To think media overhypes the cost of living.

[Krazykat80]

Everyday you see on the news people at rock bottom. Today I saw a father boiling the kettle to give is son a bath because he couldn't afford gas etc. I understand this is a reality for some but the media makes it seem like its wide spread and everyone is really struggling. When I go into town on the weekend I still see bars ,restaurants amusement , theatre's, shops like selfridges full etc. I'm starting to think the media keeps showing us these stories to keep us from going out and protesting against rises in cost of food etc. I say this because today I saw a lot of people in clothes not fit for the pouring rain soaking wet and felt guilty for being dry in my waterproof jacket with my shopping and felt grateful even those I don't have loads. I said I feel guilty and he said yes that's why the media keeps showing you it so you think I should be thankful I'm not in that position instead of going out like some countries on the streets and telling the government to do something about it and it Stops riots because of the rich getting richer out of this crisis Oil companies even Jeff amazon dude feels guilty and wants to give his money he stole off people by not paying them properly etc. I walk around tesco and people's baskets are still full. Am I just a conspiracy knob about the media really overhypering it to keep us quiet ansdobenident.

I don’t even mean to be rude but you don’t seem as if you have much common sense. Do you really think the people in Selfridges are the same people on the breadline and are struggling day to day? I’m currently in the nail shop getting a pedicure and earlier on I was in the salon getting a facial. Both shops have been full of people both times. Does that suddenly mean that no one is struggling?

I can’t even respond to the Tesco comment because you surely can’t be serious😂

I think this quite alot when I see how many people are in the big shopping centres tbh...I go for a costa with a friend and there's always people buying from the most expensive shops and then spending money in Pandora. But the news always likes to make everyone panic more, I'm sure there are people in a really bad way with the cost of things atm but through going regular day to day life it seems the same as ever with the amount people give the impression they can afford to spend...holidays, gifts, treats ect

I don’t even know what media you are getting your information from? I haven’t seen the media against the strikes? If anything I’ve found them more supportive than they have been in many previous years. Also if a strike isn’t a protest what is?

Regarding your Tesco comment the issue is that the people you mention didn’t used to shop in Tesco they used to shop in Sainsbury’s or Waitrose or somewhere else where the food cost was a bit higher. The people who used to buy all branded food buy the value range. People have changed their habits to suit their pockets.

Yes OP, you are just a conspiracy...theorist (to be polite).

What do you want, the media NOT to show us those struggling? Then I suppose you would accuse them of a cover up!

All these ‘how can there be a cost of living crisis if X person is doing Y’ make it clear that the average voter just has very limited understanding.
Depressing.

I've read the OP 3 times and I'm confused. You felt guilty in your waterproof? "He said"- who said? Does the fact people weren't appropriately dressed not indicate a problem? Why does this stop people going out on the streets?

In short though. Just because you don't see something doesn't mean it's not happening. And the gap between rich and poor is also getting bigger.

@CountZacular

the Govt has not cancelled ANY ongoing energy support. They have lifted the hold on the price cap they are going to review the situation before April & help thise most in need of it.reducing payments to those that don't need it & help those that do.

I can't see the issue with that.

As a single Mum, on a fixed income, because I'm a public sector work who's pay hasn't gone up since 2019, I can assure you this not being over stated. Since my pay last increased, not in line with inflation even back then, my whole life has changed, and instead of being a 2 income home, I am one.

In that time my rent (I part rent part own) has gone up several times, my energy has more than doubled despite several cutting back on what I'm using and turning my heating right down (qs a result ove yet to turn it on this winter). The price of diesel has gone up from £1.37 ish to £1.89. Cheese, a simple staple has gone up from £1.79 to £2.59. My council tax has gone up several times, my Internet had gone up several times.

I have cut back and cut the fat. I barely eat any meat, I cook in bulk and make my own food go a long way so I can provide for my daughter. I'm terrified of the future and worry every single day about my ability to cover my outgoings. Eventually I will need to remortgage and am already planning on how I can make the interest rate hike less damaging for me by trying to overpay on my mortgage.

