I've never hired a skip before but I should imagine that it's fairly e

I've never hired a skip before but I should imagine that it's fairly expensive to hire one, especially in light of the recession. However, maybe the recession's had the opposite effect on skip hire costs. Maybe it's driven costs down. Either way, it's probably not good news. If hire costs have gone up, maybe people can't afford it, so skip hire companies don't get as many orders as they previously did. On the other hand, if hire costs have gone down, then maybe the same companies are just about breaking even or making a loss. Whichever way you look at it, they might not be making as much money as they used to and, like quite a few industries, might be left with no option but to make staff redundant or go into liquidation.Where I live, Woolworth's and Adams were right next to each other and they both went into administration round the same time. One minute, Woolies was there, the next thing it wasn't and had been replaced by a pound shop - almost as if it had never existed. I would have preferred it if it had been left empty for a couple of months just to give people time to mourn - but money is money and I realise that keeping it empty for that long is just me thinking with my heart not my head.Even if I had the finances for it, now wouldn't be the time for me to go on any kind of course, let alone a driving course. Have you seen how much they charge these days for one? So you fork out the money for driving lessons and a practical test. If you're lucky, you sail through it. If not, you pay for more lessons and yet another practical test. That's all money. Then, when you pass, there's the money for a new car or a used one. It all adds up. In the current economic climate, is it worth it?For me, I'd rather put the money I'd use for a driving course, practical test and used/new car towards something more useful like paying off my debts or something.

Even if I entered a competition and won a new car, I still wouldn't bite. I'd sell it 'cos to be honest, learning to drive has never really been on my list. I got a provisional licence when I was younger 'cos my mum wanted me to learn how to drive, but I wasn't really that interested. I got it because she wanted me to. I can happily find my way around via bus, train, tube, etc. Don't get me wrong: I can see the advantages and the convenience of owning a car, but not having a car has never really been something I've regretted. I get around just fine.