Are You Observant Or Do You Miss The Signs ?

[Its all gone Pete Tong]

The queues of black cabs waiting for fares at the mainline stations that I pass in London are getting longer.

p-o-p

Iam a London Cabbie,& work has been a bit slow since the end of October 2007.

[Guest grumpy-old-man]

I always pay with credit card for pretty much everything. Its always cleared off every month without fail. I then get a percentage of what I spend back. Been doing this for about 5 years now.

When ever I see people paying with wads of cash I always asssume they are on benefit for some reason.

I suppose there are always exceptions to any rule.

That's why I never judge by appearance.

[SurgeonGeneral]

I have. Several of my neighbours on this council estate are on 'disability' so get a car on motability.

EDIT: Typo

Recently saw someone driving a new Mercedes E55 AMG with disabled stickers in the back window.

I suppose they could refer to the passengers or spouse...

[jonjo]

English will turn into Panglish in 100 years - just a quickie on the global language thing

The one thing I've noticed is how more and more of the people around me are seeing GB as a liar. I used to be amazed by how people just believed the media and government stats. This is definitely changing. It seems to me that the only people taking politics seriously these days are the meedja.

Edited April 5, 2008 by jonjo

[frozen_out]

I've noticed the contrary.

Chavvy looking people,and middle class alike.

they tend to now pay with credit cards rather than a standard bank debit card at tesco.

It's fairly easy to tell the difference,because the ones with debit cards will tend to get cashback as well....this ain't the case with your flexible friend.

I posted something similar to this just before christmas. I was out doing some chrissy shopping and EVERYONE in the queue in front of me used a credit card. Sure some of them may have been clearing every month but if they all were we wouldn't be having a credit crunch would we?

[Compounded]

English will turn into Panglish in 100 years - just a quickie on the global language thing

The one thing I've noticed is how more and more of the people around me are seeing GB as a liar. I used to be amazed by how people just believed the media and government stats. This is definitely changing. It seems to me that the only people taking politics seriously these days are the meedja.

The inflation figures especially are so obviously at difference to peoples day to day experience that prices are rising and rising fast, everyone including the unions are sussing that someting is not right.

Edited April 5, 2008 by Compounded

[Johnny Storm]

Growing up, credit cards to me meant people with money. All my family would just buy whatever they wanted as they wanted it and cleared the bill each month. It was just easy and convenient.

I guess if i saw someone who had money in their wallet / purse I would assume that is all they had to spend and they used it as a mechanism to prevent over spending.

I know lots of people who cant handle a credit card, and have had to cut them up because they cant control themselves. Perhaps its another example of binge behavior.

[steve99]

we have seen 2 pubs close down in ossett (they have been there for years) and nearby towns in the last year.

Nothing new opened up to replace them....

In 3 years 5 petrol stations and at least 3 pubs have closed down within 2 miles of where I live, all have been turned into flats. The owners of these garages and pubs do their sums and obviously empty building plot price is worth more than previous business. About 50 pubs per year in the London area are closed down every year for this reason. All based on the current false nominal price of property, only thing that will save them is a serious crash. The only pubs making enough money re investment price are the town centre alchopop bars full of grown up children spending 50 quid plus per session, cant wait till all they can afford is the 5 pints we could in the old days (thats weekends, not Monday night).

[jonpo]

£2.90 for a nice half bagette, (about 12ins) with brie, nice ham and cranberry sauce, with a nice paper carrier bag and napkin.

All this in the CITY OF LONDON, 200 yards from the BoE, the most expensive real estate in hte universe, and the food is cheaper than the crap you get in a motor way service area.

I prefer canary 'bloody rip off' wharf. having bought my fill of 7 quid square pies and 11 quid burgers GBK

I invested in a knife from robert dyas and now I can make my own bagette sandwiches from M&S with really poncey ingredients like gold medal winning cheddar and fresh organic M+S bagettes for < 2 quid a time. rock on.

[Nicolaj]

Growing up, credit cards to me meant people with money. All my family would just buy whatever they wanted as they wanted it and cleared the bill each month. It was just easy and convenient.

I guess if i saw someone who had money in their wallet / purse I would assume that is all they had to spend and they used it as a mechanism to prevent over spending.

I know lots of people who cant handle a credit card, and have had to cut them up because they cant control themselves. Perhaps its another example of binge behavior.

For me I see it differently, when I see ppl pay for food etc with a cc...I always think times must be tough..If they don't have the money to actually pay for what they need.

I agree about ppl not being able to use them to their advantage.

[Mikhail Liebenstein]

For me I see it differently, when I see ppl pay for food etc with a cc...I always think times must be tough..If they don't have the money to actually pay for what they need.

I agree about ppl not being able to use them to their advantage.

I have to confess I sometimes use the CC to pay for food and I sometimes run an overdraft. The reason for this? Well it helps me enforce the golden rule of never touching my STR fund or any investments which I also continue to pay into.

As long I a don't touch it it continues to grow - currently at the rate of about £2k per month.

I do always pay off the CC in full every month and a few days OD don't cost very much. Partly I think this is me compensating for irregular bonus payments.

[Guest]

Local pub, beer £2.25-£2.50/pint (S.Manchester)

Beer @ Wetherspoons (Mcr centre) £1.59/pint.

How do they do that?

[hellsbells]

Observed a youngish "bronzed and beautiful" affluent looking couple carefully weighing up the price of different items in Waitrose last week - never seen rich looking people in there even bothering to check the price before now. I've also spotted a lot more smart cars in the Lidl car park the last couple of months. I think the belt tightening has started.

[Johnny Storm]

For me I see it differently, when I see ppl pay for food etc with a cc...I always think times must be tough..If they don't have the money to actually pay for what they need.

I agree about ppl not being able to use them to their advantage.

What would you think of me putting a £5 on it in Tesco Extra I remember the excitement of my first gold card :-)

[tazer]

Local pub, beer £2.25-£2.50/pint (S.Manchester)

Beer @ Wetherspoons (Mcr centre) £1.59/pint.

How do they do that?

Well you see theres this spiteful and evil liquid called water and a process called dilution.. f**ed if I can remember the rest

[Nicolaj]

I have to confess I sometimes use the CC to pay for food and I sometimes run an overdraft. The reason for this? Well it helps me enforce the golden rule of never touching my STR fund or any investments which I also continue to pay into.

As long I a don't touch it it continues to grow - currently at the rate of about £2k per month.

I do always pay off the CC in full every month and a few days OD don't cost very much. Partly I think this is me compensating for irregular bonus payments.

well you use them to your advantage, pity everyone didn't.....

I do have a cc ..though I don't use it. I only use my dc..though it is nice to know I have one...just incase.

[Its time to buy]

without reading the whole thread -- - - -

M27 signs used to say

"Watch your Speed"

or

"Dont drink and drive"

Now it does say "Check your fuel"

We getting a lot breakdowns because of people running out???

Could be true - the person who uses the pump before me usually just puts in £5 or £10, a small amount. YOU CAN SEE THIS BEFORE THE PUMP RESETS.....

Edited April 5, 2008 by notanewmember

[Nicolaj]

What would you think of me putting a £5 on it in Tesco Extra I remember the excitement of my first gold card :-)

never shop in tesco..but would think you where a btl'er down on his luck...

[Johnny Storm]

Hehehe

One little sign. Last time I went to my local chinese buffet half of the chicken dishes had vanished. The owner, in broken English, explained to me that prices go up by 50p. (I'm there every few weeks so she recognises me) No problem I say, wheres the lemon chicken? Seems they've cut back on some dishes because of the cost of food too.

[Coldberry]

Local pub, beer £2.25-£2.50/pint (S.Manchester)

Beer @ Wetherspoons (Mcr centre) £1.59/pint.

