The number of people in debt and the amounts they owe are hard for our generation to understand.

In our youth, most of our mothers managed the family budget, which was replenished each Friday by the wage earner, as long as he was in work.

She had no bank account, cheque book or credit cards to make it possible to acquire anything they were not able to pay for.

Her only currency was cash, and she still managed to give us a penny or two for the Yorkshire Penny Bank book at school, along with the milk money.

They could get hire purchase later. Then, they did have clothes clubs, like Mutuality at the Co-op and Provident cheques, to be paid back weekly when collectors called.

There were so few sources of credit. A few took on mortgages to buy their home but, again, their financial situation was examined to ensure they were able to keep up payments.

Other collectors called weekly with cash bags for their dues from the moderate family wage. There was a small amount covering family members for medical bills, the men from the waterworks, the rent/rates, the milk and insurance.

To get a loan from a bank, which none of them did, an appointment had to be made with the bank manager for a face-to-ace meeting in his office, and not all requests were met. To go into debt was a cause for court action, shame and no further credit of any kind.

We carried these disciplines with us and our children have taken them on, fortunately.

Children should be made to earn their pocket money, personal financial management should be an important part of the school curriculum and adult education evening classes - not forgetting politicians, banks and public service managers, often the worst perpetrators of debt.

George Appleby.

Leighton Croft, Clifton, York.