We were chatting in the comments on PP's Small Treasures blog a few days ago and I mentioned those long slim divided money boxes that used to be all the rage for managing your cash back in the day. I remember my parents having one each and the labels being Rent, Electric, Gas, Rates, Spends etc
Anyway with a lull in work proceedings and over a cup of coffee I decided to look on eBay to see if they were still around, and they were ... at a price!!
The one above had a Buy it Now price of £19.99 so I kept looking ...
... then I found this one, just listed with a Buy it Now price of £3.99.
At that top price I don't think I would be tempted even if it wasn't my No Spend Challenge year, I'll stick with my little drawer, my box and my enamel teapot for now.
Oh and I also came across these, once given away completely free of charge if you opened an account for your child. Now available to buy for £10 the pair ... I always wanted one of those cute little houses, but unfortunately I couldn't afford to open my sons a savings account when they were all the rage.
Sue xx
People use envelopes now, don't they, or specially bought 'money stuffing' folders. Handling real money does seem to be on the way out and it's become harder to keep a close watch on spending as a result.
ReplyDeletexx
It's so much easier to control spending when you are using cold hard cash isn't it, seeing it handed over brings the reality to you. At least shops are willing to accept cash again now, although you can't risk fiddling about with loose change in Aldi at the speed they like to get you through the checkouts.
Deletei always liked the natwest pigs but they're quite expensive to buy now x
ReplyDeleteI used to buy and sell a lot of those when they were at their peak and I had my first shop. My eldest son bought an entire collection off me at auction price to hold as an investment but I had to tell him to sell before they bottomed out which they did a few years later. Without boxes ... as these were ... they are going for less than £50 on eBay now, he sold at the top of the game for £250.
DeleteI remember my mum having one of those saving boxes and unfortunately we were burgled and it was taken, she was so upset. Wads when I was 16 and I am 80 now so a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, your poor Mum. I can just imagine her upset :-(
DeleteOh my older 2 boys had these Little Xtra Club houses!! They loved putting in their pocket money and saving up to go to the shop to buy comics and sweets. They were always emptying them and counting their money until they worked out if they had enough. And offering to do extra chores for money. Good early life lessons! :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, we learnt the value of saving up when we were small.
DeleteWe each had to save 3d from our spends for our holiday spending money plus any extra we could put into our money boxes ... I had a tin and my brother had a plastic Batman. The rest of our spends 1s in my case, we could spend on what we wanted. With me it started at the Beano and Dandy and penny sweets and went on to The Bunty and 1/4 pound bags of sweeties from the jars in the newsagents and perhaps a tube of Rollos.
Yes, Sue, I meant to reply to your comment on my post that I certainly do remember those boxes with slots. My mother in law used one right up to the day she passed away a few years ago. My own mum used a pint beer glass, the sort with a handle to put the bills money into and I can remember her having to dip into it when we needed money for something like new shoes for school. I wouldn't fancy paying ebay prices for a box now though. I much prefer your method of saving 👍
ReplyDeleteThey were very handy tins and maybe should be brought back into play for all these people that are stuffing envelopes and ziplock bags with their various allowances ... although I guess they are not as good to carry in your handbag!!
DeleteHere, it is done with labeled envelopes that you simply stick in a handy drawer.
ReplyDeleteYes, lots of people use the envelope system don't they.
DeleteI have never seen those. I am just cheap and have always watched my pennies but never had a system. Whatever works for someone! :)
ReplyDeleteI think some people just like the convenience of slots for money and knowing that each item of necessary expenditure has it's money waiting. And of course back in the day most transactions were cash transactions, even paying your bills and rent was done in cold hard cash.
DeleteOh wow, The Halifax Little Xtra Club money box has really taken me back, my sister and I had one each in the 80's, we only ever had £1 in our account and it was opened with a cheque my grandfather sent us from Wales, we also had the little blue book that would get updated every time you went in to deposit or withdraw, it looked pretty sad with just the £1 opening balance and I remember really wanting the NatWest Piggy banks that my best friend had - you got a new bigger one every time you met a savings target! It was kind of pointless keeping that £1 in the account, but we used to love getting the free kids magazine in the post every now and then.
ReplyDeleteThey are so cute aren't they, I even wanted one as an adult :-)
DeleteWe had those little houses - not sure if my girls still have them. I also had a very treasured long thin metal one that had a little poem about thrift running across each slot. I can't think why I was parted from it - my pocket money and then my Saturday job money was carefully divided up into the little sections each week. Of course I was too young to need slots for household bills so I remember renaming them so I could save for Clothes and make up, the pictures and coffee bar, presents for birthdays and Christmas and Holiday spending. Those were the days!
ReplyDeleteAh, Saturday jobs and the first earned cash of our own, happy times.
DeleteI empty my main account a part from the direct debit money. Then I use cash in 2 purses I have. It certainly makes you think twice before you spend willy nilly.
ReplyDeleteUsing cash really focuses your mind on what you are spending doesn't it.
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