I've just gone down a rabbit hole to see if Home Bargains home deliver toilet rolls. Seems they can deliver everything bar toilet rolls.
Also noticed you can bulk buy chocolate!!!
Also noticed you can bulk buy chocolate!!!
Discontent #8 food, energy, transport, cost of living, society etc
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Bravado.My family also falls into the squeezed middle category. Usually we have our summer holiday (nothing fancy, usually UK based) booked by now. Due to many circumstances we're not even thinking about looking until Spring 2023 at the earliest. McDonald's is a family meal out that fits our budget at the moment. We can afford our bills and current lifestyle but wee extras like a nice coffee and cake with the kids at the weekend? Nope, cutting back on that big time.
I always remember my Economics lecturer at uni saying look at restaurants and cafes to identify a recession. The emptier they are, the more we should worry.
I don't mean this to sound patronising but, for me, swimming lessons are a life skill and classed as a necessary expense. We pay roughly the same for 1 child but they only do one other activity which works out £40 a quarter. Dreading when the eldest starts the Rainbows/sports clubs/drama/etc treadmill.Its really hard especially when it seems like everyone is doing constant activities.my eldest in particular really knows how to guilt trip and make me feel awful. I really try my best but everything is so bloody expensive.
Swimming lessons cost me £45 per month (1 child) have a football season ticket which costs a fair bit annually, dress down days at school. It all adds up and they get so much more than I ever got as a child.
It seems easier in the summer as my eldest will spend hours outside with friends now the weather is mince its much harder as I dont want these kids in my house 24/7
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I have noticed at work colleagues are getting Costa coffee a lot less now (there's a machine in the canteen), and more having started bringing in sandwiches and salads instead of paying 4.50 for a pasta pot or sandwich deal from the canteen/shop. I have stopped buying meal deals now too. If done multiple times a week it adds up.
We have heard at work we might get a little one-off bonus before Christmas to help with cost of living. This never usually happens here! It will be taxed of course but is a pleasant surprise.
We have heard at work we might get a little one-off bonus before Christmas to help with cost of living. This never usually happens here! It will be taxed of course but is a pleasant surprise.
Re cosmetics - if stock goes past expiry brands have to write it off. A lot of gift with purchase or other offers will involve stock nearing expiration dates, or brands sell it to discounters like tk maxx etc. You’d hope that their supply chains were legit and counterfeits / substandard product wasn’t getting through tbh 
100% squeezed middle here. Me and husband earn 30k each, mortgage currently 780pm on 1.84% god knows what that’ll go up to next year. Energy bill £185pm at the moment, again what will it be come April? We do ok at the moment, save around 400-500 a month. That’ll be gone quite easily with mortgage and energy price rises and my worry is if the combined increase is more than that? Then we will start having to dip into our accrued savings to top up. There will be nothing left for socialising or hospitality. We’ll be working to pay bills. How depressing. I feel bad for the kids, they didn’t ask to be born into this mess but likelihood is the cutbacks will affect them
My family also falls into the squeezed middle category. Usually we have our summer holiday (nothing fancy, usually UK based) booked by now. Due to many circumstances we're not even thinking about looking until Spring 2023 at the earliest. McDonald's is a family meal out that fits our budget at the moment. We can afford our bills and current lifestyle but wee extras like a nice coffee and cake with the kids at the weekend? Nope, cutting back on that big time.
I always remember my Economics lecturer at uni saying look at restaurants and cafes to identify a recession. The emptier they are, the more we should worry.
I don't mean this to sound patronising but, for me, swimming lessons are a life skill and classed as a necessary expense. We pay roughly the same for 1 child but they only do one other activity which works out £40 a quarter. Dreading when the eldest starts the Rainbows/sports clubs/drama/etc treadmill.
Having a spare £500 a month isn't what I'd really consider to be "squeezed" tbh.
No but it will be squeezed once my mortgage goes up by £500pm and my gas/ele by £200. In fact I’ll then be at a £200 deficit
I refuse to buy cheap loo roll. My bottom deserves better. It is a non negotiable for usI do often wonder who buys the fancy loo roll at the crazy price it is now. The one I buy is like prison issue
.my fiancés friend has been staying with us and I asked him to pick up some toilet roll and he came back with some “best in” style from the corner shop. I can’t even look at him
Just a quick question. How much is everyone spending in gas and lecky PER DAY. Theres 4 of us 2 adults both work full time, one works shifte so in different times of the day. Also two kids, both in full time education. We have solar pannels (no battery, were looking into this). Wondering if its worth the cost of getting a log burner installed 
I'm struggling not using the dryer and using the dishwasher/washing machine on eco mode trying to get the best out of the solar pannels.
