Want / Need

Money is very tight, yes, everyone is telling the same story. We are having to cut back on lots of the things we would like to have as well as some of the things we need. But, where do you draw the line between want and need?

Having put down a £60 deposit and paid another £55 deposit on Little Z's school trip, I am loathed to lose what we've paid already and tell her she can't go because we can't really afford to pay the other £165 (yes, the 5 day trip to IOW really is costing £280 not including all the kit she will need!).

Both of the children do one activity outside of school. Big J does karate, which is having a huge positive impact on his confidence, behaviour and attitude. That costs £4 a week, but then he goes to grading every 2 months, which costs £19 plus £4 for the new belt. He is doing so well, it would be a real shame to stop it, but is this a need or a want?

Then there's ballet. Little Z has been doing that for 6 years and it has helped her immensely with her coordination and balance, things she naturally finds difficult. That costs about £54 a term (£4.20 / week) on top of all the kit. Our recent trip to the dance shop, purely for things she had to have for ballet (ballet shoes, character shoes and a new tailored character skirt) cost £42. So, again I ask, 'need or want'?

I guess it comes down to how desperately tight money gets. I speak to some people who say, " ooh, money is really tight. we'll be lucky if we get to go on holiday more than twice this year!"

That is so far from my world, I think they might actually be on another planet! Then there are people, who say, "I can't afford to go on holiday this year." Well, that's more like it, I think, until the follow that up with, "I think I'll have to get the money from my mum to pay for my holiday." Unbelieveable!

In my world, 'being tight for money' means it's hard to pay the bills and buy the weekly food shopping with the money we have coming in. Holidays? If you can even consider affording holiday, you are not 'struggling' quite like some of us are!