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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why everything is so f**kin' expensive?!

321 replies

MummyStruggles · 29/04/2019 11:34

Just that really?

And, also, there's ALWAYS "something" that needs to be bought or replenished i.e new pillows and duvets for the whole household! Grrrr!

Meant to be a lighthearted thread but you know, I get really bloody stressed about it!

Anyone else?

OP posts:
Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 29/04/2019 21:39

Right I think I've destroyed my pillow trying to machine wash it 😂

I totally destroyed my best down pillow washing it. It was just a sad flat bag of lumps, despite following all the advice, including tennis ball in the drier. £60 down the drain there.

Geraniumpink · 29/04/2019 22:05

We take out about £400 every month and stick it in the savings account. During the month I might dip into this to pay for stuff like car insurance/service/MOT/holiday etc. - some months I might need it all back again, other months it might all stay there. This works fine until the really big things appear - new boiler/car etc.
Just about to have our 20 year old bathroom replaced (the shower was leaking through the ceiling) which will wipe out most of our savings.
It’s tough to take part in society in some degree and have money to spare.

Original poster
MummyStruggles · 30/04/2019 06:59

Another day another expense... Sky remote has bust, just like that, was fine last night Confused Only a tenner but this was the point I was trying to make yesterday. Always something Grin

OP posts:
Lovemusic33 · 30/04/2019 07:39

Not everyone can afford to put money back each month. I manage to put £20 back a week (£80 a month), no way I could put back £400.

Things like bedding are expensive especially when everyone on the house needs theirs replaced. All the small £10 items add up and when something like the car breaks down it’s a nightmare if you don’t have savings.

Inliverpool1 · 30/04/2019 10:26

You have to save something. When I was on the bones of my arse I still put away £5 every week because you have to have something to fall back on

AspergersMum · 30/04/2019 10:44

Agree with a pp that high prices from a formerly reputable store can mean nothing now. Brands stop meaning quality when they share factories in China (or biscuit factories in the UK) and use the same MDF and glues to make very similar products as the cheapest stores. I buy as much as possible from our wonderful local charity shop that gets a lot of goods from elderly people, so really sturdy old saucepans, cutlery, plates, even the sheets are better than what I can pay for new.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 30/04/2019 10:53

I think social media doesn't help as everyone posts a filtered view of life and it can feel like everyone is affording a lot, comfortably. From chatting with my parents it's interesting, they feel people my age have expectations of luxuries they never considered (pricey day trips, more clothes & toys etc than we had as children, newer/more cars, quite expensive processed food, home decor being changed relatively often etc) - but then can feel we struggle to afford other things. Can you review your family budget & find areas where you could cut back? Is there a reason all your duvets need replacing? I use one that came from my parents house & is at least 30 years old, it's a really warm duvet!!

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 30/04/2019 10:54

Ps can you manage without the remote until you are due a new contract & box? The boxes have buttons on. Lots of people don't have sky tv at all- just watch freeview for a bit via your terrestrial aerial

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 30/04/2019 11:01

OP I'm going to be a bitch here, you were only posting 3 weeks ago about taking your kids to Disneyland Paris in August. Splashing out on a lovely school holiday family trip like that might be why you are hard up for day to day things.... sorry

Original poster
MummyStruggles · 30/04/2019 11:07

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland No need to apologies. You're right, I was posting about taking my kids to Disneyland Paris but that's because they deserve a holiday, as do me and my husband. We work all year round, full time, bloody hard and the least we deserve is some good quality time away with our kids. Like any other household and family, it's nice to know you're working for or towards something.

Paris probably isn't going to happen, because of how expensive we're finding it will be. Nice to have a dream though.

Also, just to point out, I'm not "hard up", my thread was just really getting at the fact that there is "always something".

OP posts:
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 30/04/2019 11:17

That's life OP. Hardly any one is so rich they don't notice these things, it just seems that way from TV/Instagram etc. Everyone is budgeting in different ways to afford what they choose. I spend sod all on home decor, but we do like to eat good food & have enough saved for emergencies, it's all just choices.

Nb You referred to your sky bill being £120 in an earlier post, how on earth is it so big? My monthly bill is about £45 I think (internet, basic tv, phone line). You can prob get a much cheaper deal renegotiating next time!

Just focus on the things you do have. The best things in life (family etc) are free.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 30/04/2019 11:18

Nb re the holiday, I think we do all have bigger expectations these days. When I was a kid my mum's view was that they worked bloody hard all year and we deserved a weeks camping holiday.

bigKiteFlying · 30/04/2019 11:41

Also, just to point out, I'm not "hard up", my thread was just really getting at the fact that there is "always something".

