In the UK, the early 1970's were a time of innocence. 'Punk' was what Clint Eastwood called a villain before he blew their head off, Maggie Thatcher was 'that nice lady with the funny hats' and young people were actually paid to go to college and get educated.However change was afoot. Hot pants and the 'maxi' had replaced the mini skirt, a guaranteed job after school was a thing of the past and the booming sixties had given way to the three day week and growing industrial unrest.The introduction of decimalisation had brought with it creeping inflation, household budgets were being stretched and one particular group of students, living in England's sprawling Metropolis, were finding it increasingly difficult to make their student grant cover the cost of their beer, records, clothes and food (in that order), never mind pay for their accommodation and the occasional course book.Desperate measures were needed if they were to make their money stretch to the end of term. This is their story of survival'¦'¦.What others have to say about the book'¦'¦.It'll never make the Richard and Judy Booklist. (The authors mum)Who are Richard and Judy? (His dad)His expansive use of the English vernacular puts the author in the same esteemed company as Shakespeare, Milton and Dickens. (His agent)B#ll#cks (Charles Dickens)