Discontent #7 food, energy, transport, cost of living, society etc

[heretoreaditall2019]

I would always take these 'family shop for £50' claims with a pinch of salt. Unless you are seeing what they are buying.

I think if you have time to shop around and get a few bits here and others there, then yes, you could save. Most people don't have time for that and how much are you spending on fuel/travelling between different places.



Lols, just as I post this

What do you rate in the frozen veg range as I am never particularly impressed?

Totally agree it's easier to cook cheaper in winter though!

Yep and not just the initial food shop but photos of every single meal thereafter. Jack Monroe loves to do a flat lay of the £20 pw shop she does for 2 adults and a teenage boy but smart ppl on her thread have calculated how woefully deficient of calories it is, and the fact none of the ingredients actually can be used to make a meal unless you want a pear and sausage surprise.

 

[Zulkraa]

Thanks. It's just a ridiculous amount to ask for I think. I regularly take in branded biscuits, chics etc to add to our treat collection that staff eat and if we are having a lunch in the department for a special event everyone will each bring in something food or drink wise which again I don't mind.

The money for various things is every month. Prob wouldn't mind if it wasn't ad regular like every month.


I've actually heard snidey comments when someone hasn't put in like oh can't put in to the collection but can go 2 holidays a year etc. What people choose to spend their money on is up to them.

Sorry to hear that you work in such a toxic work environment that can’t be good for you It must be very frustrating. The collection should be voluntary not compulsory!

I would personally stop taking in the nice branded biscuits and whilst people might notice (strange how they don’t when you do it religiously) you can use that money towards something you want and need.

I was like you I’d take in nice food for others to eat and my friend told me a guy said “Imagine her food bill must be massive! I’d hate to be with her!” (I paid for my own food as I was single) He didn’t say anything when he was stuffing his face with the food I offered. I confronted him as it was a short term contract, he had nothing to say! Not even a sorry….

 

[monga]

Setting up warm hubs in Birmingham ,no doubt the first of many.

 

[no-no]

Any other singletons who spend way more on groceries than families seemingly do? (I love a new condiment and some wax melts ). I’m a sensible shopper though have less ‘responsibilities’ but would literally rather live off toast than cook beige meals every night.

 

[HoGi]

Popped to Iceland and got a few bits yesterday, mainly hash browns and sausage patties to make the husband fake McDonald's breakfast. And the packaging has airfryer cooking instructions as well as oven/grill.

Thought that was good and would help people out.

 

[Rodneytrotter]

I've fixed today with octopus at £340 a month. Not sure if I've done the right thing but i wouldn't be able to afford more so thought I'd fix at something I can afford

 

[Yel]

I'm not surprised the hot tub lockdown craze ended like this. Even before the price rises the running costs weren't that much less than two people joining a normal leisure centre and you have the effort to maintain it!

I know a few who have given up with them. When you stay somewhere for a long weekend with a hot tub it gets boring by the last day, of course having them at home won't work for most people. Although I do know someone disabled that uses his every day.

Hot tubs ‘running dry as households squeezed by rising living costs’

Just over half of hot tub owners say they now rarely or never use them, according to Direct Line Home Insurance.

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Purrrrrrr]

The heating switched itself on this morning as the house got cold, I have a Nest control, so I switched it straight off again and will set it to off for as long as possible. It's getting colder already

My children's school has opened a food bank for pupils and staff, it's sad that it is necessary

Yes, but the plus side is the Queen is getting an amazing send-off
Sorry but can't help it. just been called a traitor on FB for daring to suggest its all very over the top when even working people are having to use the foodbank


My heating also came on this morning. it certainly didn't feel that cold.

 

[Blueballs]

I know this won't be popular but I get annoyed with mortgage holders acting as if having to move makes them the most hard done by people in the world. Around here I know people who pay £400 a month and my rent is £1200 for a pretty similar house. Now some of these people are saying how awful it is that they'll have to pay £700 or £800 a month and the government need to help them. It's still a lot cheaper than my rent and as long as you can keep paying it then you're safe. I've been forced to move with little notice before and it sucks, but there is no uproar over renters losing their home. It's similar in my view. If you own a mortgage then you're not really a home owner. The bank owns it. It's not the end of the world if you need to sell it and move to rented like many others already do. Lots of people could have used the low interest rates to pay down the debt over the last 10 years and have a very small mortgage, but I don't know many who have. I haven't had the choice and keep having to pay high rents and have no protection. But I still think I'm lucky compared to what many people over the world are dealing with like 1/3rd of Pakistan flooded.

 

[Slothgang]

So I mentioned this previously on the thread but today at work at our daily meeting we were reminded that there's £10 to put in for a 50th, £20 for a retirement and £5 for flowers for someone who's gone off sick AGAIN. My pay day is tomorrow so that's £35 straight off my wage. Today should have been my opportunity to say sorry I can't afford this but it's so awkward. They even brought up that not everyone had put in so far and most people sat quietly so I think most people feel the same as me.

It's pay day tomorrow and I have £11.92 in my account currently. I've been on the bones of my arse since about the 2nd week after payday and this was a 5 week month.

Sorry but ide just outright refuse. That's ridiculous! I would never expect that at work and anyone that is a good enough friend there will understand.

