Selfsufficientish.com

boboff wrote:
The only thing I should say is something which is going to sound really stupid to you, and to many others hear who live close to the edge financially. We should all try and have savings equivalent to about 6 months salary in case of emergency. Yes I know, as if, but it is a given by many that this is really what we should all be aiming for, to cover the really bad times.

Lol! If you earn nowt that shouldn't be too hard to achieve!

boboff wrote:What ever happens stay happy, and don't get upset about the curry, it gave them all the squits!

Bob - you are very naughty - and very funny!

I'll definitely be putting the blog on my favourites list keaniebean

The only thing I should say is something which is going to sound really stupid to you, and to many others hear who live close to the edge financially. We should all try and have savings equivalent to about 6 months salary in case of emergency. Yes I know, as if, but it is a given by many that this is really what we should all be aiming for, to cover the really bad times. That doesn't help though does it! Sorry.

I think my Grandmother always had 'running money', even when she had little else, which I guess is the same sort of thing. Credit cards can be dangerous because they appear to provide just that - of course then you have to pay it back

Thanks for making me laugh Boboff

Milims wrote:I fully understand that there are occasions when something unexpected happens and income falls short of necessary expenditure. But if it is a regular occurance that the necesaries can't be paid for, surely the logical thing to do is to look at what is going on and make changes to priorities. When I left my x he ran up £2000 bills in my name for things like gas, electricity, mortgage arears & phone - all necessities (but not to the level he was using them!) as well as others. On only a part time, not very big, salary and tax credits I had to pay them within a couple of months, as well as keeping up with the regular bills and taking care of the needs of the kids (and just before christmas!). I learned frugality the hard way but have never looked back.
I fear that I may be sounding like an arrogant know it all - I honestly don't mean to I just think that all too often money is seen as the cause of and solution to a more basic problem that really we should be taking personal responsibility for.

You don't sound arrogant at all , and I agree with you. I do think there are some levels of income that it's just very, very difficult for people to manage on, but you're absolutely right that money is seen as a solution, and it isn't. I think the thing about having money (our household income, always with housing costs of at least £800 pcm, has ranged variously up and down between about £17K and £85K per annum although we're nowhere near the top end at the moment ;-) ), is it lets you off the hook from dealing with things. Miserable? Buy a holiday. Hate yourself? Buy new clothes. Feel inadequate? Buy a flashier car/ tv. Neglecting your family? Buy them presents. Never see your friends? Pay for an evening out and spend all of it on your mobile. Can't be bothered to budget? Doesn't matter! - Of course none of these are solutions for more than about 5 seconds, and in fact they just make whatever problem there is worse. So yes, I agree about taking personal responsibility for the underlying problem.

Well put Susie

Hello there ,

the ideal annual salary will be enough to easily pay all bills , buy fully organic food stuffs and then make the salary by working
20 hours a week for it ,

regards ,

Paul

Milims wrote: It concerns me that people have to decide which bills to pay. Surely the priority is to pay the essential ones, electricity, water, food etc. If someone is having difficulty paying those why are the running up others (please believe me that this is not criticism directed at you BT - it is simply that, having experieced, such stress,(xhusb!) I now don't understand how people willingly put themselves in such a position) I'd say it's more fulfilling to simply enjoy the company of your loved ones than to try to make it more exciting by throwing money at it. It makes me sad that people argue and destroy themselves over something as dead and unfeeling as money

Don't worry Milims, no offence taken. I should clarify that at the moment, it is the essentials we are having to prioritise, sadly, rather than more flippant things like car HP payments or sky TV.

But you have illustrated my point - I agree with your way of thinking - but the problems arise when the person you are living with has other ideas!

bonniethomas06 wrote:Don't worry Milims, no offence taken. I should clarify that at the moment, it is the essentials we are having to prioritise, sadly, rather than more flippant things like car HP payments or sky TV.

But you have illustrated my point - I agree with your way of thinking - but the problems arise when the person you are living with has other ideas!

Lordy tell me about it - he wants to buy and run a posh car so you have to go round the supermarket with his mother to get the BOGOFs just so as you can eat - er - no that was me not you! Sadly I think that all to often this is the case, where what shold be a decent salary is misused by some to the detriment of others

I earn 14K. It pays my rent, buys what I need and I'm saving to travel, slowly but progressively. The one thing that is annoying is paying back the student loan I owe, in the mistaken belief I'd get a well paid job on graduation 5 years ago. I do grow some vegetables, I don't really spend money on huge luxuries. Maybe 2k more per year would see me living like a King. But again it's all relative, I'm sure if I earned 40k I'd say the same.

I have to say not haing a car saves ALOT of money.

cocobelle wrote:I have to say not haing a car saves ALOT of money.

maybe...........
maybe not.......

I don´t have a car at present, well not one that functions anyway.

I would most DEFINITELY be better off with a functioning car.
I could do a bigger shop somwhere cheaper,
I could maybe get some work. ther are a couple of possibilities, woudlnt earn much, but would pay the running costs
I could go collect some wood for the woodburner instead of sitting here huddled up with a sleeping bag round,me, hot waterbottle , etc..

depends n the individul´s circumstances really........

I can survive without a car ( obviously), but for ME. life would definitely be better, and cheaper with a car!

niknik wrote:sitting here huddled up with a sleeping bag round,me, hot waterbottle , etc..

Are you in a cold part of Spain?

TheGoodEarth wrote:

niknik wrote:sitting here huddled up with a sleeping bag round,me, hot waterbottle , etc..

Are you in a cold part of Spain?

Depends what you call cold............

It´s all relative. but after a while one gets acclimatized.. but yes it can be cold here( 850m altitude)
and certainly at night. The temperatur has been known to drop to -10º C (rare though)

days can be very warm and often see people at this time of year in Tshirts...... ( tourists mainly ) , but then seems even colder at night!

Some parts are even colder. even in the South.........

This year I'm going to be living off about $250 per week, so thats like 120ish pounds per week. Half of that will be spent on rent/internet, another portion on other bills and the rest presumably on food. I'm seriously hoping it will be enough, and if it is, then that would be what I would call a decent amount of money. I could do with a bit more obviously, but I think that this will be manageable :)
My parents earn a reasonably decent sum of money (easily livable for 4 people, including a 15 year old with an empty stomach!) and yet they are always arguing about bills and how they have no money to spend. I think I will be much happier figuring out how to live on the small sum I will have available than I would be arguing all the time.

paul123456 wrote:Hello there ,

the ideal annual salary will be enough to easily pay all bills , buy fully organic food stuffs and then make the salary by working
20 hours a week for it ,

regards ,

Paul

I agree absolutely.

niknik wrote:

cocobelle wrote:I have to say not haing a car saves ALOT of money.

maybe...........
maybe not.......

I don´t have a car at present, well not one that functions anyway.

I would most DEFINITELY be better off with a functioning car.
I could do a bigger shop somwhere cheaper,
I could maybe get some work. ther are a couple of possibilities, woudlnt earn much, but would pay the running costs
I could go collect some wood for the woodburner instead of sitting here huddled up with a sleeping bag round,me, hot waterbottle , etc..

depends n the individul´s circumstances really........

I can survive without a car ( obviously), but for ME. life would definitely be better, and cheaper with a car!

As I'm in a city it's load easier to cycle or walk everywhere. Yes bulk buys can be an aissue though.