Curryman
Well-known member
I know very well that I will get a proverbial kicking for what I'm going to post here, which is quite long, but, it has to be said.
As one of the older generation , born just after WW2, I was brought up in a time where people had to 'make do, and mend', some on here will not understand that phrase as we now have slipped away from that era and become a consumer society, one that uses something a couple of times and then rejects it, or should I say dumps it.
I can remember having a mother who darned socks , mended seams and patched things up, and have a wife who is also very capable of doing the same thing.
I can remember having a mother who cooked wholesome meals, who shopped daily to find the best bargains and served up food that was wholesome and tasty. I have a wife who does the same , shopping apart, which is done a couple of times a week.
I remember my father working long hours and not seeing him very much due to his work ethic, as a professional entertainer and sportsman, he wasn't particularly well paid, but we survived.
My wife can tell a similar story
We are now a pensioners, and have been for a number of years, who are and still are aware , especially after what occurred in the seventies era with inflation, the dangers of overspending , overstretching finances and saving a little to help in times of stress.
Our first home, after renting and scraping together enough for a deposit, was rather run down, No central heating, no double glazing, coal fires and a number of areas where floor board needed changing. We had enough money to buy a hall/stair carpet, but all other carpets and most furniture was either hand me downs or from the salesroom that used to be next to the south station on Waterloo Road. We, however, managed and gradually improved the property. No car, that had been sold to help fund the improvements to the living conditions. No holidays, they were spent decorating and replacing floor boards etc. But, we survived.
We, as parents, instilled into our children the need to be prudent when looking at property etc, the basics of cooking and making do and mending, where possible, rather than buying afresh and throwing out, and I feel we have done a reasonable job in our joint efforts.
Last night, after watching the Lionesses' make the semi finals the news, as per usual reported on the number of families on low incomes who are now struggling to make ends meet, and it struck me that when talking to them they obviously hadn't considered or been taught the basic skills that we were, when growing up.
There was one poor young woman who was disabled and required speciality medicines and frequent visits to London from Derby, and who was living with her parents, both pensioners, who was concerned about her being able to afford the travel to and from the capital as well as the cost of the medicines being prescribed. My heart went out to her and she deserves all the help that she needs, in order to live a reasonable life.
Two other families though, were a completely different kettle of fish. The first was a Teacher, whose wife was a trainee Nurse and they appeared to have one little girl, what their income was I can only guess, but it appeared that they had most of the home comforts in their well appointed dwelling, how much of it was on tick, again I don't know. It did appear that the house was rented and they were about to move back to live with their parents, due to the rent being too high. Did they consider this when entering the agreement or had they stretched their budget to keep up with the Jones's?
The second couple, from memory, were a family of four, again a well furnished, comfortable house. The father, who did the talking was bemoaning the fact that they could no longer have as many takeaways as previously purchased and less nights out. Now I'm sorry but I can, in no way, accept that what they were experiencing could be classed as hardship. Get the pans out, get the cooking done and be positive instead of bemoaning the fact that the whole world is against you at this time.
We are personally making savings, cutting back on spending, repairing and making do with things, walking rather than using the car, not attending pre season games, cutting out away games, although all games are away for me, and so on, and due to our prudence over the years are actually managing to pay for a week in Whitby for the family, self catering.
No doubt a lot will have completely different views to me on this subject, and I am the first to admit that things are presently tough for a number of people and will be tougher once electricity and gas bills increase when the colder weather kicks in, but, I still feel the lessons learned by some of the older generation should be used as guidance for the younger generation.
Life never was, and never will be, a bowl of cherries, and the sooner some realise that the easier it will become for all of us.
Curryman retreats to a safe distance with flak jacket and tin helmet on.
As one of the older generation , born just after WW2, I was brought up in a time where people had to 'make do, and mend', some on here will not understand that phrase as we now have slipped away from that era and become a consumer society, one that uses something a couple of times and then rejects it, or should I say dumps it.
I can remember having a mother who darned socks , mended seams and patched things up, and have a wife who is also very capable of doing the same thing.
I can remember having a mother who cooked wholesome meals, who shopped daily to find the best bargains and served up food that was wholesome and tasty. I have a wife who does the same , shopping apart, which is done a couple of times a week.
I remember my father working long hours and not seeing him very much due to his work ethic, as a professional entertainer and sportsman, he wasn't particularly well paid, but we survived.
My wife can tell a similar story
We are now a pensioners, and have been for a number of years, who are and still are aware , especially after what occurred in the seventies era with inflation, the dangers of overspending , overstretching finances and saving a little to help in times of stress.
Our first home, after renting and scraping together enough for a deposit, was rather run down, No central heating, no double glazing, coal fires and a number of areas where floor board needed changing. We had enough money to buy a hall/stair carpet, but all other carpets and most furniture was either hand me downs or from the salesroom that used to be next to the south station on Waterloo Road. We, however, managed and gradually improved the property. No car, that had been sold to help fund the improvements to the living conditions. No holidays, they were spent decorating and replacing floor boards etc. But, we survived.
We, as parents, instilled into our children the need to be prudent when looking at property etc, the basics of cooking and making do and mending, where possible, rather than buying afresh and throwing out, and I feel we have done a reasonable job in our joint efforts.
Last night, after watching the Lionesses' make the semi finals the news, as per usual reported on the number of families on low incomes who are now struggling to make ends meet, and it struck me that when talking to them they obviously hadn't considered or been taught the basic skills that we were, when growing up.
There was one poor young woman who was disabled and required speciality medicines and frequent visits to London from Derby, and who was living with her parents, both pensioners, who was concerned about her being able to afford the travel to and from the capital as well as the cost of the medicines being prescribed. My heart went out to her and she deserves all the help that she needs, in order to live a reasonable life.
Two other families though, were a completely different kettle of fish. The first was a Teacher, whose wife was a trainee Nurse and they appeared to have one little girl, what their income was I can only guess, but it appeared that they had most of the home comforts in their well appointed dwelling, how much of it was on tick, again I don't know. It did appear that the house was rented and they were about to move back to live with their parents, due to the rent being too high. Did they consider this when entering the agreement or had they stretched their budget to keep up with the Jones's?
The second couple, from memory, were a family of four, again a well furnished, comfortable house. The father, who did the talking was bemoaning the fact that they could no longer have as many takeaways as previously purchased and less nights out. Now I'm sorry but I can, in no way, accept that what they were experiencing could be classed as hardship. Get the pans out, get the cooking done and be positive instead of bemoaning the fact that the whole world is against you at this time.
We are personally making savings, cutting back on spending, repairing and making do with things, walking rather than using the car, not attending pre season games, cutting out away games, although all games are away for me, and so on, and due to our prudence over the years are actually managing to pay for a week in Whitby for the family, self catering.
No doubt a lot will have completely different views to me on this subject, and I am the first to admit that things are presently tough for a number of people and will be tougher once electricity and gas bills increase when the colder weather kicks in, but, I still feel the lessons learned by some of the older generation should be used as guidance for the younger generation.
Life never was, and never will be, a bowl of cherries, and the sooner some realise that the easier it will become for all of us.
Curryman retreats to a safe distance with flak jacket and tin helmet on.
We all have to be sensible and cut out cloth and make savings where we can.
, has a lot to answer for.
That’s how I discovered carrots in custard 
