What’s the point in being frugal anymore?

[DesolationRow]

I have a fixed low income and am good at cutting my cloth accordingly, I have no debt and free/cheap hobbies and social life.

My average fuel consumption these past few years has been 6500kWh gas and 2000 electricity = around £750 a year. I pay quarterly, always promptly.

On very cold days I put the heating on for an hour early evening. I have reasonable insulation, heavy curtains, I ‘warm the person, not the room’ ie base layer, wool jumpers and socks, fingerless gloves and a hat, hot water bottles and electric blankets. I have an air-fryer and microwave and have two baths a week. My luxury is a small coffee machine and putting the heating on when I have visitors (because my home is definitely too cold for most people to bear!)

So I’m happy and comfortable enough BUT I’ve used an online calculator and my new annual fuel cost will be £2,400 - way, way more than I can afford!

AIBU to think why the fuck should I pay £2,400 to live like this? As I’ve no way of avoiding debt now I might as well heat my home properly and bathe and cook hot meals every day. To me, £3,400 (or £4,400) is as unaffordable as £2,400. My credit rating doesn’t matter and I’m on the ‘priority register’ so think I could avoid being put on a pre-payment meter.

I'm with you @DesolationRow.

I'm not forcing Dickensian living standards on my children when it makes so little difference at the energy prices we're talking about.

I've wondered how schools or social services will decide which children need help when "Mummy doesn't cook dinner any more, we just have a sandwich for our dinner now, I'm not allowed a shower, I have to wash in cold water at the sink, and I have to sleep in a bed with all my brothers and sisters with all of our coats piled on top" becomes the British norm.

I feel the same. I feel the cancelling my direct debit since I’ve been informed it will be over 3 times the amount each month and paying what I’ve been paying online and just living it up. To hell with racking up debit I have a decent credit rating but at the moment I feel like just throwing caution to the wind and living my life regardless. What they going to do? Put me in jail? At least it would be warm… I hope

From the bustle of the local shopping mall this week with families queuing up to buy Clarks shoes for 2,3,4+ children, the food courts full, I would say a lot of people have either not heard the 'news' or they've reached the same 'fuck it' conclusion. As in, if we're gonna be poor anyway then we're dam well gonna spend it now while we can. I get it.

I get it too about most 'responsible citizen' living - whats the point in living frugally and conscienciously if your fuckwit neighbours are going to carry on as of there is no tomorrow and no consequence of their actions. Because when a real consequence does arise.... well there is just a nice big bailout/ban for all, regardless of who emptied the trough or cutback.

Take the example of this summer's droughts and hosepipe bans. We rerouted our bath drainage pipes to fill a temporary rainbucket to water the garden with, our general usage for a 4 person house is less than the average 2 person house and our water bills are generally very small. We have had a small paddling pool maybe a few times all summer with only ankle deep water in. We don't do this because we can't afford more, we do it because water is a communal resource and we want to feel a responsible part of the community. Compare with idiot neighbours who have been filling a 10ft diameter pool over and over since about May, hosing down patios, stood with the hosepipe gushing water down the road to water planters and driveways. So when the water company declares a drought, do they restrict only those people who have overused? No, they do it for all. So yes, why bother when we live next to selfish c@#£s like that?

I feel like that about the January price rise. October I can plan for and budget for. Not saying it will be pleasant, but it's something we can manage.

January? We can't do anything about it and are limited in making further cut backs. Forecasts saying it could go up to £7,000 later next year? No point even thinking about it.

There is no point in trying to be the ideal citizen, thrifty, gentle and patient. We have all got to work together to kick out the politicians (and their funders) who have proved so utterly self-serving and incompetent, and find more capable ones who facilitate how we want to live.

Absolutely

I am with you, my fees went up at the end of 2022, as soon as my provider went burst. I reduced my consumption by 40% and still I am paying double than before.

it is miserable…

Sorry end of 2021, I have been paying a lot of money for almost a year now and it will only get worse…

I think a lot of people are seeing life this way now. Agree with the shopping centre comment. Booking holidays for next year because the money is here now. More people at zoos, amusement parks heaving.

No@mostlysunnywithshowers it’s not your neighbours that are cunts, it’s the water companies who have chosen to pay huge salaries to their bosses and dividends to shareholders rather than invest in the infrastructure. And children shouldn’t have to wear crappy shoes so we can increase the wealth of energy companies.

I’ve not been living frugally to be a ‘responsible citizen’, there’s no fucking virtue in poverty, I’ve just been managing my circumstances in the least stressful way I can. It’s a con that individual denial makes a difference in our political economy.

I’m sick of it and I’m going to be warm, clean and well fed this winter.

YANBU. May as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb.

I’m so sorry for your situation @DesolationRow but I’m very glad I’ve read this post, I didn’t know about the vulnerable register, I’ll be getting in touch with our provider tomorrow to get us registered as our youngest is disabled.

I had a relative living with me who is vulnerable so they put me on the vulnerable register.
They still put a prepay meter in to clear debt.
I think people who are just going to use their energy as before and not pay are in for a nasty shock. These companies will get their money back.

@Unforgettablefire it might be different now, with at least hundreds of thousands of households unable to pay their fuel bills and with the spotlight being on the obvious unfairness of the situation. I can only hope. Because I can’t really cut back, already my gas standing charge is higher than my unit consumption for two quarters of each year.

It might well be what with everything that's going on.
I'm a low user as well and it's so infuriating how much the standing charges are it's really annoying me.

I agree to an extent. While I’m happy to be very mindful of the energy I use and think it’s good to find ways to reduce usage, I also just ordered some new clothes because quite honestly, I can spend £100 now on clothes I’ll enjoy now or I can just spend it on electricity bills later.

I was looking at alternatives to gas central boiler/heating today and was discussing with the plumber today.

He said he was going to use his wood burner in the living room leave the internal doors open, and that would be it through the winter.

We turn water gas heated when needed otherwise it goes off heating will be clothes oil based electric heater lowest temperature. Everything not used excepted fridge freezer is unplugged.

I might even go out tomorrow and treat my to a steak. I might buy myself some nice new shoes. I am not working 40 hours a week and looking after my beautiful daughter to live like shit. I only got myself into a good position in the last few years after a contentious break up. I refuse to go back to counting every penny that’s if I even have any pennies left to count. No I will accept debt and if it gets too much declare bankruptcy. Sounds really irresponsible but I feel defiant.

Many many people feel like this. Sign the dontpay.uk petition

It makes no sense - if we can't afford it then we can't afford it. Either get into debt or get into debt. I saw someone suggest on another thread that the OP should get a second job to pay. Why the FUCK should we work more on top of what we already do just to barely get by and pay some billionaires some more money?

They’re burning fuel bills in protest in Italy.

I certainly won’t be getting depressed about it either. I’m feeling so rebellious. Pay the game you lose don’t play the game you lose. I’d rather not play the game.

I feel for people in relationships this situation is going to cause awful conflict. Luckily I can just be a law unto myself without anyone nagging me

I see your point, OP - it gets to a point where so many people won't be able to pay their energy bills that it will have to be accepted that those bills will never be paid. I think other countries have taken action to avoid finding out what happens when there is no incentive for people to manage their money responsibly.

Two of us work, pay childcare, pay tax, and for what? To live like in a Dickens novel hoping for handouts from the better off?

Massive civil disobedience in Europe and UK could become the norm this coming winter

I feel for people in relationships this situation is going to cause awful conflict

Yes, another side effect.