How will we all manage?

everythingisgoingup · 2022-02-07T18:23:03+00:00

I have spent a lot if time thinking about this the last few days Increasing prices for gas/electricity Increasing petrol prices Food prices on the rise Higher taxes in the form of NI DH and I are not living hand to mouth but these increases are worrying and I fear for people who were already struggling [sad] I worry about young people and families and their future Anyone else?

anyoldname76 · 07/02/2022 18:29

We're just going be more cautious putting the heating on tbh, might cancel our Asda delivery and go back to Aldi. I walk to work anyway, dh needs the car for work but does get a decent milage allowance. We're definitely going feel the pinch though.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 07/02/2022 18:32

I dont eat meat so my weekly shop is cheap.
I buy only frozen fruit and veg so nothing is wasted. Also have a lot of canned stuff and eat loads of soup.
I dont turn the heating on. I'm saving up for a Woodburn there is loads of free wood round here.
I wear fleece Pjs and an oodie so I dont need heating.

Original poster

everythingisgoingup · 07/02/2022 18:36

We are doing similar, I have turned down the heating to 17.5

It is on less

Less meat

Fewer lights on

Feels a bit sad and soulless

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FindingMeno · 07/02/2022 18:38

I really fear for people who have already cut back as far as they can

ChrissyPlummer · 07/02/2022 18:39

I’m worried about petrol; I have to drive to get to work, there is no public transport for the times of my shifts. I have said to DH that we’ll have to seriously consider moving to a city with good public transport (but really there’s only London) if it carries on. I did join Costco last week so get petrol a few pence a litre cheaper and I think I’m going to upgrade to their executive membership as that gives you 2% cash back.

BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation · 07/02/2022 18:46

We have to freeze and eat crap so that those who are more fortunate don't have to. I'm sure the Shell bosses, Sunak and his tory friends and the royal family can still afford heating, light and food.

God forbid wealth should be more equally shared.

Tdcp · 07/02/2022 18:46

We're pretty hard up already tbh, managing as it stands but with all these increases I don't know what we'll do. My childhood was poor ...by poor I mean I never had new clothes, I was tall so I had hand me downs from my mum's male friends, I went without eating so my little brothers were fed, we didn't have heating or hot water etc. I'm frugal as it is but terrifies me that my dd might have to go without to a noticeable point.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 07/02/2022 18:51

i was planning so far on only putting the heating on when needed, rather than the timer,
but it is going to be cold in the next few days, i might eat my words.

Timeyime · 07/02/2022 18:54

Personally, I am going to engage in civil unrest.

Pinkflask · 07/02/2022 18:55

Gas bills will go up even if you don’t have the heating on as standing charges are going up!

Original poster

everythingisgoingup · 07/02/2022 18:57

Timeytime I am with you!

I think we need to get political however this requires energy and time which I have little of

I do worry about the silent folk just cracking on because they have to

The energy thing is a joke, this has been coming for a while and the government have done nothing

However as the main contenders in the cabinet are wealthy and do not even use the NHS or state education they don't need to worry

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nancy75 · 07/02/2022 19:02

@Timeyime

Personally, I am going to engage in civil unrest.

I agree, what the hell is going on? Why are we putting up with this? Threads on here about heating or eating, asking can people use libraries to keep warm, tips on how to stay warm when it’s cold & how to make food stretch. We are one of the wealthiest nations in the world, why are we accepting it? Other countries are making the energy firms swallow the increase from their profits, we are letting them shaft us.

Arsewangry · 07/02/2022 19:04

I do wonder why there hasn't been any civil unrest. It's very quiet. We have had fuel strikes and poll tax riots in the past. I wonder why we are being so obedient.

For us, we are in a very fortunate position, we aren't well off by any stretch, but there are cut backs we can make. It's not going to be pleasant but I do recognise we are very lucky and I will be making extra foodbank donations.

