When times are tough the tough stop spending.
Sep 24th 2010, 11:35 am
#1
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Location: Aracena area Huelva Spain
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When times are tough the tough stop spending.
I started reading the 'Are times still tough thread'...but It got faaar too long and off subject.
My husband and I were some of the posters on the threads about financial troubles and moving back. We've made our decision. Moving back is not an option. For all the reasons many of the regular posters state about life being even more expensive in England. And because it still remains easier to be poor and happy in Spain.
I've just finished reading 'the moneyless man' having realised the only way to sort out our problems is to pay as many debts as we can as quickly as we can., and spend as little on day to day life as possible. This book is very affirming. I've just stopped spending... I mean completely stopped buying anything I don't really need. Or anything I can make myself. My store cupboard is beginning to get used. (I used to have masses and masses of dried pulses and beans...for no good reason, except they looked interesting in the shop. Now I'm using them up. And I have literally months worth of store cupboard food. I've started really using the neighbour network and swapping veg etc. I also started using Freecycle again, having only used it to give away stuff before. I asked on the very quiet Seville freecycle group for a stove, not expecting any answers. A guy around 40 minutes from us has already offered us a shepherd stove. The next day I got a reply from another local couple who have an almost moneyless existence. Reading their website[ http://asimplerlife.yolasite.com/] was also revelatory, though I wouldn't go so far as pooing in a bucket! Well. Cutting a long story short. Times are tough. But taking on a war mentality (the good side) really helps. You don't have to be a crusty traveller to take on some of these ideas, and if it's that or lose our beautiful home here. No contest!
Yes, my husband is now looking for a job elsewhere in Europe. Which, when he gets one we'll see as our next big adventure. But wherever he goes we're leaving our 'home' here.
Viva Espana.
My husband and I were some of the posters on the threads about financial troubles and moving back. We've made our decision. Moving back is not an option. For all the reasons many of the regular posters state about life being even more expensive in England. And because it still remains easier to be poor and happy in Spain.
I've just finished reading 'the moneyless man' having realised the only way to sort out our problems is to pay as many debts as we can as quickly as we can., and spend as little on day to day life as possible. This book is very affirming. I've just stopped spending... I mean completely stopped buying anything I don't really need. Or anything I can make myself. My store cupboard is beginning to get used. (I used to have masses and masses of dried pulses and beans...for no good reason, except they looked interesting in the shop. Now I'm using them up. And I have literally months worth of store cupboard food. I've started really using the neighbour network and swapping veg etc. I also started using Freecycle again, having only used it to give away stuff before. I asked on the very quiet Seville freecycle group for a stove, not expecting any answers. A guy around 40 minutes from us has already offered us a shepherd stove. The next day I got a reply from another local couple who have an almost moneyless existence. Reading their website[ http://asimplerlife.yolasite.com/] was also revelatory, though I wouldn't go so far as pooing in a bucket! Well. Cutting a long story short. Times are tough. But taking on a war mentality (the good side) really helps. You don't have to be a crusty traveller to take on some of these ideas, and if it's that or lose our beautiful home here. No contest!
Yes, my husband is now looking for a job elsewhere in Europe. Which, when he gets one we'll see as our next big adventure. But wherever he goes we're leaving our 'home' here.
Viva Espana.
Sep 24th 2010, 12:09 pm
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7,749
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
Good on you, thats the attitude! 
Sep 24th 2010, 12:34 pm
#3
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,980
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
Hello Angie, is there a website for the Freecycle group in Seville ?
NeVer mind, got it: http://www.freecycle.org/group/ES/
NeVer mind, got it: http://www.freecycle.org/group/ES/
Sep 24th 2010, 3:11 pm
#4
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
I started reading the 'Are times still tough thread'...but It got faaar too long and off subject.
My husband and I were some of the posters on the threads about financial troubles and moving back. We've made our decision. Moving back is not an option. For all the reasons many of the regular posters state about life being even more expensive in England. And because it still remains easier to be poor and happy in Spain.
I've just finished reading 'the moneyless man' having realised the only way to sort out our problems is to pay as many debts as we can as quickly as we can., and spend as little on day to day life as possible. This book is very affirming. I've just stopped spending... I mean completely stopped buying anything I don't really need. Or anything I can make myself. My store cupboard is beginning to get used. (I used to have masses and masses of dried pulses and beans...for no good reason, except they looked interesting in the shop. Now I'm using them up. And I have literally months worth of store cupboard food. I've started really using the neighbour network and swapping veg etc. I also started using Freecycle again, having only used it to give away stuff before. I asked on the very quiet Seville freecycle group for a stove, not expecting any answers. A guy around 40 minutes from us has already offered us a shepherd stove. The next day I got a reply from another local couple who have an almost moneyless existence. Reading their website[ http://asimplerlife.yolasite.com/] was also revelatory, though I wouldn't go so far as pooing in a bucket! Well. Cutting a long story short. Times are tough. But taking on a war mentality (the good side) really helps. You don't have to be a crusty traveller to take on some of these ideas, and if it's that or lose our beautiful home here. No contest!
