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

[Mark81]

I know I'm luckier than a lot of people, and don't worry about being able to afford the basics - but I really feel like between these Economic/Brexit woes and Corona Lockdowns (which I appreciate are all deeply interrelated) that I'm left wondering when/if I will be able to actually get a life and not feel like I'm waiting for things to start.

I moved back with my parents in Feb 2020, as we were all moving to a new area and I was starting a job so it made sense to start with them and maybe save a bit to get my own place. But two years later, I'm still going to be here. Still mostly WFH and don't have many friends as it's been difficult to get out and meet people; the same with relationships. My life isn't awful, but it feels a bit constricted and disappointing sometimes. I just wish I knew when it was all going to end. I would like to have a family of my own and I just wonder how on earth I'm supposed to contemplate doing that in such a chaotic world where it's also so difficult to meet people!

I absolutely appreciate others have it worse, but you have to wonder what the long term consequences will be for lots of us - educationally, socially, romantically - that will persist long after any virus might have been conquored.

I feel exactly the same. I'm not comfortable but I'm OK enough to weather the current climate I think. But I feel like I'm in perpetual limbo to try and move on with my life. I was in-between jobs/career break when covid hit and although I have found work during covid in all feels very much temporary and I can't plan and even question what am I living for. Is this it now.

I'm lucky than many but I do have this...when can my life begin feeling and also question what's the point of doing what little I can do. I feel like in a way lockdowns were easier ad you know where you are. Now it's just co start uncertainty without actually getting anywhere

 

[GobShyte64]

Is it just me that thinks we are on route to another recession? I mean, if the price of everything goes up, and wages and benefits dont rise with the rise of inflation, surely we will be priced out a lot of things and it will be too expensive for anyone to buy.. & then what?

 

[Tublet83]

It’s all gone quiet about turkey shortages

 

[rainbowlemon]

Is it just me that thinks we are on route to another recession? I mean, if the price of everything goes up, and wages and benefits dont rise with the rise of inflation, surely we will be priced out a lot of things and it will be too expensive for anyone to buy.. & then what?

Neil MCcoy Ward has a really good channel on youtube. He's also has a playlist called the great depression diaries which is worth watching. Lots of other economy channels are already saying the same thing.




Even in Venezuela with hyperinflation they still had food available - just not that everyone could afford to eat.

#survivaloftherichest

 

[hollowcrown]

With prices increasing, inflation coming in, and landlords and property prices refusing to drop, the economy is bound to crash soon.

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

I know I'm luckier than a lot of people, and don't worry about being able to afford the basics - but I really feel like between these Economic/Brexit woes and Corona Lockdowns (which I appreciate are all deeply interrelated) that I'm left wondering when/if I will be able to actually get a life and not feel like I'm waiting for things to start.

I moved back with my parents in Feb 2020, as we were all moving to a new area and I was starting a job so it made sense to start with them and maybe save a bit to get my own place. But two years later, I'm still going to be here. Still mostly WFH and don't have many friends as it's been difficult to get out and meet people; the same with relationships. My life isn't awful, but it feels a bit constricted and disappointing sometimes. I just wish I knew when it was all going to end. I would like to have a family of my own and I just wonder how on earth I'm supposed to contemplate doing that in such a chaotic world where it's also so difficult to meet people!

I absolutely appreciate others have it worse, but you have to wonder what the long term consequences will be for lots of us - educationally, socially, romantically - that will persist long after any virus might have been conquored.

Agree completely. Really disclose this rant is hugely privileged and verging on Mumsnet I am sorry

In a different stage of life to you but nodded along and sending love.

This morning said to my husband how it feels even more pointless to live in London now we’ve got more of this tit happening. We bought our home 3 years ago and did a complete #reno on it spending a fair amount and lots of stress and now I don’t even want to be here to enjoy it. We have no family nearby.

I had my LO in the pandemic, got pregnant late 2019 so absolutely wasn’t expecting this, I had a very lonely maternity leave (honestly thank god for tattle it was a life line during that time) and didn’t have the opportunity to establish a lovely local likeminded mum group and instead only know a few absolutely vile ones (sorry this makes me sound vile but the sort that ask immediately what ur husband does /the road you live on and are into £££) so have the guilt that my daughter won’t fit in with them because I can’t bear to be near them. I have other health stuff but I don’t want a second child (husband does) and I think a large part of it was down to how horrible being stranded in the various lockdowns were.

Last Christmas (baby’s first) our plans were pulled from under us (we only found out about the under one bubble after - don’t think it was v spoken about?) and I remember sobbing for days after that announcement. It’s now happening again after I’ve paid out for my sister to come join us, I said to her I don’t care anymore just come down. The news had people at the stations who just admitted they don’t give a duck. I feel bad and know it’s selfish but how much more can we miss out on? My sister shouldn’t have to spend her Christmas in a tiny flat by herself (she’s also skint) I’m sorry I’ve been looking forward to this for months now.

But yeah definitely experiencing a heavy emotional hangover at the idea of this tit happening again & yet more isolation for our family. I acknowledge how privileged I am to have my own family btw, my baby is my wonderful miracle girl so I can’t be too upset as I’ve been given a life beyond my wildest dreams with her!!

 

[Saddlesoap]

Last Christmas (baby’s first) our plans were pulled from under us (we only found out about the under one bubble after - don’t think it was v spoken about?) and I remember sobbing for days after that announcement. It’s now happening again after I’ve paid out for my sister to come join us, I said to her I don’t care anymore just come down. !

What's happening again? I personally don't think there will be another Lockdown.

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

What's happening again? I personally don't think there will be another Lockdown.

I only watched ch4 news last night so don’t want to report misinformation as they were super super brief - basically only said the new O variant has been found in Essex & Nottingham(shire) and both cases are linked to the same family who’d been to SA? They’ve re-instated mask mandates for shops but not in hospitality, and there’s gonna be a fuller conference from the PM later today that pads out things a bit more?

The thing that upset me was they’re reviewing this in 3 weeks time - so week commencing 20th December, yet again we are potentially having our plans shafted at the last minute. Don’t get me wrong I’m lucky to be alive & thankfully no one in my family has died, but like duck me how much heart ache can they put us through? I’d rather be told now Christmas is over than go through the motions and have it taken away less than a week prior. I’m not even a big Christmas or making memories hun and it hurts, I feel so sorry for mummys to older kids who are aware of what’s going on & having heart break they’ve got to manage. It’s SO cruelly done by the government, and needlessly so!

 

[Fauxphiehinchcliffe]

Cost of living is making me so nervous. My husband and I are employed (I am a social worker, he is a civil servant) and thankfully both jobs are secure, Bht no chances of any pay rises for us in the near future (and hasn’t been anything notable for years!). I work horrific hours and the pandemic has been really really hard, we are short staffed and fatigued. I work on adult mental health which you can imagine is just getting busier and busier and harder and harder.

we are maxed out monthly bill wise. We don’t gk out, we don’t really order takeaways, just on sim onlyphone contracts…butalways overdrawn. Tons of debt on various credit cards etc (0% interest but largebalances so large monthly payments and a large Loan for the card and to repair subsidence we had that wasn’t covered by insurance). The loan is low interest but payments still high.
Just feel like bills are insane and they can’t be reduced further, and cost of the shop is riding and rising.

i am due our second child in March…and am frightened of how we will manage on maternity pay. But the idea of leaving my baby in childcare earlier than the 9 monthsi did with my first is really upsetting…and to go back to a job which is just hammering me and exhausting me.

life just feels like a slog!! Work work work and still tears and worry all the time about money and feel so sad that I cant ‘spoil’ us and go out for lunch or buy the toy my son wants in Tesco. We have a small house which feels like we are bursting out of now we are prepping for number 2…rhe Future is frightening!!

 

[CatCafe234]

I only watched ch4 news last night so don’t want to report misinformation as they were super super brief - basically only said the new O variant has been found in Essex & Nottingham(shire) and both cases are linked to the same family who’d been to SA? They’ve re-instated mask mandates for shops but not in hospitality, and there’s gonna be a fuller conference from the PM later today that pads out things a bit more?

