Am I the only one who thinks scrimping and saving can go and get fucked for bare essentials

[Freedomfromunfairbills]

All the advice about cost of living seems to be ways you can scrimp and save to possible cobble together enough money to stay alive on bare necessities such as food, water, etc. Am I the only one thinking fuck this we just should not accept this when many of the companies jacking up their prices are making record profits. Even if it’s technically possible why on earth should I give up new clothes, gadgets, TV, holidays abroad, ect all to fund the obscene riches of the one percent. Instead of this advice on how to possibly meet these we actually need to say on mass no we are not surfs under the feudal system and we refuse to become a peasant class enough is enough. We should demand the government steps on and nationalises these companies and demand immediate taxes on the ultra rich to fund it all. I’ve always been fairly right wing and conservative but surely this is simply some kind of feudalism that will reduce many of us to little more than peasants and ruin the quality of life for many. Aibu?

@Keha you are not worth less btf not all of us who have money have come from money, made my own as did DH noone gave me it

Thank you for reconsidering

She said companies profiteering billions

People shouldn’t be going without the basic essentials - decent quality food, clothing, shelter and warmth. I would also add internet access to that as well.

To be sacrificing those things to pay £500 a month on an energy bill should not be happening in 2022. It’s obscene.

The foreign holidays, luxury items that some people consider to be essential… well, you need to cut your cloth accordingly on that one.

Ahhhhhh this blaming the tories drives me insane.

You realise this is WORLDWIDE

This has happened since Putin invaded. It's sod all to do with tories

What they do now to help is the main issue but they have not caused this.

This is our WAR with RUSSIA

This is our part to play.

It's either this or send our husbands and sons out to fight.

That's the way I see it. I know what I'd rather do.

I predict blackouts and rationing this winter.

We need to bunker down and sort new sources of fuel and get our finger out on renewable energy. We need an emergency coalition govt to sort out what we do in the meantime. But blaming the tories is pointless.

Agree one hundred percent

I earn plenty of money but now these cunts think they can rape my pay packet every month im going to be a lot worse off. I'll survive but that's all

I work fucking hard to earn the money I do like most of us. and it should be more than plenty to provide both the basics of life AND still have the treats / fun stuff that make life worth living as well as save a bit

I flit between anger and despair these days

But people aren’t entitled to it. It’s hard to know where to start with the idea that someone in China should get up and commute to work to make you a shiny new phone that they themselves can’t afford but that you shouldn’t have to pay for

Thats a rather odd tangent you’ve gone off on there. Not paying for a shiny new phone??

Are we not discussing a large drop in the standard of living for many hard working people while they pay for the obscene profits of energy firms? I’m no hard socialist by any stretch, I don’t believe in the redistribution of wealth insofar as high earners or wealth creators being taxed so heavily there is no incentive. But things that are essential like gas and electric shouldn’t (it seems to me) cost so much that it holds millions effectively to ransom. I understand that many people who work 40-50 hours a week feel entitled to a reasonable standard of living and that the wages in this country, broadly speaking won’t cover bills costing over £4000 per year. People feel ‘entitled’ to keep more of their hard earned money than spend it on obscene prices.

I find the posters on here frothing in defence of this outrageous increase of costs of vital utilities have - by far - the most shocking and bizarre stances of all.

Getting offended and spiky when the OP is not objectively unreasonable; the spiralling costs are outrageous.

Very odd little band of staunch apologists for vast corporate profiteering and worse: simultaneously attacking the consumers who are affected who now can’t live on what was previously a comfortable wage… 🧐

Thankfully I don’t encounter people like this irl.

Rishi, is that you?

Quite!

Just earn more money dontcha know…

The policy response is not worldwide - the policy response in the UK is a political choice being made by the Tories.

I am sure you support the Tories, and that is your right. But don't pretend they can't do anything differently.

For example, in France the energy price rise on electricity is capped at 4%. That is a government choice. Macron is not a left winger, just cares enough about French citizens to do something. Unlike the useless lump Johnson.

If the government imposes a windfall tax on energy companies (which I think is what the OP is suggesting) then what message does that send? That the profits earned by successful UK companies are only theirs until the government decide otherwise? Not much of an incentive for inward investment into the UK, which will be desperately needed going forward. And what happens if you impose punitve taxation on the 1%ers? They naff off to foreign climes, taking their massive tax contributions (and investment) with them. Sadly, the politics of envy rarely end well.

I know right !!

Cannot believe people are actually defending them I mean what the actual hell

If you think the Tories have done enough (instead of squandering billions on their cronies ‘contracts’ in the middle of a pandemic) to help us then you are deluded.

Rishi actively boasting about diverting cash from deprived areas will give you the measure of them, but carry on defending them.

We already have the lowest growth in the G7, our economy is really sluggish compared to the countries that are taking a more aggressive approach on behalf of their citizens. The Tory way is not working.

It is not about the politics of envy, what total drivel, it is about having enough money at the lower end to drive the economy.

Our government doesn't care - look at Germany, France etc. Our bills are going to be massively higher than theirs.

@carefullycourageous

"What they do now to help is the main issue but they have not caused this. "

This is what I actually said. I'm not a tory I'm a swing voter. I blame the tories for the state of the nhs but I dont blame them For this. I blame Putin

What the tories do now is what matters. However we have no govt sitting as they are all on
Holiday. Including the other parties.

This is 2022 - there should not be people making the decision between heating and eating.
People working full time should be able to have a decent standard of living with some perks to make life enjoyable. It's not a race to the bottom.
Not everyone can progress career wise. Not everyone can rely on a pay rise.

Erm
What! They really have you convinced!

Wow though guess the mental gymnastics makes you better.

Usually of course this is a valid argument.

But people are facing starvation this winter and not being able to heat their homes, special measures are needed and they can more than afford it.

Well, yes, there is that.
But at least the OP is finally waking up.

Sadly, the politics of envy rarely end well

Neither do the politics of greed. There is a balance to be had. These conversations always seem to be a tale of extremes between hardline socialists and capitalists. I think the parties in parliament are reflective of this polarisation.

The Tories have caused plenty of it. They are hiding behind Putin, and some fools fall for it, but that is only a small piece of the story.

The average British household is £8,800 poorer than the avergae French or German family - because of the Tory policy choices over the last twelve years.

Germany is MORE affected by the fuel issues from Ukraine, yet they have not got the extremes of poverty. The poverty in the UK is a Tory choice.

Most people's standard of living will start to resemble their grandparents. Heat in one room, loads of woollen clothing and high carb and veg meals with small amounts of meat or cheese. We will probably mostly survive, but unless something drastic happens, I can't see it being much fun. Sadly though this is already the reality for a lot of people, god knows how they will manage, belts can only tighten so far.

Unfortunately, a race to the bottom is exactly what it is. How's it working out for us?

Rape?

Grow up.