How do they do that?

Something to do with economies of scale.....

Gotta mate in edinburgh with a pub, he said he pays about £60 per keg of beer, Wetherspoons pay about £30-40 per keg.

Ive noticed the local shopping centre has parking spaces in it close to the shops. I always go at the same time and the same day cos i use the bank on saturday mornings.

For the past few years ive never even tried to get a space in it, and went straight to the further car park. However, as i said to the wife, we can get a space easily nice and close, and all since xmas.

Something is afoot.............

[Sheer Heart Attack]

Thats interesting. How well do you speak German and how did you learn?

Originally learned via GCSE and 'A' Level and then topped it up by hanging around with Germans at university. At this point, I would have said I was 90% fluent.

I let it slip for a number of years and my conversational German deteriorated badly. I could still read newspapers/websites with relative ease and watch German TV, but it was definitely on the wane.

We've got a German supplier now so I practise with him and whilst I am not as good as I was, I would describe myself as 75% fluent now. However, when I am thinking business/personal problems over, German just seems to help me. It's hard to explain but it is so different and disciplined compared to British English, it seems to force me to be more precise when problem-solving. Does that make sense?

[rockhopper]

A friend said that wetherspoons buy beer near its sell by date and get the

low price . They have a high turnover and it sells within the date , so no prob and

cheap beer ! it seems believable

[Dopamine]

I can't say I've noticed any particular indicators of 'hard times' near me in S Wales. Shops still as packed as ever and the MacArthur Glen retail village near Bridgend is always packed to the rafters (but I suppose it's cheap, so may attract more bargain hunters in a recession). In fact I remain amazed at people's standard of living and ability to buy the amount of goods I see them with - particularly food shopping. I'm on good money (50% more than national mean salary), in a 2 income family with 2 young children. Outgoings are high, yes, and particularly since we run 2 (ordinary) cars (one 4 years old, one 8 years old), but we cant afford fancy holidays, or expensive clothes, or 'weekend breaks', or to shop for food in Marks and Spencer etc etc, yet I see people who I know earn less than us continuing to live a very ostentatious lifestyle - 2 new cars, Long Haul hols twice a year etc, and anecdotally nobody seems to be cutting back or complaining. I've seen a lot of 57 and 08 cars on the roads - just as many new regs as ever. Clearly, this can't go on, and it's all on tick, but f*** me how do they sleep at night!

Of course, houses aren't selling though.

[Guest Charlie The Tramp]

They are just little things, but that's how you start spotting the recession imo.

Most important of all when Charlie posts he is having a spend up.

Recessions are ideal times to get the bargains if you have cash.

[payback period]

I don't know what it's like around the rest of the country, but my friends and I have noticed this on Tyneside.

For the last four or so months, it's a lot quicker to get to work during rush hour than it used to be. I used to set off at 8.30am and get to the Quayside at around 8.55am. Now it's more like 8.45am. Travel time back home has also halved.

The last month I've noticed less traffic but thought it impact of the Easter hols - some schools had time off before Easter and others afters so it's been quieter for longer

Bread makers knead the dough for the pizza if you're too lazy to knead it yourself. You then use something called a rolling pin to roll it out pizza shape. But then I don't suppose people who buy Domino's pizzas have the faintest idea how to cook.

Buy pizza bases and tomato sauce from the supermarket and make your own - only need to add toppings of your choice. Much cheaper than takeaway or eating out, Only takes 5 mins to make and 10 to cook!

The inflation figures especially are so obviously at difference to peoples day to day experience that prices are rising and rising fast, everyone including the unions are sussing that someting is not right.

Yes, the NUT were on to this. Did you see in the news this afternoon about their General Secretary, Steve Sinnott, having died suddenly? Poor bloke must have been under considerable stress. Strange too because I heard him on the radio this week and there was a subsequent phone-in which reinforced the point he was making to the teachers that inflation was eroding their living standards as their pay rises were less than it.