To think many people are barely surviving Life in uk is unsustainable!

[Cupcakeicecream]

To think a normal standard of living is out of reach to the majority of the population. People are barely surviving as is.They have cut back as far as they possibly can and it's still not enough.Next month prices are rising even more. I know most people would say cut your cloth accordingly dont live beyond your means. If you stopped netflix and takeout coffee everything will magically be solved. That's not realistic there is people out there stressed wondering how they will afford the Bill's barely eating sitting in a cold house as they cant afford to heat the house. Yes there will be people on their high horse saying things are not that bad. But the uk has gone to pot. Wages arent high enough. Food prices are too high. This is just a general rant as its constantly on the news. And some people are just oblivious to the fact people in uk can actual be in poverty and really suffering right now even though we arent a third world country. And it seems will only get worse.

That sounds so so tough. The majority of the people I see and know are not barely surviving. They are cutting back, grumbling about prices, changing plans, taking on more work. That's my reality, which may be different to yours.

I was in London at the weekend and the amount of people spending spending spending was unreal. Bars, shops, restaurants - all jam packed

In the South West, money is still being spent especially around the Bristol area

Your right, I did a weeks shop in Morrisons today just dinners, lunches, milk, bread etc no snacks came to £160!!!! It's just insanity.

I agree that some people, especially the most vulnerable, are experiencing poverty. And with the cost of living crisis that financial struggle now includes a greater number of people. There is also a great deal of hidden poverty, especially in rural communities.

However, I can’t agree that the majority of the population cannot afford a ‘normal’ standard of living. Yes, missing out on a holiday this year, putting the extension on hold, or even looking to downsize to a smaller home. But for most of the population we still enjoy a good standard of material wealth ( and state support) compared with most countries ( even most developed countries) or with any other time in our history.

I don’t agree - it’s not most people. As a pp said London is jammed. Theatres (I go a lot) are full and it’s not tourists. Nail bars near me are as busy as ever and airports are crowded.

Barely surviving.
FFS.
Do you not know the conditions some people have to deal with in some parts of the world.

I dont agree OP. And I live in a very deprived place.

My reality is I see people a bit squeezed but not barely surviving by any means. Far poorer in other countries.

Not just the UK, it’s the world over. We were always going to pay for Covid and this is it. All those people who sat at home on furlough for years - we are paying for it now.

It's very tight yes. You have got a good point when you say "barely surviving".

If all credit was banned tomorrow (apart from mortgages) I wonder what would happen.

I bet a lot of people are racking up debts just having to pay increased household bills.

Also disagree.

It's not the majority barely surviving at all.

Even within my own circle everyone is impacted differently, but none of us are barely surviving.

I can’t reconcile what must be true about the pressure the cost of living is putting on people with the money I see being spent - it is impossible to get into a restaurant in my city without booking weeks in advance, I have to book hair or nail appointments weeks or months in advance, airports can’t keep up with demand. Frankly I don’t understand it.

I have been to the townships of South Africa and also the Far East in the last 18 months. We have become immune from what is really poor.

I think you’re being quite far off the mark by suggesting that this is even close to most people.

I'm finding a really split picture. Some of my friends are struggling, others are still going on skiing holidays and for meals out and to the pub for several drinks at the weekend. Personally we haven't had to make many cut backs yet (other than the heating and refusing to buy ridiculously overpriced food items), but we no longer are able to save anything. We only have a couple hundred quid in savings so if anything went drastically wrong we would struggle. This time a year ago we would probably have been saving 500 a month with our current income.

I dont see our household income as big 65k. And were not bearly surviving. Were still saving a decent amount each (around 1k) we can go out when we want ,eat out when we want, by branded stuff. We have no debt and if we need a bigish purchase we use our savings or credit card with a balance transfer. I'm not classing that as debt as its paid within a few months

But we dont have kids and live in social housing(hence the saving to get out) so I understand were lucky in that way .

I can see why people with kids and mortgages might be feeling the pinch though. Hopefully things will start getting better

That's not my experience, thankfully.

I'm in no doubt that some people are struggling, but I don't think it's the majority of them.

People from othe.r countries risk their lives to come to the UK on a dinghy from France etc so there must be money somewhere, it's not all doom and gloom in the UK.

I'm fortunate to live in a place where accommodation is affordable albeit less so and more difficult to find than a few years ago.
People are cutting back around me but only a small majority that I can tell (and can you ever really??) are struggling.
Basically we aren't saving like we were, and not having the holidays. But that's it.

But I've been really really poor. And I know I have a long way to go before I'm back there.

65k is big! Even if that's before tax and warnt by 2 people it's still more than 2x the average salary.

I don't think that everyone is struggling. But my friends who are single parents are definitely counting every penny in a way they weren't as closely before.

We are doing OK but as a PP said, we're no longer saving anything (though we do overpay our mortgage and thus 1/3 of our joint take home pay goes straight into it).

earnt* by

I keep reading that people are struggling to eat etc but I don’t see it. The pubs and restaurants are full and you can’t get a workman for love nor money and this is in an ex mining town.

I'm sorry you've had some fairly dismissive responses op. It is obviously your experience and that of your family, neighbours and friends. I am not sure how helpful 'I'm ok' responses are to you really.

FWIW all indicators suggest that many people are changing their behaviours. Only the most vulnerable will be sitting in cold homes without enough food, but many will be feeling the pinch and changing their priorities. One of the banks recently released a statement saying that people were saving less, eating out less and switching to cheaper supermarkets.

With inflation as it is, we all feel poorer but I am sorry that you are feeling the affects so significantly.

Compared to where? Where is there a higher standard of living? The UK does better than most.