Yes there will always be people who this impacts less. I remember being q student in the last recession. I would have been one of those people you mentioned are still going out and drinking (I worked just to be clear).

My energy has increased by more than 100%. Fuel , which I need to actually earn my income, has increased by nearly 40%. Key items of shopping have increased by up to 40%. My rent has increased by 15%. My income has increased by nothing. Nil zilch. Nothing. So in simple terms, I'm sure you can answer the question if the cost of living crisis is being overhyped.

I think their view of "those most in need of it" is going to be very different to the reality.

I know what you mean op, turn on the news and they make it out like the whole country is suffering and then you go out and shops/restaurants are packed. Even driving past many drive thru's, they are always busy massive queues.
It's like how they banged on about covid and now you hear nothing on the news about it.

Yes it’s a bit depressing - we had years of covid news now loads of poor people news. It does seem that there is a hell of a lot wrong in the world but not daily - it’s too much.

Words fail me .........

The news shouldn't shy away from the horrible way some people are living. Otherwise they'll be forgotten and everyone who's fine will thing 'oh it's not that bad' and the government won't do anything to help.

Are you really surprised by that?

The amount of people who base their political views and voting choices on the soundbites that confirm their bias is how we've ended up so far down shit creek.

I'm 99% sure half the population would throw the paddle overboard too if there was a catchy slogan that said it was the quickest way to reach the land of milk and honey.

I think the ancient Athenians had the right about democracy.

I would prefer more thought on the media and influence - I’d teach it earlier so people can be better armed against it. And usually it’s worst case because it gets more clicks, online reaction and therefore money.

Central news yesterday was a nurse pleading poverty (fair enough). Whilst being filmed she then proceeds to make herself a cup of “Tesco finest” 🤦‍♀️. Don’t think she thought that one through.

That's because the people who used to shop at Tesco and now cannot afford to are standing in line at food banks.

@Flairmaine

I don’t doubt that. I still wouldn’t have cracked out the Tesco finest infront of the camera man though.

Because we're British, and it's not what we do. If we were more like the French, we'd be out in the streets in our hi-vis waistcoats, setting fire to piles of tyres.

And the worst affected couldn't afford to risk getting a fine for protesting, and certainly couldn't afford the fare to travel. I went to the "Enough Is Enough" demonstration in my nearby city, but the bus fare is £5. People on the breadline can't afford that.

I spoke to a client yesterday who has recently been discharged from hospital. She's left with less than £80 a month to live on, because her rent is significantly higher than the max amount they will pay (thankfully, it includes bills). She has to go to the job centre weekly (despite having FIT notes saying that she's too ill to work), and the bus fare is £4, so that takes more than 20% of her income. Her phone contract is £14 a month, and she can't give that up because she won't be able to manage her UC claim without internet access. She's left with less than £12.50 a week to feed herself, buy essential toiletries, and sanpro. She'd be dead if it wasn't for food banks.

I really wish people would take to the streets. And I wish some of the people who voted for this absolute shitshow of a government could see how incredibly tough life is for those on low incomes.

Possibly one of the most naive and ignorant posts on here.
If I go on the Tesco website the Tesco own brand ‘finest’ is the second cheapest coffee you can buy out of every single item on the website, and cheaper than the rest quite substantially.
Should a person working in a government role that you now need to pay your own degree for not be able to afford the second cheapest coffee in the supermarket?
FS she’s hardly having champagne and caviar for breakfast.

This crisis is just starting - people may manage for now but can’t keep up this level of reduced everything and it only take for something to break for them to be tipped over the edge.

As shops businesses reduce staff to keep going more people will be out of work and even worse off trying to sell houses and rent - when that sector is already full!

This is just the beginning - I’ve lived through recessions before and it isn’t nice.

It's simple. Some people (Camp A) will be affected to the point that they can no longer eat what they want, or heat their homes. Whereas, some people (Camp B) might raise an eyebrow at how much an Avacado now costs at Waitrose, but buy three anyway, because they are loaded.

In my experience, many people will fall in to both camps at some point in their life times. I know that I have.

