To ask when is the cost of living going to go down?

I get it @scotpancakes I used to feel ok on my wage, but it has not risen inline with inflation in the past 15 years and like you I am now at the lower end of squeezed middle clinging on trying not to get pulled into poverty whilst still having no help from either employers or government in either increasing my income or keeping my job all the while getting very little help from government whilst raising small children and equally getting the bare minimum from the children's other parent. I can't move and already work in a 'flexible' job...so flexible that as soon as we get too expensive they offshore the jobs, hence being able to keep our wages suppressed regardless of experience and knowledge. I have been through at least 2 other cycles of this in my career and this has been the worst, probably because I have children in tow.

We're in a similar situation - DH has reached a sort of plateau and not had a substantial pay rise in 10 years, however, in the past six years, I've both gone up from three days to four and also had a promotion to get me back on the same level as I was pre-children (had to leave job and get one at a lower level after DC2 was born). We're also out of the nursery years so lower childcare costs.

So we've managed to so far weather the COL crisis and do relatively okay. However, we can't really improve things much further (unless I go up to full-time, which will be tough with two primary-aged DC, one of whom is ASD) and we're both in the same financially-screwed sector, so pay rises and promotion opportunities are just not going to happen.

We were fortunate to fix our mortgage for 10 years just before interest rates rocketed so our current tactic is to try and pay off the majority ASAP whilst we can.

How does that mean there is no COL crisis in Spain? Do you think that the Russia Ukraine war somehow only impacted the uk?

Deleted as missed off quote.

It doesn't go down, it just goes up.

This isn't helpful for you now but I honestly think it's very difficult to climb out of this once you have already started private renting and having children, especially as a single person. Nearly all millennial homeowners I know bought as a couple (and therefore dual income) in their 20s before the expense of having children - those who had children while privately renting in their 30s have very little hope of buying.

Short of an inheritance, I think your only options are really moving or re training (which has a price tag and timescale attached!)

What are you trying to say? We had out first holiday for years.We enjoyed a meal and wine for about 30 quid.

Tbh I chose a poorly paid profession ( healthcare) and now rue my decision. Dd wants to be a banker ( thank god). In short if u want more money retrain to a well paid job.

I don't think it will either. I am a teacher and although I had a good pay rise I am still not on an amazing wage.
The COL is having a big impact. Nearly 30% of children are living in poverty in the UK and it's still rising. It's bonkers. How the hell are people on low incomes supposed to live.
In fact, poverty has increased highest in families where at least 1 parent works.

People are working just to exist and any little pleasures such as a small holiday and days out are not achievable for many now. I took my self to Costa the other day and am looking at £4 for a coffee. A small treat has become unaffordable. Even a bloody caravan holiday at the coast is a stupid amount. I looked at booking a pantomime for 4 and it was nearly £200!

It’s also totally impractical in many careers. If you are a 40 year old single mum working as a teacher, you can’t “retrain” to be recruited into the Goldman Sachs graduate training scheme. You more than likely can’t retrain to be a magic circle lawyer. Even retraining as a dentist, assuming you have the grades to get in, is going to involve at least five years out of work (going through dental school) then several years of low salaries as a trainee/junior.

It’s good advice if you are in a low paid unskilled role, or long term unemployed. For people on average salaries though, “retraining” isn’t a foolproof route to a six figure salary.

I am almost 60 and I wouldn't say it is the new norm. It is just the norm.

We have had to move around the country several times for work. We ended up living hundred of miles ftom our families.

Luckily, we have never been particularly materialistic do have managed and saved for the future.

Sorry if my message sounds very insensitive but I'm afraid nothing will drive the costs down anytime soon. Complex issues are at play such as climate change affecting crops and energy prices, political decisions, economic realities, wars affecting world food chains and fuel prices etc...
It's not an easy fix.

Being single is expensive and even more so as a parent. Looking at my friendship group rapidly approaching 60 so much older than you even though all benefitted from a time of cheaper housing it’s the ones in long term relationships that are so much better off. Is your ex a decent co parent?

Post budget inflation is expected to rise from 1.5% to 2.5% according to the OBR. So if anything it’s expected to be worse.

The UK has a better welfare state than many though obviously not prefect, it’s actually one of the main reasons why there isn’t unrest. Both Smith and Marx believed this to different degrees.

The uk is poorly performing compared to peers and we have the greatest rich/ poor divide of those peers and many believe those are linked

Which means things really suck if you are nearer the bottom of the heap

The OP refers to a period of the last 16 years.

Where do you think the OP should emigrate too? Where's better for someone on a low -medium wage?

But we are doing much worse than the other all other G7 nations. The UK has experienced the highest inflation and lowest economic growth of any G7 country since the end of 2021.

This is what people voted for op.
We are going to be paying much more for less. Your taxes will disappear into a black hole.

Point being they probably earn more! I’ve just loaded a lorry with a female driver. She’ll be pulling a fair old wage on a Sunday night run.

Are you serious? It’s been widely reported for years?! A holiday in Spain? 😂😭😭😭

Cost of living will never go down. Prices only ever go up. The "Rate" of increase may rise or fall, i.e. inflation, but that just means the amount of increases will be bigger or smaller, not that there would be any decreases. The hope has got to be that pay rise increase at a faster rate than the rate of inflation. Anyone actually expecting prices to come down will be sadly disappointed.

It’s not going to go down.

We live in a socialist high tax, high spend country. More than half of everything that’s spent is done so by taxing, borrowing or printing money. Businesses are going to the wall. High earners and investors are fleeing the UK. What’s left is an economy on life support with more than half the population reliant on an ever shrinking number of net contributors.

Now wages will be suppressed even further as business cut down on pay to make up for governments tax hikes. While insane government spending causes inflation.

The only way to get out of this is to leave batshit Britain. Like all the sane people with money are doing.

The nursery & infant school years are brutal as a single parent as you feel you just work to pay childcare. In that respect it gets alot easier when they get older.