The winter of discontent 2021? Food, energy, transport, jobs, housing etc

[Yel]

I'm not sure if there's a thread on this already?

I'm 50/50 whether it's a non story or we're heading into quite a bit of a mess.

There's been shortgages of stuff for weeks now, it's no biggie as you just buy other stuff. But it doesn't seem to be getting any better and it's going to take a long time to train more drivers.

Shipping costs doubling.

Inflation way above target.

The wires to get electric from Europe won't be fixed until march 2022 after the fire in Kent.

Gas prices surging, is Vlad to blame?

The microchip supply issue won't be fixed until 2023 apparently.

Now enegery prices serging and 5 suppliers have gone bust with one asking for a bail out.

 

[mcfeez]

Gas has went up 20% or so for me, 30% for some of my family members.

I feel like there is a bit of disconnect between NI and the rest of the UK - we are experiencing things here but it has sort of been ongoing for a while and is less severe in some aspects.

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

I'm not sure if there's a thread on this already?

I'm 50/50 whether it's a non story or we're heading into quite a bit of a mess.

There's been shortgages of stuff for weeks now, it's no biggie as you just buy other stuff. But it doesn't seem to be getting any better and it's going to take a long time to train more drivers.

Shipping costs doubling.

Inflation way above target.

The wires to get electric from Europe won't be fixed until march 2022 after the fire in Kent.

Gas prices surging, is Vlad to blame?

The microchip supply issue won't be fixed until 2023 apparently.

Now enegery prices serging and 5 suppliers have gone bust with one asking for a bail out.

You could also throw in the Covid uncertainty. Will there be another lockdown?
How expensive will the booster shots be for everyone?

Tax / NI increase

 

[Blonde_moment]

My friend just had to get a new energy deal as hers had expired. Cheapest she could find was £35 a month more than what she previously paid. My deal expires end of January and I am dreading it. It feels like such a sh*t time at the moment with bills going up and no pay rises.

 

[Yel]

Yep there's so much to add into the mix!

My deal expired a while ago, I was meaning to fix it again but whoops! It's such a faff having to mess around every year otherwise you get charged over the odds. Just like car insurance.

I assumed it was a mistake that electric alone was way over £100. I don't even use electrics
for high power usage things apart from white goods (no dryer), cooker and kettle.

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

Do you think there will be a bit of a recession? Unemployment up? Luxury goods sales declining? Property prices dropping?

 

[Mrs Cucumber]

I saw that childrens toys are going to be in short supply this year too, guessing there is going to be alot of panic buying going on!
2022 has to be better right?!

 

[Yel]

I saw that childrens toys are going to be in short supply this year too, guessing there is going to be alot of panic buying going on!
2022 has to be better right?!

At the risk of being called a Grinch, is less children's toys for Christmas a bad thing?

So much of it is absolute plastic crap and its so inexpensive these days that many kids get mountains of presents.

I'm more worried about running out of gas for the soda stream

 

[Mrs Cucumber]

At the risk of being called a Grinch, is less children's toys for Christmas a bad thing?

So much of it is absolute plastic crap and its so inexpensive these days that many kids get mountains of presents.

I'm more worried about running out of gas for the soda stream

when you have children and 11 neices and nephews it kinda is lol

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

I am worried about company's closing due to less spending power - there were so many luxury businesses popping up over the last few years: cosmetics, home goods, personal stylists, life coaches etc etc - and hence unemployment going up and property prices down (which ultimately is a good thing).

 

[Purrrrrrr]

At the risk of being called a Grinch, is less children's toys for Christmas a bad thing?

So much of it is absolute plastic crap and its so inexpensive these days that many kids get mountains of presents.

I'm more worried about running out of gas for the soda stream

I would love Christmas and other celebrations to go back low key. It's just consumerism and not good for our children.
We try to do different things for Christmas gifts, homemade, charity shop, novelty. cheapest competition, Each year my daughter thinks of new things we can do.


