When the going gets tough!

Agricola

Cutting back to just one serving of caviar and champagne a day. Might also leave the M3 at home alittle more and take the diesel Mercedes instead.

Life isnt fair.

southsiderosie

th3 s1aught3r wrote: »

Neither of which anyone would consider 'essentials'
I feel more for people who are facing a winter with the threat of having their ESB cut off

Well, to be fair, there are knock-down effects when people stop eating out and buying new clothes, etc...people in restaurants and shops lose their jobs or have their hours cut because business is slow...and so they spend less money...and the downward spiral continued.

I rarely eat out anymore, buy food when it is on sale, and if I have to go somewhere that is less than an hour's walk away, I walk instead of taking public transport. I only buy one newspaper a day instead of two, and I've only bought clothes to replace items that are falling apart - and only if the clothes are on sale. I've also moved out of my studio into a shared apartment to save on rent and utilities.

Also, because little things tend to add up over time, I take out cash once a week, and put my credit and debit cards away. I'm pretty strict about it: if I'm out of money for the week, I'm out of money. And if I have a surplus at the end of the week, I can roll it over, and 'splurge' a bit the following week. This forces me to think twice about buying a coffee here, or buying a magazine there; that kind of stuff really adds up.

123balltv

cleremy jarkson = not buying lotto tickets
the lotto is my only hope of living the life
I get a thrill each time I buy one thinking this could be the lucky one it could be me.
Most times it just makes me more depressed when I read the checker thing and it says 1 euro scratchcard or nothing at all but I keep playing

10 million tomorrow :) lot of dosh

phasers

Tbh there's nothing left to cut, we're barely paying all the bills as it is. If they bring in water/property tax it's bye bye house, hello cardboard box.

Who_owns_this?

Little Acorn wrote: »

Thanks for reply. I was worried last years budget, but I have been getting much more panicky about this one from all the hype. Not just for myself, but also for my mum, my sister & her husband and kids, and my boyfriend. Your post has reassured me a bit and seems to make more sense compared to the massive figures some people keep saying. I know cuts will be made, all I hope and ask for is that they are still manageable for people to live with.

The little cuts on social welfare are one thing, but if they do the same to the public workers as they did the last time, there will be more than one guy driving his van into Leinster House. I, thank Jebus, am a private worker, but my mum, in particular, is down seriously vital money as a public worker. She wasn't on a huge amount to begin with and now she's just about making the cut and she never buys anything for herself! She has colleagues (especially one with a second child on the way) who are on the verge of desperation. Young couples who sit at home every weekend and go to bed early to avoid keep electricity costs down and because they're just so depressed with the way their lives have gone. This is like living in Dickensian times in ways!!! I've taken a hit re. pay, but my heart goes out to people like I've mentioned above, all of who I know. It's been happening throughout history but a couple expecting a baby that they have wanted so much should be looking forward to their future, not lying awake scared out fo their minds as to how they will cope financially. Constitutional protection my arse - it's minimal at best!

On topic, for me, I'll be taking more of steps that I've taken already. Duvets instead of radiators, Lidl instead of Dunnes, Penneys instead of... anywhere else at all. Thankfully we have a coffee machine at work because the days of getting an Insomnia latte to get the morning started are long gone. Sandwich material is bought in bulk at the start of the week - no more of the deli visits.


I know things could be so, so much worse, but life is so short and it's a pain that so much of our time at the moment is dominated by worry and regret and frugality!

Jesus Wept

Could you post some numbers to support the post Who_owns_this?
There was plenty of room for cuts in many areas of the public sector, they were far out earning the private sector for no discernible reason.
Expenditure rises to meet income, just because people were used to spending everything they earned does not mean that they were not overpaid in the first place.

gurramok

Leyla Fancy Weekend wrote: »

Because I train a lot I like to eat good wholesome, fresh food. But I've been thinking about investing in a deep freezer and making trips up north to stack up on cheaper, frozen foodstuffs.

Keep buying your fresh stuff and freeze it. Thats what I do.

yoshytoshy

I'm completely anal brushing my teeth the last couple of months ,the fear of root canal treatment has my teeth super clean.

btard

The-Rigger wrote: »

Could you post some numbers to support the post Who_owns_this?
There was plenty of room for cuts in many areas of the public sector, they were far out earning the private sector for no discernible reason.
Expenditure rises to meet income, just because people were used to spending everything they earned does not mean that they were not overpaid in the first place.

