gain! I'm so glad I don't have significant savings, investments, shares, ISAs, bonds, gilts or anything to worry about any more . I also don't have any debt, barring 10k left on a mortgage that's fixed at 1% above base rate forever (nice!) but if I lost my part time job it'd really hurt, and if my partner lost his full time job I honestly don't know what we'd do long term if he remained unemployed. Yes, there's slack in our spending that can and will be cut if necessary, but I don't see the point in saving or investing the slack money now due to the dismal returns and huge potential to lose it all -- i prefer to spend it on things we need now and on a store of goods for the future, plus improving our home. I also spend a lot on my daughter, I feel sorry for her as her future is not looking rosy (she's 15). Btw I work as a book-keeper, had 3 clients decide to stop trading this week due to debt problems as they can no longer hold on waiting for "the recovery". Been trying to warn people for years to not take on debt, to pay off as much as possible, no one wanted to hear it . Do none of the politicos read the blogs? HOW can they be so cushioned from the reality that most of us face? I am actually better off than I have been for