Will the recession make us better people?

[chris79]

After years of living off credit, a generation taught that you can live now pay later.. people living far beyond their means, low interest rates, new cars, borrowing money out your property because it's worth 10x more on paper than what you paid for it...

Will this teach people to become less materialistic, or perhaps enjoy life's luxuries with more appreciation?

I know from my own experience of living the contractor dream, then being benched and having to 'adjust' my standard of living to cope with an unforeseen financial future has made me realise that money doesn't buy everything in life and that I'm more happy doing something constructive and meaningful with my life, than simply earning pound notes.

Has the recession / credit crunch affected your life in a good or bad way? Or changed the way you think about life/money in general?

[TimberWolf]

Will this teach people to become less materialistic, or perhaps enjoy life's luxuries with more appreciation?

Are luxuries going to be meat and food?

[swamp]

I'm contracting at my best rate ever, I've sold my dingy old flat for a nice profit, and the taxman owes me a grand.

What recession?!

[sasguru]

Has the recession ....changed the way you think about life/money in general?

No. Next. HTH.

[weemster]

After years of living off credit, a generation taught that you can live now pay later.. people living far beyond their means, low interest rates, new cars, borrowing money out your property because it's worth 10x more on paper than what you paid for it...

Will this teach people to become less materialistic, or perhaps enjoy life's luxuries with more appreciation?

I know from my own experience of living the contractor dream, then being benched and having to 'adjust' my standard of living to cope with an unforeseen financial future has made me realise that money doesn't buy everything in life and that I'm more happy doing something constructive and meaningful with my life, than simply earning pound notes.

Has the recession / credit crunch affected your life in a good or bad way? Or changed the way you think about life/money in general?

Good point.....I suppose it has changed the way I think about these things.

[d000hg]

Are luxuries going to be meat and food?

Meat is a luxury when you come down to it, but if people could cook even meat can be obtained cheaply (tough old-boot beef you have to stew for a day and is then lovely).

[Mich the Tester]

Meat is a luxury when you come down to it, but if people could cook even meat can be obtained cheaply (tough old-boot beef you have to stew for a day and is then lovely).

WHS. The cheap cuts of beef, lamb, hogget and mutton are delicious if stewed; I'd rather buy a cheap cut of meat at a good butcher than a cheapo fillet steak at the supermarket.

At our local Michelin 3 star restaurant, one of the most popular dishes is stewed neck of mutton; stewed at a low temperature for 12 hours, it's delicious, and it's probably the cheapest cut of meat you can find.

[weemster]

Meat is a luxury when you come down to it, but if people could cook even meat can be obtained cheaply (tough old-boot beef you have to stew for a day and is then lovely).

I was reading something the other day about the expensive cuts (filet etc) becoming much cheaper and the cheap cuts (braising etc) prices rising.

[Toastiness]

Will the recession make us better people?

Will it f***

[mace]

In money terms, no - My loss of job has been more than offset by the recovery of the stock market.

However, it's made me realise that I really need to focus on a plan B so that I can find something more fulfilling to do with my life before the next recession hits us. I've pencilled this to begin in 2017.