What cost of living crisis?

[pagopago]

Beauty salons mega busy and some with waiting lists of a month or two.

People piling trollies high in supermarkets, carrying bags of shopping in shopping centres

Airports and flights busier than ever.

Tradesmen e.g. plumbers, painters/decorators, carpet fitters booked well into next year.

Is this people burying their heads in the sand? Or making the most of things while they can still afford to?

Right now it doesn't really feel like there is a shitstorm approaching.

Definitely a combination of last hurrah and those who won't feel too much of a burden by the increases. Everyone's finances are different. Someone on a 100k salary won't find it as tight as a single mum of three on 20k for instance.

I just can't fathom how schools, nurseries, care homes, hospices, hospitals and community centres are going to stay open. Where on earth are they going to find the extra money for food and bills? With that kind of infrastructure failing it will be a catastrophic domino effect. Everyone will feel it. Everyone.

Many nurseries already do not make much profit. I really think there will be a fair number closing this winter without government intervention.

Exactly.

And then you have the other knock on effects- more gas explosions because people won’t be able to afford to service their boilers, bigger pressures on A and E because people with lung conditions will be stuck in damp, cold homes, social deprivation issues because children will be left home alone because people won’t be able to afford childcare, and so on and so on. Society will collapse unless the government does something.

we will feel the energy increases but won’t affect us for now our day to day spending we are frugal anyway but I can’t blame people for thinking sod it and having a last hurrah

Loads of these holidays are Covid holidays booked ages ago and now are finally actually going on them. Last holiday for a while with the way things are going for many people.

I haven't had my first bill yet from British Gas since my Fixed tariff ended so we will see.

However if it goes up to £6k as some are predicting I just won't be able to pay it. I work full time.
For my area I'm in a good wage.

My husband is on a decent wage. If he decided to leave me I don't know how I'd afford to pay everything.

I'd have to sell my used knickers online! They go for £25 a go on a site I have seen. Pretty soon that will be a cost of a washing machine cycle so I'd be saving the planet and saving on my lecky bill

It's a joke.

Christ it is like the Victorian mill owners all over again.

I am seeing increasingly more brand new 22 plate electric cars !!!
Good for all those who can afford it!

You're doing exceptionally well for your age!!

These are maybe company cars? My work are now only providing these so everyone has to swap from what they have to these

Some of those may well be motability cars. For those who are on the highest rates of PIP for mobility. We have a new car on the mobility scheme. It isn’t going to help us pay our energy bills. It does help me to get to my numerous specialist consultant appointments at the hospital 50 miles away.

It’s a good thing. It keeps people in work in those sectors. Don’t resent those keeping the economy ticking over, because they can afford to spend more than you.

In a months time everyone's energy bills are going to skyrocket.

Not everyone's. Lots of people will still be on fixed price deals. My energy bills won't be going up this winter.

I don’t resent people having more money.

I resent people saying there isn’t a cost of living crisis.

Maybe next winter we will feel it more

For many it's part denial but mostly the fact that they haven't really started to feel the hit yet. Yes everyone is chatting about the cost of living and how terrible it all is but in reality the big bills haven't kicked in yet. Suppose time will tell if places like beauty salons remain as busy. Maybe there are enough people with big enough incomes to not need to change their spenign habits 🤷‍♀️

I don't resent people having money - good for them is what I said.

Talking out of your arse tbh.

I wouldn't know about beauty salons, can't afford haircuts. So yes the people who could already afford it may still be able to at the moment. My daughter did get an appointment the same day today though, so it can't all be booked up months in advance.

I work in food retail - spending is definitely going down already. Just because some people seem to buy a lot doesn't mean others aren't carefully budgeting or cutting down. To be honest, you'll find that many people are tending to do bigger shops but less frequently now, menu planning and buying for the month to avoid the impulse buy trips.

Airports have been busy because this is the first post-covid year and holidays were already booked. The same for tradesmen - people getting work done now because they didn't have it done during the pandemic. Tradesmen are also busier because many businesses went under and there are simply fewer of them, good ones anyway, and labour shortages due to Brexit.

You may also be right that some people are burying their head in the sand.
But most of the people I know, working people on household incomes of £20 -£30K or less are really worried.
Higher earners may not be so affected of course, although if they have large mortgages the interest rates are going to kick in and all those little luxuries, the interim centre parc holidays etc, may have to be stopped...

You only have to read any enonomist's posts to see that it's a perfect storm.

Not everyone is skint or feeling the pinch. I work in retail, plenty folk still spending money. The ones with good jobs and money are still around.

This. I’ll be saving less most likely. I won’t stop getting my hair cut, or my nails done. And I’ve just booked a ski trip for March. Not sure me cutting back on spending will help anyone to be honest.

If the cost of living crisis were Bohemian Rhapsody we're currently at the gentle and melodic 'Mama, just killed a man' stage. But don't worry, the louder and more frantic 'Bismillah! No we will not let you go!' phase is on the horizon.

This is just getting started.

It's a last hurrah for me. After having spent two years hiding from Covid, then catching it twice this year, I am enjoying myself while I can, ahead of what might be a very grim winter. Haven't spent loads, but it's easy to justify the fun things I do want to do.

Don't get me wrong. People can do what they like with their money but whether it's sensible is another matter.

The economy is the least of my worries to be honest. I appreciate it's all linked but if I need to spend an extra £100/month on my food bill and another £100 on gas/electricity then I'm not going to spend £200 on eating out/clothes etc. That's personal economics.

Likewise if interest rates are going up, it's prudent to clear down debts to minimise the impact.

Like it or not, it's time to cut our cloth. We'll still do stuff but just less of it.

You were there were you ?

Exactly what I thought! What a weird comment...

It's not hard to read a history book.

I've got 3 jobs so I can still have some semblance of normality. I went on holiday this year too. Maybe I'll have to shiver this winter because of it.