A video about money/debt I've been making.

[Mr Whippy]

Spent a good few hours(!) on this and just wanted some feedback from fellow 306 owners (past and present of course hehe)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NmOftWdh6s


I've made it with a friend (he does more the consulting) to try send a message about finances and why education about money is important... that friend will be using it with his contacts to try get some kind of future work along these lines, but perhaps promoting some financial education site (think like a little game at the end maybe, to teach people about APR/mortgages and things). Or maybe linking to money advice service or money saving sites etc...?

But aside from that, I just wondered what people thought of the visuals/feel of the video.

This year I've gone freelance working, and also still doing the remapping/tuning business, so I'm building up a portfolio for design/motion graphics etc for the freelance stuff... so I decided to kill two birds with one stone with this project. Promote that idea, and also do something cool (I hope) looking.


Just to add an incentive, anyone who posts a YT comment that is positive can get 15% off their remap from me until the new year only

Just cos I'm kind, and I've wanted to do a promo for ages hehe.


PS, there is no monetisation in this for me personally. I've just sunk time into it and it'd just be nice to hear positive feedback if people genuinely think it's good... or want a cheaper remap haha!


Cheers

Dave

[Oil-burner]

That's awesome mate!

[cwspellowe]

I don't have an HDi, but if I post a positive comment can you give me £150 for a replacement turbo?

Thanks bbz xx

On topic though, fair play for doing it. Personally I don't think the closing caption really fits the theme, it implies having kids doesn't make financial sense, when in fact it's human nature to reproduce and even families in debt or with lower incomes have the right to have children.

I'm the sole breadwinner in our family but we're comfortable, just about. Your video seems to imply we should have chosen not to have a kid and instead saved the money. I get what you're saying but that's the way it comes across.

[Just Sean]

Damn it! Im not gonna get to you till feb time!!

So your video sucks


In all seriousness, its a good video, short and simple, but really strong points and the visuals really help. The pop ups keep the momentum really well. How many boxes was he earning a year? He didnt pay any of his debt of... was that the aim of the video or was it overlooked?

If its a first attempt though, spot on!

[Mr Whippy]

Hi guys,

Thanks for taking the time to comment here!

Bbz, I don't think there is any specific finger pointing intended here. All the people are shaded, we didn't want to imply any demographic or imply anything, it was trying to be generalised.

Lots of things can get you stuck financially, but we do all want to be educated, buy homes, have kids, have nice weddings, but by making bad choices about how we go about those things we can end up stuck.

I'll agree the ending isn't perfect. I really wanted to make a little website/game to 'carry on' the theme so people could have a go themselves and do it right! In doing so they'd be either proving that the video doesn't apply to them, or if they don't do so well (still being positive), then fair play but at least you'd have got them thinking a bit about decisions. Unfortunately I didn't want to spend even more time promoting skills I don't really have (ie, coding a game/website )

I think as long as it makes you think then it's good. This country needs a good kick up the arse really. Plenty of people make sacrifices to have kids or nice cars or houses or whatever, but I'm sure plenty have kids, fancy cars on the never never, and fancy houses, and keep living like there is no problem.
When they go bankrupt it's the hard working people who work hard and pay taxes that pay in the end! They lose out twice, they sacrifice for the things they want while others get the things they want and make no real sacrifices (well they do eventually )


Sean, the story kinda doesn't make sense entirely, it's just designed to make you think a bit. The fact you spot such things is a sign you get it. You thought about it and I guess that is a good thing
We tried to keep it as real as possible without descending into a boring educational finance video with stats/maths all over that send many to sleep.

Basically, if you spot the mistakes easily, hopefully this video's message isn't for you

In that case you can just appreciate the subtle humour (I hope that is what it was )

Dave

[C2K]

Have a section where we focus on mandatory castration of chavs, the world will right itself then in most ways. :yes

[cully]

very good and to the point
but maybe the pop up speech bubbles need to hang a little longer giving you time to read them and understand them

[ben87]

that video is good audience dependent....maybe as a child they got see sense but for an adult who is in debt may think differently

[Kwik]

good video i should show it to missus and make her start living within our budget as she is proper stressing about debt. ive been getting her on track to pay it off though very subtle like as i don't want to make her more stressed lol

[silverzx]

Interesting facts and figures through out, have to be fairly quick at reading not too miss any at some points. Think the ending could do with something a little bit more work ( not sure what though ).

