[Cherie]

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/s...ts-Europe.html

Are we more susceptible to advertising or just stupid enough to get into debt for bath bombs?

British shoppers spend more on Christmas presents than anyone in Europe - and are the most likely to get into debt doing it
Average Briton will spend £350 on Christmas gifts
This is £110 higher than those in the next nearest countries
But 14% may find themselves in debt to fund festive splurge
By Lee Boyce for Thisismoney.co.uk

Nicky and the Netherlands at the bottom of the Poll

[thesheriff443]

The government loves people to be in debt and encourages it, that's what keeps people in work and the governments in power and control

[smudgie]

It's a "got to have" mentality.
Woe betide any parent that won't/can't buy little Johnny/Jenny the latest fad and have their kids ridiculed.

[bots]

I think if you looked at the demographics of the spending, the majority of that would come from England and the South East, so they actually have a worse problem than it looks

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

I think if you looked at the demographics of the spending, the majority of that would come from England and the South East, so they actually have a worse problem than it looks

You are probably right

[DemolitionRed]

I've never understood why people take out loans to pay for Xmas. The chances are, if you need to take out a loan to buy little Johnny all those presents he doesn't need, its because you can't afford it and if you can't afford the presents, you likely can't afford the loan you now have to pay back.

Britain is a consumer society and some children being brought up in this consumer society are being taught from an early age, that they can have anything they desire. Just ask and Santa will deliver it on a plate. Mum and dad can't afford to pay for Johnnys school lunch but when it comes to Xmas, there will be dozens of expensive presents under the tree just for him. I don't think its healthy. It doesn't teach these children to be careful with money. It doesn't teach them how to be thrifty when times are short or that saving their pocket has benefits. All we are teaching them is 'indulgence is fine'.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

I've never understood why people take out loans to pay for Xmas. The chances are, if you need to take out a loan to buy little Johnny all those presents he doesn't need, its because you can't afford it and if you can't afford the presents, you likely can't afford the loan you now have to pay back.

Britain is a consumer society and some children being brought up in this consumer society are being taught from an early age, that they can have anything they desire. Just ask and Santa will deliver it on a plate. Mum and dad can't afford to pay for Johnnys school lunch but when it comes to Xmas, there will be dozens of expensive presents under the tree just for him. I don't think its healthy. It doesn't teach these children to be careful with money. It doesn't teach them how to be thrifty when times are short or that saving their pocket has benefits. All we are teaching them is 'indulgence is fine'.

[Crimson Dynamo]

i wish id only spent £350

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Isaiah 7:14

i wish id only spent £350

New breasts are not cheap lt

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

New breasts are not cheap lt

All the better to fit into his new princess dress though.

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

All the better to fit into his new princess dress though.

Oh I thought he was doing porn movies again for the start of the car boot season

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

All the better to fit into his new princess dress though.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

New breasts are not cheap lt

i spent that at Tesco on food ffs

but i love Christmas so i dont care



The TL and I went on a Moleskine stationary shopping extravaganza at lunch too

so there

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Isaiah 7:14

i spent that at Tesco on food ffs

but i love Christmas so i dont care



The TL and I went on a Moleskine stationary shopping extravaganza at lunch too

so there

That's not the point, you can afford it, its about living within your means and not overstretching and spending on stuff people don't need or often don't want

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Candy Cane

That's not the point, you can afford it, its about living within your means and not overstretching and spending on stuff people don't need or often don't want

You may be referring to the half bloody full shoebox of Pandora charms the TL has...

[Crimson Dynamo]

Actually the floating locket thing i am very pleased with as it goes and the girls love the charm bracelets so that shop did me proud this Chrimbo. God only knows how much they took nationally

[Ronald.]

It’s a tricky one. I always wanted to give my daughters the Christmas I never had growing up . I wanted them to have nice things to open on Christmas . When we’ve had the money we’ve got them nice things , and when we haven’t we’ve had to compromise a little and be a bit more creative . We’ve tried to avoid putting Christmas On a Credit card. The important thing is to teach kids the value of money . You don’t have to deprive of them of the jewellery or make up or games consoles to teach them that lesson . Our kids did alright growing up but they’ve not turned out spoilt . R.

[y.winter]

Everyone should reconsider spending habits in general. Many people punch above their weight with the amount they spend when they actually can't afford it... Consumerism is just another terrible symptom of the American capitalism.

