Being 'skint'

[TW]Fox;25594406 said:
Skint is slang, it has no formal definition. It is generally used to mean you are comparatively a bit short, not that you are formally below the poverty line or something.
Click to expand...

Well my Oxford Dictionary would disagree that 'skint' has no formal meaning but let's not go off on that tangent. Besides isn't your second sentence an attempt at defining it thus kid of contracting your first sentence?

Anyhoo, the poverty line I'd say has more to do with living standards rather than a bank balance at any specific time.

Someone who earns £100k a year, lives in a £1m detached cottage and drives a top of the range Merc can still be skint if 3 days before payday he has a fiver disposable to his name.

[TW]Fox;25594406 said:
It is therefore fairly appropriate for somebody to casually say 'I can't go out this week mate, I'm a bit skint' if they are down to the last £100 I'd have thought?
Click to expand...

Ahh but I'm a bit skint has a different contextual meaning to just "I'm skint". If someone says "I'm a bit skint" I take that to mean they are low on cash, but not completely out of funds. When someone says they are skint, I take that to mean they have nothing/almost nothing (in both cases non-avoidable and guaranteed costs are taken into account).
 
estebanrey said:
Eh? You are making and knocking down a huge strawman there.

I'm talking about the definition and use of the word skint, you seem to be asking be what financial position I'd rather be in????

I'm not disregarding planning for the future, I'm saying that someone with £2k in a savings account that isn't being saved for s specific and finite reason isn't "skint".
Click to expand...

No that person isn't skint per se. However, having say £2k in your savings, is one thing, having the money in your account to do what you want with (i.e. socialising, or whatever) is another thing altogether.

Some people can have 10s of k in the bank (saving for a house, or just because they like to syphon some money away), but can only afford a night or two out with friends because they don't want to dip into their overdraught, or use their credit cards or dip into their savings.

I have a friend that has bought his house, finished off his mortgage, but unless he has a minimum of £3k in his account, he minimises his "frivolous" spending, yet still puts money aside every month. That said, he does go on holidays, offers his friends lunch/dinner and does spend his money - but not all the time.

Some people are just not reckless with their money.

I have enough in the bank for a new TV - but I don't need one, so I'm not buying one. So, I've put it aside.

I guess everyone is different though.
 
estebanrey said:
There's no point being the richest body in the graveyard :p
Click to expand...

That's where a will comes into it, and you pass it onto your loved ones...

That said I agree it's daft if you have nothing/no one to pass on to, but again, I'd rather have some resources available should we come across unforseen expenses.
 
First time in a while I have managed to save, even though it was November and December, xmas etc I managed to put away nearly £2700.. It has actually struck me how much I spend on crap each month..

Looking at my statement, nearly £200 on starbucks coffee, mental.


Saying that, if a friend needs something, i would be more than happy to hand some money over to them if needed. Like above, no point being the richest corpse, as long as bills are paid and I can live how I enjoy living then I am good to go...
 
AtreuS said:
I hate to say it but it sounds like they just don't want to go out with you? :(
Click to expand...

It's probably not exclusively him, just anyone.

When some people get another half, they tend to become very "skint", or "tired" aka, under the thumb.
 
I pay a mortgage and have two cars. Most months are tight but I always budget a social allowance, albeit a small one. There are many times when I cannot go out, but I overpay my mortgage and my student loan is only £4000. I believe in the long term I will come out on top (eggs in one basket and all!), but it is definitely hard in the meantime!

I've got a few friends who plead poverty. One earns more than me and wastes it, somehow believing my parents fund my lifestyle. The other owed me money for a while then found out he had been on holiday whilst being skint, then had the cheek to suggest I was ripping him off with what he owed. Last time I sell something to someone at mates rates...next time I will put the item on Ebay and get the full price.

I put it down to 50% not giving a crap about you (don't want to spend time with you and/or better offer), 40% selfishness and 10% money issues.

People being skint only annoys me when they are spunking it up the wall on holidays/cars/booze/fags/tattoos and the like. I understand if they are paying for a boiler or have children to care for etc.

Remember many people who don't claim poverty are living on the never-never with loans and credit cards.

