Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

The Pesky Recession


baseline9
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just a quick discussion point, anyone else noticed how much more difficult it is to sell stuff these days and how prices for 2nd hand stuff have been driven down (In Particular music equipment, Basses, Guitars, Amps etc..)

I remember a time when I would chuck something on EBay, Loot, Gumtree etc.. and if it was a high quality, fairly expensive item it would be gone within days

It seems many are not making any large purchases at the moment.

Like houses, buyers market as they say!

Mikey.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are a few things happening simultaneously.

A lot of people have seen pay freezes that mean their pay is not going up whilst things like fuel, utilities, even food, are going up quite significantly. In a nutshell, people's disposable incomes are going down as their outgoings go up. People are also losing money on houses instead of making money so, even if they can sell, they aren't getting those windfalls we had all got used to. I have less gigs as well so any 'top-up' money from gigging is much reduced. Things I used to be able to pay cash for quickly (new tyres, car repairs, materials for DIY jobs etc) now get stuck on credit cards and hang around for months.

And we all have gear we can't sell. I would love to buy Beedster's AI gear but the cupboard is bare until some more work comes in. All very frustrating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All too depressing, to be honest. The only way I look at things is forward. Although my wages have been'average/below average ,
I have been employed most of my life and have been only less than 6months unemployed. These last few years have been terrible,
but I'm not the only one,) Wages will be going down instead of up. I had to laugh today , the barrister at cafe Nero told me
my coffee will cost more from Monday.I told him that of course I'm not surprised.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1348857567' post='1819279']
All too depressing, to be honest. The only way I look at things is forward. Although my wages have been'average/below average ,
I have been employed most of my life and have been only less than 6months unemployed. These last few years have been terrible,
but I'm not the only one,) Wages will be going down instead of up. I had to laugh today , the barrister at cafe Nero told me
my coffee will cost more from Monday.I told him that of course I'm not surprised.)
[/quote]

If you can afford to drink coffee with barristers in Cafe Nero you can't be that skint. At least you're keeping well paid company. My mum knows a lawyer whose kitchen floor area is bigger than the footprint of my entire house. I obviously went into the wrong profession.

Edited by musophilr
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='musophilr' timestamp='1348858104' post='1819293']
If you can afford to drink coffee with barristers in Cafe Nero you can't be that skint. At least you're keeping well paid company. My mum knows a lawyer whose kitchen floor area is bigger than the footprint of my entire house. I obviously went into the wrong profession.
[/quote]
Maybe he meant Barista? :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you can afford coffee from Cafe Nero with a barrister or a barista , you're still doing pretty well for yourself .
I agree with the general sentiment , I think even people with the money are too frightened to spend it due to the gloomy economic climate and fear of job loss , etc .
On the flip side , I am now truly grateful for having a job and appreciate the regular pay checks , rather than begrudgingly going into work .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1348868363' post='1819446']
If you can afford coffee from Cafe Nero with a barrister or a barista , you're still doing pretty well for yourself .
I agree with the general sentiment , [b]I think even people with the money are too frightened to spend it due to the gloomy economic climate and fear of job loss , etc [/b].
On the flip side , I am now truly grateful for having a job and appreciate the regular pay checks , rather than begrudgingly going into work .
[/quote]

Too right about that. I lost customers because they lost their jobs, but I've also lost them because even though they have money they don't want to spend it. They will find, when it comes time for them to claim a benefit, that they'll be penalised for saving, and they'll wish they'd have spent it before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>I feel guilty now, I've started a depressing thread!!

Someone in Aberdeen got their head trapped in a public bin over the weekend!

[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19783214"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...etland-19783214[/url]

Something to cheer us all up!! :)

Edited by baseline9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1348867369' post='1819436']

Maybe he meant Barista? :lol:
[/quote]

Imdeed I did,)
BTW , reason I go to cafe Nero at lunchtimes , is because I hate my job, and the person I work with.I am bored out of my skull, I don't work in a proper office.( it was a cupboard , seriously)
Also. , the facilities in the company I work in are minimal. Cost of my coffee and biccy ; £3.20.. Hardly a fortune . A few years back we would have beer lunches. Now that's what you call extravagant

Link to comment
Share on other sites

going OT I know but it's hard to get a cup of coffee that isn't Nero, costa or starbucks. Can't even pop in tesco for a cheap brew and a bacon sarnie anymore as they're all bloddy costas too now.

As for selling stuff, mostly I can't be arsed as it's just too much hassle for too little benefit. Tried to sell the kids old bikes that they've out grown. £25 each for good bikes. Few phone calls, one view, no sale. They can sit in the shed for a bit longer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our economy and industrial landscape are both riddled with structural deficiencies (the product of past policies, poor planning, short-termism and strategic blunders). This situation, coupled with the impacts of globalisation, implies a potentially bleak future. Though there are capabilities and resources upon which the UK can draw, unless these are deployed wisely, my optimism in general must be limited. Sell what you need to (and can) now...and if you have any short-scale, Series Alembics, a pm is welcome.

Edited by lozbass
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A pay freeze is luxury, like a lot of other consultants we had to cut by 10%, this lasted 2 years then they closed the London office and that was it. Been self-employed ever since and not looked back. I have 'From Whom All Blessings Flow' stamped on the strap of the bass I've been able to buy since (a US Jazz Deluxe which I've since swapped for a Stingray) as I'm not sure I can take all the credit.

Yes times are hard and prices are either down or gear not selling as the owners don't want to reduce. Really is a good time to buy if you have a bit to spare at the cost of others who don't (but then it was the last time this lot were in - sorry couldn't resist it!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='baseline9' timestamp='1349093447' post='1821596']
<p>I feel guilty now, I've started a depressing thread!!

Someone in Aberdeen got their head trapped in a public bin over the weekend!

[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19783214"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...etland-19783214[/url]

Something to cheer us all up!! :)
[/quote]

This worked! Despite the public pointing and laughing you have to admire the fire crew being very professional!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to be a misery and upset everybody...............

If the state of the economy means that we're all more likely to get on with making music with what we have rather than continually seeking to blame our tools and hankering after something 'better' - I think that's no bad thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1349096867' post='1821683']
If the state of the economy means that we're all more likely to get on with making music with what we have rather than continually seeking to blame our tools and hankering after something 'better' - I think that's no bad thing.
[/quote]

The voice of reason. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='baseline9' timestamp='1349093447' post='1821596']
<p>I feel guilty now, I've started a depressing thread!!

Someone in Aberdeen got their head trapped in a public bin over the weekend!

[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19783214"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...etland-19783214[/url]

Something to cheer us all up!! :)
[/quote]

Sorry guys, I thought I saw a bass headstock in there ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]going OT I know but it's hard to get a cup of coffee that isn't Nero, costa or starbucks. Can't even pop in tesco for a cheap brew and a bacon sarnie anymore as they're all bloddy costas too now.[/font][/color]
[/quote]

I know some people don`t like McDonalds as a company,but their coffee is a good price and surprisingly good coffee!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Steve G' timestamp='1349094750' post='1821634']
going OT I know but it's hard to get a cup of coffee that isn't Nero, costa or starbucks. Can't even pop in tesco for a cheap brew and a bacon sarnie anymore as they're all bloddy costas too now.[/quote]

There's a Texaco near me that has a "Subway" attached; they've only gone & installed a "Costa" vending machine in the place. Subway are well chuffed! In Blackburn they have what must be one fo the best coffee shops in Britain, "Exchange" that supplies a lot of cafe's & restaurants in Lancs. They've opened up a Nero & a Costa near me that only school-kids go in to be trendy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...