Yes, my husband is now looking for a job elsewhere in Europe. Which, when he gets one we'll see as our next big adventure. But wherever he goes we're leaving our 'home' here.
Viva Espana.
My husband and I were some of the posters on the threads about financial troubles and moving back. We've made our decision. Moving back is not an option. For all the reasons many of the regular posters state about life being even more expensive in England. And because it still remains easier to be poor and happy in Spain.
I've just finished reading 'the moneyless man' having realised the only way to sort out our problems is to pay as many debts as we can as quickly as we can., and spend as little on day to day life as possible. This book is very affirming. I've just stopped spending... I mean completely stopped buying anything I don't really need. Or anything I can make myself. My store cupboard is beginning to get used. (I used to have masses and masses of dried pulses and beans...for no good reason, except they looked interesting in the shop. Now I'm using them up. And I have literally months worth of store cupboard food. I've started really using the neighbour network and swapping veg etc. I also started using Freecycle again, having only used it to give away stuff before. I asked on the very quiet Seville freecycle group for a stove, not expecting any answers. A guy around 40 minutes from us has already offered us a shepherd stove. The next day I got a reply from another local couple who have an almost moneyless existence. Reading their website[ http://asimplerlife.yolasite.com/] was also revelatory, though I wouldn't go so far as pooing in a bucket! Well. Cutting a long story short. Times are tough. But taking on a war mentality (the good side) really helps. You don't have to be a crusty traveller to take on some of these ideas, and if it's that or lose our beautiful home here. No contest!
Yes, my husband is now looking for a job elsewhere in Europe. Which, when he gets one we'll see as our next big adventure. But wherever he goes we're leaving our 'home' here.
Viva Espana.
I like your style, the wartime spirit, and as for not pooing in a bucket, I appalud your descision..
There is an article in one of the free papers, it might be of some use to you.
http://www.roundtownnews.co.uk/index...5356&Itemid=38
And taliking about wartime sprit, here is a version of a wartime "keep your pecker up" song, just to put a spring in your step.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzY0-I4Gq5w
Good luck.
Sep 24th 2010, 3:16 pm
#5
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Living in a good place
Posts: 8,824
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
Don't like wasting anything but..a moneyless existence
I can't do poverty
I can't do poverty
Sep 24th 2010, 5:10 pm
#7
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Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Valencian Province
Posts: 346
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
I have no car, only Spanish television, borrow books and dvds from the library, Buy my clothes from rastros, grow my own veg, keep hens and only buy Mercadona's own brand products. Enjoy cooking and baking and can make a meal out of anything. But then I remember what it was like to be really poor and starving with my first husband ,a graduate, and two young children and so will never allow myself to be poor again.
Sep 25th 2010, 7:11 am
#8
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Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
I have no car, only Spanish television, borrow books and dvds from the library, Buy my clothes from rastros, grow my own veg, keep hens and only buy Mercadona's own brand products. Enjoy cooking and baking and can make a meal out of anything. But then I remember what it was like to be really poor and starving with my first husband ,a graduate, and two young children and so will never allow myself to be poor again.
Sep 25th 2010, 7:42 am
#9
Grapes are good 4 U !
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Hondon Valley
Posts: 569
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
Well done Angie... great attitude, and one we should all adopt in my opinion.
Yes, we all got too complacent, lazy and greedy - and boy have we now got our com-uppence !!
Things are gonna be tough for a few more years yet I fear so get real, get creative !!
Yes, we all got too complacent, lazy and greedy - and boy have we now got our com-uppence !!
Things are gonna be tough for a few more years yet I fear so get real, get creative !!
Sep 25th 2010, 7:50 am
#10
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Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Madrid
Posts: 6,400
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
When times are tough the tough stop spending.
Governments (especially in the UK and US) are trying to stop this by QE and low interest rates. The problem with this is that as soon as the economy starts strong growth again, you get hyper-inflation.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig10/ev...itchard32.html
Sep 25th 2010, 8:01 am
#11
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Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Valencian Province
Posts: 346
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
This is why we have Recessions/Depressions. People stop spending. It's also why house prices will continue to fall. Why buy a house now when you can get it 20,000 cheaper next year?
Governments (especially in the UK and US) are trying to stop this by QE and low interest rates. The problem with this is that as soon as the economy starts strong growth again, you get hyper-inflation.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig10/ev...itchard32.html
Governments (especially in the UK and US) are trying to stop this by QE and low interest rates. The problem with this is that as soon as the economy starts strong growth again, you get hyper-inflation.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig10/ev...itchard32.html
Sep 26th 2010, 6:34 am
#12
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Joined: Dec 2009
Location: Aracena area Huelva Spain
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Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
Hello Angie, is there a website for the Freecycle group in Seville ?
NeVer mind, got it: http://www.freecycle.org/group/ES/
NeVer mind, got it: http://www.freecycle.org/group/ES/
Sep 26th 2010, 7:49 am
#13
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,980
Re: When times are tough the tough stop spending.
I just put something on offer and there's more to come!
Sep 26th 2010, 7:50 am
#14
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