Things have changed so much , so quickly?!

[doodlywoodlydingdong]

I just had my grown up kids around for dinner, not unusual but it got me thinking how much things have changed in the last 3 years. We are a very typical family. I'm 45 , 4 kids aged 13-25. Between me and my DH we have an income of around £34k but very soon it's going to drop by £4k annually.

Three years ago I would go food shopping and buy pretty much whatever I wanted. If I fancied it, it went into the trolley. Full English breakfast every Saturday, big fat roast dinner with a nice joint every Sunday. Two v cheap foreign holidays a year. I enjoyed making our money stretch as far as it possibly could with holiday bargains etc. Christmas was always glorious with loads of food and some nice gifts. Lots of entertaining. fast forward 3 years.

Today I was stood in the kitchen picking the meat off 6 chicken thighs to feed seven adults and a baby. The roast dinner was totally packed out with veg and spuds. Barely any chicken compared to what I would have served 3-4 years ago. I can't stretch to a joint of pork anymore, a whole chicken is a rare treat. So thighs it is. My kids are eating more and more pasta /noodles based dishes with hot dogs as protein. I have to think twice about what is the most efficient method to cook whatever meal it is to save money on the electric. My dogs are now on the cheapest possible kibble I can find. I was actually relieved when my lovely old cat suddenly died (?!) as I wouldn't have to find the extra money for vets fees as she was knocking on a bit. Thats now £ 18 a month I'm saving on litter and food and I feel like a monster for even typing that.

I use the l local food waste project wherever I can, save every penny I can, but ultimately I'm going to have to give up my mobility car as the money would be much better in my pocket . The trade off is that I will then be house bound and that "freed up " money will be going straight to EON from October .

AIBU to have a feeling of almost grief over all of this? It's been very slow and gradual trickling of price increases etc but suddenly it's taken 6 chicken thighs to push me over the edge and be ridiculously angry and upset about how our money can purchase so much less these days?

So you could have had that “luxury” but chose not to. It’s not that much of a fucking luxury if you’re doing it in Aldi.

I don't think it's helpful to compare town with country tbh. I live in a city in Italy and our flat cost a lot more- and came with zero land or solar panels!

No idea if this would work so just an idea. Could you change your mobility car to an electric one (they do the Hyundai Kona on motability). If you can afford to charge from home then motability will fit a charger. If you can’t then places like Tesco have free charging points. That way, you get to keep the car and you don’t have to pay out on petrol (if you were to get another cheaper car to replace the motability one)

If times are tough you cut your cloth accordingly and prioritise your spending. I spent 10 years forgoing holidays in order to save for a house and then be able to furnish it. I could of taken a holiday but I was willing to make sacrifice. If the OP has to forgo holidays for say 1-2 years is that really a hardship? If she doesn't then guess what you will have to cut back elsewhere. Its not nice but this is the current situation.

Indeed. Tory voters should absolutely shut up about the economy. The Tories have completely wrecked the economy, so even if you don't think Labour would have done any better, just shut up. The Tories have been in power for 12 years, this mess is all on them. We don't know that it would have been any better under Labour, but we KNOW the Tories have done an absolutely piss poor job of managing it. We have the evidence, we don't have to guess what they would done, they've done it, and fucked it. And along with the economy they've fucked the social safety net too. Even if Labour had done an equally poor job, at least there'd be more help for the vulnerable. The Tories have had their time to experiment (and make themselves richer), it's time for something else.

It’s not that much of a fucking luxury if you’re doing it in Aldi

Rubbish, a lot of Aldi food compares favourably or is better than other supermarkets.

You’re missing the point. There are people posting here who seem to think a normal shop in a cut price supermarket is akin to a splurge in Fortnum and Mason’s food hall. Shopping in Aldi is many things but luxury it ain’t.

That’s not how a democracy works is it? I have never voted Tory but telling people to shut up is what gives the left a bad name.

Safety net? I think two foreign holidays, cheap rent and not worrying about what you put in your shopping trolley is more than a safety net. It’s a hell of a lot more than many families with two working adults have been able to do.

100% its a world economic issue. Dollar has been in decline for a while, only propped up by more money being printed. The world economy goes through these cycles you can look back at history to see this. We've had our good times and like each cycle comes the decline. And if we don't personally go through another cycle our children most certainly will. Might be worth teaching people that in the good times prepare yourselves for the bad times and put some money away.

Shopping anywhere and just being able to pick whatever you fancy and not worry about the cost is a luxury, and one not shared by most if the world. Many people in the UK have had it good for a long time but that doesnt mean we are entitled to an indefinite ride on the gravy train at the expense of everyone else.

When it comes to reducing the country to a basket case labour are peerless so keep your dogmatic socialist class prejudice to yourself. The current government were brought to power in a landslide election because the alternative was so 'effin awful even lifelong Redwall voters couldn't stomach it plus it was clear support for the referendum, a free democratic vote which Labour would have totally ignored and labeled anybody who disagreed, a racist. Abuse and prejudice is the creed of Labour, the champions of intolerance and dependence. But you be you. It must be a comfort.

