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?

Can you get a lodger or 2 if you have a couple of rooms spare?

Also if you were volunteering it suggests that there is something you could do, even if a few hours a week?

Will you need to consider a lodger, OP?

It isn’t bad luck though, it’s bad management.

This. The government haven’t sleep walked into this situation. They well know the system - the financialisation of our economy beginning with Thatcher - keeps enriching the super rich further and further whilst the majority of the population has found their standard of living deteriorating. Wages are no higher in real terms than pre the 2008 crash. Meanwhile the richest 1000 people in U.K. had increased their wealth by £500 billion between 2009 and 2019. Many of these are Tory donors.

Covid and Ukraine war have contributed to the current situation but Brexit has exacerbated it further. Leaving the largest trade block in the world with zero plan was always going to be a disaster but right wing media managed to swat this away under project fear and wang on about sovereignty and immigration which they didn’t really care about to deflect from the truth.

Oh blimey that's a fantastic rent deal! £97 a week sounds lovely.

Is the cost of food the biggest problem at the moment?

Would love to know how you managed 2 foreign holidays a year on 34k with four kids !

OMG you didn't just say that??? WTF

YABU
4 kids in a 5 bed house and you don’t work!
I think you’ve been v lucky for a long time to be honest.

Oh ffs! Try reading the reasons for what you have pointed out! The OP has explained it clearly.

Your salaries and pip are £660 a week. So £2800 ish each month. Your rent is less than £400. You should have PLENTY of money left even taken the current economy into account

I can't get a lodger, I couldn't bear having strangers in my house. I was very badly raped/abused in a previous relationship and I struggle even with work men in my house. I'm still undergoing psychotherapy to deal with the PTSD . And I can't down size as my house has been adapted for my specific disabilities. We have already moved down onto the first floor and "closed off" the top two bedrooms. They are freezing cold all the time in the winter so makes more sense to stay on the first floor.

I have been following the Earn £10 a day thread and there is some great stuff on there. I'm a very good cook and it's something I really enjoy so that helps in being creative in the kitchen and using flavours to make food feel more than it is.

I was volunteering in a school. I'm a qualified HLTA with a heavy focus of additional needs. My absolute passion is helping reluctant readers grasp phonics and learn to enjoy reading. I also worked with a lot of non verbal kids just as they were starting to learn to vocalise and it made me so happy. But I'm on various immunosuppressants and now I get sick very easily. I've had pneumonia 9 times and MRSA infections more times than I can count. So I'm very limited with mixing with people. I am not even supposed to kiss my grand baby ( but I do, or what's the point in anything?! ).

Apart from being relieved about your cat, I completely get you - I feel the same! I’ve gone from having what I want/need to cutting right back - my dog gets better fed than me now!

I don’t have any advice, I just know how you feel, it’s tough.

I agree single mum of 4 here with a mortgage. I was doing well and working and making a start for me and the children 3 years ago. Now I'm working out how far food can go. When my fixed term mortgage ends next year I'm screwed. My side hussle has also ended due to the economy. I've halted all buying. Not sure what else to do really other than ride the storm...

I know no one wants to hear this right now. But as someone not born British, I think British people are going to have to learn to live like the rest of the world.* Less meat Fewer foreign hols Fewer pets* Smaller housesNo buying whatever you want

So the few can amass huge amounts of wealth instead, so the Rishis of the world can buy yachts and multiple homes whilst us plebs are grateful for beef once a week and a few nights in skeggy. Na, there is enough out there for us all to have a decent quality of life, if we stop voting the bloody Tories in.

Eurocamp In may, you often get caravans for a week for 8 for £220. Return flights for £50-75 if you book then the day they are released or we would drive to France. Every single holiday we have done abroad has been cheaper than a week in haven in the 6 weeks. But my eldest kids haven't been away with us a big family thing for a few years as they are adults with their own lives.

Its not hard to look for a bargain holiday if you are happy self catering. My sister is currently looking at a week next year. 28th April for a week and including flights it's £110 each.

I think it’s really annoying that people say the op is lucky. She’s disabled and is going to have to give up her car.

I realise that many people have crap lives but the point is that they shouldn’t. You should be fighting for a better life rather than telling other people how lucky they are that they can buy some posh treats from Aldi. If someone does have a crap life and especially if they’re disabled and housebound, they need some little luxuries or they’re going to become depressed.

I would think very very carefully about giving up your car op. I say this as someone who also can’t work (no PIP though but I’m pleased you have it). I’m already depressed and without my car I think I’d be suicidal.

How’s that going to work then?

I agree about not voting the Tories in. but we are where we are. Also many other countries are in a similar place. With their local equivalents of the Tories.

Now I don't get how you go on holidays if you're immunosuppressed, which I'm annoyed about because 1. I don't want to be that judgy person and 2. Thats not what your thread is about.

I does feel like a stitch up by the "haves" right now. What kind of life will many of our kids have I wonder? Fewer life chances, really hard to own a home, let alone travel etc.

Could you take a a lodger or two if you now have spare bedrooms. If the property is adapted to your health issues it is probably best to stay put.
But other people will also be looking for reasonable accommodation, and taking in a lodger would help cover energy and food bills.

You could have female lodgers? Young students? £97 a week rent for a 5 bed house is something many people can’t fathom - I pay £1300 for a 2 bed.

I'm sorry people are being such utter shits to you, OP.

You don't need to defend yourself. It's just sometimes a thread goes this way. Don't be upset by it.

To be honest if you are struggling enough that you are stretching 6 chicken thighs between 6 adults then the extra adults that don’t live with you should be bringing some food over too!

And I can't down size as my house has been adapted for my specific disabilities. We have already moved down onto the first floor and "closed off" the top two bedrooms. They are freezing cold all the time in the winter so makes more sense to stay on the first floor

Have you actually spoken to the Council? They’re so desperate for family homes they might be happy to adapt either a bungalow or ground floor flat and help you move. Especially if they’ve got one already partially adapted that won’t need that much extra work.

You can’t have lodgers in a council house can you?