The thing that upset me was they’re reviewing this in 3 weeks time - so week commencing 20th December, yet again we are potentially having our plans shafted at the last minute. Don’t get me wrong I’m lucky to be alive & thankfully no one in my family has died, but like duck me how much heart ache can they put us through? I’d rather be told now Christmas is over than go through the motions and have it taken away less than a week prior. I’m not even a big Christmas or making memories hun and it hurts, I feel so sorry for mummys to older kids who are aware of what’s going on & having heart break they’ve got to manage. It’s SO cruelly done by the government, and needlessly so!

It’s the lack of knowing that’s annoying me. I have lost a close relative to Covid and last year our Christmas plans were completely upended when the rules changed. I was hoping that things would be better this year but it feels like we’re in the same situation again, and we’re going to be strung along as long as possible because Boris doesn’t want to ‘cancel Christmas’. I honestly have reached a point where I couldn’t care less about Christmas and all the crap that surrounds it, but I have relatives for whom it’s important and it’s creating such a pressured and stressful situation.

Do we plan to travel or do I plan some sort of Christmas at home? It’s impossible (organisationally and financially) to cover plan for both and if things get cancelled at the very last minute I’m going to end up having to pull everything out of my a**e with no notice, to try and keep as many people happy as possible (which won’t work). I’m also under increasing pressure to go into the office more at the moment - and this is another thing I wish the Government would show some leadership about - and that’s adding worry as I don’t want the responsibility of worrying that I might be the one to make family members ill. It’s all such a mess, I really wish the Government would make some tough decisions now to save the heartache later.

 

[Littleelf]

Cost of living is making me so nervous. My husband and I are employed (I am a social worker, he is a civil servant) and thankfully both jobs are secure, Bht no chances of any pay rises for us in the near future (and hasn’t been anything notable for years!). I work horrific hours and the pandemic has been really really hard, we are short staffed and fatigued. I work on adult mental health which you can imagine is just getting busier and busier and harder and harder.

we are maxed out monthly bill wise. We don’t gk out, we don’t really order takeaways, just on sim onlyphone contracts…butalways overdrawn. Tons of debt on various credit cards etc (0% interest but largebalances so large monthly payments and a large Loan for the card and to repair subsidence we had that wasn’t covered by insurance). The loan is low interest but payments still high.
Just feel like bills are insane and they can’t be reduced further, and cost of the shop is riding and rising.

i am due our second child in March…and am frightened of how we will manage on maternity pay. But the idea of leaving my baby in childcare earlier than the 9 monthsi did with my first is really upsetting…and to go back to a job which is just hammering me and exhausting me.

life just feels like a slog!! Work work work and still tears and worry all the time about money and feel so sad that I cant ‘spoil’ us and go out for lunch or buy the toy my son wants in Tesco. We have a small house which feels like we are bursting out of now we are prepping for number 2…rhe Future is frightening!!

I feel you!!!

I'm worried about the cost of living and the future. My partner is being made redundant in May, at least he has been told and we have time to prepare but its still a huge worry. He has a lot of debt which has high monthly payments, bills are only rising each month it seems. Food is getting worse and worse. His car didn't pass its mot this week and it'll cost more to repair than its worth so its been scrapped, so now we have no car. Thankfully his dad is going to get us a cheap run around for the time being but its awful to have to rely on eldery parents to help us out when we are adults ourselves! Our garden fence has blown down yesterday so thats another expense that we just don't need.

I'm on maternity leave now baby no2 due in 2 weeks time. Thankfully my maternity pay is pretty good, full pay for 6 months.

We live in a tiny two bed which we own, but no way we will able to move for a least another year. Realistically we won't be able to until I go back to work in 2023 so we are stuck here really. This house is bursting at the seams already and needs so much doing to its its in a bad state!

We are so lucky in many ways, and I know we have many things that some people wish that they had. But we are really only one or two bad months away from loosing it all honestly and it scares the hell out of me! Im trying my best to put money aside and prepare for the future because I really think we are in for a rough ride

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

It’s the lack of knowing that’s annoying me. I have lost a close relative to Covid and last year our Christmas plans were completely upended when the rules changed. I was hoping that things would be better this year but it feels like we’re in the same situation again, and we’re going to be strung along as long as possible because Boris doesn’t want to ‘cancel Christmas’. I honestly have reached a point where I couldn’t less about Christmas and all the crap that surrounds it, but I have relatives for whom it’s important and it’s creating such a pressured and stressful situation.

