Are you feeling the pinch?

Is the fear of unemployment stopping you from spending? And, is the current economic squeeze affecting your daily life?

Sonia Haycock
Age: 30
Occupation: office manager
Lives: Leith

Yes. I am less inclined to spend money at the moment. I work in financial services recruitment and we have felt the effects at work. Utilities and food are more expensive, but I used to live in London and Edinburgh is still a lot cheaper than there!

Brian Williamson
Age: 66
Occupation: businessman
Lives: San Francisco, US

I’m not feeling the pinch too much, but my business has dropped by 40 per cent. I love to travel and I’m certainly doing less of that. I was involved with setting up RBS in America in the 1970s and it’s in a dreadful situation now.

Dean Crawford
Age: 19
Occupation: construction
Lives: Livingston

I’ve just been paid off, so you could definitely say it is affecting me. The work just isn’t there in the construction industry at the moment. Hopefully it will pick up soon. It’s a part of this industry that work can just tail off suddenly.

Nicola Hay
Age: 36
Occupation: administration
Lives: Leith

I was made redundant last October, but was fortunate to pick up anther job quickly. There is a lot of hype in the press and a tendency to talk these things up. But it’s definitely real now and I suppose I’m getting less likely to spend as normal.

Carly Naysmith
Age: 18
Occupation: hairdresser
Lives: Musselburgh

I’m going out less, although there are lots of deals on food and drink. I think more before spending, whereas before I might not think too much about how much it costs. Where I work is still fairly busy, so it’s not having a big impact yet.

Timothy Bleasdale
Age: 38
Occupation: writer
Lives: homeless unit

I’ve had to become homeless because of this current financial crisis, and it does make you bitter about the whole situation.

It’s a real struggle for people like me.