What can we all do to regain our independence?

I let adverts wash over me. I will hold my hand up to being influenced when I was younger, but not these days. The advertisers just want to manipulate us to buy into their dream, thought up by well-paid professional dream spinners. Sod them I say ...

I live in rented council and love my home. I don't think it wants to give us up as, because of bedroom tax, we have tried to move but it has always fallen through.

The problem is now though, due to bad health, it took me three days to decorate one wall in my living room and because of being on benefits due to health, I can't afford to pay anyone to do it. So either soldier on at a snail's pace or leave it. I'm not the type though as I've been used to doing my homes up myself since I married 30 years ago. On own now though. Need a toy boy to put the spring back in my step, lol.

p.s. Had one but sadly it ended.

That sounds like a great way to maintain your independence, ruby.

But if you rent you'll be paying out for the rest of your life )unless you're in social housing or on benefits).

Since the mortgage was paid off 10 years ago we are living rent free.

I think I'm repeating myself here but the S.O.has stopped listening to Radio 5 Live [he always had it on in the house and in the car] because he said so many of the articles in it were depressing. I never have listened to it except when I was with him but I'd thought it for a long time. I hope that if I ever have to go into a home my pension and rental that I could get for my house would go a long way towards paying the fees [now that is a depressing thought].

There are some signs on the Money Saving Expert site that you can print and display. I have one and it works!!

I've got a similar sign on my door, from the local council.
Doesn't do any good. They knock and when I answer, then point out the sign to them, they say sorry, never saw it.
I never buy, though.

Thank you Pittcity. Those are so much better than the council ones. And I've got a laminator machine now which I love!

I've got a laminator too, so useful.

The Money Saving Expert signs durhamjen quote the "Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations 2008" and Martin says "Guidance we've had from Trading Standards says ignoring a sticker may be a criminal offence under the Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. While it's not been tested in court, a QC agrees with this so we've added it to our sign. If they knock when they shouldn't, there can be no argument." Simply report offenders to Trading Standards.

The energy companies cannot ignore this sign and if they do you can report the employee to the company and get compensation.

All that said I have had no problem, except once when one of those "know it all" salesmen said he couldn't read when I politely pointed out the sign. I replied "Oh how sad" and closed the door.

I was looking for bogof offers in the supermarket today because, on the way in, a well-meaning lady leapt in front of me with a message on her apron informing me she was collecting for the local food bank. I felt pressurised into buying food to donate and could not find any bogofs - are they still being offered?

Pittcity, my son's a trading standards officer. He's far too busy with real crooks.

Pittcity at your last paragraph!

durhamjen was just quoting the website and in my experience it just the threat that you could report that works.

Found a problem when I get around to putting a notice on the door. A charity bag just plopped through the letter box - I shan't get any them any more and will have to buy bin bags!!

i still get stuff through the door, they just don't ring the door bell.

So I have written to the Post Office to opt out of unaddressed mail, registered online for Mail Preference and printed out the Money Saving Expert sign and stuck it up.

I shall now sit back and see how much difference it makes.

it is not really a big thing here in belguim to be on the property ladder, if you can fine, if not then just find somewhere nice to rent and thats it, some people rent all their lives.
There is some Social Housing but mainly for non eu immigrants, we have a lot of those, I have been on the list for 15 years!!!!!
Council housing is only for those in full time employment and the rents are means tested. Most are kept for those in essential jobs, teachers, nurses etc.
Then again the rights of tenants are paramount, with obligatory 3 to 9 year leases which must be registered an the local Commune. When I mean 3 to 9 it means if the lease is not broken by the tenant after 3 years it automatically becomes 9 years.
A landlord can give a tenant 6 months notice if he intends to renovate the property or a family member is in need of accommodation.
I even have a secure rental contract with my SIL, if i did not I would be unable to get essential services.
Perhaps sometimes the UK could look east when they are trying to sort things out instead of assuming everything on the continent of Europe is bad.