When I was 18 and living at home, I was on minimum wage. My Mum took a third of my salary for digs, and I never had enough left to spend. I was always borrowing from her, then paying back on pay day, and was usually left with about 20p on pay day to last me the month. A coffee at work was 2p (for context). So the cycle repeated and I borrowed off my Mum again.....

In my 20's, I did well at work, got married to high achiever, invested in shares, and at the height of that marriage (in our 30's), we had a huge detached house 2 posh cars, £100k in investments, and two children who wanted for nothing.

In my mid to late 30's, I discovered that my H was sleeping with several OW, including my best friend. I left him and started over. All of a sudden, I was a single Mum, earning £1200pm, with a huge mortgage and every month I was putting our grocery shop on to several credit cards, which finally hit a total of £38k, which I had to cover by taking out a 2nd mortgage, on an already highly mortgaged house. At that time, the Company I had my shares in crashed, and they were suddenly worth £5k, instead of the £50k they used to be. I had no holidays for several years and things were tight. No hair cuts or nights out etc.

Fast forward to now, and the children have now been through Uni, left home and are completely self sufficient, so I have no dependants (financially). I am now married to someone else and we moved to another area together which is cheaper than where I was, so we wiped £30k off the mortgage. I packed in my £1200pm job and started my own business, which brings in about 3 to 4 times as much. My DH is also on a good salary, so we are on about a £100k household income. After 10 years of being here, the mortgage is now almost repaid.

Had there been a COL crisis when I was a single Mum, there's no way I could have eaten out or gone to the pub. But at this point, I actually can, because our situation allows it. So yes, you will see pubs full of people. They are the people who can still afford it (this time, maybe not next time there is a COL crisis though).

I have seen so many life changes with friends, just like mine. Like my friend who was absolutely minted because her DH earned £150k. Not so minted when he left her and she was on £700pm part time. Kids were pulled from Private school and she lost her home.

Another friend was on the breadline, but then got a few promotions, married a high earner, got 2 inheritances within one year of circa £350k, and she now lives in a £500k house with no mortgage.

My father, owned 3 successful businesses. Lovely house, several foreign holidays a year. Until it all went wrong and he had to file for bankruptcy. He is now okay, but in a retirement flat, with no savings and having to live within his means on a £1k pm pension.

Life is indeed swings and roundabouts. The people who are still having holidays and eating out, are doing well financially right now, and aren't that affected. Maybe they won't be so lucky the next time there's a COL crisis. The people who are currently at rock bottom might be wealthy in 10 years time. Life does indeed spin on a dime.

Thank goodness that there are people still ding okay, and paying their taxes, as at least that's feeding in to the system and helping to pay for assistance for those who might not be doing so well just now.

People are struggling. It depends how much give there is in your budget. The luxuries go first. I used to buy payday fish and chips £40 every month, coffees when dc at activities, and turn on the heating when cold 🥶 No more takeaway food, coffee in a travel mug, tight with the heating using a wood stove to take the chill off most days. Still buying same food, although prices on some up 50% milk, butter, meat.

Lots of people have enough give that it doesn’t effect them on a day to day level. Some people have no give so when stuff becomes more expensive they have to cut back.

@Redkettle Do you think supermarkets are immune from the rise in fuel, electricity, staff being off sick etc. plus the stick doesn't come free, you don't think their buying prices have gone up astronomically??

... plus the manufacturers are also facing rising costs. So they're putting up the prices that they charge the supermarkets, who - in turn - have to increase prices.

I doubt anyone is taking the piss - they simply can't afford to, as they know it would lose them customers.

There certainly is a crisis .however bbc has taken really extreme poverty cases and rightly covered them .most people are struggling to an extent maybe not as extreme as the guy with the kettle filling the bath.point being we live in a very rich country yet have terrible poverty .if we don't cover them and just agree we are just squeezed middle ,nothing will change

I don't understand. Surely if just one person was in that situation of having to boil kettles for the bath (actually that was completely normal when I was a child and we were only allowed a small bath once a week as it was so expensive) then you would want to write to your MP, protest, or do whatever you could to ensure it never happened to anyone again?