Exactly what numbers do you expect him to post ? His mothers salary ? He said she was one of the lower paid public workers. That's not good enough for you? There's a million other threads where you can bash the hard working people who provide your public services. This is not one of them.

karlog

When the going gets tough. The people get going.

Star Bingo

when the going gets tough hmm.. take a (cold) bath put on some mood (sparse) lighting and break out Robert Palmer's Greatest Hits

pebbles21

My name is URL wrote: »

I'll probably be getting rid of Sky, and perhaps downgrade my internet connection. There's not much else left to cut down on!

What about your subscription to boards.ie?

Jesus Wept

btard wrote: »

Exactly what numbers do you expect him to post ? His mothers salary ? He said she was one of the lower paid public workers. That's not good enough for you? There's a million other threads where you can bash the hard working people who provide your public services. This is not one of them.

Dry your eyes. I made a polite request, there was no expectation, bile or bashing. He himself brought up the subject of the public sector and the cuts.

Biggins

karlog wrote: »

When the going gets tough. The people get going.

RyanAir is going to make a killing on one way flights.

shrewd

commuting...,probably going to get a bike or walk halfway

cherryghost

Cut down on biscuits and such. Currently living comfortably to be honest. Things will get difficult in a few months though, will probably ditch the UPC TV

curlzy

The-Rigger wrote: »

Could you post some numbers to support the post Who_owns_this?
There was plenty of room for cuts in many areas of the public sector, they were far out earning the private sector for no discernible reason.
Expenditure rises to meet income, just because people were used to spending everything they earned does not mean that they were not overpaid in the first place.

Oh will you stop regurgitating the tripe that the government and media are spoon feeding you and think for yourself :mad:. According to the Central Statistics Office, 1 person in 5 in the private sector has taken a pay cut, that 20%. 100% of civil and public workers have taken a huge paycut. The vast majority of Civil and Public workers (95%) were on AVARAGE WAGES before the recession hit, now they are on less than average. The ones at the top grades and pay barackets account for a tiny portion of the civil and public sectors. I'm so ****ing sick of people just spewing up the utter crap they've been fed by the media and government. The civil and public service are the sacrificial lambs people!!! They're getting turned into Satan so the real problems are glossed over, i.e. government expenses, NAMA, not prosecuting the people who did this, changing the government, those are all much more important topics but as the media and government aren't spoonfeeding you your opinion so you just kick the civil/public sectors, it's pathetic to be honest but also indicative as to why we have ended up like; Irish people will swallow bull**** without question if it means they don't have to think for themselves.

ash23

Socialising, followed by days out & cinema, followed by phone credit, followed by treats in the groceries like biscuits and ice cream and wine. Followed by sky tv, dental insurance, life insurance and putting petrol in the car.

Echospace

Drink driving saves a lot of money on taxis

sellerbarry

1 person in 5 in the private sector has taken a pay cut, that 20%. Quote from Curlzy

The other 4 got laid off.;)

OctavarIan

Heading out to clubs/bars etc, already cut this out almost completely. Clubs are one of the biggest farces going.

curlzy

sellerbarry wrote: »

1 person in 5 in the private sector has taken a pay cut, that 20%. Quote from Curlzy

The other 4 got laid off.;)

From the Central Statistics office: http://www.cso.ie/releasespublications/documents/labour_market/current/lreg.pdf

The Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes
part-time workers (those who work up to three days a week), seasonal and casual workers entitled to Jobseekers Benefit or Allowance. Unemployment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey and the latest seasonally adjusted figure, for April to June 2010, is 284,500 persons unemployed.

See this is the type of thing my rant was about, NO ONE checks the crap they're spoon fed, they just spew up the same old tripe, as you will see from the direct quote by the CSO, there are 284,500 real unemployed, 284,000 in 4 and a half million isn't 4 outta 5 , it's 1 in 14. That is assuming that every one of those people was employed before the recession. I really weep for the future of this county while people continue to bend over and take what can only be described as a brutal ass raping off it's own government coz the population is too apathetic to get off their asses and change things. I don't for one second question that everyone is feeling the pinch but the view that it was a bloated civil/public service that caused the recession is a ****ing joke.

Now back to the original question:D: I will be cutting back on non-essentials; take aways & petrol for unnecessary driving.

Canis Lupus

I'm being made redundant but fortunately it's happening at exactly the time I was going to quit and go travelling so it's actually an awesome bonus specially as my company has great severance terms and I've been with them for 5 years.