A: 8/10
V: 8/10
M: 6/10



Good work!

[Mr Whippy]

Audio, visual, message?

Yeah, the message kinda trips up right at the end, but thanks for the 8/10 on v and a (I chose the a, but did't make it hehe, bought that off Premium Beats)

If a link for money saving expert came up then it'd make more sense, providing a solution to the problem you create in the message... but unfortunately it's purposes wasn't really to be a full product at this point...

I'd quite liked to have just put money saving expert . com there but the guy who I made it with (he is promoting it in his financial/pension education circles) didn't want to 'finish' it off like that as it'd lose impact to those who he shows it to who are not MSE basically


Now, back to making videos about tuning 306's and stuff

Dave

[Niall]

pretty cool. assuming its more aimed at the likes of recent school/uni leavers?
Does simplify things nicely because i know that debt can run away with you! Im still paying all mine off and will be for a few years before i can consider getting some money together for a house!

[ginge191]

After studying Economics in addition to the Sociology course i'm doing, i won't bore you too much about what you already know about the economy but yep, that is a very interesting video indeed.

But where was his income? Where was his partners income? Benefits etc. etc. And yes, using "him" as a generlisation, i notice IT has no gender.

It's actually interesting the amount people DO know about money, but saving is something which is near impossible now; for example, cosider buying a NEW car, you won't afford a NEW car outright, you have to get finance... ofcourse, there are alternatives such as buying a second hand car etc. Also, it's important to understand that the government does NOT want us, as consumers, in debt. Debt = no money = no spending = no taxation = no payback of government debts. Governments insist on making consuming as 'fair' as possible

Yes this video is a very laymans understanding of how expenditure works and how interest on products exists, but again, the gov. have rules in place, they understand that companies take this piss with interest and stretching it across a wider gap as possible, which is why policies are i the process of coming into power where you CAN pay back early... going a bit astray from the video, but still, the gov. plays a large part in the whole debt scenario.

As a student, i KNOW the debt i'm getting myself in, and yes, people can earn the same wage as myself without going to uni etc etc... i'm no disputing that, i congratulate those. Personally, uni was a choice to understand as much as i possibly could about the world that i enter as i grow up and become independent. Reading newspapers/news/interenet sources or whatever about how 'money' works is pointless. theres always going to be a bias somewhere along the line. Where capital is created, loss must exist.

I feel that once graduates progress through uni, they have a fairly decent understanding on how to save, manage finances, and generally become more mature. I think targetting any age type for financial advice needs to be done at a more junior level; something which they are going to understand. The concept of making it 8bit, animated and almost a game etc. is relative and quite appealing.

Targeting the junior levels is something which isn't particularly explored and could be quiet a niche if this was going to capitalise in any way. So yeh, aiming at uni students is, imo, somewhat pointless

[Niall]

I feel that once graduates progress through uni, they have a fairly decent understanding on how to save, manage finances, and generally become more mature.

Most of what you said i will completely agree with except this.

Obviously this isnt a generalisation of ALL students because some people, its just in them to be more careful with their money and borrowing but the majority of all students i ever have this conversation with seem to think its no big deal borrowing 25k plus because they may never pay it back or it might only be paid back in small installments.
Personally i think the unis need to make more of a point of thinking carefully before you go to uni. It seems to be now days that people who leave school go to uni because its seen as the thing to do or your friends are doing it. Not because they want to study something that will help them progress in later life. Of course the unis are never going to do this because at the end of the day, they are just a business and couldnt care less how much debt you get your self into.

I would say if anything, you are more money conscious if you DONT go to uni. Look at it this way, you go to uni and you move out from home for 3 years. Every few months a nice lump of cash lands in your account to spend on rent and food. You didnt work for that money. Your course is paid for directly by the government. You dont part with that cash or have to go through the processes of obtaining it. Its made too easy because its all just paid for for you and all you know is you have a debt that you have to pay back. Its not like if you move out from home under your own accord and your paying your rent/mortgage/bills out of your own pay pack every month, you have to worry about potentially loosing your job or having wages cut or illness might mean unpaid time from work.

[Mr Whippy]

Ginge 191,

It's not aimed at uni students any more than it's aimed at people having kids, or buying a fridge, or buying a house, or having a wedding.

The statistics try bring it all together to show that poor decisions are often made, or simply not made at all, by showing that people really are in a big mess in some cases.

The university scene isn't intended to say "don't go to university, you'll get in debt", the message is that it's a big investment, think about if you need to go, and will the job you get later in life justify that investment? Just because you CAN get a loan and go, doesn't mean you should... I know plenty of people DO think it through, but some don't. Just as some people didn't think about negative equity, or the APR rates on their loans, etc.
The only person they can really rely on is themselves. This isn't a problem for the government to solve with legislation, they had plenty in place and it still failed. This is all about financial education which will do people good in ALL manner of their lives.

I suppose when you try tackle and engage people in this manner you upset and annoy people as much as you engage them, but at least it has a chance of generating a response unlike the usual stuff we often see telling us to think about money more wisely which goes straight over the heads of those who would benefit from it most.


I think the video would have benefited from an end that provided answers, or solutions. Sometimes it's tough being told to sort it out yourself, and that ultimately wasn't what we wanted to do.
The solution is education, and pointing to educational resources is a good plan, but we just couldn't have done that within the time (not much) and budget (none) we had to make this video



Again, thank you to everyone for taking the time to post your views though. Even though some is 'bad' it's constructive and that can only mean if we do anything else in future it'll work better and that will benefit us all eventually I hope!


I've already had one taker for the 15% off deal too hehe, so the budget for this video is actually in negative numbers now

Many thanks

Dave

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good video i should show it to missus and make her start living within our budget as she is proper stressing about debt. ive been getting her on track to pay it off though very subtle like as i don't want to make her more stressed lol

It is tough!

Last year I was running my remap business, had a full time job, AND I was doing freelance work.

Within reason I could have lived pretty nicely but I still kept my spending sensible... or so I thought.
However, it was truly amazing how I managed to work through my salary each month. Where did that money go?

This year I have cut back so much to make ends meet. I have NO idea how I spent so much before. I've got by on not much this year at all... so it is possible to cut back... but I won't pretend it's easy. I'm a right tight git this year.

A night out for a steak and pint with mates was the highlight of social activity for three months for me haha!


Obviously servicing debt is hard work, I'll be getting my car insurance on monthly payments this January, as I can't afford the chunk outright this year.
I've got a credit card that needs a bit a month to pay off. Luckily my car loan stops in Jan so that offsets insurance and helps pay off the insurance faster.

It really is a juggling game, and you can see how some people basically start to drop their balls and it can easily snowball out of control!


I'd consider myself good with credit control but I've got enough to always worry me at the back of my mind, and I know people with a LOT more... it must be hard work!

Dave

[Jonny b]

Tbh it's not f*cking rocket science!! If you ain't got it don't f*cking spend it!!

Just people being greedy and buying into everything they are shown!!

Buy this buy that life will be great ha ha

[Dave]

Dave,

Excellent video there, and it made me think about a few things that I can apply to my own life - and also make me appreciate some of the good situations I'm in compared to some other people (mainly due to luck! :p)

I do agree money management is something that isn't taught enough, and its easy to be materialistic and for people to get things they want all too easy, and then pay for them later - in other ways, and then some, burdening them and the economy with more stress.

I dont want a remap cheap, but I can hand you the 13mm spanner

[fuziduck]

I agree with most of the comments above, interesting video that will certainly make people think twice before spending!

Have you thought about putting in a part about buying cars, and how it is essentially wasted money. Especially if you get a loan. I'm currently trying to explain to my mate that taking out a £7k loan to buy a car is a stupid idea, when you can get something perfectly reliable & adequate for less than £2k!

Plus he hadn't even thought about worst case scenario of writing his car off and not having GAP insurance! That truly would be a bad place to be!

Luke

[Poodle]

Like it a lot, especially the underlying concept. Has got it's lumps and bumps, but nothing glaring imo. Fair play for taking the time to put something like that together, it's needed, i hope it goes far.

I feel your pain on the cutting back, my friends think i've developed a mortal fear of drinking in pubs and bars.

[lolsteve]

Always been fairly good with money, always had one of those friends that never has any money and never understand why since they'll complain they have no money then buy the new x because they need it.

Good video though, showed it to the housemates and they liked it too found the furneral bit funny.
Those saying uni isn't always a bad investment something like media might not pay off but something like engineering or law will pay off quickly