i haven't changed my spending habits in the least
i still go out and buy daft shit when i feel like it
it's just that i've bought everything i needed when the times were good and now don't have to spend any money to keep up with the jones'

if anything, prices for skilled labour has gone up
about 2 months ago we were quoted £500 to strip and skim the hallway up and down stairs
last week it went up to £650 because he needed the work to keep his guys happy
still said it would take 4 days start to finish so i offered him £400 and he;ll get back to me
when he does i'll haggle some more
i don't need it done but i can get a bloke in for £50 a day to do the prep work for 2 days who'll bring his mate along and skim coat it for £40 if i supply the stuff so why people, all of a sudden are thinking that they are worth more because times are hard is beyond me
if he'd come to me and said "i'm free now as work is quite, i'll do it for £400 i would have let him do it and given him some other little odd jobs to do around the hosue as well, but going the other way to make up for the poor week he had the week before is taking the piss