without anything (except maybe cable TV, expensive named trainers, computers and all the other over the top things kids CAN'T survive without LOL)
I drive a car (second-hand) we have animals, I pay for the internet etc etc etc. (I can give loads more details obviously but I don't want to be boring lol)
I'm just wondering how 'help' varies from country to country and 'what' we spend our money on as it may be pig-headed of me but I honestly can't see any reason to be 'seriously' poor.
Don't get me wrong there is loads I 'want' that I can't have, I sometimes worry about where the bill money is coming from and I have had days when I've wondered what we will eat even.
But I don't use a credit card so luckily I'm not actually 'in debt' we just either have spending money (or not as the case might be)
But my 'needs' have gracefully ALWAYS been met (even at the last hour
Drastic things (to me) maybe ~ out the mobile phone and the car, sell the computer
I don't in any way want to get everyone 'heated' :fuming: I'm just being nosey I guess and I'm interested now in whether we are actually watching the money out of choice or because we have to or because we CAN'T even EAT!
Sorry to go on and on ~ I just had to justify why I'm so nosey.