Zombies

[jones87]

Do you ever feel like you are the only 'smart' person amongst your family and friends?

I'm nearly pulling my hairs out sometimes with friends/family whenever the conversation or situation turns to Finance/Economy/House Prices.

Over time I turned from debt enslaved mega-consumer to overloaded ISA/sceptical consumer, things started to click...

I realised salesmen never have your interest at heart

I realised how Supermarket's make you spend the most money possible

I realised how unhealthy it is to live constantly overdrawn + credit cards

I realised how material most of us live

I realised how advertising made me spend money I didn't need to spend

I realised who the real parasites in society are

I realised political colours don't matter

I realised becoming financially literate is the best thing that could ever happen to you

.... basically I'm unplugged, atleast thats how I feel because everyone around me just doesn't get it, I hear them talking about what they read in the Daily Mail, or how they just bought an over-spec laptop from Brighthouse on a 2yr plan(!) despite being skint, or watched them spend £100 in the supermarket on CRAP despite being skint.

When people you know tell you they bought an insurance policy from Currys for a £50 item, or when a family member comes to you asking for help with several PPI policies they never knew they had. Brother asking for help on snowballed overdraft charges.

Finding out poor mum doesn't even read her bank statements, then noticing a couple of out-dated insurance policies on Direct Debit, then finding out she's paying £50 per annum to cover her against fraud on her CREDIT CARDS (You couldn't make it up)....then finding out she isn't even claiming 25% Council Tax discount for single household......THEN finding out her Contents insurance isn't even valid because of a mistake on the policy.

I dispair everyone around me is stupid, or maybe it's just me?

[Cinnamon]

I dispair everyone around me is stupid, or maybe it's just me?

Nops, not stupid but unorganised and some people procrastinate themselves into bankruptcy because they find financial issues and the connected bureaucracy too stressful to deal with properly. And it's not like the paperwork avalanche has gotten lighter as of late either.

So, don't be too quick to judge, just set up a remedial family course/workshop to get everyone up to speed and so that people help each other. And tot up the wasted/saved money as you go along, and also take into account what this has cost everyone so far. Once people see just how much it adds up, they'll get keen to avoid this in future.

[Stay Beautiful]

Zombies? I dont mind the slow ones but them fast ones 28 Days Later kind nah well out of order.

[Reluctant Heretic]

Do you ever feel like you are the only 'smart' person amongst your family and friends?

I'm nearly pulling my hairs out sometimes with friends/family whenever the conversation or situation turns to Finance/Economy/House Prices.

Over time I turned from debt enslaved mega-consumer to overloaded ISA/sceptical consumer, things started to click...

I realised salesmen never have your interest at heart

I realised how Supermarket's make you spend the most money possible

I realised how unhealthy it is to live constantly overdrawn + credit cards

I realised how material most of us live

I realised how advertising made me spend money I didn't need to spend

I realised who the real parasites in society are

I realised political colours don't matter

I realised becoming financially literate is the best thing that could ever happen to you

.... basically I'm unplugged, atleast thats how I feel because everyone around me just doesn't get it, I hear them talking about what they read in the Daily Mail, or how they just bought an over-spec laptop from Brighthouse on a 2yr plan(!) despite being skint, or watched them spend £100 in the supermarket on CRAP despite being skint.

When people you know tell you they bought an insurance policy from Currys for a £50 item, or when a family member comes to you asking for help with several PPI policies they never knew they had. Brother asking for help on snowballed overdraft charges.

Finding out poor mum doesn't even read her bank statements, then noticing a couple of out-dated insurance policies on Direct Debit, then finding out she's paying £50 per annum to cover her against fraud on her CREDIT CARDS (You couldn't make it up)....then finding out she isn't even claiming 25% Council Tax discount for single household......THEN finding out her Contents insurance isn't even valid because of a mistake on the policy.

I dispair everyone around me is stupid, or maybe it's just me?

Welcome to my life - I sometimes wish I could take a red pill and go back to oblivion (if I was ever there). There are occasional compensations though - from time to time you will meet someone who will marvel at your wisdom and people will seek you out for advice.

[needsleep]

People are often too busy to manage their finances properly, usually stupid anyway and invariably greedy. They play right into the hands of a financial services industry driven by a boom in cheap credit. Cannon fodder. Like OP says once you wake up and become financially savvy it completely changes your life

[needsleep]

Zombies? I dont mind the slow ones but them fast ones 28 Days Later kind nah well out of order.

