The massive cost of living...

[bunnycd]

Has anyone noticed how high the cost of living seems to be now in this country. Petrol, tescos food!, gas, electric council tax, clothes! I went to buy a dress yesterday in topshop (£45) I could not do it! It was only a small bit of fabric! Also bought a basket of shopping from tesco's basic things like tea, coffee, meat and it came to a £37!

Looks like it is shopping at primark for me this month!

 

[Jaybar]

I have noticed it a lot recently especially with petrol, bread and milk, which are every day essentials.

 

[rowanx2]

food is at an all time high i read that somewhere, and dont forget it'll soon be budget time so expect more rises!

this countries prices are a disgrace.
when i talk to my american friend their prices are like half to ours. their standard of living is so much higher.

 

[Russiandoll]

I've definitely noticed it. Until recently, £10 would get me quarter of a tank of fuel which would get me one trip to Uni and back. I had a quarter of a tank of petrol on Thursday and don't like to get too low so I put a tenner in to get me to my English Language lecture and it wasn't enough to get it to the half mark on my fuel gauge.

Also, I like to get that 'Best of Both' bread as it's the only bread with fibre in it that my 12 year old likes and that's now over £1 a loaf. Over a quid for a loaf of bread! I know I could get the white foamy stuff for half that but I'm trying to give my daughter a half decent diet.

I'm definitely feeling the financial squeeze.

 

[rowanx2]

£1+ for a loaf of bread!!
The government keep saying eat 5 fruit and veg a day, but if you have a family it can get pretty expensive when you factor in other food. No wonder it's cheaper to put weight on when you think about it.
It is bad though isn't it?
I mean we buy mostly shops own brand stuff and it's still a heafty weekly bill.

 

[Mich]

I have 3 kids and they all eat at least 2/3 pieces of fruit a day..... so don't want them to be like their fat mum... It costs me a fortune - I have to 'top up' the fruit bowl 3 times a week and that's on top everything else I buy..... my shopping cost in the region of a 100 quid a week - and that's without loads of luxury treats too!!!

 

[Dietingdon]

I think it is so expensive to eat healthy, All these diet gurus say its not, but they make a fortune and can afford good food. And don't even get me started on the price of petrol.

 

[Dietingdon]

Although the high cost of food kind of helps me justify to people th CD. (not that I should have too) So many people say "that diet's so expensive, how can you afford it?" I just say that I'm saving a fortune on food to pay for it!

 

[bexnkev]

Has anyone else noticed that whilst the cost of living keeps rising, the pay doesn't increase at the same level? I'm now looking for full-time work as the 26 hours I do now no longer covers everything! it's a real ass

 

[Bobbin]

My pay rise was 1.92% this year. Everything has gone up 10% plus. Its crazy.

 

[KD]

Agreed. I know bread jumped up in price. Something to do with the weather (floods?) last year. It used to be so cheap really.

Tesco's is very expensive. I think that used to be a commoners shop, but not these days. We only go there on special occassions Much too pricey for day to day things IMO.

Give me ASDA any day for general food and cost cutting :clap:

 

[essexmum]

I've started doing my weekly shop in M&S. Beleive it or not if you stick to the basics and don't buy their ready-made meals it's actually cheaper than Tescos. For example I can do a weekly shop for four people for £65.

 

[Julie84]

I have noticed how expensive everything is too. Even worse that they have gone up together and it's the worst time of year for gas and electricity. I was comparing electricity bills the other day and the cost per unit had more than doubled in 2 months!!

Petrol is rather painful too - I used to live 10 minutes from my work (and even closer to my mum) and now it is an hour commute twice a day - petrol is awfully expensive and I'm using so much.

 

[BIG BIRDY]

Got my car in 2005, and it cost £34 to fill it up. Last week it cost £45.
We came back from living in Texas in 2002, and my weekly shop was about £100. Now its £150. I did have a monthly budget for food/petrol/kids stuff of £600 (not the household other bills) back then and now it's £900. Thats without clothes. I either need to skimp in places or need a coach to come shopping with me and tell me how best to shop!

 

[Dave]

I'm considering getting rid of my 4WD and buying a Smart Car... I'll miss the comfy, heated, leather seats and being king of the road... but at least it will help the bank balance and my carbon footprint. I currently spend well over £200 on petrol a month!

What should also help the diet is the fact that I'd be able to get a lot less shopping in the back!

 

[slushy]

well - i have got my weekly shop down from over £100 a week to approx £40
i had to balance it out somehow as petrol costs rose and rose
we have NO ready made meals
i bake my own bread
we eat loads of fruit and veg but grow our own or only buy whats in season at the farm shop
i could go on and on

i know not everyone can have a veg patch or has time to make their own bread etc but i can highly recommend looking at this link for LOTS of money saving tips ( eg i use bicarb and white vinegar for most of my house cleaning - i can make puddings to last three nights for aboiut 20p! )

MoneySaving Old Style - MoneySavingExpert.com Forums

 

[BIG BIRDY]

I do have an allotment - got it last year, so its only got a few cabbages and onions on it for now! Huge plant out when the weather gets going again. If ever! Lost all my tomatoes last year, but the leeks and cabbages were great!

 

[*Karen*]

I recommend getting things like fruit, veg and bread from the local market - it's a lot cheaper and fresher than supermarket stuff. Apart from losing weight, another good thing about buying CD products is that it's a lot cheaper than buying food, that's for sure!

 

[annie_d]

We shop in Waitrose and it really isnt more expensive than the other shops.....IF YOU STICK TO WHAT YOU NEED!! Morrisons always has BOGOF but it is never on healthy stuff, just the rubbish. There are few slim people in the aisles of Morrisons. I do like Tescos though and i think their clothes are good value for money, at this end but i worry about how much the people making them are paid! I worry a lot!

 

[annie_d]

Yeah, slushy. I use that site. Its great and am trying to get my husband to live off our store cupboard for a week