1) My drop in income means I can't save any more.
2) Why save at the moment? Interest rates don't even cover inflation. Better to pay off any debts at the moment.

I know a lot of people like that. What puzzles me is that a lot of the stuff they spend their money is not needed. It's as if they have to spend it no matter what.

I think a lot of this is because of the way care is paid for. If you have any savings, then as soon as you need care the Government makes you pay for it yourself. If you haven't got any, they can't, so it pays to be skint.

I wanna slap people like that. We're due backpay in work that'll add up to a few pretty pennies, and some of the morons have it spent in their heads already, instead of for talk's sake, throwing a big chunk at the mortgage and using a few hundred for whatever

Yes but for some people they have gone without long enough and this is a chance in a lifetime to get something that they want, which is outside their normal savings range.

And that's fine, but these are people who continually moan about being broke

There will be those that will want to spend their money on designer clothes regardless of the fact that they really cant afford them. I plan on buying a couple of iMacs in the next month if things turn out as hoped for, which is my treat to me. Though I do make sure that I do not waste money elsewhere. I rarely through any food out, use low energy devices as much as possible, do as much as possible off peak to save money and still manage to save, and eat out. It can be done though people need to have some priorities.

Stay miserable and keep spending to cheer yourself up - it's good for the economy.

Exactly with all those pies you may never need to worry about retirement.

Well it is good that you have already sorted out your priorities. Not everyone is as prepared.

If you want to "keep it under the matress" then buy gold

You might get a capital increase as gold in the longer run tends to go up in value
If there is a fire it will (at worst case) only melt but still be there and it nees to be a hot fire as its melting point is just over 1000 degrees C