How's people coping financially at the moment

[Accy cyclist]

Plenty of other ways to pay. Mine gets a cheque or bank transfer

Not that simple. l dealt with people who couldn't be trusted,unfortunately. It was cash when job completed,nothing else. Some cleaners let customers end up owing them 4 or amounts. I used to let it go to 2 at the most. Besides,bank transfers and all that stuff is/are traceable. We prefer cash in the hand,for tax avoidance purposes of course!

 

[johnblack]

There's the handling of maybe contaminated cash to consider.

True, I put a tenner on his tab at the local usually, but aren't notes made of plastic now so he can give it a wash.

 

[Accy cyclist]

True, I put a tenner on his tab at the local usually, but aren't notes made of plastic now so he can give it a wash.

Yes they are plastic now,but when i was window cleaning most cash i received was pound and 50p coins. You could wash the old notes by the way. The new ones are better because they don't tear.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I didn’t get rich working for myself, but after years of corporate life, it was liberating, I had freedom, I never missed the kids sports days, or school plays, we had a very comfortable living, but a different kind of stress. I did it for 12 years which was enough. The main thing for me is that I actually took that leap of faith and did it, too many people complain about their job but are not prepared to make a change, in some cases I think that’s because they’re too committed financially to a certain level of salary. I took a 50% pay cut when I started and we did manage, but it was a huge sacrifice with two very young children.

Very brave and a leap of faith.

I did similar (30% pay drop) towards the end of the 90's which was bit of a risk to join a start-up from a Blue Chip that I had worked for for a good number of years.

It was a nervy leap into the dark but ultimately I came out a long way ahead over a period of 4 years.

Sometimes in life you just have to take a chance or two.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I firmly believe that barring certain unforseen criteria - injury, illness, disability , that sort of thing - that people make their own luck with their employment choices and spending habits.

I pretty much agree with you there although the odd bit of good luck doesn't come amiss and that's a lottery in the same way that bad luck is.

The big trick for me was to always live within my means. Although I've always had well paid jobs, a divorce in '92, hammered me for a while and I really had to reign it in a fair bit until I got back on my feet. Got there in the end though.

 

[rogerzilla]

No impact here as I can WFH. We have also been guaranteed no compulsory redundancies this calendar year. As a quid pro quo, our annual bonus is now doubtful.

Next year will be more interesting. I don't realistically expect to survive the inevitable purge but financially I am close enough to 55 to live off the redundancy pay with no drop in standards. Unless HMG change the private pension age again, then I have a problem.