AIBU to wonder how people afford this??

[Eurghhhhhhh]

I've been out tonight with some friends to the nearest major city. We went for some food and a few drinks, very relaxed, just spending time catching up. I've got home and realised that I've spent almost £50! I'm not skint my any means (although not near the Mumsnet 6 figures) but this feels a lot. How do people afford to do this multiple times a week?!

Why do people automatically assume debt and credit cards?
We do go out several times a week.
Our dc are independent adults, we have no mortgage or debt and plenty of disposable income.
Week nights drinks will be a lot less than £50 though, even with a meal if we only have a couple of drinks and a main course each.

I can definitely see that the price of eating out has gone up. We hardly go out, but went out as a family of 4 on Friday night for a celebration meal. We all had a main and dessert we had a total of 6 soft drinks between us for the night and the bill came to £85. This was pub food, not a restaurant. Now this would probably have cost us £65 pre covid. It's definitely not something we can do weekly, it's unlikely we'd do it monthly either as I just can't justify the cost as that would be a weeks shopping for us.

@Mooloolabababy

I can definitely see that the price of eating out has gone up. We hardly go out, but went out as a family of 4 on Friday night for a celebration meal. We all had a main and dessert we had a total of 6 soft drinks between us for the night and the bill came to £85. This was pub food, not a restaurant. Now this would probably have cost us £65 pre covid. It's definitely not something we can do weekly, it's unlikely we'd do it monthly either as I just can't justify the cost as that would be a weeks shopping for us.

That is because of the supply chain.

Drinks have gone up because of the struggle to get the ingredients and then lack of delivery drivers to get them to the pubs. Same with food, although to a lesser extent with delivery, more to do with local suppliers finally being used instead of centralised catering suppliers.

I used to work in hospitality but am now in retail and our three milk deliveries a week are down to two if we are lucky and bread was cancelled altogher for a week at the beginning of the month.

Its all due to a combination of the B and P words and unlikely to change anytime soon. Prices will now be higher for many many years, and availability will be at least a couple of years to get to pre P word levels.

People either afford it because they have more money than you do or they do the same night but spend less. If you're on a tight budget you could skip the starter and only have 2 drinks, then you've done the same night for £30 instead of £50

Why do people automatically assume debt and credit cards?

Because it makes them feel better.

You see it here the whole time
“I don’t know how my friend affords a six bedroom detached house, three horses, two brand new BMWs and a housekeeper” and the answer is “must be credit cards”.

@Zenithbear

Why do people automatically assume debt and credit cards? We do go out several times a week. Our dc are independent adults, we have no mortgage or debt and plenty of disposable income. Week nights drinks will be a lot less than £50 though, even with a meal if we only have a couple of drinks and a main course each.

Because a hell of a lot of people are funding their lifestyles through debt and credit cards.

www.moneysupermarket.com/press-releases/brits-still-relying-on-credit-cards-for-everyday-costs/

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/money/clear-credit-card-debt-faster-23346567

themoneycharity.org.uk/money-statistics/january-2021/#:~:text=Credit%20card%20debt%20averaged%20%C2%A3,and%20%C2%A31%2C122%20per%20adult.

@sharksarecool - of they have the same income, but spend less in other areas.

DH and I go out to restaurants a few times a week, typically spending £50-£80 for both of us. I don't drink alcohol though! Its not a cheap leisure activity but I think we can afford it as we still manage to overpay our mortgage by £1000 every month and have a rainy day fund. We have no credit card debt. We don't have high salaries either by london standards.

I think its because:

1. we don't have a child yet
2. we don't have cars and use public transport
3. We never buy anything we can't pay for in cash- so no sofas, phones etc on contracts or hire purchase agreements.