 

[teabob]

I know it’s still eyewateringly high but does anyone else feel better now they know more or less what they’ll be paying for the next 2 years? I couldn’t have gone through that every 3 months, my binge eating was terrible and triggered by feeling out of control. I’ve felt a bit more settled the last few days. I realise that I’m fortunate to be able to pay the higher amount with some small lifestyle changes and asking my 20 year old to pay dig money

 

[Web30]

My husband had a spate of ordering things off the too good to go app, some stonking bargains but it was all ultra processed. It's so easy to be seduced in to eating things you'd never usually buy because they're discounted.

I was in m and s a few days ago and they were clearing the bakery shelves, fresh boules etc. People were hanging around asking if they were being discounted and the guy said no it goes to people in need. m and s.

My husband cant leave morrisons without buying yellow sticker stuff. Last night he bought cheese and onion rolls which no one in the house eats but they were cheap sick of telling him hes not really saving money if no ones going to eat the stuff!

 

[penny1992]

Stopped reading any news, im totally in the dark about alot of things but i can't go back to endlessly scrolling all the doom and gloom. I read and knit in the evenings and try not to touch my phone after a certain time.

For me there has to be a disconnect, I cant stay "in it" and keep myself mentally well. Even if that means I have no idea whats going on



Everytime I go in morrisons everything has noticeably gone up in price!! I also noticed in my local morrisons that they seem to be not putting out morrisons own stuff on the shelves. Baby wipes and baby food they used to use own brand stuff but now they've actually rejigged the whole ailse and its gone. Same with beans and tinned bits, all the own branded stuff is gone. Leaves you with little choice but to spend even more, its a disgrace. I refuse to shop in there now unless I have no choice.



Everytime I go in morrisons everything has noticeably gone up in price!! I also noticed in my local morrisons that they seem to be not putting out morrisons own stuff on the shelves. Baby wipes and baby food they used to use own brand stuff but now they've actually rejigged the whole ailse and its gone. Same with beans and tinned bits, all the own branded stuff is gone. Leaves you with little choice but to spend even more, its a disgrace. I refuse to shop in there now unless I have no choice.

Ignorance is bliss.
I know it sounds awful but I stopped reading/watching about Ukraine months ago.
All the talk of world war 3 and zelenskyy trying to get other countries more involved made me feel very anxious. I feel a lot better although I don't know what's going on now. In my opinion, it is a war that will go on for years...sad but not much different than some other regions of the world.

 

[Fauxphiehinchcliffe]

I’m concerned about safety over the winter. People will be cutting down on their heating and lighting but taking risks to do so - more candles for heat and light but perhaps not using them safely. I’m suspecting an increase in house fires.

I also am concerned about babies and SIDS. People will be wrapping babies up in more blankets etc. I saw a post on a fb group last night about a mother concerned about heating her home with her premature newborn and some of the advice was concerning.

I do think all the posts on fb are scare mongering. People seem to be posting all kinds of “hacks” and tips to get people to save money and it’s quite overwhelming to see. Reality is we barely used our heating and lighting and we’re fine last winter without doing anything drastic. We don’t have a tumble drier etc . But these posts have me thinking I need to orderextra blankets and candles and heated blankets and so on . It is encouraging fear and making me feel anxious! Some of the tips are just not going to save any money for the hassle.Battery powered candles was one…..how much will they cost in batteries for how little light? AN LEd bulb costs a negligible amount.

 

[Pesky Tarian]

The problem with yellow sticker shopping is that you can rarely get a range of healthy food. It's usually processed stuff that's expensive anyway or bread and doughnuts. The meat always has a funny colour and the veg ready for the compost heap. You can get the odd bargain or treat (we got cream cakes yesterday but we wouldn't have bought them otherwise).

I did used to watch a YouTuber who attempted to live on yellow stickers but she would eat weird, weird combinations and would spend hours waiting around the store following staff around. Obviously she was quite obsessed with it and single . For the rest of us it's not a long term strategy to cut back. It's better to learn to cook cheap meals really well. I think batch cooking is going to be the norm for most people.

My husband had a spate of ordering things off the too good to go app, some stonking bargains but it was all ultra processed. It's so easy to be seduced in to eating things you'd never usually buy because they're discounted.

I was in m and s a few days ago and they were clearing the bakery shelves, fresh boules etc. People were hanging around asking if they were being discounted and the guy said no it goes to people in need. m and s.

 

[Mrs Fluff]

 

[zoominmoom]

It won’t be cleared in our lifetime anyway they may as well make our lives as comfortable as possible

It's starting to feel a bit like my student loans at this point. It's never get paid off so add what you like onto it

 

[BaxterBillions]

I got my latest monthly fuel bill. No gas usage. Electricity usually the same no matter what season. The thing that shocked me was the standing charges which were nearly the same amount as my electricity usage!

The standing charges piss me right off. I'm on a prepayment meter and it's costing me £26 a month before I even use any energy.

 

[Rodneytrotter]

That’s £200 more than I’m currently paying

I wish I had fixed weeks ago when offered £140

 

[Codiaeum]

Could someone please tell my body to stop acting as if it's sub-zero? I've been cold for days, but we have about 21°C everywhere, so there's no reason at all to feel cold, it's a perfectly good room temperature. I'm sitting here with tea and an extra cardigan, which is normally winter attire for me and I still can't seem to get warm. I don't want to switch on the heating if it's clearly my body being stupid rather than actually cold.