The Winter of Discontent #2 Food, energy, transport, jobs, housing etc

[eSsExBiRd]

Got my G&E statement last week and we’re in credit. Not a huge amount but given I’m now back working in the office a few days a week I’m hoping usage won’t be as high as last winter (unless we are made to WFH again!) I’m going to slyly take my electrical bits in and charge them when I’m too

Did the weekly shop at our large Tesco, plenty of stock of everything other than then dog food I buy but it was on offer. It didn’t feel anymore expensive other than being £40 more as we went in instead of click & collect Note to self - C&C or delivery going forward

 

[Yel]

the chocolate aisle was noticeably affected today

If we had room for thread titles here, this would be a good one although at the same time it's horrific thought. My lunchtime trip while wfh is often just to buy chocolate!

 

[Jc456]

I went into tesco the other day and they've moved everything around and blanked out a few aisles! They had the Christmas aisle so it wasn't for that

 

[emmer_moans]

They want the north and south circular roads to be busy, then they can impose a tax on that. Ignoring why it is busy. London is for the elite. Not for us, I feel sorry for businesses. And I would even begrudge paying £2.50 but £12.50 is extortionate, I feel like london is just the beginning it’s like they want to take cars away from us. As well buying houses And then they will have all the control. U can’t decide what boiler to have etc.

It costs so much to get a train into London also, I haven't been in years because it is just too expensive even to dip in for a bit of shopping.

 

[eSsExBiRd]

I went into tesco the other day and they've moved everything around and blanked out a few aisles! They had the Christmas aisle so it wasn't for that

They did that in mine and then changed the aisles where things were. Hopefully it’s the same for your store.

 

[IngressUK]

It costs so much to get a train into London also, I haven't been in years because it is just too expensive even to dip in for a bit of shopping.

If you are traveling by train nowadays, it is always best practice to:

A) Get a railcard. They may cost an initial outlay of £30, however that cost can easily be recouped in a short period. Any journeys after the additional outlay is recouped is money in your pocket.
B) Ticket splitting. This does work, mainly on medium and long journeys. One of the best savings I've had is 60% off the standard fare by doing this. If you live within the Network Railcard area (NRA), always make sure you split at the outermost stopping station within the zone, if you are traveling outside of it. That way you still get a 1/3 saving on the part of the journey that involves travel within the NRA zone.

Apps such as Trainsplit can do the hard work for you.

BR Fares ( www.brfares.com ) is also a website that shows all the possible prices on a particular journey. There is also an LT Fares ( www.ltfares.com) site for journeys within London.

C) If you know when you are traveling in advance and don't mind being tied to a particular travel time, booking in advance can also give some good savings. Bare in mind that advance tickets are single tickets only, so you'll need to search for a good ticket price coming back!

 

[Jc456]

It costs so much to get a train into London also, I haven't been in years because it is just too expensive even to dip in for a bit of shopping.

I just looked and from where I used to live (High Wycombe) is £23 return, I don't think that's too bad? I'm in Devon and to get a bus to go 3 miles down the road is £9 return

 

[IngressUK]

I just looked and from where I used to live (High Wycombe) is £23 return, I don't think that's too bad? I'm in Devon and to get a bus to go 3 miles down the road is £9 return

High Wycombe to London Marylebone can be done for £14.95 return, or £17.35 (return) with London travelcard included. Child fares are £4.30 and £4.95 respectively.

Rural bus services can be hideously expensive!

 

[Yel]

It costs so much to get a train into London also, I haven't been in years because it is just too expensive even to dip in for a bit of shopping.

I live in Kent and there doesn't ever seem to be deals on a pretty short ride into London. I have friends in places like Exeter who seem to always manage to pay less for a far far longer journey. It's infuriating!

Rural bus services can be hideously expensive!

Yep and sometimes you need to buy two separate tickets from two separate companies to get somewhere. It's really screwing over the people that can least afford it. I'd like to get the bus more but even with parking charges it's still cheaper and way more convenient for one person to drive in.

 

[IngressUK]

I live in Kent and there doesn't ever seem to be deals on a pretty short ride into London. I have friends in places like Exeter who seem to always manage to pay less for a far far longer journey. It's infuriating!

You still get Super Off Peak Tickets in Kent, on the service formerly known as Southeastern.

We've lost Super Off Peak and Weekend Super Off Peak tickets on South Western Railway. Only to be replaced with more expensive 'Evening Out' and 'Sunday Out' tickets.

What if I want a 'Saturday Out'? I'm lumbered with more expensive tickets.

 

[dancingqueen5678]

Public transport prices are outrageous. They want people to do their bit for the environment but make it possible?! Whenever officials discuss transport I feel like it’s very London/big city centric. There’s never a thought to those who live semi rurally (i don’t even live rural!). A bus from my house to my local town is 1h and 10m. It takes me 15 minutes in the car!

 

[Jc456]

High Wycombe to London Marylebone can be done for £14.95 return, or £17.35 (return) with London travelcard included. Child fares are £4.30 and £4.95 respectively.