Haha. Fast zombies are scary.

[AThirdWay]

Over the last 3 months, I have been asked question re. finances from some that I considered terminally 'fiscally challenged'. The message is beginning to get through to even the most blinkered among us.

(However, I am constantly having to explain why I bought in 2009, even while I advised others not to!)

[newbonic]

Zombies? I dont mind the slow ones but them fast ones 28 Days Later kind nah well out of order.

Top new zombie series on FX has just finished its initial 6 episode run The Walking Dead. Medium speed zombies.

All of the zombies lose their higher brain functions - a bit like a large chunk of the general population when it comes to financial matters, as outlined in the OP!

[leicestersq]

I wondered about the guy who turned out to be the Stig.

It seemed to me that he had a steady job, on a good income. And he blew it all for a quick cash injection for a book that I doubt very much anyone will buy. In the long run he is going to be worse off than he could have been. I bet that when he was too old to drive on Top Gear, or the show closed down, he could have written his book anyway.

Why do people do it? Another quid now, or ten grand next year? So many take the pound now.

[zebbedee]

I realised becoming financially literate is the best thing that could ever happen to you

I keep an eye on mortgage rates for when I take my stash and buy, and as a poor example HSBC have started offering 7 year fixes at 4.59 and 4.79% with £999 and £99 fees respectively. Running the numbers (assume putting the difference of £900 or payments in an interest earning account and making 20% overpayments on the loan) at the end of the 7 year fix you'd actually only be £8 worse off with the higher rate if savings rate were 0%. However can savings rates be less than 0? Take any rate above 0 and you're better off paying a higher mortgage rate. The differences aren't huge but most people wouldn't know. Ofcourse this'll be why the numbers are chosen by HSBC as they are but a saving, any saving for me is better than not-find a penny pick it up.

Edit: £8 worse of on the loan size I chose

Edited December 24, 2010 by zebbedee

[newbonic]

"Right, that's the f*****er who sold my kid sister the £50 pm mobile phone contract sorted.

Now where's the c*** who sold my mum the £50 insurance policy for the £30 toaster....."

Who's next?

[erranta]

Do you ever feel like you are the only 'smart' person amongst your family and friends?

I'm nearly pulling my hairs out sometimes with friends/family whenever the conversation or situation turns to Finance/Economy/House Prices.

Over time I turned from debt enslaved mega-consumer to overloaded ISA/sceptical consumer, things started to click...

I realised salesmen never have your interest at heart

I realised how Supermarket's make you spend the most money possible

I realised how unhealthy it is to live constantly overdrawn + credit cards

I realised how material most of us live

I realised how advertising made me spend money I didn't need to spend

I realised who the real parasites in society are

I realised political colours don't matter

I realised becoming financially literate is the best thing that could ever happen to you

.... basically I'm unplugged, atleast thats how I feel because everyone around me just doesn't get it, I hear them talking about what they read in the Daily Mail, or how they just bought an over-spec laptop from Brighthouse on a 2yr plan(!) despite being skint, or watched them spend £100 in the supermarket on CRAP despite being skint.

When people you know tell you they bought an insurance policy from Currys for a £50 item, or when a family member comes to you asking for help with several PPI policies they never knew they had. Brother asking for help on snowballed overdraft charges.

Finding out poor mum doesn't even read her bank statements, then noticing a couple of out-dated insurance policies on Direct Debit, then finding out she's paying £50 per annum to cover her against fraud on her CREDIT CARDS (You couldn't make it up)....then finding out she isn't even claiming 25% Council Tax discount for single household......THEN finding out her Contents insurance isn't even valid because of a mistake on the policy.

I dispair everyone around me is stupid, or maybe it's just me?

You are only partly there - but awakening!

Your next task is to break the codes of the way the Masonics/illuminati/etc run a Parallel ruling World right in front of your eyes - seen but not seen, heard but not heard!

This message will self destruct in 30 seconds

[Lagarde's Drift]

Choice paralysis probably has something to do with it. Faced with bewildering choices to make,m most people do nothing. Being stupid doesn't help, of course.

[Laura]

.... basically I'm unplugged,

If you are still handing over vast sums of tax paid money to that insatiable monster 'your' local authority, then I would suggest you are still plugged. Other than that, it is congrats from me to you.