To think affording basic life essentials is so expensive? What is going to happen?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

Mainly housing. But I am worried about the overall cost of living surging next year, and wages not keeping up. They have already been so stagnant for years.

Feeling tired and fed up today, it's so hard to think ahead about how to maximise earning potential down the line to keep up with crazily increasing costs. Everything is so expensive as it is, rent is a killer.

And on top of essentials, I can't see how leisure activities and holidays won't sharply increase in price? I mean that's a total first world problem, sure, but it's a bit depressing to think of these being miserably curtailed.

What is going to happen in a general sense - will most of us simply get used to a much lower standard of living?

I don’t really understand how most people can afford their lives anyway! I have teacher, nurse, hairdresser friends (not close friends; I’m a bit more transparent with them about earnings) who go on holiday every year and live in nice houses with regular renovations and drive range rovers. DH and I earn a decent amount (I’d hazard a guess slightly more than these people) and seem to live life at a slower pace so that we can save up for each of these things. I’ve compared my bills against my closest friends and I don’t think we’re spending out too much there so it does leave me a bit confused, albeit I do want to stress I’m not particularly jealous.

Its a tough one this OP..Mainly because it will rise for all of us whatever we earn so we are all really in it together! I can totally understand your concern though.I think about this..some advanced preparation is called for.So I would check all my bills and see if they can be switched to cheaper rates,same with credit cards etc is there a more flexable rate? Whilst things are ok ish now can you bring forward some things you had planned to do such as things like car repairs,replacement white goods etc you would have had to buy later on? This helps to minimise any nasty financial shocks later on...Are you getting everything you may be entitled to ? Are you on the right tax code at work?If you are single do you think you could share a place with someone to cut down the bills? I know its hard but with a little prep you can help minimize for later on.Like me I know my washers not going to last much longer so I am glued to gumtree etc to get a cheap one now,might save me a fortune if I drop on.My view would try to be proactive and look at what you can do now...might help for when we are all sat round in duvets crying how much everything is later!!!! Your not on your own with worrying/