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Original poster

Anyone else getting very fed up of rising costs?

178 replies

InNeedOfAMoneyTree · 03/09/2023 11:49

I thought we were doing ok until recently. Our food bill has increased dramatically but we’re getting less and less for the money. I was paid last week and I’m already wondering where I’m going to find the money for next week’s food shopping.

We are fortunately not in food bank territory and I know the summer break is always expensive with new uniforms, outings and such like, so I’m hoping we can sort ourselves out this month.

We are certainly starting to feel the pinch and it’s frightening. Does anybody else feel this way?

OP posts:
Sporkle99 · 03/09/2023 22:41

I'm a lone parent on 35k a year and I really struggle. 10 years ago I remember someone who was on the same wage as that talking about how nice it is to be comfortable for the first time in their life. How things have changed.

Chickdaft · 03/09/2023 23:12

If you love Helman mayo like I do, keep that for the salads (whatever) I’ve bought Heinz’s on offer cheaper and would do the same with others if I am mixing with garlic, dried herbs or chilli ……..

Yoyo2021 · 03/09/2023 23:55

Sporkle99 · 03/09/2023 22:41

I'm a lone parent on 35k a year and I really struggle. 10 years ago I remember someone who was on the same wage as that talking about how nice it is to be comfortable for the first time in their life. How things have changed.

really? I can only dream to be on that amount 28k here but can't get a promotion desperately want to move
To the 30k Mark.

Sporkle99 · 04/09/2023 00:03

Yoyo2021 · 03/09/2023 23:55

really? I can only dream to be on that amount 28k here but can't get a promotion desperately want to move
To the 30k Mark.

Show quote history

Childcare costs me over 1100 a month and my rent is 950. I get some universal credit but it doesn't cover all of it (not even close as lha so low where I live which is a point of contention in the city as rents have risen so much). Travel to and from work is 300 a month so that alone is nearly 4k of my salary gone. And the rest. Everyone's situation is different.

Borough · 04/09/2023 00:20

@Sporkle99 yeah I hear you. Am also a single parent. Couple of years ago I got a little way up the greasy pole to £33k, and that was in itself a ballache manoeuvre while running house + kids etc but thought it would all be great and that I was securing us all for the future. Turns out that now I'm just working like a panicked airless twat and all that lovely extra money is going on bullshit like overpriced margarine and fucking gas bills. I guess the immense amount of extra effort I'm making is stopping us from starving but really my goal was higher than that.

Borough · 04/09/2023 01:44

IMustDoMoreExercise · 03/09/2023 18:45

Well, it won't be ultra processed if you make your own but it still costs moneyh.

It is amazing how quickly you get used to not having sauces. You really don't miss it.

My husband was brought up unable to eat eggs without putting aromat on them. I refused to buy it because it was expensive and full of rubbish. He now just puts black pepper on his eggs.

Show quote history

Yeah that £1.50 you could have been spending on buying a pot of aromat every six months, must really make a difference now you're not.

Fucking hell. I get that we're all cutting corners but having some massive campaign to stop this poor guy sprinkling aromat on his eggs is overkill.

pavillion1 · 04/09/2023 01:45

Chickdaft · 03/09/2023 22:39

I know ppl scoffed and ridiculed ppl who stock piled after covid, well sorry but I am one of those! 50 bags of coal, and a veritable wee shop in dried, various other goods plus canned etc. I saw this coming. Am I rich and well off? Heck no…..how long will it last? Goodness knows.
p

No sorry i am not believing this . You stock pilled because you thought it was the end of civilisation and have watched to many sci fi films .

PollyThePixie · 04/09/2023 02:02

My food bill has hardly increased because I eat very little ultra processed food

You’d be very hard pressed to find anything resembling UPF in my kitchen but my food bill has still increased.

I think you must have at least one meal a day of the tripe you talk.

PuddlesPityParty · 04/09/2023 06:09

pavillion1 · 04/09/2023 01:45

No sorry i am not believing this . You stock pilled because you thought it was the end of civilisation and have watched to many sci fi films .

Show quote history

Indeed! and just made it worse for everyone else.

MidnightOnceMore · 04/09/2023 06:44

Sporkle99 · 03/09/2023 22:41

I'm a lone parent on 35k a year and I really struggle. 10 years ago I remember someone who was on the same wage as that talking about how nice it is to be comfortable for the first time in their life. How things have changed.

£35,000 in 2013 is the equivalent of £46,500 now, according to the Bank of England inflation calculator.

This is why we all feel so skint - wages have been stagnant since 2010.

stargirl1701 · 04/09/2023 08:04

Yup. I spent £275 on groceries last week. That'll be £1000 this month.

midgemadgemodge · 04/09/2023 08:06

May 23 and. 24% increase in price of potatoes reported

That's not a UPF

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 04/09/2023 08:07

MidnightOnceMore · 04/09/2023 06:44

£35,000 in 2013 is the equivalent of £46,500 now, according to the Bank of England inflation calculator.

