“It’ll See Me Out!”

A friend's Mum decided she wanted a new carpet so my friend took her to choose one. She took her time and asked the salesman a lot of questions then said she had chosen the one but wanted a 10 year guarantee with it. She was 99 at the time! (and got her guarantee!)

My Dad used to say these phrases as he hated replacing things. Not long after he died my Mum replaced the carpets and bought a new bed. She died a year later!

Alegrias1

I had an elderly relative who used to say "See you next week, if we're spared. "

How cheerful.

Ha ha my Scottish parents in law said that too !

I tend to think something will see me out and I would be wasteful replacing it. My worst experience of ‘it’ll see me out’ was when my former dentist told me, then about 60, that some work she’d done would last me until I was in my box. She was probably 20 years younger than me and I doubt she realised how I felt when she said it.

My mum used both those expressions. As she was leaving she would always say 'see you next week if I'm spared' and all her furniture would see her out.
I have never said either of those things. Seemed very negative to me.

My dear Dad used to say,

'There are nae pockets in a shroud',

meaning, spend your money on what gives you pleasure cos you can't take it with you.

We say, 'It'll see me oot' in a jokey fashion eg when I recently replaced the big kitchen appliances.

My late DM used to say this, but in a joking and ironic way. I remember her saying it whenever I take a cake tin liner out of the huge pack of them she bought about 10 years before she died. This pack of cake tin liners may well 'see me out' too

My parents used both of these expressions ("It'll see me out" (ISMO) and "If I'm spared" (IIS)) regularly, and I seem to have inherited the habit. Like them, I use ISMO jocularly (albeit increasingly as a reflection of probability as I get ever more decrepit), whereas my saying "IIS" reflects my feeling that one should never take the future for granted - rather like the Arabic "insha'Allah" (God willing). I had no idea that some people (if GN posters are at all representative) would find one or other of these expressions so loathsome!

MIL used that phrase when she talked of getting long-lasting light bulbs and didn’t know why we laughed at her unintended pun. ?

I alternate between "It'll see me out" (always a favourite of my mother's) and "If I don't buy this now when am I going to?" It means I try not to buy "stuff" unnecessarily but still treat myself to some nice things if I can afford them.

My mother used to say it, ( & she died in 1977 at the age of 66 ),
Always said in a light-hearted way, it's is a long standing family joke.!!

I might have mentioned it in relation to new kitchens. It’s done in a jokey sort of way. Though yes, it will probably see me out... hope so, choosing the last one gave me enough sleepless nights.

I remember a former colleague who on his 65th birthday, announced that they had just renewed some furniture, for the last time...

I agree Baggs. I often think. Ooh that’ll see me out or, it’ll do until I’m pushing up the daisies! It’s just a humorous turn of phrase.
Ive just mentioned, in another thread, my 34 year old tumble drier. Fingers crossed it’ll see me oot. ?

I had an elderly relative who used to say "See you next week, if we're spared. "

How cheerful.

We say it jokingly because we don't ever want to make a decision based on that premise.

Another shrug is all it provokes in me. The Norwegian cardigan I'm wearing at the moment, which is already twenty-three years old, will probably last another twenty or thirty unless moths get it. So it'll probably see me out. I have a few other clothes that might too. Then there's my thick sycamore bread board, made in Arran.

I have several items of furniture and kitchen utensils that saw my grandparents out. I love having them and using for that reason.

What a fuss about a few words reflective of reality!

Never heard anyone I know, or have known say that, not even my parents, seems rather negative.

Some relatives in their 80's decided they wanted some new furniture as a joint Christmas gift. They were really upset by all the people who said it wasn't worth it at their age. It's their money and we've all spent so much more time indoors it's nice to have a change.

Like others, I loathe this expression and will never say it.

When my mother died, suddenly, at 85, she had new frilly underwear and a lacy nightdress in her chest-of-drawers, bought only a week previously.

Agree with you Paddyann

I absolutely hate that phrase,its as if you've given up on life and regardless of what happens this thing will be with you to the end.We have friends who say it but their attitude to life is they've been old since they hit 50!!
I have always said I have no intention of getting old and I listened to Bill Roache on TV the other day and he more or less said the same thing...if you think old you'll be old.Enjoy changing and moving forward ,leave the past where it belongs and dont hold onto things because "they'll see me out"

I’d never heard it before I came to live in Scotland. A friend of ours had been using the expression since he was in his 40’s. He and his dw bought new sofas and chairs, which she never liked in the first place, to ‘see them oot’.

Sadly, he developed dementia and went into a care home. Just about the first thing she did after that was buy new sofas and chairs!

I absolutely LOATHE that expression.
I don’t want to think about being “out”