If you are enjoying life by blending the today with planning for tomorrow, whilst keeping within your means then I would say you are one of a small minority.
 
Last edited:
MarkeR said:
First time in a while I have managed to save, even though it was November and December, xmas etc I managed to put away nearly £2700.. It has actually struck me how much I spend on crap each month..

Looking at my statement, nearly £200 on starbucks coffee, mental.


Saying that, if a friend needs something, i would be more than happy to hand some money over to them if needed. Like above, no point being the richest corpse, as long as bills are paid and I can live how I enjoy living then I am good to go...
Click to expand...

Would you lend (with intention to get it back) or give?

I've previously lent upwards of £500 to colleagues and friends and often have to 'remind' them several times before getting it back. Very very awkward.
 
jaybee said:
When people keep saying they can't afford to come out but fritter money on things that I deem far less important, this winds me up.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's that unbelievably arrogant attitude that makes them not want to spend time with you, rather than their financial situation? Or do you regularly tell your friends that you don't approve of how they spend their money?
 
Haggisman said:
Maybe it's that unbelievably arrogant attitude that makes them not want to spend time with you, rather than their financial situation? Or do you regularly tell your friends that you don't approve of how they spend their money?
Click to expand...

I think if he is a mate, he is entitled to an opinion - it would also matter *what* they were spending the cash on too. Drugs, prostitutes, gambling? Yea, sounds like a waste to me!
 
RedvGreen said:
I think if he is a mate, he is entitled to an opinion - it would also matter *what* they were spending the cash on too. Drugs, prostitutes, gambling? Yea, sounds like a waste to me!
Click to expand...

It's still their money - sure mention a concern about a drug or gambling problem, but not because you're jealous they're not spending their money doing something with you...
 
Haggisman said:
It's still their money - sure mention a concern about a drug or gambling problem, but not because you're jealous they're not spending their money doing something with you...
Click to expand...

Certainly 'it is their money' - but sometimes an opinion can open their eyes to things.

We've had a few of these scams recently (read the story, it is terrible), where old people are conned out of £100-£100k of cash because 'You could be the winner of the awesome cash prize that just has to go!'.
As a family member you have no control of their cash, but you can still pass opinion and offer your counsel.
 
RedvGreen said:
Certainly 'it is their money' - but sometimes an opinion can open their eyes to things.

We've had a few of these scams recently (read the story, it is terrible), where old people are conned out of £100-£100k of cash because 'You could be the winner of the awesome cash prize that just has to go!'.
As a family member you have no control of their cash, but you can still pass opinion and offer your counsel.
Click to expand...

Yes, because warning someone about a possible scam is exactly the same as being jealous that someone would rather spend money on a new phone than on going out with you... ;)

Edit: besides, there's a huge difference between "offering an opinion" and "getting wound up by" which is what the post i was responding to stated.
 
Last edited:
My finances at getting back in to order, already cleared down one of my cards, can't wait to start chucking. £500+ per month back in to savings

As for being skint, I think its because lot of people are more careful of their money these days
 
DJMK4 said:
As for being skint, I think its because lot of people are more careful of their money these days
Click to expand...

Maybe for some, really though a lot of my mates don't know the meaning of being skint, it's a word overused and it annoys me when they really don't have a clue what's it is really like being totally broke, skint is like when you have people calling you on the phone, knocking at the door, sending letters out demanding payment, that is being skint :(
 
Like fox said before, "skint" is just a slang really. It's easier to say "I'm skint" instead of "I don't have much (spare) money". Same goes to when people say "I'm so depressed" when they don't literally mean it.

Spook187 said:
it annoys me when they really don't have a clue what's it is really like being totally broke
Click to expand...
So maybe the real skint people should call themselves "broke" instead then?
 
MisChief said:
Like fox said before, "skint" is just a slang really. It's easier to say "I'm skint" instead of "I don't have much (spare) money". Same goes to when people say "I'm so depressed" when they don't literally mean it.

So maybe the real skint people should call themselves "broke" instead then?
Click to expand...

It means the same thing. :)
 
While I don't go out and get an income of £880pm with outgoings of £669pm and then £211 on savings for the year(Car/mot/tax/insurance/photography) im always skint :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom