Cost of living....struggles....rubbish!

[IwishIcouldconfess]

Been into Manchester today.

I'll be honest, shops full, restaurants full, pub's standing room only.

I thought as a country we were in a cost of living crisis, not in Manchester, the amount of cocktails, bottles of wine i saw being knocked back today made me wonder, ate things really as bad as as the narrative we're being sold?

I work in food service and we're always dead in January/February. This was my fourth January working there and it's consistently empty. My store is in a shopping centre and if people aren't going out to buy clothes or whatever, they're not popping in for lunch either.

Yes, I eat at work because it's free. Other days I don't eat.

This thread got me thinking about my own area a bit. I live about 5 miles from central Manchester equidistant between a thriving high street with restaurants, cafes and independent shops and another shopping and dining area. The second one is pretty run down with mostly charity shops, opticians and a hairdresser. The coffee shop is always busy, but a longstanding independent restaurant has just closed down.

While, yes, many people are struggling across the board, I think the fate of the second place is largely due to lack of investment over many years. The area isn’t as affluent as the area with the high street, but the people there who do have disposable income are more likely to travel to the nicer location to go out. I think the same is true of Bolton, the centre is like a ghost town but the out of town retail parks are crammed, the difference between the parking charges in the town.

So I think that people who have disposable incomes are still spending them, but are increasingly conscious about where they are going. This alongside the col situation is really having an impact on areas that aren’t being well managed/have been under invested.

Are you in England? I find that quite shocking. In my area there’s weekly community food share schemes which don’t require referrals, free soup at the church and also community centre once a week and lots of free food out on Olio most days. Are there things like that near you where you could get some food?

A lot of my friends are in the same boat as me, double income, kids grown up, mortgage paid off, multiple holidays a year.

I thought we were the exception according to the media, we clearly aren't.

I'm loving seeing everyone out enjoying themselves.

Too good to go app?

We're double income, small child, have a mortgage, childcare costs etc.

We can go out for a meal sometimes but not always. I imagine there's others like us. You're probably not seeing all of us every time you go out, but some one time and others another.

Add into that things people have saved up for, people saying "f it" and putting it on credit cards etc, people can still go out.

It's not rocket science. Also doesn't mean the cost of living isn't rising.

Adjusting purchases to inflation does not equate COL.

Yes I'm in England. I use Olio but round here it's Caffè Nero, which isn't exactly a balanced diet. No fresh fruit or veg and very carb heavy. I couldn't eat that every day, and it would still only be one meal.

I use that and Olio already, but I don't live near a supermarket and would have to bring it home on the bus, which again costs money.

The too good to go app is bakery type products. But we're not in a city but a small town. Lidl occas do a box of fruit and vegetables for a £1

So why are you surprised that other people are out spending, living and loving their lives? I don’t get this thread at all.

Well you probably are a minority, but there's a fair few like you. And also the low COL in some of the region means there's also people who aren't that high income, yet still have quite a chunk of disposable income after their few hundred a month mortgage and low band council tax are paid!

You don't have to get it.

I am just constantly hearing and reading about people not being able to afford to go out, yet my experiences and others on here are telling a different story.

Same. I'm not rich by any means, but I am bemused by the number of people who claim to be skint and unable to afford even basics.

Okay 🤣 Maybe all those other people are in the same position as you? There will be many more at home struggling to make it to the end of the month, that you just didn’t see.

It's a really bizarre thread! Tattle are having a field day with it but the moment I posted the link to it my post was hidden?!

I thought that website had gone kaput. Don't blame mn for removing it

pm the link

I only see the MN threads on Tattle. I've not seen anything offensive

Imagine time-travelling to the UK during the Second World War. You arrive in a nice, quiet, remote village. You don't see any trenches or planes dropping bombs, and you notice some children playing happily in the street, some people in their garden enjoying a cake and celebrating a birthday.

Would you conclude from that experience that there was no war, the Blitz was fake, and people were exaggerating the losses?

I'm not comparing the CoL with war in terms of severity, but hopefully the metaphor helps you understand the flawed logic of your question.

Manchester is experiencing an economic boom at the moment due to significant investment into infrastructure and planning made easier for developers.

Homelessness has also shrunk since Burnham took charge.

The city thriving in stark contrast to some of its neighbours.

It really is. Some people are struggling others aren't. Cost of living affects everyone differently.

But the OP is obviously more clued up than the experts and economists, and the food banks, because her and her friends can go out and eat and drink as they wish and so can many others.

OFFS. You might be saying you aren't comparing the two, but I can't see that you're not.