I have a stocked food cupboard, and other means of heating, lighting and cooking and if need be I have my old fleece onies and teddy bear bedding if its a toss-up between heating or the laptop

 

[Yel]

when you have children and 11 neices and nephews it kinda is lol

We're clubbing in this year to get a few things, rather than loads of random stuff that often doesn't get used.

I'm not against presents, just the huge rampant consumerism and plastic tat that has one use that often isn't used much before it goes to sit in landfill for millennia.

 

[Mrs Cucumber]

We're clubbing in this year to get a few things, rather than loads of random stuff that often doesn't get used.

I'm not against presents, just the huge rampant consumerism and plastic tat that has one use that often isn't used much before it goes to sit in landfill for millennia.

I'm looking at doing experiences rather than plastic, like go ape! etc less wrapping up too.
might go sit outside the local smyths on payday to see the panic shoppers though lol

 

[Yel]

Experiences is definitely a good idea, helps businesses out and unlikely to go out of stock!

Maybe we'll see less parents doing this for 2021? It can't be all bad

 

[Purrrrrrr]

I'm looking at doing experiences rather than plastic, like go ape! etc less wrapping up too.
might go sit outside the local smyths on payday to see the panic shoppers though lol

I don't buy three of my grandchildren presents for Christmas, we have an outing somewhere with a sleepover. for birthdays we do a 1 to 1 treat day, with a sleepover. I pick them up in the morning we go clothes shopping, then lunch cinema then to mine for films and goodies
Although at the moment taking them out cost an arm and a leg. some places almost double what we paid pre-covid, So now although I will still take them somewhere for a Christmas present, for other days out that used to be places like Gullivers, , Woburn etc I have been taking them out for the day to places that are free and we have a picnic and I take games pens and books etc.
We went here and had a lovely day. https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/attractions/rushmere-country-park-b900e54e

 

[Apple In My Pie]

I find it all a bit mad. Tesco now has been out of bottled water for weeks, genuinely, the aisle is nearly entirely empty. Costa near me had to shut as they didn’t have any milk or coffee sent in. Also hearing the rumoured toy shortages.

On the one hand - nobody needs loads of toys at Xmas and there can be ways around it (charity shop, FB Marketplace/eBay/Vinted/depop/shpoc) equally less bottled water means less plastic consumption… still crazy though. I feel like if we go into another lockdown that’ll just make things worse

 

[Yel]

Tesco now has been out of bottled water for weeks, genuinely, the aisle is nearly entirely empty.

Things like this seem like progress

People should get a sodastream or water filter. All that water in plastic bottles must have some of the plastic "chemicals" leaching into it? Probably no better for you than the tap.

 

[nokienokie]

I have found my local Tesco is running low on a lot, even if I get it delivered (comes from a big Tesco) loads is substituted or not available.

Gas and electric has gone up loads, i now pay £110-120. Doesn’t help when all my other bills have gone up but wage stays the same.

 

[Sheabutter]

I don't buy three of my grandchildren presents for Christmas, we have an outing somewhere with a sleepover. for birthdays we do a 1 to 1 treat day, with a sleepover. I pick them up in the morning we go clothes shopping, then lunch cinema then to mine for films and goodies
Although at the moment taking them out cost an arm and a leg. some places almost double what we paid pre-covid, So now although I will still take them somewhere for a Christmas present, for other days out that used to be places like Gullivers, , Woburn etc I have been taking them out for the day to places that are free and we have a picnic and I take games pens and books etc.
We went here and had a lovely day. https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/attractions/rushmere-country-park-b900e54e

One of my favorite childhood memories is of a hike with my grandfather and his Mrs. I still have a photo album that she made of our day together.

 

[Yel]

Throwing into the mix the housing boom coming to an end now stamp duty goes back to normal

Two more months of the last reported house price falls (government stats are a few months delayed) and all the ridiculous covid rises will be wiped out.