To ask if rising living costs are ever going to come back down?

[clkim]

Just reading another thread about rising food costs and got me wondering, are prices ever actually going to come down? The future looks really depressing atm, we already struggled to keep our head above water but now it seems things are much worse. Our monthly food bill has gone up significantly, same with gas and electric and some weeks I struggle to even put petrol in my car.

What has actually caused these ridiculous price rises? Surely the government will have to step in sooner or later? It's 2022, we shouldn't be living like this!

The causes are simple. Climate change. The war in Ukraine. The pandemic.

@GrazingSheep it just seems ridiculous, I don't see how most people are going to get through living like this

Prices were going upong before Ukraine was invaded. I fully blame the Tory government.

Prices never go down. I don’t know what relevance it being 2022 is, we’ve had years of prosperity and now the bill’s arrived.

“The causes are simple. Climate change. The war in Ukraine. The pandemic.”

And brexit.

How is the Tory government responsible for this worldwide crisis? (I'm not a fucking tory btw)

I keep thinking the same. Petrol shot up when we had the national ‘shortage that wasn’t’ last year. Did they ever come back down? Course they didn’t! I am so scared for the first time in my life that I can’t afford to provide for my family. I guess at some point the increases will stagnate and then we will wait for wages to catch up?

@Changethenamey I really hope so

Rising costs are everywhere. Housing costs have been climbing and climbing for years which is a bad sign. But climate change is a factor, more than that oil and Russia, and then the pandemic has really screwed things up. Globalism hasn't really done us any favours with this either.

The Tories have effectively cut wages, refused to make utility companies pay a windfall tax, cut benefits, lost 37 billion to a useless track n trace programme and by promoting Brexit they've cut us off from endless financial benefits such as bloc negotiation s on energy prices.

I do concede that some of this is affected by climate change and associated effects. The Tories have been in power for 12 years and there are more food and in the UK than there are McDonalds. Nobody can seriously think the government is not a major cause of austerity.

Food banks

I can’t see prices dropping for years. Peoples priorities will shift to paying for essentials not luxuries.
We have a high income but there’s some things I won’t pay a premium for.

Well the news reports say that things should fall back next year but I’ve no idea how they can possibly know that. Let’s bloody hope so.

I hope the prices come down. I cannot afford to live, my electric is out of control and I've done everything possible to try to save electric.

I can't afford my council tax as I'm putting all my spare money towards electric and food. The council will end up taking me to court

It's very scary everything is going up but not wages
I've been pouring over bills this week and it's fnrightening the cost of basic things x

The bbc had someone, an mp? or economist? say that the problems were caused by shortage of goods when everyone went back to normal after the pandemic, plus a shortage of workers which forced up wages and the Ukraine/Russian war. All three are causing inflation, add that in and that causes this rise in the cost of living.
Will prices go back down? No, historically once inflation is brought under control, wages gradually rise to meet living costs or exceed them - and life feels better. But it could be a long and bumpy road ahead of us like the 70s and 80s.
(Doesn’t stop it from feeling terrifying and a bit ————)

The war in Ukraine, the pandemic, climate change, very cold winter in China increasing demand and decreasing supply.

And the massive exodus of labourers from EU countries.

Welcome to third world, 21st century Britain.

supply of gas that is. So tired.

@Blossomtoes

Prices never go down. I don’t know what relevance it being 2022 is, we’ve had years of prosperity and now the bill’s arrived.

This. What makes people think that living standards can only go up? I think that they've peaked - at least for the uk.

@Alphabet1spaghetti2

The bbc had someone, an mp? or economist? say that the problems were caused by shortage of goods when everyone went back to normal after the pandemic, plus a shortage of workers which forced up wages and the Ukraine/Russian war. All three are causing inflation, add that in and that causes this rise in the cost of living. Will prices go back down? No, historically once inflation is brought under control, wages gradually rise to meet living costs or exceed them - and life feels better. But it could be a long and bumpy road ahead of us like the 70s and 80s. (Doesn’t stop it from feeling terrifying and a bit ————)

I am old enough to remember the 70s and 80s. The biggest difference between then and now is that we didn't have the endless media coverage terrifying people about how bad it might get! We have had a long time of peace, prosperity and stability so, other than us oldies, people haven't faced this before I do wish the media would give it a rest though

We’re in for a very rough few years sadly. This won’t improve anytime soon.

@QueenOfHiraeth. You are dead right about the media of today. Doom scrolling doesn’t help anyone.
I’m also of the generation that lived through the 70s +++ It was something I hoped we would never live through again. I can’t say I have any happy memories of that decade. I do feel for the youngsters of today having to experience it, I guess our ‘war background’ helped us get through?

Prices never go down. I don’t know what relevance it being 2022 is, we’ve had years of prosperity and now the bill’s arrived.

Surely you mean Austerity?

Lack of proper funding of the NHS, lack of funding for council services, wages that have stagnated so much that they have fallen far behind inflation. We all work the same or harder and we are just getting poorer!

Since when has anything ever gotten cheaper?!! It doesn’t we all just continue to kill ourselves trying to make ends meet.

Working people shouldn’t have to be visiting food banks!!! People in a country first world and rich like ours shouldn’t be visiting food banks whatever their circumstances!!!

It’s only going to get worse, and the longer we all keep putting up with this government…because if you believe they can’t do more, or that they can’t do better for those who really need it (instead of all the tax breaks they give their donors and rich mates….PPE contracts, huge furlough payouts written off) then frankly your a mug!

It’s actually sickening to see what a pass Borris the Tory party get from some people no of course they didn’t cause the pandemic, oh and at least they know what a woman is!!! What effing good is any of that….their austerity measures directly contributed to our ability to handle covid….and what good is knowing what a woman is when your not HUMAN enough to understand that someone working 40 hours a week shouldn’t have to go cold and hungry….but hey they are all alright they partied while we all locked down and with now their £2,000 pay rises, it makes and absolutely mockery of the general public!!! They do it and they do it knowingly, because they know they will get away with it, because we let them!!

no, historically never have. don't expect this will change a 400+ year trend.

This. What makes people think that living standards can only go up? I think that they've peaked - at least for the uk

No. October is going to be more painful. I'm getting Christmas stuff out of the way well before then.