The Winter of Discontent #3 Food, energy, transport, jobs, housing, cost of living etc

[Thank(space)you]

Yea I mentioned it on here a few weeks back, I'm also south west and think it's unfair and don't know why they didn't just do a flat increase of 15-20p for everyone. Our water rates are ridiculous too, house prices and rent are really high for the lower wages we've got

Also in South West and agree with all of this

 

[Tatooine_legend1]

Anyone here thought about moving somewhere warmer abroad? I have considered moving to Asia or Latin America, maybe Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia, Laos, etc. I do have savings that I could use.

I have no dependents, and I currently rent, so no big reasons to stay put. I am actually seriously considering it, even if it's just for a few months during the colder months.

 

[Ibrokethegoddamnwheel]

People will make do as far as they can and put up with anything but when cake becomes unaffordable? That's a national emergency, that's when the food riots happen.

If tea bags become too expensive then British society is doomed.

 

[definitelydifferentbecca]

Re fracking; we used to live in Lancashire not that far from a now disused Cuadrilla site, and the day after they registered a 2.9 earth quake in 2019 we found a crack in our garden wall big enough to fit the tip of your finger in.
We reported to Cuadrilla they came and checked the wall, they never formally accepted responsibility but wrote us a cheque for £400 (we never cashed). The visible damage to our property was relatively minor what concerned us most was the potential underground damage to drains etc that wasn’t visible and the affect on the water course.
We were very happy when they stopped fracking.
I understand the need for alternative options but don’t think fracking is a legitimate option in a densely populated country like England.

 

[emmer_moans]

No eggs in Lidl this morning. I know a lot of birds have been culled, so expect a shortage soon. Fresh produce in there and Morrisons looked awful quality.

Feeling quite pessimistic about things. It is going to be worse than anyone under 70 had known, I think.

I can’t remember who mentioned “right wing” and fracking but I’m not right wing and I support it to get out of this pickle medium term. The net zero policy is literally going to kill people because it’s all target and no plan.

The leadership in the West is utterly diabolical. Remember, DO NOT believe this is down covid and Russia. This has been coming for years.

There were summits held in 2020 about power outages, so expect that to happen imminently. None of these events are a surprise to leaders, and while I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s planned… they’ve been definitely making hay at our expense in having the heads up.

I'm starting to collect a few bits like LED torches, rechargeable candles and blankets just in case there is a power outage at some point. I agree with you a lot of us have not had to experience outages really but it does seem plausible that the supply could get a bit patchy.

Edit to add: for 3rd week running my local Sainsbury's had very little in the chest freezers, chips and frozen potato products seem to be in short supply. Fresh veg and salad produce seemed ok.

 

[HaggisInMyBin]

I'm starting to collect a few bits like LED torches, rechargeable candles and blankets just in case there is a power outage at some point. I agree with you a lot of us have not had to experience outages really but it does seem plausible that the supply could get a bit patchy.

Edit to add: for 3rd week running my local Sainsbury's had very little in the chest freezers, chips and frozen potato products seem to be in short supply. Fresh veg and salad produce seemed ok.

We had a really short power cut the other morning when both of us were working from home. Only lasted for about 25 minutes but I was in the middle of presenting slides and my husband was in the middle of a meeting. We can’t tether our laptops to our phones as we don’t get decent 3/4/5G signals in our house so we were left ineffective with no power, internet or telephony. Both of our workplaces have backup generators and failover infrastructure. Call me a cynic but it made me think that a few weeks of regular short outages are a good way to get folk back into the office post Covid.
As a former senior manager, home/flexible working requests were the bane of my existence and having spent part of the past 2 years in a performance analysis role it’s very clear that the majority of people perform to a lower capacity at home than they do in an office in environment

* caveat to add that some go the other way and do too much which is harder to manage and often detrimental to that staff members well being.

 

[Thetruth123]

I have to go and buy a tumble dryer today as mine packed up last night !
1) does anyone have any recommendations for a decent condenser one , budget no more than £400

2) anyone else feel appliances break after just a few years these days ….back when I was a kid my mum had her white goods for like over 10 years + easy per one! It’s like they do it on purpose

 

[SophSpinsSillyStories]

I have to go and buy a tumble dryer today as mine packed up last night !
1) does anyone have any recommendations for a decent condenser one , budget no more than £400

2) anyone else feel appliances break after just a few years these days ….back when I was a kid my mum had her white goods for like over 10 years + easy per one! It’s like they do it on purpose

I have this one, it’s really good - if you get it from boots you get advantage points too.

