It was like that for a lot o people in the late 70s and early 80s. Unemployment was rife then. It was grim times and fivers and tenners made a difference to people. Almost the whole scheme lived like that and there was nae shame in it cos everybody knew what it was like to have fuck all.It's quite a surreal memory and very similar to STG with regards to the provy guy.
Like STG, I mind the guys chap at the door , unmistakable and followed with " Provy guy ! It's Norrie" and he was an old acquaintance of my Da's making it worse
Also same as STG I'm talking about me, 2 sisters 2 brothers , ma and Da could sometimes all be in the house and everyone would freeze on the spot and it was a fiver or something we were hiding. That fiver though tbf in todays boodle is probably the equivalent of 50 quid these days, more perhaps cos it sure feels like you could get more for a fiver in the late 70s/early 80s than you can for 50 quid now especially in Co-op or corrupt I call it , bloody extortionate shop.
By 86/87 I’d had enough o having fuck all and went to England to start again.
How to get money for a new life?
Visionhire- No deposit, instant credit. Say you work with the council because Dundee City Council don’t confirm or deny who works there when the credit check is done. Walked oot with £800 worth of TV and Video. I knew a guy who ran bar in Forfar and he wanted a teletext tv for the racing results. £400 for both.
My mate went in the next day and did the same. He sold his to a women in his sisters work. Saturday night we got the bus to my cousins in Streatham. Monday got the bus to Oxford where my mate was living (a wee toon called Bicester). Met my mates old boss in the street in Bicester on the Tuesday and me and my other Visionhire mate got a full time job there and then, come to the factory and start in the morning. We Couldna believe it was that easy to get a full time job down South. It was a sawmill/factory that made homepack furniture. Rented a double room with my mate then got a rented flat efter a 5 or 6 weeks.
5 days that completely changed my life. My only regret was I didn’t do it 3 or 4 years earlier.
Many thanks to No deposit Instant Credit.