Shall we have a local Cost of Living moan?

[Dustyblue]

Having read some of the UK threads, I'm wondering how different it is or isn't here.

Our big increases are the usual I guess:

Food- I did a $200 Woollies shop yesterday, more a fill-the-pantry and freezer shop than fresh stuff. I unpacked it and thought "Is that it? That's all I have?"

Car Insurance- cost went up 20% and car was devalued by several thousand. Surely this will hit critical mass at some point and the insurance will be worth more than the car?

Council rates: Up 30%.

There's more.... what are yours?

Haven't really looked at the budget as not a lot of impact on me.

I made the mistake of not doing my tax form properly for work and I haven't had tax taken out for my HELP fees.

I owe just over $8k in total and would have to pay around $4k this financial year. Indexation is going to be 7.1% which would increase what I owe by a bit over $500.

So I took a hit on my savings and made a voluntary repayment for the whole amount. Given I would have had to pay it off in the next 2 years on my income anyway, I felt it was worth it.

But it sucks to see the drop in my savings, it's my house deposit fund... ☹️

Budget could have (should have) been so much better from Labor.

I've never seen so many posts on my local FB page about rents/cost of living problems.

I realise they're in a difficult position, having inherited a lot of global and local issues, but I'm really sad that Labor haven't been more radical. It's weird, I did the ABC calculator thing and it said I should vote for Greens. I think Labor is staying centrist to keep as wide a base as possible. I can't help thinking they needed to come in all guns blazing, taxing the rich, closing the Google/Amazon loophole etc.

And I say that as someone who would be impacted by such tax changes.

When circumstances have been getting worse and worse, by increments, over so long, you need someone clear-eyed, and ... unafraid? to take on the billionaires and lobbyists.

It could've been far worse, but it could've been a lot more productive.

I hear ya! Our dog is on an RC diet and prices here in NZ are shocking too. A 14kg bag in May 2022 was $180, Dec 2022 $196, my vet bill for April came through yesterday, now it's up to $235. He really needs to get a job 😁Eeek@Catsmere, $100 for 4kg?? 😮

I haven't noticed any change in our electricity charges but insurance costs are going to rocket after the terrible weather events we've had so far this year, and grocery shopping is an eye-watering experience. Petrol prices are still rude. My car runs on 95 and I'm paying about $2.60/litre. Luckily my husband has a company car with full personal use and my car doesn't get used much so only have to throw $50, maybe $80 in a month.

We had to reset our mortgage at the end of last year. We went from 2.something % to 6.6%, ouchies!!

@DoWaDiddyDiddy - $2.60 for '95 fuel??? Damn, I thought I was paying a lot for it when it goes over $2...

Yup @OrderOfTheKookaburra. $2.60 is 11 cents a litre chepaer than it was a month ago, and prices are set to rise again once the 12.5 c/litre subsidy ends at the end of June.

Reject shop was selling 110 Finish for $20 odd - worth getting those there. Coles are $6 for 40 tabs as well.

Yes, RC were described as price gouging on the cat site I use. Where do you buy it? The cheapest I’ve found is PetCircle.

Yowch, so many rises! And of course income never goes up to match it except for the super rich who don’t need it.

The ofurlords are definitely going to have to get jobs!

I just started using coles dishwasher powder (not tablets) and so far I think it’s as good as the more expensive brands. I just wish they’d have the refil packets because all those plastic containers can’t be good for the environment.

I’m a long time Labor voter (although like you, I should be voting green according to the abc questionnaire thingy), but I’m disappointed so far. I keep telling myself they need more than a year, but their seeming determination to keep the stage 3 tax cuts seems unfair and very un-labor like. I’d like to see more money put into, housing, education, dental tacked onto Medicare, bigger medical rebates, subsidies encouraging more med students to study to be general practitioners, & the recent rise to jobkeeper was an insult, imo. And more. Don’t want much do I? Also, the reason people can’t afford food, besides supermarkets having a lend, is because real wages have gone backwards badly. I’m wary of the submarine pact too. I’m not arguing we don’t need defence but we are paying way over price for those subs.

@Morestrangerthings - if course you're asking for a lot, we're trying to make up for 25 years of withdrawing/ avoiding funding increases, and it will take years to get back to a civilised level.

I don't know anyone who thinks we should keep the pre election tax plan, and our area will be forever blue!

I know there is so much to make up and that’s why I tell myself to be patient. I was relieved when Labor got in. I really feared libs would be reelected. They had seriously lost the plot, imo. What has come out since, with the EX PM’s multiple secret ministries, and robodebt …and being told by that ex PM that if we’d marched in some other countries we’d be shot, and so on and so on…well I think it can only get better from here. It’s just going to take time. I keep having to remind myself.

I know it's difficult to keep faith.

I worked really hard as a volunteer on the Blair election in the UK, and then they got in and behaved appallingly. I think I was strong by that, and for the first time really saw that politicians are often stuck between idealism and reality (and if we're unlucky, with a side order of lobbyists and cash under the table), and they absolutely need us to stay on it, and hold them accountable.

My weekly shop just came to $400. Nothing fancy in there, just food for two adults and two teenagers and household supplies.

Bunnings now sells pet food for way less than the supermarkets charge. I've almost halved my costs for feeding three dogs. https://www.bunnings.com.au/products/pet-supplies/dogs/dog-food/dry-dog-food

@blueled I saw a throwback picture of an ALDI shop this morning where you used to actually get something for your money.

I'll see if I can find it.

$69 worth😮
https://www.everybump.com.au/community/topic/9884-tell-me-how-much-your-household-spends-on-groceries/?do=findComment&comment=468054

I notice that fuel prices are fairly stable, about $1.80/l around my parts for diesel. I can hardly bare to think what I'd be paying each week if I didn't work from home.

My wages have hardly budged in the five years since that picture was posted... 5% at the most. The squeeze gets tighter every day.

It's probably not a saving, but it's damn good quality meat, directly from farmers.

Half a Cow

Just search your area, some farms you need to go to, others will deliver, can buy literally half a cow, half a lamb, chickens etc (cut up, some minced, sausages etc).

@OrderOfTheKookaburra - hi, how did you go with the woollies dishwasher powder? Any good?

I keep looking at direct farm buying, not sure what's holding me back really.

Mince has gone mad - $8.99 for 500g of 4* mince from Aldi.

Got the gas and electric bills for the month today - how is it I’ve cut my electricity usage by 28% since this time last year but the bill is only 9% cheaper?? WTF are we supposed to do next year when we can cut our usage down anymore. We’re a family of 4 adults and only use 1.5 persons worth of electric.

We’re currently sitting under blankets and Oodies as we can’t afford to use the heating and it’s o my the beginning of winter. Can’t afford the heating in winter and can’t afford the aircon in the summer. It’s a joke.

We've been paying $16 for a kg of lean mince from Woollies for a while now. Our weekly shop is around $250 and then dh will spend at least $50 during the week picking up other things.

We're looking to buy a house at the moment, and I'm honestly wondering how people can afford the price of houses, with the incredibly high cost of living at the moment. But they're selling, so obviously people are making it work 🤷

In my test with my tea mug, black tea, refilled constantly during the day so completely tanin stained by the end of the day, the Woolies brand got it clean. So it passed the test!

Have all the Victorian Aussie MNers claimed the $250 from the government?
I put in a claim on Thursday and got the👌the next day.

https://compare.energy.vic.gov.au/