Interesting on-line responses to last week’s piece on the Frugals.

Among the bloggers were two who, surprise, surprise, see the banks as part of the reason why so many people are struggling with their finances.

Macca 25 says the banks cause all the credit woes. Well, I don’t know about ALL, Macca.

I would say a fair proportion of them are struggling due to undue flashing of the plastic.

The average debt per credit card in Australia at the end of last year was just a whisker under $3000 and climbing, with some people even use credit cards to pay off the debts on others. Sounds to me like a recipe for disaster.

Macca 25 asked why cheques take three days to clear, and received this succinct answer from Kenny G:

“The banks have full use of your money on the overnight short-term money market … greed in its purest form. I own and operate an accommodation business at Airlie Beach and my weekend EFTPOS trading doesn’t make it into my account until Tuesday or Wednesday of the following week, during which time the bank has the audacity to charge me overdraft interest.”

Food for thought there, and speaking of food, and my suggestions on how to make ends meet, Marty H from Mooloolaba goes along with all of them – except for my advocacy of fresh-caught mullet, at half the price of bland, frozen imports of dubious origin, as my fish of choice for a quick and easy barbecue.

Marty’s frugality doesn’t extend that far, he says.

Well, I love all seafood, but like my father before me, I’ve been a mullet-eater for years, so much so that my local fish shop used to call me the Mullet Man.

I’ll admit that quality varies greatly, and that there are lots of fish species that make even better eating, but a well filleted piece of fresh sea mullet cooked very quickly on a hot plate and eaten with a fresh crisp garden salad does me nicely once a week … if I can get it, that is.

And the affordability of this much maligned fish must score it at least some bonus points.

As a card-carrying member of the Frugals for years, the prospect of some belt-tightening in the wake of dire predictions doesn’t cause me to say, as poet John O’Brien’s lugubrious pessimist Hanrahan famously did, “We’ll all be rooned".

Rather, I think a dose of frugality administered by necessity mightn’t be such a bad thing, but there is one aspect of the publicity for forecast price rises that worries me.

Will it to some extent be self-fulfilling? Will profiteers raise prices without any reason other than that they can, and then justify it by pointing to all the publicity?

And another thing
I made a rare visit to the movies last week. Bad idea.

The overwhelming sound volume completely ruined any appreciation I might have had for the film.

Why does surround sound have to be so LOUD?

My hearing’s none the best, but even my ears could hardly bear the onslaught, and I worry about the future effect of such mega noise on younger ones.

rich.29@bigpond.net.au
journoremembers.blogspot.com