Boots Kitchen Appliances | Washing Machines, Fridges & More

Shop for the Hoover HLEC9TCG Condenser Tumble Dryers in White at dev-bts.ao-qa.com. Buy today with Next Day Delivery available - 7 days a week.

www.bootskitchenappliances.com

 

[Jc456]

I have to go and buy a tumble dryer today as mine packed up last night !
1) does anyone have any recommendations for a decent condenser one , budget no more than £400

2) anyone else feel appliances break after just a few years these days ….back when I was a kid my mum had her white goods for like over 10 years + easy per one! It’s like they do it on purpose

Heat pump are more economical than condenser, not sure of there's a price difference though

 

[Purrrrrrr]

Being a prepper I have a lot of dried food in my store. not only the normal things like rice, pasta and flour but things like dried egg, dried cream and full cream milk powder, dried cheese, dried veggies that are great for adding to stews etc. as is dried tomato powder. Dried fruit not just raisins/ sultanas but all fruits. I buy them all in bulk,...

I used to dry my own but now I buy it but will still make my own fruit leather etc for the kids when people are giving away fruit that they have grown too much of.

 

[IfTheCapFits]

I have to go and buy a tumble dryer today as mine packed up last night !
1) does anyone have any recommendations for a decent condenser one , budget no more than £400

2) anyone else feel appliances break after just a few years these days ….back when I was a kid my mum had her white goods for like over 10 years + easy per one! It’s like they do it on purpose

Happy with our Beko dryer, not as good as our old AEG but that was vented at old house & can only have a condenser one now.

 

[Snowjoke]

If you can get a cheap vented tumble dryer you can get the condenser box/hose kits for them on Amazon for around £13 if you don’t have the vent at home or for example if you wanted to put it in your garage etc… I personally prefer vented tumble dryers as I find them far more economical than the condensing types that seem to run so much longer

 

[Zulkraa]

I have to go and buy a tumble dryer today as mine packed up last night !
1) does anyone have any recommendations for a decent condenser one , budget no more than £400

2) anyone else feel appliances break after just a few years these days ….back when I was a kid my mum had her white goods for like over 10 years + easy per one! It’s like they do it on purpose

I remember my grandparents had a Junior vacuum cleaner that lasted forever!

 

[Jc456]

Someone on here was saying they get lactose free milk and it was getting expensive. Aldi do 1 litre of lactose free for 85p

 

[rainbowlemon]

*BREAKING* GAZPROM HALTS GAS SHIPMENTS TO EUROPE.

Russian gas giant Gazprom has officially halted all deliveries to Europe via the Yamal-Europe pipeline, a critical artery for European energy supplies.

 

[masterone]

*BREAKING* GAZPROM HALTS GAS SHIPMENTS TO EUROPE.

Russian gas giant Gazprom has officially halted all deliveries to Europe via the Yamal-Europe pipeline, a critical artery for European energy supplies.

"Gazprom Energy supplies over a fifth of gas used by commercial and public sector customers in the UK including companies like Siemens, McDonald's, local councils and hospitals. It does not offer services to households."

 

[Eggsandbeans]

My gas/electric DD has increased by £50 per month, I tit you not. We are hardly in.

Soci

Give up on the dream now, especially if you are single and don't see that situation changing.

I'm in my 40's, yet have never been able to get a foot on the ladder. I was saving over £1k a month in the 00's towards property but gave up when these savings were being swallowed up by house price inflation - meaning I wasn't getting anywhere.

The nearest time I nearly did was back in the 00's and would have required a complete shift up to the North. The only time I will ever own property now, is likely to be when my parents pass on.

Whilst property is still being seen by many as an investment rather than its true purpose of somewhere to live, we will never see prices drop to more reasonable levels. Other factors also contribute to increased prices too, unlikely those factors will be dealt with.

I also know of others in their 40's and one in their 50's, whom have given up with the idea of ever owning property.

The system is highly stacked against you of you are single, or a low earner. If you are both, it is an utter impossibility.

society isn’t designed to help folk without families (families to meet people with children). As a woman with no kids you get it tight both in the policy arena and in the workplace.

 

[bananabutter]

Plus when you factor in the hidden (but annually rising) costs of Council Tax, Electricity, Gas, Home Insurance, plus TV & Broadband; It makes you wonder who can afford to buy their own homes nowadays.

I highly suspect many have very little spare each money to spend month, after all housing costs.

I’ve just bought my first home by myself at 27 but I’m not going to pretend for a minute it’s an easy thing to do!

I’ve been saving six years for my deposit and my mortgage is going to be a bit less than the current rent I’m paying for a bedroom. The sting as you say is the additional costs of council tax, electricity, broadband etc which I’ve never paid myself before, it’s always been included in my rent. However, I’m no longer trying to save so much every month for a deposit so I’m hopeful it’s a case of swings and roundabouts but who knows I’ve definitely got a lot to learn.

 

[Saddlesoap]

My gas/electric DD has increased by £50 per month, I tit you not. We are hardly in.

Soci


society isn’t designed to help folk without families (families to meet people with children). As a woman with no kids you get it tight both in the policy arena and in the workplace.

I dunno what you were on before, but a £50 increase sounds low compared to some. My friends has gone up £180 a month.

 

[Jc456]

Just the standing charges increases the bill by £9.30 a month (south west). I've not been sent a new price yet, currently paying £84 which is what I was paying before the last price cap increase, my tariff ended in Dec