[Toy Soldier]

As a society we are foolish men who have built all of our houses upon the sand - that is to say, all of our stock is in the free market capitalist bubble and we sort of have to accept that. We stop spending and the whole thing washes away with the next tide. Sooo basically... we're not going to change / fix it, so we might as well enjoy Christmas .

I mean, I have a not insignificant amount of credit card debt, have done for years. After Christmas, between us me n' the wife had about £800 of "Christmas funds" left over... and yeah, we COULD have lumped all of that onto a credit card, but would it actually make any difference at all to our month to month budget if we did? Nope. Piss in the ocean. So we bought a nice big 4k telly instead .

[Maru]

Originally Posted by Toy Santa

As a society we are foolish men who have built all of our houses upon the sand - that is to say, all of our stock is in the free market capitalist bubble and we sort of have to accept that. We stop spending and the whole thing washes away with the next tide. Sooo basically... we're not going to change / fix it, so we might as well enjoy Christmas .

It does matter though, because when sales are anemic, businesses will cut back on behavior that drives away business (see every ad pull ever). That's how Capitalism is (ideally) managed is through demand. We totally have more power.

The demand is there though with regards to Christmas, and the culture as it is supports the current supply of it. I don't see why we can't take control of our culture and shift it other ways if we wanted, but that would take a concerted effort over a period of time. It wouldn't all up and vanish instantly.

All that said, most people wouldn't bother to look away from their smart phone for five seconds much less be "inconvenienced" in order to take such a stand... so I agree your single gesture of non-support is likely moot.

[Mystic Mock]

People should only spend what they can afford, I don't get how so many people struggle to understand this.

If people want to buy more expensive gifts that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford then save your money bit by bit all year and then you can get the gift and not be broke. Common sense people.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

People should only spend what they can afford, I don't get how so many people struggle to understand this.

If people want to buy more expensive gifts that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford then save your money bit by bit all year and then you can get the gift and not be broke. Common sense people.

I dunno, I can't save for ****. I tried to save 1.5k for a new gaming PC for about 3 years... I get to maybe 3 / 400 and end up spending it on something else . Whereas if I get something "buy now pay 12 months later", which most tech sites offer these days, I'm pretty consistent at getting paid off in time, usually early. And they don't charge interest unless you go beyond your fee free period (they bank on people missing the deadline).

Piling up interest-gathering debt is stupid though. I still have a tonne of it from when I was a student... And that was 8 years ago now . Again for the same reason as above though, I'm terrible at getting it paid off, I'm so used to it being a standard part of my outgoings that I don't miss the minimum payments but DO miss any extra cash I put on to try to pay it off. Really what I need is a fixed term consolidation loan to plough on with... But getting a decent interest rate is impossible if you're not a homeowner.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Toy Santa

I dunno, I can't save for ****. I tried to save 1.5k for a new gaming PC for about 3 years... I get to maybe 3 / 400 and end up spending it on something else . Whereas if I get something "buy now pay 12 months later", which most tech sites offer these days, I'm pretty consistent at getting paid off in time, usually early. And they don't charge interest unless you go beyond your fee free period (they bank on people missing the deadline).

Piling up interest-gathering debt is stupid though. I still have a tonne of it from when I was a student... And that was 8 years ago now . Again for the same reason as above though, I'm terrible at getting it paid off, I'm so used to it being a standard part of my outgoings that I don't miss the minimum payments but DO miss any extra cash I put on to try to pay it off. Really what I need is a fixed term consolidation loan to plough on with... But getting a decent interest rate is impossible if you're not a homeowner.

you need to start chipping away at it, can you move some if not all of it to an interest free credit card so that you can at least start paying off some of the capital?

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Candy Cane

you need to start chipping away at it, can you move some if not all of it to an interest free credit card so that you can at least start paying off some of the capital?

Our household income will increase dramatically when my wife finishes Uni in 18 months, I'm happy enough coasting along until then. I can't get any decent credit cards until 2019 either because my credit rating is heavily affected by a default in 2013 - £60 on an O2 mobile contract that I thought was finished! (Moved house around the same time, they couldn't or didn't bother to find me, registered it as unpaid... big red mark, ugh)

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Toy Santa

Our household income will increase dramatically when my wife finishes Uni in 18 months, I'm happy enough coasting along until then. I can't get any decent credit cards until 2019 either because my credit rating is heavily affected by a default in 2013 - £60 on an O2 mobile contract that I thought was finished! (Moved house around the same time, they couldn't or didn't bother to find me, registered it as unpaid... big red mark, ugh)

what if she ups and leaves you and your student debt

and takes the 4K TV with her