Do we plan to travel or do I plan some sort of Christmas at home? It’s impossible (organisationally and financially) to cover plan for both and if things get cancelled at the very last minute I’m going to end up having to pull everything out of my a**e with no notice, to try and keep as many people happy as possible (which won’t work). I’m also under increasing pressure to go into the office more at the moment - and this is another thing I wish the Government would show some leadership about - and that’s adding worry as I don’t want the responsibility of worrying that I might be the one to make family members ill. It’s all such a mess, I really wish the Government would make some tough decisions now to save the heartache later.

Completely agree. And like you’ve said, you don’t pull Christmas out of your arse it’s weeks/months of planning and getting excited about things with your loved ones.

Last year was a nightmare as we decided to go up north to MIL’s & had our food shop delivery which we had booked at least a month in advance (more like 2/3 I suspect?) if not more sent to hers. That plan then got cancelled and thankfully there was capacity to honour it in London, but imagine if there wasn’t? I’d have had to have gone into a busy massive supermarket at the busiest time of year, just pre lockdown, whilst being vulnerable myself with a x month baby at home - bleeping help us help ourselves by giving us notice ffs! How is that any good for a pandemic?!

Completely agree re offices. The tories have been SO slippery with this which has enabled crappy employers to twist “guidance”. duck em in 2,3,5+ years when they’re not offering any form of hybrid working they’ll end up with the lowest quality employees who don’t have any other choice.

I feel you!!!

I'm worried about the cost of living and the future. My partner is being made redundant in May, at least he has been told and we have time to prepare but its still a huge worry. He has a lot of debt which has high monthly payments, bills are only rising each month it seems. Food is getting worse and worse. His car didn't pass its mot this week and it'll cost more to repair than its worth so its been scrapped, so now we have no car. Thankfully his dad is going to get us a cheap run around for the time being but its awful to have to rely on eldery parents to help us out when we are adults ourselves! Our garden fence has blown down yesterday so thats another expense that we just don't need.

I'm on maternity leave now baby no2 due in 2 weeks time. Thankfully my maternity pay is pretty good, full pay for 6 months.

We live in a tiny two bed which we own, but no way we will able to move for a least another year. Realistically we won't be able to until I go back to work in 2023 so we are stuck here really. This house is bursting at the seams already and needs so much doing to its its in a bad state!

We are so lucky in many ways, and I know we have many things that some people wish that they had. But we are really only one or two bad months away from loosing it all honestly and it scares the hell out of me! Im trying my best to put money aside and prepare for the future because I really think we are in for a rough ride

Congratulations re baby, re your partner are either of you on Reddit? Go look around personalfinanceuk a lot of people share their debt stories on there - and contact step change / Christians against poverty, both do brilliant work to support families just like yours! You can always post to get more targeted advice x

 

[Purrrrrrr]

Agree completely. Really disclose this rant is hugely privileged and verging on Mumsnet I am sorry

In a different stage of life to you but nodded along and sending love.

This morning said to my husband how it feels even more pointless to live in London now we’ve got more of this tit happening. We bought our home 3 years ago and did a complete #reno on it spending a fair amount and lots of stress and now I don’t even want to be here to enjoy it. We have no family nearby.

I had my LO in the pandemic, got pregnant late 2019 so absolutely wasn’t expecting this, I had a very lonely maternity leave (honestly thank god for tattle it was a life line during that time) and didn’t have the opportunity to establish a lovely local likeminded mum group and instead only know a few absolutely vile ones (sorry this makes me sound vile but the sort that ask immediately what ur husband does /the road you live on and are into £££) so have the guilt that my daughter won’t fit in with them because I can’t bear to be near them. I have other health stuff but I don’t want a second child (husband does) and I think a large part of it was down to how horrible being stranded in the various lockdowns were.

