I think we are a lot more affluent but regret that people are so much more acquisitive and have to have everything straight away. Maybe the credit squeeze will make people think about spending within their incomes again. I was desperately hard up - overdrawn and had to make Christmas pressies - when I first had this house exactly 25 years ago, but I didn't rush out and buy new everything. I am only now contemplating my first 'new' dining table!