Cost of living crisis: are you feeling it yet?

[whatthejuice]

Posting here for traffic...
Have you felt the cost of living crisis yet? Has your disposable income taken a nose dive?
I've noticed a massive increase in our food bills so that's the main difference at the moment and we probably have £150-£200 less disposable income per month as a result. I'm trying to save a separate money pot for help towards the heating bills this winter - but worried it won't be anywhere near enough to eat up the increase.
It all feels a bit terrifying at the moment, especially after I read the German government in local towns are bringing in energy saving measures already like switching lights off etc....

That is really bad math...

sorry, was trying to reply to the 10% of 2000 calculation.

We are ok atm but am I am concerned about the winter prices, last year we had the heating set on 17.5 degrees and only in two rooms, the thought of turning it down lower doesn’t fill me with joy.
However I consider us lucky.

We will be supporting our grown up children,two of whom work for the NHS and who I know are going to struggle despite the generous clapping they received.
We will add to the food bank when we do our weekly shop and keep an eye on our elder neighbours.

There are people who will die this winter, they will freeze, they will starve, in Britain, in 2022 and I am beyond disgusted.

Yes. I've noticed my weekly Aldi shop is more expensive, I have to put in more fuel weekly and my gas and electricity has now doubled to £340 a month. Definitely feeling the pinch.

Eek, just got our July energy bill. £170 & that's for 1 month & summer too! We never get estimates as always give readings. The gas is around the same consumption for showers/washing dishes, but the electric is 261 kw. My maths is pants but that's almost 9kw per day? Is that normal for a 2 br house? May be a fan & a water cooled fan that hiked it up (plus fixed at higher rate.) Winter will be dire.

We just got ours through. £150~ for July...so quite similar. Ours is a 3 bed house. Feeling the same about this winter 😔

How many people? Our June and July bills have been about £55 but there are just two of us. Fixed a bit above the current cap.

@Thejugglestruggle I know! I think it's the gas that will go up in the winter. Got electric throws for Xmas so will be utilising these.
@Svara Just the two of us. Occasionally our daughter stays for a few days visit. In addition to the fans it could be my DPs tea habit & kettle use. I fixed at just above the cap with British gas, I worked it out (took me ages!) as coming in than less than the predicted October price hike which is now looking even more horrendous now according to Cornwall insights.

@CherryRipe1 It seems high to me for two people with gas hot water. I think I read the average is something like 2900kw a year but I don't know how many people that is or if people with electric hot water or even electric heating are included in that? Ours is about 85kw a month at the moment.

I found this but it just says it's for households that have 'gas available', so some with electric showers may have higher electricity usage, without electric showers lower?
great-home.co.uk/average-energy-consumption-calculator/

Thank you @Svara . I checked our annual electricicity consumptions for the last two years and 2020/21 was 3432 (9.40 kWh per day) and 2021/22 was 3272 (8.96 kWh per day)so some of our energy saving has worked a bit but yes, 2900 is the average as you say but guess there are variables. I checked your link thank you but it comes out like hiroglyphics on my phone so will check later on a laptop. I think our ancient 2nd freezer needs to go and look at other energy vampires!

Does anyone know please with gas central heating is it cheaper to turn off radiators and heat one or two rooms rather than them all?
I've tried researching this and there are different opinions and answers.

If you won't use rooms you can shut them up but I understood it is better to put thermostatic valves on all radiators and you can set them to different levels, so rarely used rooms set to a low temp.

I'm getting concerned for the future. The food bill is definitely rising. DH looked at what our electricity & gas bill is likely to be once our fixed rate deal ends in January - estimate is £400 is a month!

There are only 2 of us in the house... How is £400 a month possible?!

That's just an estimate & sounds ridiculous. Make sure you get accurate monthly bills, smart meters should be accurate and 'dumb meters' you read yourself. Also pay by direct debit monthly. Check how you can save energy, turning boiler down on the boiler itself and thermostats.

Yes, just by looking at food, petrol and utilities bills. Luckily my rent didn't go up (we were overpaying £50 monthly for quite some time, because we liked the house, so now no increase for us), but I'm dreading the winter. Already putting the money aside for gas and electricity bill. We stopped eating out, takeaway coffee once a month. I'm not planning to buy any new clothes except essentials like winter boots, handbag and some cami tops in primark. Luckily my husband just graduated in very well paid field, so I am hoping his salary will go up quickly. We would like to start trying for a baby soon, so obviously I am saving my money and I am hoping inflation and soaring bills won't eat it.

Even in the last few weeks it is worse. Food shop was an extra £20/30 this week. items are going up in price within a few days.

We’ve put a halt on takeaways, small luxuries like fresh cut flowers or expensive chocolates, we’ve cancelled some of the DC’s activities for next year, and trying to save just to brace ourselves for the energy bills.

We remortgaged in January to try and finish some work on the house. We haven’t spent a penny of it because I honestly think it’s going to take thousands of pounds extra to get us through the next few years.

I'm terrified TBH. I'm 68 and live in a basement if a Victorian house conversion. It gets freezing in here in the winter but I won't be able to afford to put the central heating on.i live on my own on a state pension and have no savings. I will probably die of hypothermia. That'll be a saving for the Tories. What a shit way to be after a life of work.