Rural bus services can be hideously expensive!

I'm not particularly rural, less than 10 miles from Exeter, there's a bus every 15 mins. My dad's near Plymouth and a return is about £3.50 for 15ish miles each way. Not sure why it's a huge difference in price

 

[IngressUK]

Public transport prices are outrageous. They want people to do their bit for the environment but make it possible?! Whenever officials discuss transport I feel like it’s very London/big city centric. There’s never a thought to those who live semi rurally (i don’t even live rural!). A bus from my house to my local town is 1h and 10m. It takes me 15 minutes in the car!

What really annoys me is money is seemingly no object for road schemes. Just look at the vast amounts being spent on the M4 at present, converting it to a dumb 'smart' motorway.

Yet, when it comes to bus and rail schemes the money is never available, or various hoops and red tape is put in the way.

 

[dancingqueen5678]

What really annoys me is money is seemingly no object for road schemes. Just look at the vast amounts being spent on the M4 at present, converting it to a dumb 'smart' motorway.

Yet, when it comes to bus and rail schemes the money is never available, or various hoops and beauacracy are put in the way.

Exactly!! It’s such mixed messages as well. “We need you be greener and not use your cars so much but we’re going to do nothing to facilitate that and also here’s a smart motorway”

 

[Jc456]

Yep and sometimes you need to buy two separate tickets from two separate companies to get somewhere. It's really screwing over the people that can least afford it. I'd like to get the bus more but even with parking charges it's still cheaper and way more convenient for one person to drive in.

I dread the idea of my car breaking down and needing to school run on the bus, it would cost a fortune.
I like using the park and ride but only worth it when it's one person

 

[IngressUK]

Exactly!! It’s such mixed messages as well. “We need you be greener and not use your cars so much but we’re going to do nothing to facilitate that and also here’s a smart motorway”

The smart motorways are such a dumb idea. The hard shoulder is there for a reason.

It is nothing more than widening motorways on the cheap, but are still ridiculously expensive to implement - largely down to old infrastructure such as bridges that need to be rebuilt.

Back in the old days of Network SouthEast railway, they used to do occasional 'Network Card Days', whereby travel anywhere on the NSE network was a flat £1 fare (if you held a NSE railcard).
http://www.srpublicity.co.uk/nse/images/BO0031.jpg

(Can't get the image to display, only a link!)

There should be a similar scheme in place nowadays, to encourage people to use the train more.

 

[Glaschelle]

I'm in Glasgow so don't really understand what's happening in London regarding charges. Other than the costs seem eye watering. But with a lot of these things, the rich will carry on as normal, driving their massive big cars and people like me, who drive a fiesta, will be forced onto public transport.

In Glasgow we've had the whole Spaces for people extravaganza which was launched during lockdown. Supposedly to make it easier for people to walk and cycle. What a fecking laugh!!!

What it basically means is that they've turned over loads of city centre pavements to pubs and restrurants. I was trying to get my mum to the bank recently and because of this we had to use some sort of wooden walkway instead of the pavement. Not easy pushing a wheelchair.

Glasgow is also implementing a low emission zone. God knows what that will entail.

What makes me really laugh is that the council were bitching how much money they'd lost from parking and bus lane charges during the lockdown.

We've got a council election next year, I'm hoping all this mince will be taken into consideration. But i wont hold my breathe.

 

[Slothgang]

Public transport prices are outrageous. They want people to do their bit for the environment but make it possible?! Whenever officials discuss transport I feel like it’s very London/big city centric. There’s never a thought to those who live semi rurally (i don’t even live rural!). A bus from my house to my local town is 1h and 10m. It takes me 15 minutes in the car!

And if you miss the bus you only have to wait 3 hours for the next one

 

[emmer_moans]

I live in the Midlands and last time I looked trains fares were eye watering if wanting to be spontaneous. I appreciate you can save money by buying off peak and in advance but if you want to be spontaneous, you have to pay quite a bit

 

[hollowcrown]

If you are traveling by train nowadays, it is always best practice to:

A) Get a railcard. They may cost an initial outlay of £30, however that cost can easily be recouped in a short period. Any journeys after the additional outlay is recouped is money in your pocket.
B) Ticket splitting. This does work, mainly on medium and long journeys. One of the best savings I've had is 60% off the standard fare by doing this. If you live within the Network Railcard area (NRA), always make sure you split at the outermost stopping station within the zone, if you are traveling outside of it. That way you still get a 1/3 saving on the part of the journey that involves travel within the NRA zone.

Apps such as Trainsplit can do the hard work for you.

BR Fares ( www.brfares.com ) is also a website that shows all the possible prices on a particular journey. There is also an LT Fares ( www.ltfares.com) site for journeys within London.

C) If you know when you are traveling in advance and don't mind being tied to a particular travel time, booking in advance can also give some good savings. Bare in mind that advance tickets are single tickets only, so you'll need to search for a good ticket price coming back!

What railcards are good to get? My 26-30 one has run out and I can't sign up for a new one.