Happy days

Jazzy

biggins, i find you unneccesary to the state of being. im sure you consider yourself and your views well important but im just going to call them out as sh1te shat by a seagull. ya know

cypharius

Jazzy wrote: »

biggins, i find you unneccesary to the state of being. im sure you consider yourself and your views well important but im just going to call them out as sh1te shat by a seagull. ya know

He sure must have said something outrageous to make you say that!

Biggins wrote: »

RyanAir is going to make a killing on one way flights.

People?... Leaving?... Never!

orourkeda

Biggins wrote: »

If as predicted after the next budget, things are going to get even more tougher, what will be the first item you will seriously think about having to cut back on?
(Not what you'd like to cut back on but what WILL be the first thing to be effected!)

For me, I think it will have to be the number of home food deliveries and possibly my Sky TV costs (yes, I know its mostly rubbish anyway).

The way things are going it'll be heating, power and food.

OutlawPete

cypharius wrote: »

He sure must have said something outrageous to make you say that!

You would think so wouldn't you, but that's not needed with Jazzy.

Idbatterim

In relation to the Elecricity cuts off, I find it hard to have sympathy when the welfare system here is so generous and on top of that, you are going to be given warning after warning after warning before you get cut off. Id like to know are these people getting cut off... using energy saving bulbs, turning appliances on standy at night, turning off lights when they leave the room etc? How many of them are blowing essential money on vastly non essential things? (resulting in them not being able to pay the likes of the ESB) How many have changed to a cheaper provided? Id look at themselves first, before blaming others!

Biggins

cypharius wrote: »

...People?... Leaving?... Never!

Its true, it must be. I seen it in "The Sun"!

WildBoots

Idbatterim wrote: »

In relation to the Elecricity cuts off, I find it hard to have sympathy when the welfare system here is so generous and on top of that, you are going to be given warning after warning after warning before you get cut off. Id like to know are these people getting cut off... using energy saving bulbs, turning appliances on standy at night, turning off lights when they leave the room etc? How many of them are blowing essential money on vastly non essential things? (resulting in them not being able to pay the likes of the ESB) How many have changed to a cheaper provided? Id look at themselves first, before blaming others!

What a d*ck!

Odysseus

For me it may be study, post-grad study in Ireland is so expansive. I had a 8 year gap since I fiinshed my Master's, I have just started my second one, my plan being to do another one after that before my PhD. However, whilst I should have the cash to finish off my current course. If things get much worse I don't know about the cash for the third Master's or even the PhD.

I'm only managing to pay the current fees by taking on some part-time lecturing work in addition to my day work. If things get much harder after Dec, I think study will be considered a luxury item and food, travel to work and the mortgage will be the main focus.

Pete M.

Well I'm going to stop going out, drinking, being a gentleman and am also going to eat less, be colder, shabbier, dirtier and less inclined to give to charity.

But I did give a totally bogus charity collector in a Sligo pub E1.50 last night just because she had the balls to do something like that. She was ran out of the pub btw, with my E1.50.

Being nice generally costs money, so less of that too. Only thing seems to be to fall in love, that's free apparently. Yeah, more of that then.

Jesus Wept

curlzy wrote: »

Oh will you stop regurgitating the tripe that the government and media are spoon feeding you and think for yourself :mad:. According to the Central Statistics Office, 1 person in 5 in the private sector has taken a pay cut, that 20%. 100% of civil and public workers have taken a huge paycut. The vast majority of Civil and Public workers (95%) were on AVARAGE WAGES before the recession hit, now they are on less than average. The ones at the top grades and pay barackets account for a tiny portion of the civil and public sectors. I'm so ****ing sick of people just spewing up the utter crap they've been fed by the media and government. The civil and public service are the sacrificial lambs people!!! They're getting turned into Satan so the real problems are glossed over, i.e. government expenses, NAMA, not prosecuting the people who did this, changing the government, those are all much more important topics but as the media and government aren't spoonfeeding you your opinion so you just kick the civil/public sectors, it's pathetic to be honest but also indicative as to why we have ended up like; Irish people will swallow bull**** without question if it means they don't have to think for themselves.

Just had a look and 1 in 5 is actually 20%, well played.
The rest of the post is spew.

Pete M.

Hold on now, if the CSO came out and told me that 1 in 5 was 20% I wouldn't believe them.
.

Money is the real problem, maybe if none of us had any, things would be great :cool: