tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post8718623023360826671..comments2024-03-19T08:35:01.699+00:00Comments on Love my life: First list your prioritiesMeanqueenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02705837426373680532noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-54170436832509202522014-10-19T09:25:50.756+01:002014-10-19T09:25:50.756+01:00I enjoy reading this and other frugal blogs, since...I enjoy reading this and other frugal blogs, since they just resonate with me and the life I want to live. I never was in debt or had money problems, so you would say I don't need the pep-talk, but I still enjoy it all. Before my mum died she too needed a heated house and special food, but I did'nt feel offended by the very frugal suggestions. It's just great that by not flushing or buying toilet paper one can make a difference in their financial struggle. Goodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06146017746311627298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-73444612719832274042014-10-13T20:24:08.220+01:002014-10-13T20:24:08.220+01:00Due to hubby losing his job a few years ago and ge...<br />Due to hubby losing his job a few years ago and getting one that only paid half his original salary and my having to take a large pay cut at work to save jobs, we had to seriously tighten our belts four years ago to ensure we could pay the bills. The obvious thing for us to do was prioritise: mortgage and council tax, keeping warm and eating. Everything else is an 'extra'. It's amazing how this happening to us made us focus on what's really important and made it so much easier to enjoy the things in life that don't cost so much money. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13211062109020951177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-31131728759418753212014-10-12T10:14:44.472+01:002014-10-12T10:14:44.472+01:00I've done things pretty much the same way, kee...I've done things pretty much the same way, keep a roof over our heads, pay the bills and put food on the table etc. After the essentials are paid everything else has to be prioritised.<br />It used to be common for people to wait for the 'red bill' before paying which was a handy bit of credit.<br />None of that now though, if you've not paid within two weeks the reminder comes attatched to a solicitors letter.<br />Direct debits can cause you to incur bank charges if you have insufficient funds. <br />Dave.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-61984875025725386182014-10-11T16:04:17.863+01:002014-10-11T16:04:17.863+01:00Yes, everyone's needs differ, and each person&...Yes, everyone's needs differ, and each person's situation is her own. Some really do struggle in this economy. There are always steps and/or choices to make... occasionally tough ones. Ilona chooses to keep her heat off as much as possible, to use less water, etc. to keep her bills low so she can do the things she wants to do (take walking trips). I've never had the impression she's living high on the hog, and have always had the impression her frugal habits and routine are clear choices she has made. Not everyone can--or would want to--do as she does. But if you're struggling to put food on the table for your family, or just keep a roof over your head, then you're probably looking for solutions. I think some of the offense by some readers was about lattes, lunches out or a new dress. Some have been living bare bones for awhile, and maybe resent having NO money for little luxuries, so those words struck a chord? But they were just examples. EM Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05897942424655139102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-11092547906980575612014-10-10T19:19:00.114+01:002014-10-10T19:19:00.114+01:00Thank you to the people who post as Anonymous, and...Thank you to the people who post as Anonymous, and add their name in the text. I don't know why everyone can't do that. Meanqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02705837426373680532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-38062935062012723192014-10-10T19:16:45.203+01:002014-10-10T19:16:45.203+01:00I learnt my frugal ways through necessity. We didn...I learnt my frugal ways through necessity. We didn't have much as a family, father kept mum short of money and she had to make do the best way she could. I have her to thank for the position I am in now. Long term I never had much money, worked hard, and with sensible choices, and my priorities being not to spend more than I earn, I seem to have come through it ok. There were times when all the money I had went into the three houses that I bought, there wasn't much left for anything else. I never felt degraded or miserable, I was building my future. <br /><br />I didn't mention anything about how people found themselves in debt, it can happen for a number of reasons. Everyone should prioritize their spending from the very rich to the very poor, as The Saver of Suburbia says in the following comment. Meanqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02705837426373680532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-57295725243665090512014-10-10T13:44:15.154+01:002014-10-10T13:44:15.154+01:00Thankyou xThankyou xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-32346578203249276662014-10-10T11:39:30.249+01:002014-10-10T11:39:30.249+01:00Walk around the block Walk around the block Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-47629473770966404352014-10-10T07:50:02.600+01:002014-10-10T07:50:02.600+01:00At the end of the day the hard truth is that there...At the end of the day the hard truth is that there is no other choice but to prioritise your spending. Whether your debt is down to being wasteful or sheer bad luck the choice is the same. Where am I going to spend my limited resources most effectively? I don't understand why Ilona's simple statement of fact has got some people in a fluster! I think that there is a simple misunderstanding about the nature of blogging.It's a community of like minded people sharing ideas and if it wasn't for the people who take the time to blog about their experiences it would be a pretty dull bloggosphere! I am 100% positive that Ilona wasn't suggesting that we put our elderly relatives in cold rooms to be tortured daily with cold flannels and cheap teabags. I get inspiration and interesting, thought provoking posts from Ilona and sometimes a bit of tough love is the best advice that you can receive! keep on saying it as it is Ilona : ))DragonflyDreamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04319877395942243982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-50094636607770572922014-10-10T02:07:40.263+01:002014-10-10T02:07:40.263+01:00My priorities are the same. I think most people&#...My priorities are the same. I think most people's are. I think people's problems come from not having enough money to cover the basics - many don't these days. I don't think they are making poor choices or wanting too much at all. I don't think they are prioritising badly. I think it is mostly out of their hands and they are in debt if they are, to buy food, pay the rent etc. because they have not got what they need just to survive for that week or month. They have pay day loans in order to pay the fare to get to work. They can't downsize as they are already at rock bottom. <br /><br />Frugality is a luxury that you choose in order to prioritise and save money in the bank or spend on non essentials. Poverty is what you don't choose or want. Enough is truly as good as a feast. But if you fall short it is soul destroying and breaks people's spirit after a while. Anyone can do without for a few weeks or even a couple of months, but long term, it's a degrading miserable existence that makes people into outcasts as everything costs money. Things break or wear out. Even a walk in the park costs you if you need to pay for the bus to get there. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-88175570763416763682014-10-09T12:06:25.169+01:002014-10-09T12:06:25.169+01:00You made the right choice, Anon. You made the right choice, Anon. Meanqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02705837426373680532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-32299142763591345902014-10-09T11:06:18.084+01:002014-10-09T11:06:18.084+01:00..and you made it perfectly clear in your first pa.....and you made it perfectly clear in your first paragraph that everyone's needs are different. You don't have to justify yourself. I went and switched a few things off yesterday. Thanks for the reminder. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-33772930111431689792014-10-09T10:52:20.434+01:002014-10-09T10:52:20.434+01:00Let's take a step back and really LOOK at the ...Let's take a step back and really LOOK at the content of Ilona's post. Ilona is writing about her life and she is sharing her thoughts and opinions. I do not think for one moment that she is oblivious to the fact (or unsympathetic) that other people may lead very different lives and in many instances also bear heavy responsibilities that must be managed on a daily basis. No two people are the same and we must all try to find the right way forward whilst managing whatever life chooses to throw at us. Ilona has offered her opinions on the subject of finance. An opinion is neither right nor wrong - it is simply an opinion. I choose to take on board the very good advice that has been offered in this post and although some of Ilona's methods would not suit my lifestyle and circumstances I find that there is nothing offensive about her words. That is my choice.<br /><br />Julia Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-35815309928915121322014-10-09T10:15:13.537+01:002014-10-09T10:15:13.537+01:00Anne and Jessica, I think you are being defensive ... Anne and Jessica, I think you are being defensive and missing the point rather. Ilona is saying we all prioritise and that our priorities are different. She is giving hers because they work for her. We are free to cherry pick the best of her observations that suit us and our life. One thing I will take issue with is Annes comment that " Living alone is so much more economical than living with others". Water rates, insurances, TV licence etc are the same how ever many people live in the home. <br />We all have to make choices about the things we want and the things we need, mine will be different to yours. So long as the choices we make are within our means and suit us that's fine. Eileen Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00058734816956598681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-68508956597132444732014-10-09T09:56:30.183+01:002014-10-09T09:56:30.183+01:00Ilona and Sam are both basically right, everyone n...Ilona and Sam are both basically right, everyone need to think about what is important to them and prioritise accordingly. We are very fortunate in having paid off our mortgage, having some savings, my husband's pension and no debt but I have no work at present, so we still have to be careful. I was rather more wasteful with money in the past when work was plentiful...so if you are in a great financial position now...save some for the future when times may not be so good! And Sam is right that there are people who work long hours and several jobs, are really careful and yet just cannot avoid debt...this can't be right in a so called 'developed' country.CharlottePhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16693808113369554138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-60567949291347917812014-10-09T09:47:20.540+01:002014-10-09T09:47:20.540+01:00I remember watching that film but can't rememb...I remember watching that film but can't remember much about it. I will look on yoootooob to see if it is there. Thanks for mentioning it.Meanqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02705837426373680532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-3606469571855229732014-10-09T09:43:11.665+01:002014-10-09T09:43:11.665+01:00I knew there would be a backlash to this post. Ann...I knew there would be a backlash to this post. Anne, I am not preaching, as SAM said, I write about what works for me. Your circumstances are different to mine and require a different approach. Take what you want from my post, if nothing is relevant, ignore it. <br /><br />Theresa, some people are programmed never to be happy, it's embedded in their personalities. My interest in psychology is nothing more than an inquisitive itch that comes to the surface now and again and needs scratching. I am not a professional, I just have a keen interest. <br /><br />Jessica, when you were a student did you label your teachers as 'holier-than- thou', just because they knew a bit more than you about the subject they were teaching? Did you feel 'told off', when the teacher corrected your work? I suggest that if you have these feelings your learning capacity is impeded by what you want to hear, rather than opening your mind to all possibilities. Your accusation is only to be expected I suppose, given that I have written over 2,000 posts on this blog. I can't please everyone all of the time. Meanqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02705837426373680532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-44438538463354137792014-10-09T09:33:04.245+01:002014-10-09T09:33:04.245+01:00Yes treelover, this programme has stayed with me t...Yes treelover, this programme has stayed with me too. Blackpool Bubblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04087078173563970757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-62635806342792308962014-10-09T08:11:51.532+01:002014-10-09T08:11:51.532+01:00I agree, Anne! I feel well and truly told off by i...I agree, Anne! I feel well and truly told off by ilona's post despite having zero debt except student debt, not very nice all this holier-than-thou.Jessicanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-7608850078350785982014-10-09T05:04:51.854+01:002014-10-09T05:04:51.854+01:00I think Ilona's points are about what works fo...I think Ilona's points are about what works for her, and she shares so people can take and learn, if of value, or assess and determine not applicable if it is not. Your priority, and good for you, is the health and comfort of your family member. Heating your home to a comfortable level is the right choice for you, and so other money saving things might have better merit. No doubt there are families that scrimp and do without , and parents and caretakers may work long and sometimes extra hours, and still struggle financially. Those are bigger societal issues and need societal solutions, in my humble opinion.SAMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16485146123969622896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-46460432901227315782014-10-09T04:14:49.417+01:002014-10-09T04:14:49.417+01:00Good point. Also, some people have no debt and are...Good point. Also, some people have no debt and are still "sinking". Debt freedom does not always ensure happiness.Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00948148571415167380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-71823846909514806332014-10-08T21:52:06.387+01:002014-10-08T21:52:06.387+01:00There is being frugal and there is being obsessed ...There is being frugal and there is being obsessed with being frugal to the point that you daren't flush the loo or have more than a dim Christmas light in your room or turn the heating on. I'm all for buying yellow stickered produce and being careful how I spend money but I think you can go too far. Perhaps it's different if you live alone. I have an elderly relative to think of, the elderly feel the cold more and need heating on, not only in the room they're sitting in but the other rooms they go in too. The sitting room needs heating because that's used the most but the other rooms need to be warm too, even going into the cold kitchen to make a cup of tea can soon chill an elderly person and start off a coughing fit.<br /><br />It's all very well to preach about how we should do this and that, you live alone Illona and only have yourself to look after and keep warm. I can't expect my 85 year old relative to dress up in woolly hat etc to sit in our home as you do in yours. Nor can I expect her to wash in cold water as you do. Living alone is so much more economical than living with others.<br /><br />Some good points about debt but the frugal living advice is impractical for the elderly and therefore not doable for those who take care of them.<br /><br />Annenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-6679464781636356812014-10-08T21:35:24.515+01:002014-10-08T21:35:24.515+01:00P.S we did have a mortgage - how could I forget! B...P.S we did have a mortgage - how could I forget! But it was always the first thing paid - in the 60's I watched Cathy Come Home - and it haunted me!Lesneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10139947264337493961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-27242577469209558232014-10-08T21:34:06.143+01:002014-10-08T21:34:06.143+01:00You can talk till you are blue in the face....unfo...You can talk till you are blue in the face....unfortunately people only hear what they want hear. Wants come before needs for some folks. It is common sense just as you say. I calculate how much my gas and electric will be and know what my rates will be . I still save for them with money in separate tins. Why should I let them take money out of my account for it to sit in their bank earning interest for these giant companys? Don't do direct debits. Just send me the bill and I will pay it. I've never been in debt but I can thank my Mum and Dad for putting me on the right road. I have the same priorities as you.Caz.P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11206843820602358144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3556657999892839298.post-91557571010060614792014-10-08T21:26:51.901+01:002014-10-08T21:26:51.901+01:00oh dear I mean laugh. I'm tired. Sorry.oh dear I mean laugh. I'm tired. Sorry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com