Echobelly · 07/02/2022 19:06

Our family will be OK, but I do worry for others. There was a very concerning thread on Twitter the other day from a woman with disabilities saying how much harder it will hit disabled/chronically ill people whose conditions may mean they need houses to be kept hot or cool, may need extra refridgeration for medicine, may have lots of assistive devices that need charging or running off mains and so on. No one's even thought of making extra provision/support for them to meet their energy needs.

marieantoinehairnet · 07/02/2022 19:07

@Timeyime

Personally, I am going to engage in civil unrest.

I do actually think/fear there will need to be some kind of unrest to make those in the ivory towers sit up and notice

Malariahilaria · 07/02/2022 19:20

Covid is making it easier to move this through without civil unrest. People are tired, still a bit wary of social gathering.

emuloc · 07/02/2022 19:32

@BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation

We have to freeze and eat crap so that those who are more fortunate don't have to. I'm sure the Shell bosses, Sunak and his tory friends and the royal family can still afford heating, light and food.

God forbid wealth should be more equally shared.

Yep. While people weigh up wether they can afford to eat or heat, and children go hungry, the Royal family are busy paving the way for Camilla to be Queen.

MyGlassKeepsLeaking · 07/02/2022 19:35

I don't work (recovering from being very ill last year), my husband works full-time. Luckily, the mortgage was paid off. I'm going to:

stop using the dishwasher
cut down on the washer and dryer
stop having the heating on so much
hopefully, get a job in the summer (I'll be 63 then)

emuloc · 07/02/2022 19:37

@Echobelly

Our family will be OK, but I do worry for others. There was a very concerning thread on Twitter the other day from a woman with disabilities saying how much harder it will hit disabled/chronically ill people whose conditions may mean they need houses to be kept hot or cool, may need extra refridgeration for medicine, may have lots of assistive devices that need charging or running off mains and so on. No one's even thought of making extra provision/support for them to meet their energy needs.

This. People who have ventilators at home. They cannot just turn them off, can they?

nordica · 07/02/2022 19:43

I also worry about the job losses that will inevitably follow when people start cutting back on non-essential spending. What will happen to those small online shops, self-employed service providers, local restaurants and so on when even people who've not been struggling previously no longer have that spare £100 each month to spend? I know I'm definitely cutting back on buying any extras.

EezyOozy · 07/02/2022 19:52

I feel very lucky that there are further cutbacks I can make without things getting too horrendous;

Go to the local community food larder and then Aldi for missing items , rather than tesco delivery

Put cling film stuff on the old draughty windows (although I'll Prob not do this till next autumn now). Use heating even less.

I already get most of the clothing for my kids from clothing swaps but I could do better in terms of trying to get free toys

Spending less on Xmas and birthdays (still make it lovely though but a smaller budget pp).

We already eat a mostly vegan diet cooked from scratch , I do get the odd frozen pizza or quorn thing as a luxury !!

I could use the tumble dryer less and not at all from spring

I was going to buy plants for our garden but I might try and find a plant swap scheme or propagate them myself !

We already walk everywhere we can

Our heating is oil which I think is slightly more affordable at the moment ?

Don't know what else we could do tbh!

We could stop going to cafes , which we sometimes do on a weekend for lunch

nancy75 · 07/02/2022 20:04

How does one go about organising civil unrest?
I’m 46 years old, pretty placid in everyday life but now I’m just bloody angry & moaning about it online doesn’t seem enough

EezyOozy · 07/02/2022 20:09

I also worry about the job losses that will inevitably follow when people start cutting back on non-essential spending. What will happen to those small online shops, self-employed service providers, local restaurants and so on when even people who've not been struggling previously no longer have that spare £100 each month to spend? I know I'm definitely cutting back on buying any extras.

Totally agree , these are the sorts of things we will cut back on if we have to.

Arsewangry · 07/02/2022 20:12

@nancy75

How does one go about organising civil unrest? I’m 46 years old, pretty placid in everyday life but now I’m just bloody angry & moaning about it online doesn’t seem enough

Haha! Same here! I'm a little round middle aged woman - nobody notices me in the street. I don't think I'd have much impact shouting "down with this sort of thing" in my local town centre

Original poster

everythingisgoingup · 07/02/2022 21:01

Online petition

Or local political parties

In the past Labour would organise such things but now 🤷‍♀️

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