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Cost of living - have you noticed any difference yet?

128 replies

Newhere31 · 24/05/2022 20:44

Just wondering how people have been affected so far.
Have your energy bills risen massively? Cost of food?
I have noticed a rise but it hasn't made much of a difference for us but see stories in the news of people not being able to eat ect.
Is it really that bad?
Live a fairly sheltered life in a small village, would just be interested to know what it's like for people in larger towns and cities..
For reference I live in a 2 bed terraced and my energy bill has only increased from £65 to around £80 p/m , food shop has gone up from £60 to £80 a week for 2 adults and 1 infant.

OP posts:
OuiWeeOui · 24/05/2022 23:02

Thinking twice about going to local attractions/cinema/shops unless I can justify the journey and tie it in with doing a couple of things
Food has jumped up so no more small unnecessary treat purchases
Its the uncertainty about where its all going and when/if it will slow down I think.

Ariela · 24/05/2022 23:08

My car has a computerised display shows mpg. I have definitely decreased the amount of fuel I use - by in excess of 30%. I used to use a tank every 3 weeks, can go to well over a month now. This is in a combination of driving more economically - less heavy on the throttle and brakes, and not dashing off on errands as they come up, but planning non urgent trips in with other trips. So the goodies sitting for us in Screwfix will stay there till I go to the bank on Thursday, as I can go past to get to the bank. I also try to make time to walk or cycle to work. I noticed one of my neighbours, they're both in and out like yoyos all day, which got me thinking about this! Admittedly they do a school run, but they certainly could easily do the school run in the summer as the footpath shortcut is dry....other people do it. Quite often they come back from the school run and 10 minutes later they're off out again! Sometimes my car doesn't move for 3-4 days.

As for electricity, I've noted they've doubled the direct debit, which seems a little unfair given we've only had a 50% increase. I know they're planning ahead for the next increase so want yet more of our cash up front but personally I think that's unfair to hold so much of our cash in advance (£100 is still in hand after the most recent bill last week is paid) so rather than give a reading which is lower instead I've simply let them estimate this time and paid that, which appears to be based on 10% more than we used last year so perhaps an average of the past few years as we've been using less as we've gradually replaced eg LED bubs, more A rated appliances etc. I've rung them and got the direct debit down to what they told us it was going up to in an email in February (from £58 to £72 - instead they put a note on the bill later in February and took £94! Bit cheeky isn't it!)
As for oil, we replaced the solar immersion heater (hives off the electricity we generate on our solar to an immersion heater in the hot water tank) with a new one www.marlec.co.uk/product/solar-iboost/ that cuts in at a 100w generated over our other usage (previous one was 2Kw over), and as a result turned the oil off. We have a 2500litre oil tank so luckily filled up at 43p or so in the summer last year, I'm hoping by August we might see a figure approaching 60p which might entice me to top up before winter, otherwise I'm thinking I may gamble it'll come down for 2023 and fill up again then, I only fill up in a heatwave at the best of times anyway as that's when you get the best price - but obviously not everyone can do this or afford to do this - too small a tank or only able to afford small amounts at a time!

Food has definitely gone up - but we're growing lots of our own - rhubarb, lettuce and broad beans from the garden today. We have tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cherries, apples, gooseberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and blackberries, lots of onions, potatoes, beetroot, peas, runner beans, French beans, spring onions, sweet potato and sweetcorn to follow! I've instigated one veggie meal a week and one cheaper meal largely veggie eg I now make Chilli with lots of added veg and far less meat - enough meat for DH to think it's meaty (he loves his meat) , so food isn't massively more than it was. I've noted some staples are still the same, (eg Waitrose is our nearest and the baked beans are still 4 for £1.20 the family prefers them over cheaper supermarket or Heinz) but have taken to picking up certain items elsewhere / when there's a good offer in bulk.

My spend has gone up by around 12-14% on food/groceries though, so my next move I'm thinking is to cut portion size very slightly - weighing things eg pasta etc rather than guessing too much, using set amounts of meat, veg etc and freezing the rest, as we are all carrying a few lb too many here, and to cut the alcohol and biscuits / snacks for the family down a fraction too - and I think that's my 12-14% recouped. But it must be horrendous if you're already doing all this stuff.

LaWench · 24/05/2022 23:10

Our usage has decreased to counteract the price rises. We barely use the car so fuel costs are low, we buy cheaper food and less fresh fruit and veg and snacks. Utilities are hard to compare as we've moved to a larger house, we were on a v cheap fixed rate at our old smaller home so a big increase but we expected it in a bigger home.
We've made other changes to reduce outgoings like swap the leased hybrid car for an old banger. Upgraded our boiler to a new efficient one.

