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?

You should be ashamed @middleofthelittle. The inside of your head must be a horrible place to live.

@middleofthelittle
I completely agree but I suspect we’re in the minority.

Is the 34k your husband’s salary or your total household take home income including your benefits? 34k cash divided by 12 months is quite different to a salary of 34k that is then taxed etc.

That’s a very rude comment for an adult to make. Are you ok?

I'm in a similar position. I earn just shy of 40k, but I've had a public sector pay freeze for most of the past 10 years (I think we had 1.3% one year, and we've been given 2.1% this year) which is a massive real-terms paycut. We had friends for lunch at the weekend, and I literally gave them bread, cheese, and tomato salad because a roast for 9 of us would have cost £30+ and I couldn't afford it.

I'm pretty frugal by nature, but in the past I knew that by being careful, I always a little bit set aside for a rainy day. Now I have to be incredibly careful just to get through the month, and I never have anything whatsoever left over for emergencies (never mind saving up for something nice!)

To add to my previous post:

A radical option for some couples is to deliberately go from two working parents to only one working and the other at home. BUT - this only works financially if the second job is costing a lot in terms of smart clothes, a second car, lunches, not to mention childcare costs.
The SAHP then creates a new extreme money-saving lifestyle for the family, e.g. cooking from scratch, food from market stalls or with yellow stickers, mending clothes, charity shops, e-baying stuff, serious gardening, etc.

DON'T do this unless you are sure your marriage is rock-solid.
You are gambling a potential future career against having a cheaper, healthier and more slow-paced life in the present.

It’s shit. The country is very badly run. Have you looked into whether you’d be better off switching to universal credit? It’s going to happen soon anyway, but you can ask to switch early and you may be better off.

One of the best things I’ve ever read on mn. Bravo @Bluebells12 👏

Shame it’s so depressing, though.

The comments by some people are shocking. Especially the one about you having a holiday even though your immuno suppressed. Why on Earth wouldn't you?

People shouldn't have to have nothing because they are on benefits. If people budget well and can afford things then good for them. And yes, Eurocamps are brilliant. We booked a last minute one for the summer holidays this year for £220 for a week plus an extra £100 for the ferry. That could sleep up to six people!

Please, people vote these parasitical arseholes out.

Things are not this bad in the rest of Europe.The Tories are ensuring their ultra-rich mates turn a good profit while the rest of us suffer.

And it's going to get worse - next under attack are our human rights and employment rights.

Please vote these fuckers out!

Where did the op ask for more?

I’m a teacher at the top of the pay scale. A few years ago I was a single parent living on just my wage and paying for two lots of childcare and I could still afford to buy clothes regularly, do the odd Waitrose shop and buy cases of wine! The rest of the time I was frugal but I could easily afford those luxuries. Now I’m shopping at Lidl and buying the special offer wine, and I might have to make do with my clothes for a while. It’s like I had a small taste of the easier life and then it just disappeared.

Lol people still blaming Trump for everything. He's long gone. This is all happening under Biden/Democrats administration. Start holding them accountable.

come on, wtaf is wrong with you?

I think a lot of us have bought into the idea that an inflation rate of 10% means everything has gone up by 10%, when we go shopping we realise this isn't true, things that we buy regularly have gone up significantly more.

I agree it's shit @doodlywoodlydingdong ,we earn too much to claim anything but have been scrimping for years
Welcome to our world, I do hope everything gets better for you though, it's no fun just surviving - I genuinely wish you luck

Hilarious 🤣😁🤣🤣😁

The OP’s DH also pays tax ffs.

This is really unpleasant, the OP is just expressing sadness at the fall in living standards and many will feel something similar.

I’m struggling to sympathise with the OP personally

No, but everything can be blamed on Tory/republican 'scum' didn't you know? They're responsible for 'literally' all the world's ills.

Wow there's some really cuntish replies on this thread 😮
As my auld Nan would say tuck yerselves in your label is showing.

I’ve only read your posts OP, but have you actually approached the council to look at swaps? Houses with 5 bedrooms are like gold dust and it may be worthwhile for them to adapt a 2-3 bedroom property for you if it frees up a larger adapted property for another family.

Agree with you donotgo. There are some really unpleasant posts on this thread. As a taxpayer I’m delighted if my taxes go to a mobility car etc. i save my wrath for when they go to dodgy PPE contracts and the like.