I'm struggling not using the dryer and using the dishwasher/washing machine on eco mode trying to get the best out of the solar pannels.I g
315 per month. 2 adults, 2 kids. We are usually all at work/school etc weekdays so heating not on much during the day. The tumble drier is on every other day and my son sleeps with a fan running in his room at night. Wish we could change that. Have tried the rain sounds etc on Alexa but the fan settles him more. Like most families we have phones/devices etc on charge daily.Just a quick question. How much is everyone spending in has and lecky. Theres 4 of us 2 adults both work full time, one works shifte so in different times of the day. Also two kids, both in full time education. We have solar pannels (no battery, were looking into this). Wondering if its worth the cost of getting a log burner installed
My kids both have space lights running all night and the youngest has a white noise machine. I can hear the penny's draining
I do wonder if the more you earn, the more you spend to an extent. We earn £25k between us, both part time. Rent £750, council tax £250 before we even involve anything else. We are hitting about £2000 a month absolute minimum for everything since the pandemic and all the increases. But realistically, more like £2500 so debt is starting to creep. We have about £10k existing debt from prior situations. But then I have friends who earn atleast £25k each, have the same debt, or more and end up with nothing at the end of the month just the same. I suppose the difference is they have fancier cars, eat out, buy luxury goods i.e. newest phones as soon as they come out etc and that stuff builds. Just is really interesting seeing everyone's experiences and ultimately after a certain point, it doesn't seem to matter how much you earn, we all end up in a similar boat. We do have very basic lives because we'd rather work less, so I suppose we keep things at cost but that ability is quickly dwindling now. £2000 a month shouldn't be considered basic that's for sure. Ofcourse I know you can live for alot less, but at a great (non financial) cost. Our house is already a mouldy, damp pit as is.
Is buying bits in bulk cheaper? for eg I've just looked on Amazon 48 andrex rolls are £20 which is good for the brand I think? I don't mind cheap loo roll so not sure how much it is in the shops these days.
Also, we recently bought cheap versions of the oodies and they're amazing! I'm always cold so had begun to put the heating on for an hour AM & PM but we've managed to not in the PM since getting these. Only an hour a day but saves us about £1-£1.50 at the minute!!!
Also, we recently bought cheap versions of the oodies and they're amazing! I'm always cold so had begun to put the heating on for an hour AM & PM but we've managed to not in the PM since getting these. Only an hour a day but saves us about £1-£1.50 at the minute!!!
I feel warmer in mine than I would in normal clothes with the central heating on. I wear socks and mittens (computer), too to keep my hands and feet warm.
I honestly believe this is true. I remember a time about 7/8 years ago where I thought what we earn now was mega money. At that point we had a much smaller mortgage, council tax and gas/electrix was half what it is now but we had childcare costs that were another mortgage in itself. When the childcare costs ended we stretched our selves to buy a bigger house justifying it by saying if we could afford 800plus on nursery per month we'd easily manage the increase in mortgage etc. We doubled our mortgage by an additional 400odd, council tax went from 156 to 260odd and gas/electeic went from 80 per month fixed to 305 now.
We feel poorer now than we did back then.
I do love my house but sometimes I wonder is the extra space worth it. We'd live much better lives if we stayed in our old house.
Not sure if this would work for you guys but could you try a smart plug so you can turn it off remotely so not disturb him? And any Bluetooth speaker could swap over to the faux noise seamlessly?
I do think spending is relative to your income. The more you earn the more you spend you live within your means
Last month £1.67 a day plus 49p standing charges. Kids have a night light on 11 hours over nightJust a quick question. How much is everyone spending in gas and lecky PER DAY. Theres 4 of us 2 adults both work full time, one works shifte so in different times of the day. Also two kids, both in full time education. We have solar pannels (no battery, were looking into this). Wondering if its worth the cost of getting a log burner installed
I think there is alot of truth in that you can be financially rich but poorer as a result in other ways, 'owning' can become a heavy burden. When we had a smaller house we too were alot happier, now we seem to just accumulate tit to fill the space we have which actually makes us less happy. I think there's alot to be said about a simple life but society doesn't allow for it, even owning a small home these days is a rarity for most
My partner and I have a combined income of £70k ish, and a mortgage on the cheaper two beds where I live is going to cost £1500 a month. It’s affordable now but I’m not sure how we will cope when we have kids in the future with childcare costs as well.
im not sure how lower earners are expected to cope with the cost of living crisis, where are they supposed to find the extra money for the huge mortgage and rent prices, especially combined with the huge increase in food and energy costs
im not sure how lower earners are expected to cope with the cost of living crisis, where are they supposed to find the extra money for the huge mortgage and rent prices, especially combined with the huge increase in food and energy costs
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