Cost of living #2

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Bop said:
I just saw a 475ml tub of Ben and Jerrys that costs £7.20 😬 this was the price for if you order it through deliveroo though so it's probably slightly cheaper from stores in person but still.
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Buy a VERY big tub; eat the ice-cream; live in the tub. You're still in a better position than these gents. 🙂


Besides, it's been suggested the UK bring back soup kitchens:

www.dailymail.co.uk

Britain should 'bring back restaurants run by state'

Henry Dimbleby, who founded Leon, said there is 'definitely a case' for the Government re-introducing British Restaurants across the country to offer cheap and healthy meals.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk

UK inflation has just hit 10.1. The average household bill, with Govt price guarantee is £2,500 and could rise to £4,347 in 2023. Trimming hair is one thing: can people actually "trim back more fat"? I don't like my house but at least it's paid for. Are folk here concerned about mortgages and rent?
 
TriBel said:
Are folk here concerned about mortgages and rent?
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They haven't put my rent up since I moved in nearly 3 years ago, but it'll be a worry if they do.

I am hoping that my water bill goes down next year as Welsh water was one of those fined.
 
I know I'm super lucky my rent hasnt gone up and there is no risk of eviction from this place. I had no choice but to live a simple life regardless. I'm actually better off now than I was pre-pandemic, but I have more dogs lol.
 
nightshade said:
They haven't put my rent up since I moved in nearly 3 years ago, but it'll be a worry if they do.

I am hoping that my water bill goes down next year as Welsh water was one of those fined.
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My lads share a flat in the centre of Manchester and they're in a similar position. They expect it to rise soon. They'll be able to pay it because there are two of them and they both have an above average salary (while they both have jobs) but there will be plenty who can't. Housing and food are the two big leaders in the inflation stakes:

Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels: 20.2%
Food and non-alcoholic beverages: 14.5% – up from 13.1% a month earlier

Food inflation in detail (this is scary):

Food prices jumped 14.8% over the last year, driven by staple goods such as bread and cereals (up 14.5% over the last year), pasta and couscous (+22.7%), meat (+15.3%), low-fat milk (+42.1%), butter (+28%) and eggs (+22.3%). Fruit prices were up 8.8%, while potatoes cost 19.9% more. Crisps rose 11.8%, while jams, marmalades and honey cost 28.1%.

I should say I'm genuinely impressed by the steps you, @Octavia and @Hunga Munga are taking to be self-sufficient (and slightly envious - in a nice way) but perhaps you all need to get a cow (and some bees). 😄
 
TriBel said:
should say I'm genuinely impressed by the steps you, @Octavia and @Hunga Munga are taking to be self-sufficient (and slightly envious) but perhaps you all need to get a cow. 😄
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My mother got rid of her chickens, I had to actually buy eggs! I haven't bought eggs in years, and I know they won't last as long as fresh unwashed eggs.

I'm going to see what free stuff I can get today from the zero waste stall, I don't need anything in particular, but if they've got fruit or stuff for lunches that would be good.
Although I tried one of the cans of stew I picked up recently, and I can see why they were going free, it was awful, odd taste and liquidy with lots of carrots.
 
Just got back from the zero waste stall, I went a little later to avoid the queues, but got:

Apples
Potatoes
Chocolate chip cookies
Bread rolls
Bananas
Porridge to go aka 2 pack of flapjacks
Jar of sliced pink pickled onions

Not sure on the last one, but rest will get used up
 
TriBel said:
I should say I'm genuinely impressed by the steps you, @Octavia
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Dont be too impressed 😉 If I was rich I wouldn't live like this. Too much hard work!

I'd probably still cut my own hair though. Chit chat with a hairdresser is my personal hell.
 
TamsinValencia said:
I will give the ends a trim myself if they are really dead otherwise, I will use Olaplex.

I like to have long hair.
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Watched a YouTube video with that in once, isn't it like a whole, expensive, series of things you're meant to use? Think a hairdresser twice a year would be cheaper for me!
 
Bop said:
I should really get a clubcard 🙃
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If you shop at Tesco anyway you really should get a clubcard. Especially if you dont mind switching some products to get the clubcard discounts you can save £10/£15 on a weekly shop

TriBel said:
Food prices jumped 14.8% over the last year, driven by staple goods such as bread and cereals (up 14.5% over the last year), pasta and couscous (+22.7%), meat (+15.3%), low-fat milk (+42.1%), butter (+28%) and eggs (+22.3%). Fruit prices were up 8.8%, while potatoes cost 19.9% more. Crisps rose 11.8%, while jams, marmalades and honey cost 28.1%.
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I do think there is an element of opportunism in some of the price rises, where if costs go up 10% producers making products with an inelastic demand will add 15% to the price

Most of the things I used to buy from M+S have gone up 15% to 25%. How can the flour, eggs or sugar used in an M+S cake have gone up more than those in other cakes 😟
 
Just done my tesco online shop for November, I'll tweak it before it's due but currently at £48, including the delivery fee. Included some cheese this time, and tea bags. I haven't quite persuaded myself to give up the pg tips, so that was a bit of a costly one, they're price matched with aldi, and a 240 box, but still £4!
 
This is somewhat related, but be wary of Amazon at this time of year! Tis’ the season to be scamming

Just recently ordered something rather expensive and received a pack of AA batteries instead. Luckily I was able to get all of my money back, but as we head into the Christmas season, be really careful about ordering gifts online. You may very well be scammed and end up empty handed, not to mention in the hole money-wise.
 
