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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this increase in cost is going to break me?

366 replies

Yummmyy · 01/02/2025 18:42

I earn a decent salary. Whenever I go to Tesco for a basic food shop, sone items are going up literally 50p plus within a matter of two weeks. Orange juice was 2.20 for Tesco’s basic, the most expensive 4.30!!

Yes I know orange juice isn’t an essential but when you’re well above minimum wage and have to cut something like that out of your food shop it does make you question what’s the point… anyone else relate to this? I just don’t know where it’s going to end

OP posts:
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Treesinthewind · 01/02/2025 19:11

Poppyseeds79 · 01/02/2025 18:52

It's madness! Once I've paid my rent, council tax, standard bills, travel costs, and utilities. I literally have around the amount I would have if I received UC. I work full time, and my commute is fairly long.

You genuinely end up thinking what is the point 🤔

You know you'd very possibly still have to work to be entitled to universal credit though?

LadyKenya · 01/02/2025 19:10

I cook from scratch the majority of the time, bar the odd fishfinger. I make my own fish, and chips though, and pay a lot less than I would buying it from the Chip shop, or the equivalent in the supermarket ready made. Prices have gone up, no doubt, but I have noticed more so, that the sizes of things have gotten smaller.

FrustratedandBemused · 01/02/2025 19:10

Meadowfinch · 01/02/2025 18:52

I don't buy orange juice but the price of fresh oranges hasn't risen. Maybe juice your own ? It's much nicer.

I cook from scratch, buy unprocessed foods and the prices seem to be holding steady.

Is it processed foods that are rising in price?

No, it isn’t ‘only processed foods’. Prices have risen across the board. A pack of 6 chicken breasts has increased substantially.

Quinlan · 01/02/2025 19:08

Poppyseeds79 · 01/02/2025 18:52

It's madness! Once I've paid my rent, council tax, standard bills, travel costs, and utilities. I literally have around the amount I would have if I received UC. I work full time, and my commute is fairly long.

You genuinely end up thinking what is the point 🤔

People on UC still need to pay those things. So, imagine what they have leftover. You are still better off working.

Let’s not turn a cost of living thread into a UC bashing thread.

NestaArcheron · 01/02/2025 19:07

Meadowfinch · 01/02/2025 18:52

I don't buy orange juice but the price of fresh oranges hasn't risen. Maybe juice your own ? It's much nicer.

I cook from scratch, buy unprocessed foods and the prices seem to be holding steady.

Is it processed foods that are rising in price?

Oh ffs 🤣 no - it's not the evil processed foods that have gone up, it's everything. All fruit and veg, toiletries, everything.
Lovely humble brag, but if you haven't noticed then it can't be you doing the grocery shop.

Moonnstars · 01/02/2025 19:07

I agree. I also have fussy children who like certain foods and even things like their preferred pasta sauce keeps going up.
I don't find Aldi much cheaper (and no clubcard points to collect) also the fruit and veg usually doesn't last from the cheaper supermarkets either so isn't cost effective for me personally.

Truth25 · 01/02/2025 19:07

I'm originally not from here and one of the things I will always disagree on is the price of food. It's really dirt cheap and people must not have travelled or just lived only in this country to not know what expensive food is. Ironically a lot of fruit and veg is imported from my home country and dirt cheap if you had to buy it there!
Oh and there's things like yellow stickers, offers on everything going and so MANY different grocery stores not to mention farmers markets all over the place.

I've literally just said to dh the other day that I have done a full week food shop from M&S and it was around 60 and we cook Almost everything from scratch for a family of 4. I appreciate what you are saying op, as that's how you feel.
To me food is one of the cheapest things about this country.

Antsinmypantsneedtodance · 01/02/2025 19:05

YABU for shopping in Tesco. I've swapped my full weekly shop to Aldi. Apart from 2 items i can't get there everything is Aldi. My weekly food bill for a family of 3 including extras like washing stuff etc. Has gone from.nearly £130-£140 a week at tesco to ~£90 in Aldi. I meal plan and cook from scratch.

Laszlomydarling · 01/02/2025 18:59

Meadowfinch · 01/02/2025 18:52

I don't buy orange juice but the price of fresh oranges hasn't risen. Maybe juice your own ? It's much nicer.

I cook from scratch, buy unprocessed foods and the prices seem to be holding steady.

Is it processed foods that are rising in price?

A cucumber has doubled in price in the last year. It's not just processed food at all. Everything has gone up.

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 01/02/2025 18:57

So many are struggling. And sinking. It's awful.

beetr00 · 01/02/2025 18:55

£2.80 for black peppercorns!! don't even look at olive oil any more.

You are not being unreasonable @Yummmyy in the slightest

Meadowfinch · 01/02/2025 18:52

I don't buy orange juice but the price of fresh oranges hasn't risen. Maybe juice your own ? It's much nicer.

I cook from scratch, buy unprocessed foods and the prices seem to be holding steady.

Is it processed foods that are rising in price?

MrsJHernandez · 01/02/2025 18:52

Prices are rising while it's contents are reducing.

It's not going to end.

But we're still one of the cheaper countries for groceries 😂

Unless salaries fall in line with inflation, we're f'd.

My concern is rent prices. Most salaries are way off to be able to afford housing costs these days.

Poppyseeds79 · 01/02/2025 18:52

It's madness! Once I've paid my rent, council tax, standard bills, travel costs, and utilities. I literally have around the amount I would have if I received UC. I work full time, and my commute is fairly long.

You genuinely end up thinking what is the point 🤔

Housebuy1 · 01/02/2025 18:47

Shop at Lidl or Aldi if you can?

Laszlomydarling · 01/02/2025 18:46

I earn 17k. It's terrifying.