This is why we all feel so skint - wages have been stagnant since 2010.

Show quote history

Yup, I’ve just changed careers to be a Probation Service Officer. In 2010, I would have earned £21391. That’s the equivalent today of £31313. I actually earn £23637 😵. That’s a third less!!

Viviennemary · 04/09/2023 08:23

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 04/09/2023 08:07

Yup, I’ve just changed careers to be a Probation Service Officer. In 2010, I would have earned £21391. That’s the equivalent today of £31313. I actually earn £23637 😵. That’s a third less!!

Show quote history

That seems very low. Are you part-time or still training.

LoveWouldBeBurningRed · 04/09/2023 08:25

Its the inequality that makes it worse. The fact that we are all paying so much more for less in order for shareholders to take enormous dividends. So our energy bills go up while we have to ration our heating and be uncomfortable, or for some choose between warmth and food, but the energy companies report staggering record profits. Our water bills are set to increase but we can't enjoy iur rivers or seas because they're pumped full of sewage. The government have paid billions to their cronies - for unusable PPE, bribing the DUP to stay in power, stripping the country of cash to enrich themselves - and now our schools are crumbling potential death traps. All the extra money we're paying in order to have a worse quality of life, poorer services, less security - and at the top, a privileged few are gaining more wealth than anyone can ever spend in a lifetime. I think that's why this is so hard.

PinkCherryBlossoms · 04/09/2023 08:28

PollyThePixie · 04/09/2023 02:02

My food bill has hardly increased because I eat very little ultra processed food

You’d be very hard pressed to find anything resembling UPF in my kitchen but my food bill has still increased.

I think you must have at least one meal a day of the tripe you talk.

Yep, we all know full well that raw ingredients have gone up.

MushMonster · 04/09/2023 08:34

Absolutely agree with the inequality of it.
Record profits for them all while the average wage cannot afford an average house, diet, warm house or any other extras.
I just read in the newspaper the abuse is going on with work visas at the moment. Instead of employing more UK based care workers, we are filling the gap with minimum wage qualified workers from third world countries. They have to pay a huge fee to come here and live on a minimum wage! We all know it is not possible to live on your own on the minimum wage at present. For them it sounds like a fortune and they can send money to their families back home. Reality is they end up in debt.
There is no one on this Earth that classifies as Working or Middle class that this people would not take from.

midgemadgemodge · 04/09/2023 08:53

@LoveWouldBeBurningRed

Yes the inequality sucks and is getting worse each year

SapatSea · 04/09/2023 09:01

@LoveWouldBeBurningRed great post. Succinctly put

IMustDoMoreExercise · 04/09/2023 09:12

Borough · 04/09/2023 01:44

Yeah that £1.50 you could have been spending on buying a pot of aromat every six months, must really make a difference now you're not.

Fucking hell. I get that we're all cutting corners but having some massive campaign to stop this poor guy sprinkling aromat on his eggs is overkill.

Show quote history

Sorry, but if you look after the pennies, the pounds will look after themselves.

Your attitude was exactly the same as my husband's. It's only £1, it won't make any difference. But it really does. All the "only a £1s" add up. And his attitude has completely changed now.

Have you seen what rubbish is in aromat? Why would you pay to eat rubbish?

PollyThePixie · 04/09/2023 09:12

MushMonster · 04/09/2023 08:34

Absolutely agree with the inequality of it.
Record profits for them all while the average wage cannot afford an average house, diet, warm house or any other extras.
I just read in the newspaper the abuse is going on with work visas at the moment. Instead of employing more UK based care workers, we are filling the gap with minimum wage qualified workers from third world countries. They have to pay a huge fee to come here and live on a minimum wage! We all know it is not possible to live on your own on the minimum wage at present. For them it sounds like a fortune and they can send money to their families back home. Reality is they end up in debt.
There is no one on this Earth that classifies as Working or Middle class that this people would not take from.

My friend who is from a third world country but is a trailing spouse in another country is leaving here for the UK in a few days to take up a job as a caregiver.

I don’t think she realises how hard it will be but she sees it as something that will benefit her family.

ginandtonicwithlimes · 04/09/2023 09:41

Life is too short to be worrying about the cost of sauce and what is in them IMO. Life's small pleasures and all that..

TooOldForThisNonsense · 04/09/2023 10:26

But then what do we as a country do - keep voting for them

midgemadgemodge · 04/09/2023 10:41

Well it's hard not as a country to vote them in when they don't even need 40% of Faye country to vote for them

oiltrader · 04/09/2023 10:52

The savings rates are getting a lot better now. can you put some money in there to help with things over the winter? x