To wonder how people will financially survive?

[Cupcakeicecream]

To think that many people are struggling already. Food price rises, gas and electric costs. The general cost of living due to inflation from either brexit since the pandemic and Ukraine war. But come on some people were struggling before any of those factors. Financially people will be pushed to breaking christmas will be off the cards general life will stagnate no meals out leisure activities cinema socialising new clothes treat foods. The threat of blackouts and wondering how we will pay bills to keep warm or keep a house running. Never mind buying food the price of it plus the large gaps on shelves. Winter will be miserable. It's becoming impossible to live in this country.

Someone who is capable of doing a university degree should be able to progress beyond a minimum wage job.

Well, yes. But is that a veiled threat that if they don't they'll be treated as second class citizens in the same way minimum wage/zero hours employees already are ?

@antelopevalley I think you're being very judgemental and making quite tenuous aspersions about me by stereotyping based upon knowing 0 about me other than what I've said in this thread, none of which supports the opinion that I'd rather "let people starve".

I feel it's pointless continuing the discussion with you further as you seem to stray from the facts in order to fan the flames of a divisory agenda that pits "poor people" against "rich people" forgetting the fundamental: we're all just people (not rich, nor poor, nor any other categorisation), trying to live our lives and do our bit and society only works if everyone who can does just that.

@TakeTheOffPisteRoute You are rich, that is fact.
And you have said you do not want taxes to be used to help poorer people with soaring energy costs and food costs.
What I have said is accurate.

@antelopevalley I have been trying to address the same issues with her/him and have given-up. It’s pointless! I find their views really offensive. I was on a very good salary before retiring, but I never held those views. It doesn’t come with money. It’s more a character flaw!

@AnnieSnap I agree it is a character flaw.

Whose going to pay 14 pound a pint though?

If it's £14 a pint then it'll be what? £20 - £25 for a glass of wine? £50 for a large gin and tonic?

I don't know anyone who will pay that.

Costa have pit their prices up again this week, the £5 breakfast deal is now £5.20. Lady serving me said prices of everything had gone up. Its only a few weeeks since they last did it.

It's going go up every few weeks at this rate so bye bye Costa.

I've more sympathy for the independent coffee shops, being forced to raise prices to cover costs but knowing it'll turn customers away. Truly rock and hard place.

Everyone will start socialising at home. Supermarket pizzas / fake aways and supermarket booze.

Inviting friends round for coffee and homemade / supermarket cake.

Inviting friends round for film night with supermarket popcorn.

Stop Buying Belvoir and cake when someone's coming round is the third item on my How To Save Money To Pay My Energy Bill plan.

@AnnieSnap @antelopevalley I love how holding different views makes for a "character flaw". Couldn't make it up 🤣🤣🤣

I fully agree re. the independent cafes. Hopefully enough people can stick by then and they make it through as it'd be awful to lose them now after them having survived the pandemic.

The fact that you think it’s funny confirms that opinion.

@Blossomtoes if I didn't laugh I'd cry - to think people are still so antiquated that they can't engage in meaningful discussion and debate (where they actually consider what's stated rather than their assumptions) without getting into a strop and attacking someone's character just because they hold a different opinion is (or at least should be!) beyond belief.

Anyway as I said, I've had enough, clearly wasting my time on this thread 👋

Not at all. Different opinions are fine. It’s the way in which you just gloss over issues like - not everyone has the same levels on intelligence, confidence etc to progress past minimum wage, when promoting your meritocracy. You can’t of course or you might have to slightly reconsider your sense of entitlement.

Homes have been insulated and heating provisions provided via various initiatives such as warm front and the recent eco 3 scheme.

@kash there have been major issues with those schemes. We still have lots of houses and flats that are very under-insulated.

What issues ?

Even if you set aside Russia vs Ukraine, globalisation is rapidly coming to an end, and along with that we'll lose access to a lot of just in time supply chains (already happening), supermarkets will increasingly run out of certain products for weeks at a time (again, already happening at a low level) and we'll eventually retreat to an early 20th century model of mostly living with things produced relatively locally and not in the far east.

Whilst I’m not suggesting there’s no place for people who don’t chase progression, the reality of it is they’re not going to live the same lifestyle as those who do. that isn’t so hard to understand is it?

I doubt someone who doesn't chase progression thinks they are going to live the same lifestyle as someone who does, however they are entitled to be able to have a decent standard of living. That isn't so hard to understand is it?

Why are they ? At what point in history has anyone doing the minimum ever achieved that ?

There is a fallacy that it is possible for everyone to improve their situation through hard work and good choices

It's also an evil fallacy as it makes people feel a failure if they don't get the rewards for hard work and good choices

Plus it feeds into a system that I disagree with - we should work to live not live to work. Playing our part in society should not be the be all and end all of our lives - we are all human and deserve more than that.

We give to the country with our labour and so we should have something for ourselves beyond scrapping to stay alive -

something that the rich and privileged get through their financial and social inheritance and think they deserve but they are no more than anyone else really. The chance to better ourselves in ways that are not financially relevant.

Money should be a tool not the driver

@midgetastic whilst i dont disagree with anything you’ve written about what should be possible. Muppets keep voting for the system that does rely on hard work and we get feck all in return, well some do.

But equally out of 168 hours in a week if youre only working for 16 of them something is wrong.

We are already arranging a few nights with Friends at home instead of meeting them out.

Everyone bring there own drinks and share the food expense.

@TakeTheOffPisteRoute

its not holding a different view that they find offensive & a character flaw - it’s your particular view that in their opinion is offensive & a character flaw.

it’s not a personal attack either, it’s their opinion.

you think you’re wasting your time on this thread, what was it that you wanted to achieve with your time? Others to validate your opinion?