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?

It’s because the people who can’t afford to go out drinking at bars and eating at restaurants, aren’t the ones who are doing those things.

My background was working for a major bank in credit control, so yes I'm aware.

I am so confused

Every time you go out, there are other people out. That doesn’t mean that everyone is out. You can’t see the ones who aren’t out, because they’re not out.
You seem to be struggling to understand some basic concepts.

The standard of living has dropped post Brexit and the UK is the only G7 country not to bounce back after the Covid pandemic.

There is a cost of living crisis. Rising costs of just about everything, income has plateaued and further education and employment opportunities have dwiddled. People's mental health has imploded and the world is on fire.

Where have you been? 🤯

A lot of people, places are full

Expensive places are full

M & S food before Christmas rammed

Not everyone is skint.

A third of people don’t have a mortgage, and own their property outright.

Also - yes a city centre on a Saturday night will attract people out to enjoy themselves…!

And god - even if your bills and going up and you’re struggling to save money, I don’t think you can resent someone meeting up with friends for a glass of wine…!

If you must no, I am at home snuggled in my bed. Not everyone is out out this Saturday night.

Whereas the shops still seem full of sale clothes and shoes....

Trafford Centre full
Manchester full
M&S food full
Cheshire Oaks full

Whenever I go to these places they're full
People are out
Spending money

Yes, full of the people who can afford it, the ones who can’t afford it aren’t out. There are a lot of people in the country, just because M&S food is full doesn’t mean everyone is in M&S food.
For instance, I wasn’t in M&S food before Christmas and I haven’t been out in Manchester for 20 years.

I'm home now

Back in work tomorrow

Payday weekend combined with January blues.

Personal worries, poor mental health. Inheritance. Winnings. End of the month. Etc.
There are a myriad of reasons why people go out. Not just because they fancy it or can afford it.

This country is hugely unequal now. There are lots of people with money to spend, but too many people who are really poor. Manchester city centre is going to look very different from a poor area in Oldham.

This sums it up!

So many millionaire and billionaire tax dodgers, yet socio-economic problems have significantly worsened.

I think it depends where you live - Manchester is a major city with a large diverse population so it will always be busy.

I live on the outskirts of a small city and went out for a family lunch today - the restaurant had hardly anyone in it. We thought this was unusual as it’s pay day weekend and the restaurant chain had sent out an email with a 40% off discount code yesterday. We decided that the cost of living crisis has hit the local population and that people were perhaps saving their money for Valentines weekend….

Google "K-shaped Recovery" and you wil have your amswer in economic terms.

The CoL issue is a fact. The increase in costs of things has outstripped increases in earnings. However it will not have tipped everyone into 'crisis'. If you live in a more affordable area (there's plenty of them close enough to travel into Manchester for a day out) or you're living with parents, or you've paid off most of your mortgage, you're going to be able to weather the higher costs much more easily than if you're trying to raise a family in an expensive area with huge housing costs.

I was in Tesco last night doing my weekly shop and I noticed quite an old lady at the till in front of me only getting a chicken (clubcard deal), a couple of loose onions and a cheap loaf of bread. It made me feel very sad, I wanted to ask her if I could get her anything else but I didn't want to make her feel embarrassed. I'm afraid poverty is very real we just don't see it in cafes and restaurants.

A cost of living crisis doesn't mean nobody has any money. You're going to encounter lots of the people who do have disposable income in the centre of the UKs fastest growing city region, on the weekend after the commonest pay day. If for some reason you were instead visiting the homes of people who can't afford to go out, you'd have come away with a different picture.

I was out in London today and noticed how busy the cafes and restaurants were. Mind you, it was Kensington High Street.

Everywhere I go seems to be packed every weekend. There are a lot of people with large amounts of disposable income and they're out enjoying it.

We've been out for lunch ( good pizza and pudding) plus a bottle of wine beforehand and spent £210 on 3 of us today.

Agree