Last Christmas (baby’s first) our plans were pulled from under us (we only found out about the under one bubble after - don’t think it was v spoken about?) and I remember sobbing for days after that announcement. It’s now happening again after I’ve paid out for my sister to come join us, I said to her I don’t care anymore just come down. The news had people at the stations who just admitted they don’t give a duck. I feel bad and know it’s selfish but how much more can we miss out on? My sister shouldn’t have to spend her Christmas in a tiny flat by herself (she’s also skint) I’m sorry I’ve been looking forward to this for months now.

But yeah definitely experiencing a heavy emotional hangover at the idea of this tit happening again & yet more isolation for our family. I acknowledge how privileged I am to have my own family btw, my baby is my wonderful miracle girl so I can’t be too upset as I’ve been given a life beyond my wildest dreams with her!!

Repeat after me "I am not selfish " Because you are not selfish. Selfish are those who loved locked down because they didnt have to do what they hated and that is, see people and socialise. those people loved it and hate that it ended, they are the ones who shouted the loudest that others are selfish.

Enjoy your family, your Christmas and have your sister with you. Have yourself a wonderful time and take it from an old CEV biddy, you are not selfish your child needs interaction and family and a happy mum and dad.

 

[Glaschelle]

Agree completely. Really disclose this rant is hugely privileged and verging on Mumsnet I am sorry

In a different stage of life to you but nodded along and sending love.

This morning said to my husband how it feels even more pointless to live in London now we’ve got more of this tit happening. We bought our home 3 years ago and did a complete #reno on it spending a fair amount and lots of stress and now I don’t even want to be here to enjoy it. We have no family nearby.

I had my LO in the pandemic, got pregnant late 2019 so absolutely wasn’t expecting this, I had a very lonely maternity leave (honestly thank god for tattle it was a life line during that time) and didn’t have the opportunity to establish a lovely local likeminded mum group and instead only know a few absolutely vile ones (sorry this makes me sound vile but the sort that ask immediately what ur husband does /the road you live on and are into £££) so have the guilt that my daughter won’t fit in with them because I can’t bear to be near them. I have other health stuff but I don’t want a second child (husband does) and I think a large part of it was down to how horrible being stranded in the various lockdowns were.

Last Christmas (baby’s first) our plans were pulled from under us (we only found out about the under one bubble after - don’t think it was v spoken about?) and I remember sobbing for days after that announcement. It’s now happening again after I’ve paid out for my sister to come join us, I said to her I don’t care anymore just come down. The news had people at the stations who just admitted they don’t give a duck. I feel bad and know it’s selfish but how much more can we miss out on? My sister shouldn’t have to spend her Christmas in a tiny flat by herself (she’s also skint) I’m sorry I’ve been looking forward to this for months now.

But yeah definitely experiencing a heavy emotional hangover at the idea of this tit happening again & yet more isolation for our family. I acknowledge how privileged I am to have my own family btw, my baby is my wonderful miracle girl so I can’t be too upset as I’ve been given a life beyond my wildest dreams with her!!

I know what you. Its just me and my mum so I'm lucky I don't have any difficult decisions to make.

My friends mum was a vulnerable person and she spent nearly a year keeping away from her, she still saw her but it was socially distanced. Also her grandchildren and great children couldn't visit. Her mum died suddenly this year and I know how hard my friend is finding it. Partly caused by the difficulties we've had over the last 2 years.

How many other families are living this regret?

I hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas together

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Repeat after me "I am not selfish " Because you are not selfish. Selfish are those who loved locked down because they didnt have to do what they hated and that is, see people and socialise. those people loved it and hate that it ended, they are the ones who shouted the loudest that others are selfish.

Enjoy your family, your Christmas and have your sister with you. Have yourself a wonderful time and take it from an old CEV biddy, you are not selfish your child needs interaction and family and a happy mum and dad.

Thank you for this, it’s sweet and appreciated as we’re about to get another dose of hell at 5pm (I’m assuming?) off the PM.

You’re right re kids. My daughter is actually scared of men because the only man she’s seen for the best part of the year is her dad, it’s gotten better with nursery but what on earth is it doing to these little minds? And before they’re even fully formed?

