Money

There's a realty-type TV show in Canada called Til Debt Do Us Part ( www.gailvazoxlade.com/ ). The host, Gail, works with couples who are heavily in debt, and teaches them how to budget and live within their means, so they can pay it off. I watch it often, and it seems that my husband and I already follow most of her tips and guidelines for sensible spending.

It does tick me off though, to see all these spoiled whiny people who have so much stuff, even though they don't actually own most of it. And we have both worked so hard all our lives and still seem to be just one or two steps ahead, at most. There was one woman on the show who was so stressed about money, that she quit her job and booked a cruise vacation, to relax! Instead of working harder to get more money. How stupid can you get...

We have the same problem, save up to do something specific, and then an emergency happens. We had to replace our roof, my husband's car needed a new exhaust system and radiator, and my truck needed new tires all in the same week. So much for having been ahead. It always seems to go that way.

scootiebee wrote:

We have the same problem, save up to do something specific, and then an emergency happens. We had to replace our roof, my husband's car needed a new exhaust system and radiator, and my truck needed new tires all in the same week. So much for having been ahead. It always seems to go that way.

Argh..That reminds me of something else. My mother went to get her car MOT tested (don't know if you have that in other countries but it basically checks your car is in full working order) and the mechanics said that loads of things were wrong with it and it would require 800 pounds to repair..

All of the prices for cars have risen since the whole 'Scrappage Scheme' was introduced in Britain to encourage people to swap their cars for newer ones..My mother got a second opinion and the price was more than halved - And she had trusted the first mechanics since she had bought that car 9 years ago (requires 10 years ownership to scrap it for a 2k subsidy).

My economics teacher had the exact same problem - His 9 year old car was MOT tested and didn't pass, with the mechanics demanding 800-900 pounds..He didn't get a second opinion as he took their word for it, decided the car just wasn't worth it, and ended up getting his car scrapped for 100 pounds. :S

^ That just really angered me.

I watched a documentary once about cars and how much the outer appearance (is it dirty, do the seats have stains, smell filthy etc.) makes a lot of difference. They went to some sellers of used cars and asked them for how much they would buy the car and the results with the same car but professionally cleaned was a difference of about 500 or more pounds!

black_magnolia wrote:

I watched a documentary once about cars and how much the outer appearance (is it dirty, do the seats have stains, smell filthy etc.) makes a lot of difference. They went to some sellers of used cars and asked them for how much they would buy the car and the results with the same car but professionally cleaned was a difference of about 500 or more pounds!

My brother was watching a show..I think it was 'Mythbusters'..Where they got hold of a fancy car and filled it with rotting meat, to see if they could still sell the car with the awful smell - They managed it. :laugh:

Ah..The myth was \"If a decomposing body was left long enough in a car, the car cannot be cleaned up enough to be sold.\"

It was quite an old episode, so I hope I haven't provided a spoiler for someone out there. :huh:

i loved that one. it was something seeing them getting it clean and werid that they did sell it in the end and all. i love watching that show and seeeing the things they do.