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Cuckoo48 · 24/05/2022 23:12

energy bill has only increased from £65 to around £80 p/m , food shop has gone up from £60 to £80 a week

So they've both gone up by around a third in just a few months?
That sounds a pretty big increase to me!

easyday · 24/05/2022 23:14

Food mainly as I don't use my car much and utilities have not caught up yet (pay quarterly).

EcoCustard · 24/05/2022 23:19

Council tax went up and after the £150 rebate left us -£27 annually. Thanks for the help Rishi. Cost £109.00 to fill our Transit connect up this week with diesel prices. Nursery fee gone up again. Food shop goes up weekly alternating between Lidl & Aldi. I still can’t get over butter going up from £1.45 in Lidl to £1.78 over 3 weeks along with so many other products. On fixed rate tariff electric tariff until April’23 so currently putting extra aside for that. We have a multi fuel stove (no gas) but coal has gone mad price wise and logs are creeping up. Everything price wise is up. Mortgage up in December and somewhat concerned especially after 2 years of Covid accounts for DH & me whose business didn’t survive. DH works in commercial property and it’s looking somewhat bleak for business but on the up after several lean years for him. I feel very concerned about the next 2 years but seem to be surrounded by many with new vehicles, homes, expensive holidays, improvements etc and wondering after the last 2 years how it’s affordable? We were hoping to extend our house this year but costs have sky rocketed, shortages of materials etc so scrapped but many cracking on. It feels like a parallel universe at the moment.

TadLlama · 24/05/2022 23:22

One thing I've really noticed an increase in is pet food. Probably because we have a lot of pets. No doubt animal charities will be struggling.

I highly recommend Olio for anyone who hasn't downloaded it yet. If you check the app at about 9pm when the volunteers have listed food collected from local shops, you can get lots of free food (times might vary in your area).

Neverendingdust · 24/05/2022 23:26

M&S might as well be renamed Fortnums & Masons, they’ve gone up that much 😲

I noticed Poundland is now charging £1.25 for lots of items, also their books which were always £1 are now various prices up to £5.

PissedOffNeighbour22 · 24/05/2022 23:29

We fixed our electricity before all the problems so no idea what it will go up to next year. We're on LPG though and a tank full was pretty much double - I was shocked how much it cost.
Definitely a big increase in fuel costs and I've noticed the food bill has increased quite a lot. We don't have a set list of things we buy regularly or a specific day/week we shop though so it's hard to see how much it's gone up by.

Ohwowhoho · 25/05/2022 00:32

Yes. Petrol has gone up. My 12 month tenancy ends next month and landlord said if we want to renew rent will be rising by £100 a month. Our food bill has gone up by 25% and our energy bill has gone up by 25%.

Girlintheframe · 25/05/2022 00:37

Biggest hikes have been our petrol and energy.

Petrol up by £60 per month and energy up by £50 (though they wanted us to put it up by £80).

Food definitely but I've returned to Aldi. Always loved Aldi but having to actually find time to go is challenging.

Lots of other things have gone up like my mobile/internet/DVLA but only by around £2

Disneydatknee88 · 25/05/2022 00:40

I've noticed an increase in gas and electric of about £50 per month for each which is pretty horrid but not as bad as some. Mostly its petrol and food which has crept up. Our TV and broadband is due to increase soon too which I didn't even think would come with recent inflation. Everything is going up really. Its pretty bad. Wages are not increasing with this. The only good thing is that my new job is a fully remote contract so I don't have to worry about childcare costs or commuting costs on top of all of this. Pushing people back into the office just for the sake of it is probably pushing a lot of people over the edge for travel costs.

BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger · 25/05/2022 00:59

I have found it is the cheapest staples that have risen in price steeply. Used to be between 30p-50p for a kilo of pasta. Now i am paying £1.65.

Butter that was 65p a couple of years ago now £1.75

I am in the fortunate position that I have luxuries that I can cut back on. Ten years ago this would have crippled me as I was only spending money on necessities.

mackthepony · 25/05/2022 01:05

Live abroad and gas and food has gone up. Plus restaurants, apart from Starbucks / Tim Hortons etc

runnerswimmer · 25/05/2022 05:16

Our disposable income (what was spent on luxuries) has basically been swallowed up by the increased costs of living. What is left is our fortnightly takeaway, netflix and DD1's swimming lesson, and if there is anything left over at the month I will treat the kids to the softplay (or whatever treat I can afford). We could probably cut the food budget by another £10 if things get very tight but we would be living off non-perishbles.

But, I imagine those minor luxuries will go and we will be eating tinned food come the winter when our energy prices increase even more. Our childcare costs will drop considerably next year when DD2 turns three. Its going to be a bloody long (and possibly cold) winter. At least in the summer it easy to entertain your kids when you can muster up free entertainment in the great ourdoors.

Oblomov22 · 25/05/2022 05:26

Yes hugely.
Electric and gas, from £140, to £180, to £240.
Petrol incredibly, Dh said it's now £70 not £60.
Supermarket, new potatoes were £1, now £3. Cauliflower and broccoli gone up. Weekly shop gone up hugely.