November
November
Oh noo that sucks! But glad you got your money back
Chicken, chicken, chicken....I'm so tired of chicken!🐔🍗 A pound of ground beef here is over $12.00 and not to mention the price of a small steak of any kind is out of reach. Yeah, it's a mess all over.
 
Moptop said:
Chicken, chicken, chicken....I'm so tired of chicken!🐔🍗 A pound of ground beef here is over $12.00 and not to mention the price of a small steak of any kind is out of reach. Yeah, it's a mess all over.
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Yes, red meat especially is expensive, although don't look at the price of turkeys now. Have a look at frozen options, you can often get good deals on frozen fish and meat.
 
I finally got my kangaroo mince! Dog food is in the oven now, my little burgers need some time to set in the fridge. I bulked them up with veg, too many carrots, a huge leek from a friends garden, onion and a tin of corn. I usually would not put corn in and stupid me forgot to pick herbs for them! Would have been good in these. I had a bunch of eggs to use so they went in too. Plus bread crumbs and sauce, the usual. Im going to have them with lettuce. Not sure if I will make damper as I have soooo much lettuce to use. Friend brought some over, i got some from the store that was delivered 2 days before its use by date and I have more in the garden.

I did a small roast lamb shoulder last night. It was a boneless one which I only got cos I had store credit. Easy and a nice size for one person and two dogs. Plus leftovers for today. Wasnt too dear. The lamb shoulder on the bone is $12 a kilo here which is on par with chicken. You're just paying for the bone weight too. (Aussie dollars and really not too much more than before)

Side note, food processors are amazing! Saved so much energy in chopping. I used to always be told these things are lazy luxuries, but to have a machine do all the chopping for me, means I have more energy for more home cooking! The kitchen is a disaster zone now, and I am once again thankful for the lazy luxury of a dishwasher! 😁
 
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nightshade said:
. I haven't quite persuaded myself to give up the pg tips, so that was a bit of a costly one, they're price matched with aldi, and a 240 box, but still £4!
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Popped into sainsbury on way to work as needed bread, and they have the 240 boxes for £3.50 so got that and took it off my order, 50p saved!
 
News says fruit and veg is gona go up again. Im already the lowest of the low lol, there is no cutting back from here.

Bit over the huge "crisis" every time there is a flood or fire. Its Australia, its the land of flood and fire and if we haven't prepared (or accepted) that by now, then we are as in denial as the British colonisers who were angry at the seasons for being different to "back home".

The thing that has really pissed me off, is this coles delivery. The first order was perfect and lulled me into a false sense of security. There have been problems with every single order since. I have one coming for tomorrow, half of it is unavailable and stuff I will need to drive to get asap. I went on the chat line to ask for it to be cancelled, while I was waiting for them to "check" my order for 20 minutes, I got the email that the order was now packed and could not be changed. If I cancelled by then there was a $30 cancellation fee. Bastards. I had logged on the chat before they had finalised the order but nothing can be changed once that final email has been sent. So grumpy.

Now because of the floods over 3000 kms away, they are going to use that excuse for no fresh food again. Lying bastards just redirected the best stuff overeast again. I'll have to start going back to IGA cos they get their greens within WA. Twice the price (which is also outrageous) but no other choice.
 
Once a month ordering has been going well for me, I do the order about a week before so I can edit it, depending on if any different offers appear, or things go out of stock.
I've just taken the other 2 pack of chicken breasts out of the freezer for next weeks meals.
I'll do a curry with one that I'll freeze in portions, and use up a wrap kit with the other, just need to get a few salad bits to go with it.
Not sure about the cooking of the chicken though, was thinking about slicing it and doing in foil in airfryer, so we will see.

I have some battery Christmas lights, that depending on where I put them I might leave up after Christmas. I have one set that has been up for years, but I usually put the other set in the window, thinking if I can put them elsewhere they can stay up as emergency lighting if we do have power cuts. Just string light type, not santa shaped or anything!
 
The homeless people are rolling into town again. It hasn't happened the last few years. Its odd to see people sitting outside the pub sucking on discarded cigarette butts again... While I walk past with the fanciest poodle on a fashion lead. Only seen two car loads full with stuff and people living in so far. At least they have a car. Not seen any hitchhikers for a long while.

It felt like those days had passed, but the summer sun is coming back and people are seeking the bush to sleep in again. I wonder if it will be less now just because there is no general store anymore? How will they eat at all? I know some are just passing though to cousins in the next town. Somehow there are about 20 more kids roaming the streets too. I duno where they all came from, there is literally only one house for sale in town and zero rentals, but its good for the local school (about 30 kids go there, 9 from one family).

It was amazing how the closed borders and covid cash made all that stuff go away and now no one seems to care that people are forced to go back to that. I'm so bloody lucky.

Went to worship today, had to drive to the coast for shopping anyway. The shops were mental, packed full. There is only one shop open on the coast on a Sunday. I haven't experienced a shop that busy since I left the city! No idea why Aldi wouldn't open on a Sunday down there, even if they just did summer trading, cos that IGA was packed to the brim with families and kids. I hope I didnt catch covid!
 
Shopping today was so sad. The budget 'black and gold' range of food has been completely sold out. People who could usually afford other choices, are taking the  only choice the pensioners have. I dont blame them either, when food is the only place you can afford to cut back, you just gotta do it.

I saw a man crying and violently throwing food into his trolly today after he had thoroughly checked the bottom shelf all the way to the back. It was so so sad.

I went over budget, but if I dont leave town for the next two weeks, I'll be fine. It all depends on if delivery delivers what I order! Lol

Gona start the fire tonight. No point rationing wood. Thats a cost I can worry about next year. Enjoying this cool and wet weather while its here 😀 Such a blessing to the garden!
 
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