When I Was A Kid......

[Jeza]

There was no such thing as credit cards. Most people didn't even have a bank account. They were paid on Friday's in cash. My Mum put money aside every week in an old tea caddy. This paid for Christmas. Dad was a keen gardener and he would swop his produce for eggs etc. I'm not saying they were the good old days, they weren't but we didn't have debt or demanding children. The kids knew the score.

[Bluestone]

>we didn't have debt

Surely that wasn't the same for absolutely everyone?

I know what you're trying to say, and it does sound blimmin lovely, but I can't help but think this didn't apply to every single family.

[welshlibranr]

think I'm deon your era Jeza, same for me, we knew that Christmas would be special, but we wouldn't get a lot, our parents worked hard, but couldn't afford to spend much on gifts for us!........

[Mick-Talbot]

Absolutley, Jeza

I would pick my wages up friday after work, get on the bus, get off at the dog track, lose all my wages, then walk the rest of the way home.


Ah, I miss the good old days lol.

[AlwaysConfused]

When I wanted a dolls house, I got one. Grandad made it. Uncle made my go-kart, my dad made my rabbit hutch, my grandma used to knit teddies. If we wanted an apple and blackberry crumble, it was fine, as long as we went looking for, and came home with apples and blackberries. Most of the veg we ate was grown in our garden. We did have a small amount of debt, but we turned off the lights off and hid behind the sofa when we saw the collectors coming towards the door!

[maggiebee]

My parents' maxim was that if you can't pay cash for it, don't buy it. My father wouldn't even have a mortgage. He bought an ex council house (cash) when he was in his 70s. We didn't have a lot but can't remember feeling deprived.

[Bluestone]

Lol Talbot. I think you should get the AB badge for the most sarcastic poster.
Either that, or you are wasted and should become a comedian. You are the only poster that makes me 'Lol' with (pretty much) everything you type - intentionally or not!

[Jeza]

What I was trying to say was, do kids demand too much these days. Or as a parent do we want better for the kids than we had. So is it our fault that most, not all kids are greedy.

[Ann]

Like Maggie our family was always taught that if you can't pay for something, you save up until you can, having things on the "never never" was not something we did. As a family we didn't have much money, but my parents saved all year to ensure we had some nice presents at Christmas. My husband and I still live our lives around this rule, we don't have brand new furniture all at once like the youngsters do "using plastic", but save up and replace items one at a time. I also refuse to have a credit card, which really puzzles my bank, they are always asking me why I don't have one .... I explain I would hate to be in debt and am proud to say we never have been, apart from our mortgage, which thankfully is now paid off.

[Chipchopper]

I think kids knew the score co's they knew it was useless demanding something they knew weren't gonna happen

Puts me in mind of those poignant lyrics from 'everyone's free to wear sunscreen"

[Mammar]

Always - laughed at the bit about the collectors. My Gran did something similar with my Mum and Aunties and I was told Aunt Else got a clip round the ear for shouting "we're out!" When he knocked.

[Jeza]

The only debt I have ever had was a mortgage, like you Anne. Mine is paid off too. If everyone else felt the same way, maybe the banking system wouldn't be in the trouble that it is.

[fredkins]

No you are so right heady,I as a modern parent give my son everything,I had nothing as a child of 5 siblings we had to share Christmas presents, I never got anything of my own,It was awful. So I admittedly spoil my son.

[fredkins]

I have never been In debt over It ,I can honestly say that I have been lucky that I have been able to do this for my son.

[FredPuli43]

Do you remember the Man from the Pru ? Used to go round the houses collecting a small sum regularly for insurance or assurance. My old father used to think that was the work of the Devil. He used to point out the enormous Prudential Building, the headquarters, near Holborn Circus, and say that that was built by ( meaning comparatively) poor people. He could do the maths; the returns were ludicrously small.

But what alternative did ordinary people have in the old days?

And normal people were frightened of anything that smacked of borrowing or credit, My father met his old barber, who told him that many years ago he'd asked my father whether he should buy his shop, as he had the chance. It would involve 'borrowing' and he didn't like that.My father insisted that he should, and it had turned out the best thing he ever did. Now, that was typical. People didn't understand the rudiments of capitalism, even at that simple level. Now, the ordinary man knows about mortgages and elementary transactions of that kind.

[EcclesCake]

When I was a child, my father had a bank account and I wasn't spoilt.

I'm not sure that I have seen much difference amongst my friends and family over time.

[Canary42]

The only debts I've ever had are a mortgage (now paid off) and my first car (3-year loan paid off on time).

If I couldn't afford it, I didn't get it - that's the way it was when I was a kid, and I learnt to live with it - the trouble these days is that kids don't learn this (at the easiest time to learn, i.e. very young) so are totally unable to exercise any self-restraint in their adult lives.