I’m a huge proponent for the remote working revolution & de centralising the country/economy from London and other big cities, but we need better infrastructure for this to not drive people to insanity, and also non workers eg retired, disabled, mums and kids, everyone who has been really neglected during this pandemic.

So many of us must be absolutely traumatised by this pandemic by now? And my family have had a very, very easy ride of it - imagine nurses and paramedics? Or those who’ve lost people? 160k deaths and more to come, sorry for the essay but honestly when will it all bleeping end?!

How many other families are living this regret?

Yep! Precisely this! I’m not suggesting we don’t listen to guidance at all because I have been over cautious the last 2 years, and we still wear masks and limit trips out etc etc, but when you’re doing what’s right for your fellows and then Matt Hancock is shagging anything with a pulse or the bald one fucked off to a country manor it really hurts.

 

[Rodneytrotter]

Is there another briefing planned for today?

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Is there another briefing planned for today?

No sorry I’m on another planet abs thought there was!!! x

 

[Saddlesoap]

I only watched ch4 news last night so don’t want to report misinformation as they were super super brief - basically only said the new O variant has been found in Essex & Nottingham(shire) and both cases are linked to the same family who’d been to SA? They’ve re-instated mask mandates for shops but not in hospitality, and there’s gonna be a fuller conference from the PM later today that pads out things a bit more?

The thing that upset me was they’re reviewing this in 3 weeks time - so week commencing 20th December, yet again we are potentially having our plans shafted at the last minute. Don’t get me wrong I’m lucky to be alive & thankfully no one in my family has died, but like duck me how much heart ache can they put us through? I’d rather be told now Christmas is over than go through the motions and have it taken away less than a week prior. I’m not even a big Christmas or making memories hun and it hurts, I feel so sorry for mummys to older kids who are aware of what’s going on & having heart break they’ve got to manage. It’s SO cruelly done by the government, and needlessly so!

Oh I see, yes that makes sense. Honestly hadn't paid much attention to the dates. I'm fortunate enough for it not really to make much of a difference to me..

Cost of living is making me so nervous. My husband and I are employed (I am a social worker, he is a civil servant) and thankfully both jobs are secure, Bht no chances of any pay rises for us in the near future (and hasn’t been anything notable for years!). I work horrific hours and the pandemic has been really really hard, we are short staffed and fatigued. I work on adult mental health which you can imagine is just getting busier and busier and harder and harder.

we are maxed out monthly bill wise. We don’t gk out, we don’t really order takeaways, just on sim onlyphone contracts…butalways overdrawn. Tons of debt on various credit cards etc (0% interest but largebalances so large monthly payments and a large Loan for the card and to repair subsidence we had that wasn’t covered by insurance). The loan is low interest but payments still high.
Just feel like bills are insane and they can’t be reduced further, and cost of the shop is riding and rising.

i am due our second child in March…and am frightened of how we will manage on maternity pay. But the idea of leaving my baby in childcare earlier than the 9 monthsi did with my first is really upsetting…and to go back to a job which is just hammering me and exhausting me.

life just feels like a slog!! Work work work and still tears and worry all the time about money and feel so sad that I cant ‘spoil’ us and go out for lunch or buy the toy my son wants in Tesco. We have a small house which feels like we are bursting out of now we are prepping for number 2…rhe Future is frightening!!

I'm totally gonna get flamed for this, but why have another child if you are struggling so much?

 

[Purrrrrrr]

I'm totally gonna get flamed for this, but why have another child if you are struggling so much?

I'm not going to flame you I just wonder why that is your first thought rather than why two people with good jobs are struggling so much and have already cut spending to the bone.

there could be many reasons why they are having another child, but my first thoughts are why the duck is it so damn hard for two people who work.

 

[Littleelf]

Oh I see, yes that makes sense. Honestly hadn't paid much attention to the dates. I'm fortunate enough for it not really to make much of a difference to me..



I'm totally gonna get flamed for this, but why have another child if you are struggling so much?

Things can change quickly. We weren't struggling when we decided to start trying for another baby, we had no idea redundancy was around the corner 9 months ago. Things happen that you can't allways control unfortunately