Lifestyles expand to fit incomes - that a saying DH picked up.

It's true though - before we moved this house house which is done and isn't eating money all the time - we couldn't just afford some of the away school trips or things kids wanted and we wanted to give them like swimming lessons or pets. It was a straight no - as just wasn't possible.

As soon as we could just afford things we went ahead, which then leaves us scratting around for pennies some months.

Though we are sensible bills, saving for holiday, saving for anything big in house that may come up, kids savings for future is done first.

BiddyPop · 30/04/2019 12:04

Lifestyles expand to fit incomes - that a saying DH picked up.

A PP mentioned this, and it is so true!

I got into a habit when I got a payrise, if I could afford to, I would allow myself a couple of paycheques to enjoy a treat, but then I increased my salary sacrifice savings to the credit union at work. So at least some of the increase went straight into my savings before I ever saw it to spend. As I could previously manage on a lower amount so I tried to keep managing on a lower amount.

And it builds up relatively quickly into a nice sum by doing that - which I tend to use for holidays and Christmas etc - but it's also there if I need something in a hurry (like the washing machine is broken or whatever).

LisaD76 · 30/04/2019 17:56

Buy a pneumatic they are cheap and last.... you don’t have to get the latest dyson

nuxe1984 · 30/04/2019 18:11

Because businesses have got greedy and instead of being content with the same level of profit each year, they have to make more and more in order to pay their shareholders more dividends.
We also live in a throwaway society where things aren't made to last. Companies don't want you fixing what you've got, they want you buying new products.
We also usually have way more than we actually need ...

speakout · 30/04/2019 18:22

nuxe1984

It's called economic growth and is the bedrock of Western economy.

It is fundamentally flawed.

DeftandGlory · 30/04/2019 18:23

I don’t think they are. I think people want too much stuff..Its much cheaper than the 70’s and 80’s in my opinion.

Big items are cheap second hand and good quality because people throw out so much.
Clothes are inexpensive from supermarkets, Primark, Everything £5.
Food is relatively cheap compared to other places.

Labour is more expensive but that’s because they can charge a fortune and everyone pays it. Helps to live in a area where people’s time is relatively cheap.

Kate0902900908 · 30/04/2019 18:27

Me and husband are TTC been married 2 years. We have save a considerable amount in expectation of needing IVF. We know how hard it is to try and get it on the NHS and do we’ve been careful to save. However because of this we have become the family bank .. we’re not saying they are taking advantage but most of our siblings with children honestly can’t afford any ‘OMG we need money moments’ which is making me think wow is it that hard to raise children

Gromit78 · 30/04/2019 18:29

I'm amused, as I scroll through this thread on my phone there is an advert for National Lottery. I guess things only seem expensive when you have little money to spare. It's annoying, but no bad thing imho. We have lived in a disposable culture for too long now. This is a perfect time to really reflect on what we actually need and where we can get things from. I needed a printer the other month and got a working one for free on freecycle.com. Need I say more?

Widowodiw · 30/04/2019 18:34

Is there though in all cases it is it just higher expectations? Are you using everything until it literally has bomwesr anymore or just because things look a bit shabby? Will you buy second hand? I will never buy new furniture again as here is so much quality second hand furniture that you can buy/ or do up.

I moved house 18 months ago and the carpet is just awful. But I can’t afford it and tbh it’s not going to make any difference to my life other than it will look better so I’m just going to have it until it’s on it’s last threads.

feelingverylazytoday · 30/04/2019 18:34

I'm another person who's going to say that most things are really cheap nowadays.
You've got supermarkets, budget supermarkets, street markets, charity shops, Ebay, poundland, freecycle, primark, etc etc. How much more cheaper do you need things to be?

CoolCarrie · 30/04/2019 18:44

People of my parents and grandparents generations were far more content, they had nice things which lasted, not buying new cars or paint their homes every two year, and less of keeping up with the Jones, plus my grandparents had a world warand rationing. to deal with. We don’t know how fortunate we are now.

clairemcnam · 30/04/2019 19:11

Things did used to be better made. We used a cheap market duvet for years and it was absolutely fine. Stupidly decided after about 20 years maybe we should get a better one. Bought a decent high quality one and it is not lasting as well.
We did buy furniture to last though, nothing expensive, but the only things we have ever replaces are a few lamps, and sofas. We have wooden furniture including some early furniture from IKEA that was well made then.

Geraniumpink · 30/04/2019 19:15

There are some things which are more expensive such as theatre and cinema tickets, dental care and public transport. I used the trains all the time as a student and young adult, but I couldn’t afford to do it now.
Cars and white goods have always been expensive things that needed to be saved for.