Could you get a fully remote job? Your specialty sounds like it could be done over zoom?

A lot of posters are comparing the UK to other European countries. We aren't in Europe any more. We made the ( very poor) decision to leave. I will continue to vote Labour as I always have but making my own plans.

I am downsizing drastically by next year and to that end, I already have no car, eat no meat and one DC has picked a local uni. Not suggesting any of these for OP given she is disabled. Just saying that things can't and won't continue as they are.

if you are on the higher rate pip with mobility,

£156.90 per week, £8158.80 per year. You get tax credits for £4k per year for your eldest child that is living at home Presumably even if you aren’t claiming tax credits you are still getting child benefit for your youngest child so another £751.40 per year

That is £12910.90

That would mean for your Dh to come out with £21,089.10 for a 50 hour week, he would have to be earning only £9.73 per hour before tax and NI. Which is barely above minimum wage.

Minimum wage jobs are out there where your Dh could progress Even feeelance work that pays better for the odd day at the weekend would boost your income

I suspect you haven’t put exactly what your real income is. I knew someone who would tell people her income was only £264 per week and how she was expected to bring up 2 children on that amount. Till someone pointed out that she got housing benefit, income support, child maintenance, tax credits and a whole host of other income that she discounted because it went to pay specific bills. She even discounted the child benefit because that was supposed to pay for the children and wasn’t really her income.

Your Ds is no more on just his £264 per month universal credit and he has to meet all rent and bills arising from his flat. He will be getting housing benefit, and probably income support as well as a discount on the council tax.

My circumstances are very different but I totally agree with OP that it's totally shit more of our money is just going to huge energy companies. At least with most other things in life you get some choice and can prioritise as you prefer but it's not like the 4x more expensive gas and electricity will in any way improve my life compared to last year. I'm about to turn 40 and don't have much optimism left when I think about the future. I'm highly educated and love the work I do but it's never going to pay much. I'm very aware of my privileges in life but still think it's not right ordinary people like me have to live in a cold home or worry about buying food.

Some councils mostly London are offering to find coastal council homes for those who want to free up a large family size council home. Whole other problem moving, taking homes elsewhere but could be an option. Some coastal areas are really in need of drivers same income.

@Kennykenkencat her son will not be getting housing benefit though at anymore than the shared room rate if he's under 35 , he probably is getting £264 a week but will include rent

When it comes to reducing the country to a basket case labour are peerless

That’s patently untrue. The 1945-50 government was one of the most positive this country has ever seen. The 1997-2010 government made massive improvements in public services and prosperity generally. Meanwhile, the chaos of the 70s was shared equally between Tory and Labour governments.

In almost 70 years on this planet I’ve never seen this country in as appalling a state as it’s in now and it’s set to get a lot worse. Remind me which party’s been in power for the last 12 years.

It is, and wouldn't be possible if renting privately but her rent is £97 a week which made it doable. Such a difference! A 5 bed round here to rent would be £1400+ a month

@Tabbouleh we are in Europe, just not the EU

Her Ds is on £264 per month and even shared room rate will be added to the £264.

£264 is single persons UC without the housing benefit part

The more well off will say "oh well, I do have a large mortgage to pay you know, we NEED that big salary increase." They don't stop to think that if needs be they CAN always downsize to reduce their mortgage

I hate this attitude. Downsizing costs - a lot, in most cases. Legal fees, stamp duty, moving costs. I looked at it earlier this year - it would literally take several years for me to even break, that's assuming I actually had the cash to pay legal fees, stamp duty and moving costs up front and given price increases in properties, I would make very little once I've sold and then re-mortgaged. Downsizing is not always the easy option people want to think it is.

Your Ds is no more on just his £264 per month universal credit and he has to meet all rent and bills arising from his flat. He will be getting housing benefit, and probably income support as well as a discount on the council tax

Wow. Such bitterness. And an utter lack of knowledge. Income Support is not something given to healthy 24 year olds who are out of work.

I've stopped reading the thread to post to Icantcope. I'm so sorry to read how tough things are for you at the moment, sounds horrendous.

I wondered if you had a flask? I mention it only because you say you've only had two cups of tea that day. I know that tea has to have boiling water but I sometimes make a flash of black tea (with properly boiling water) and then just add milk to a cup and pour tea into it. It tastes nicer than making tea proper with milk and having that from a flask.

You need to eat too.

FWIW on £3000 per month I sent 2 children to private school. (One was a very reasonable priced school that was for children who had a particular talent for a sport and one I paid for on line schooling) I paid the mortgage, all the bills and we did go on holiday each year abroad. But that I did have help with for a few years.
My handbag was stolen and the thief some how started to use my Tesco Club card.

Who ever it was paid for a 10 day trip to Egypt, a week in a French Ski resort and part of the cost of a trip to Disneyland for all of us as I was getting the points on what they were spending and it was when you multiplied your vouchers by 4 and they were spending massively more than me.
It took them 3.5 years for them to cotton on they didn’t have anything to show for all the times they shopped at Tesco.