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AIBU?

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Original poster

To have cried in asda

705 replies

Littlemissdan · 02/04/2022 20:39

Is it just me that the whole cost of living thing is getting too much for? I actually had a (very small and no one watching!) cry in asda when I saw some reduced bakery goods because I didn’t know if I could afford them alongside my entire smartprice shop. £30 I had for a 2 week shop including nappies, and it just broke me that I actually had to wonder if I could afford a 55p treat for my kids. I can’t believe we’re living like this, 3 years ago we were comfortable and now I’m relying on the free school meals half term vouchers.
Not really looking for advice or budgeting advice here, just a bit of solidarity really :(

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
AmeliaEarhart · 04/04/2022 19:56

Acknowledging the fact that it was much, much easier to buy a house 30 / 40 / 50 years ago isn’t the same as blaming the older generation. People in their seventies are statistically much more likely to have voted for this shit-shower of a government than people in their 40s and younger though.

RagzRebooted · 04/04/2022 22:06

@Sirzy

just torn a little hole in a plastic bag and stuck it in Henry Hoover. I can’t be paying £4 for hoover bags

Is that safe to do? Sounds a risky tactic

You can open the old one at the end and then empty and stitch/tape it back together. Much safer.
gamerchick · 04/04/2022 22:57

You can also use Henry's with no bag. Filter needs beating up more often but it still sucks.

RagzRebooted · 04/04/2022 22:59

[quote PassThePringles]Just a heads up OP that your thread has made it into The Mirror. www.mirror.co.uk/money/mum-cries-asda-cost-living-26623854?int_source=nba#comments-wrapper[/quote]
Actually not a terrible article, short and yet sympathetic, I thought. I didn't dare read the comments, though. If I were the OP, I would not be too horrified by this.

salsmum · 05/04/2022 03:39

I'm so sorry to read this and remember well being a lone parent and really struggling Thanks we have a food bank in Kent that has baby stuff too- you just turn up, ( no benefit referrals) and they even have a fb page too. It may be worth you checking in your local area for the same. I really hope things improve for you soon.

liveforsummer · 05/04/2022 06:53

No need for a hoover bag in Henry. I've not used one in years

SpringsSprung · 05/04/2022 08:07

Call your local council and ask for the Local Assistance Fund department. They will give you £50 supermarket vouchers and if you're on a prepay meter will give you top ups for both Thanks

ReadyToMoveIt · 05/04/2022 08:09

@liveforsummer

No need for a hoover bag in Henry. I've not used one in years
Where does the dirt go if there’s no bag? Genuine question, I’m looking at getting a Henry!
SpringsSprung · 05/04/2022 08:10

@ickky I hate how that excludes those on State Pension. My mum is really struggling on SP and is skipping meals yet she apparently receives £1.10 too much of her £20pm company pension to receive Pension Credit :(

Blimeyherewegoagain · 05/04/2022 08:20

Did you know there’s an app called Too Good to Go where shops and restaurants advertise food about to go out of date and is being sold off cheaply. You reserve online and collect.

SpringsSprung · 05/04/2022 08:26

@wintersparkle1987

I'm so sorry. Have you got the healthy start card? You can get one if you are on universal credit and got child benefit. They load £34 a month on mine.. better than nothing.
That's only for those who have children under 4/5
SpringsSprung · 05/04/2022 09:50

@SmellyOldOwls

CMPA aside of course, but you'd be on prescription milk then anyway
They don't prescribe milk anymore if it's available to buy (at least not in my NHS trust). All part of the 'Don't drain the NHS' initiative. Anything that you can buy, they can't prescribe. Including my medicated shampoo for my Psoriasis which is £13 a bottle ☹️
SpringsSprung · 05/04/2022 09:53

@GrandTheftWalrus

This is what my sky is going to. We barely watch the TV. We mainly watch netflix or prime. So can get rid of that. But we need Internet as our work is all online for signing up to shifts, seeing payslips etc.
I use a Roku stick it's fabulous! Pluto TV is free and I can still watch channels 1-5 live via their respective catch up apps each having a LIVE TV option and of course, anything they have available on the apps. Roku also has YouTube, Netflix, Now TV & Prime Video on there too. Best thing I've ever bought. So now I just have to pay £18pm to BT for internet and that's it!
SpringsSprung · 05/04/2022 09:54

Oh and there's also UKTV & Discovery+

Innocenta · 05/04/2022 10:24

@SpringsSprung They do have some leeway! They can prescribe massive boxes of paracetamol, for example, which is a godsend if you need to take it regularly and go through a lot of the little boxes.

GrandTheftWalrus · 05/04/2022 11:20

@springssprung that's really good. I tried to get rid of it but I'm still in contract and can't afford the fee to cancel. So stuck for a bit.

EmbarrassingHadrosaurus · 05/04/2022 11:33

Including my medicated shampoo for my Psoriasis which is £13 a bottle

Off-topic but I need to change mine, which do you use, please?

DrBrennerFan · 05/04/2022 13:23

We’re the same with sky stuck with it till contract ends.

YourBonesAreWet · 05/04/2022 14:27

@ReadyToMoveIt

The dirt just fills up where the bag would be and then you can directly empty it into the bin. I also haven’t used bags for years.

ReadyToMoveIt · 05/04/2022 14:29

[quote YourBonesAreWet]@ReadyToMoveIt

The dirt just fills up where the bag would be and then you can directly empty it into the bin. I also haven’t used bags for years.[/quote]
Thank you!

Nsky · 05/04/2022 14:38

If I had been there, would happily paid for all your shopping, and Of course treats.
Ok money wise, tho not really well off, I hope you get some joy with any help you can xx

TheKeatingFive · 05/04/2022 14:45

If I had been there, would happily paid for all your shopping, and Of course treats.

I think lots of people would, but equally the OP isn't going to advertise her position in the shop.

LJAKS · 05/04/2022 14:54

The money saving forums on here are great, I don't know if anyones mentioned it but I started doing paid surveys on this app:

qm.ee/F04EAEA4

I've made £60 this month in my spare time, just around everything else I've been doing, maybe doesn't sound like much but it's actually made the difference between us paying the phone bill and not one day, allowed us to eat the treats etc. Money goes straight to my PayPal as soon as it's withdrawn and it's really been a lifesaver.

Nat6999 · 05/04/2022 15:32

I can remember feeling like that when I was first a single parent & only had £50 a week left over for food, clothes & fuel after I had paid all the rent & bills, I ended up shopping at Farmfoods as it was the only supermarket I could afford.

TerraNovaTwo · 05/04/2022 15:43

Haven't rtft... but from what I understand you have to be on a VERY low wage/ unemployed/on income support to qualify for FSM. And if you qualify for FSM, you should also qualify for UC - which includes a child element.

Many parents who also cannot afford their groceries and earn far below the national median wage actually do not qualify for FSM for their DC.

Something doesn't add up here, OP?Hmm