Salary gone up nill.

mjf981 · 25/05/2022 05:33

But your bills have gone up by over 30%! Thats a massive increase.

I know a lot of people who have given up having kids. They simply can't afford them, between cost of living, house prices, nursery fees and stagnant wages.

Fooshufflewickjbannanapants · 25/05/2022 05:38

Yup. It now costs me over 140 a month to take my disabled child to school, energy bills have doubled and the cheap versions of stuff aren't a cheap.

breatheintheamazing · 25/05/2022 05:41

Petrol definitely - can't walk any more than we do so can't reduce that. Work have just increased fuel allowance for work trips from 11p to 25p per mile so at least no longer making a loss on work mileage

Gas/electric has gone down but I'm going to over pay the difference I think - we are fixed tariff until November 23

Food sort of - always used to shop yellow sticker at Marks and they still have plenty in there 3 for £10 range so it's probably only a a few pounds overall which has gone up

Mobile phone, car insurance and internet all gone down,

kids clubs all gone up but £2-3 per month so affordable

Interest rates on a bank loan gone up from 6% to 8% which a hike and credit card interest noticeably up on the one that isn't paid off in full each month

Both DH and I getting cost of living increases on wages of 4% from next month and my work repaying a forced cut in salary they made us take during covid which will offset most of the above to be honest

Expecting childcare to jump up from September - have twins so that will be the biggest expense - it's more than our mortgage and regularly around £1500 per month so expect it's more 2023 that will be harder for us as fixed tariff on gas/electric ends

BarbaraofSeville · 25/05/2022 05:42

BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger · 25/05/2022 00:59

I have found it is the cheapest staples that have risen in price steeply. Used to be between 30p-50p for a kilo of pasta. Now i am paying £1.65.

Butter that was 65p a couple of years ago now £1.75

I am in the fortunate position that I have luxuries that I can cut back on. Ten years ago this would have crippled me as I was only spending money on necessities.

I think you need to check your calendar.

Butter hasn't been that cheap for decades.

Pasta is still available for quite a bit less than that, even M&S does a kilo of penne for £1.10.

Plus for products like butter and pasta, it's all very similar, so you just buy the cheapest/best value. You don't have to buy the same brand from the same supermarket each time, no matter how much it's gone up.

I know things have gone up, but lets be realistic here.

BooksAndChooks · 25/05/2022 05:49

Weekly shop has gone up from £90 per week to £135, there are 6 of us at home. I am already very careful with meal planning and making sure nothing goes to waste and we shop in lidl.

Petrol costs have definitely gone up but I changed jobs a few months ago so instead of a 40 mile round trip I now do about 7.

We have decided to put any spare money towards solar panels and a solar heater for our water. It will mean we are getting by by the skin of our teeth for the next year, but the government doesn't seem to have any plans to address the energy crisis apart from nuclear power stations that will be ready in something like 4-8 years time. It has meant we wont need to turn the oil on to heat water for showers over the spring and summer, and our electric usage has gone down by about 3/4. I appreciate that solar is expensive and this isn't something everyone can do.

FindingMeno · 25/05/2022 06:09

Anyone who hasn't noticed is richer than me.
My main mitigations have been working more and shopping cheaper.

SpindleInTheWind · 25/05/2022 06:21

Newhere31 · 24/05/2022 21:47

@Gentleness I think my post was actually inspired by today's food shop where I noticed the cheese I usually buy had risen by over 30p. Also noticed a lot of gaps, what's causing it? Any ideas?

Shortages?

StickyFingeredWeeNed · 25/05/2022 06:47

I paid £1.82 for petrol yesterday - and the office is a 100 mile round trip plus toll. 😭 could be worse… a different pump was showing a total of £225!

I go in once a fortnight to show my face and run errands I can’t do from home.

my first car was a wee mini - £12 to fill the tank.

Ohbuggeritsme · 25/05/2022 06:48

Food shop has gone up, used to shop in Asda but now go to Aldi or Lidl.
Petrol has gone up approx £30pw. We have a new car arriving beginning of July which is a hybrid so hoping to save money there (car will be charged in work which is a bonus)
Gas/electric has strangely stayed about the same. With Octopus and we raised DD from £130 to £170, monthly bill is around £100 mark and currently have just under £300 credit.
I think overall we have definitely noticed that our money doesn't seem to go as far as it used to. I'm being very strict about unplugging things, reducing the amount of times I use the washing machine, letting my hair dry naturally instead of blow drying, writing shopping lists and sticking to them religiously so I'm not buying crap we don't actually need. Haven't had the heating on for over a month, only putting the dishwasher on when it is completely full and loads of other small things.
Absolutely worried sick about what the situation will be like come the winter!