AIBU to think that we’re all financially doomed.

[BelleSausage]

Just that really. I can’t be the only one to have had letters from all my service providers (gas/electric/nursery etc) to say that they are putting prices up. I know why they are but it has all hit at once.

This is combined with a weekly shop that is creeping up in price, despite cutting things from the list constantly.

Basically, AIBU to think that financial pressures on households have gotten a lot worse in the past six months and it is only going to get worse?

For info, and not to drip feed, we are incredibly financially fortunate. No debt, mortgage under 50% of value and some savings. But as things get tighter even we are being pushed to the point of desperately trying to avoid debt. I imagine it is far worse for people on low income. This is not meant to be a boast but context. If I am finding it harder to manage then it must be getting bad. I wouldn’t mind if I thought it was all being redistributed to people who need it. But I suspect that is not what is going on.

You have to shop around. My electricity and gas are at very nearly the same price they were 3 years ago. It's gone up probably a pound or 2 a month in that whole time. I change regularly and get free cinema tickets

Same for the supermarket. I found online ordering helps me keep on top of the prices.

I don't think there is any difference between 6 months ago and now tbh.
Hope it gets better for you

There’s only so much shopping around you can do. Gas and electric- yes. Nursery, water and council tax- no.

The thing that has gotten me thinking this morning is doing the household budget. Expenses have gone up by £150 in the last 3 months.

I’m not saying I’m hard up. I’m asking if everyone else is seeing this pattern and wondering about the future.

My water bill went down recently 🤷‍♂️

Yes times are awful- the costs to just survive do not stop soaring:

my daily travel for work is £10.10
my daughters nursery daily charge is £65
my mortgage cost is £20 a day
So before I even go to work, eat or pay any bills I’m £100 down.
I’m not a higher rate tax payer- how the hell is anyone supposed to survive!

Expenses have gone up by £150 in the last 3 months.

That's a lot
Admittedly I have no children so I can't comment on nursery costs, but 150 just sounds like way too big jump

Yes, everything is rising. Except our wages. Brexit won’t improve matters. We will have to move to vegetables only. Which is no bad thing

Yes I’m gloomy about a recession coming. Next year maybe. It’ll be difficult for a lot of people.

I agree that prices are going up and we are not on the breadline. Low income families will be worst hit and the general consensus is Brexit will make it worse. Looking for cutbacks wherever possible helps. We meal plan to avoid food waste, shop around and look for savings wherever possible. I also think that house prices will stagnate if they are not already falling and personal debt will rise and it already seems to be quite bad if the MSE debt forum is anything to go by.

@Cornishclio

I agree and have been doing those things for a while. The reason why I am annoyed about the price rises is that we are already fairly careful.

I does feel like 2008 all over again. People have worked so hard to get out of debt and make their finances secure only to have the goal posts continually moved by rising prices.

The only reason DH and I have any income to save at all is because of his career progression. If we were on exactly the same income as we were five years ago (I still am essentially) then we would be totally stuffed.

I am resisting putting up the rent on two properties we have. But no doubt the agent’s fees will go up.