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Tuesday 26 April 2011

Modern life is SO expensive!

Hello gang, today I am feeling very sorry for myself. It's been a lovely Easter - the weather has been glorious, we've had great times together as a family, and for the first time in my life, I have a tan. Just from sitting in my garden. But lots of other blogs will tell you about that. Today, I wish to be GRUMPY! I wish to complain about what a ginormous, expensive pain in the arse modern living can be.


Before Charlie was born I had a well paid career. The other day I worked out how much I would have earned over the past six years - DO NOT do this! You effectively have a rough idea of how much your child has cost you. Christ, would I like to send him back for a refund sometimes! (Social Services, I am only joking, however tempted I am to trade in the currently rampaging almost six year old for a mortgage free life littered with foreign holidays).


Anyway, expensive and ungrateful children apart. My sofa is knackered. We bought it seven years ago from DFS and it's only had normal family use. In fact, for two years it was almost never sat on. Look at the bloody state of it!


 


knackered sofa


I would like to point out that this was NOT one of the cheapy sofas they advertise on the telly. This is is a sofa bed that cost over £1300, not £499. You would think a leather sofa of that price would last 10-15 years, wouldn't you?! Am I alone in this?


Despite the visible parts of the sofa being leather, the important bits, the bits that attach the cushions to the metal frame, are made of a nylon fabric, like thick tights. Guess what happens? It tears, and the stuffing starts to come out, that's what. For a long while I have ignored the rapidly unravelling sofa, but it's come to the point where the cushions are not attached to the frame properly so sitting on it involves surfing across the metal frame. It can be ignored no longer.


For many, many months Dom has been telling me that it will be easy to fix (by me) (the bastard), and I have not been convinced. However, yesterday I finally plucked up the courage to unpick the cushions with the intention of replacing the nylon with something more substantial. Despite Dom's encouragement, I can't do it. I have spent many a frustrating hour at the sewing machine, weeping pitifully, yet still everything I produce looks rubbish. I have to admit defeat.


Isn't it bonkers that it'll cost more to reupholster than it will to buy another? It's so frustrating that things are not made to last. It drives me mad that to have any real sort of eco-conscience you have to pay £££. We just can't afford it at this stage of our lives.


To make matters worse - and back to the cost of children thing - Jonathan has burned a hole in the carpet. GURRRUMP. 


I am going back to bed. I have no fricking idea how other people manage these things. How do other people AFFORD it? Am I the only one horrified that everything is pretty much disposable these days? I want to live simply, respectfully and I have no real idea how to achieve that. Even those 'make do and mend' types seem to spend a lot of money - but on really old things, not slightly old things. How do you manage if you don't have the extra financial capacity to make do and mend? Have I missed a memo?


Whilst I am writing this, Charlie is interrupting to ask when I can take him to New York - as he'd really like to go there. He's six and we've never afforded a proper holiday yet. 


I bloody give in. I'm off to bed.


 


PS Hayfever - you can fuck off too.



2 comments:

  1. Oh dear....I know exactly where you are coming from. I return to work full time in 2 weeks after 6 months off with depression. I am going back because my salary will be halved from that date and I just can't afford to stay off. How did that happen? I am 50 and feel worse off now after years of working than I ever have. Crazy. I just don't understand it at all. Does your sofa have a guarantee?

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  2. See that? :\ It's okay to buy expensive stuff, but be sure that it'll last for a long period of time. Modern design should not be lavish and extravagant. All it needs is a little creativity and voila! You'll come up with a stylish and modern look without splurging too much.

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