Cost of Living #7

[Ethan Reigns]

This may be political, but the approaching set of tariffs and countertariffs mean that the cost of living is expected to get much higher this year. If you are in England, it may not be all that severe since you have diversified your supply sources but here in Canada and in the US, we expect everything to cost a lot more.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

The problem is that if you have a baby, you have to keep it until it disappears at around 30! 😀 Now, as much as I like kids and adore babies, I have no desire to have one around permanently. A kid is a big, life-changing, potentially life-threatening, deal, and many parents I know, despite any extra money that might be coming in, are still struggling financially because boy, do those little critters cost a packet to maintain.

Oh, totally agree! I will never have a baby. I'm just saying...

Good news is that it looks like I may have found a housemate to help share household expenses. He's also quite handy, which is really helpful.

 

[nightshade]

Energy prices going up another 6% in April, plus the council tax going up then too.

I need to try and work a few extra hours in March to cover it.

 

[Kendar]

I am back on the apps again, but if I do find a relationship, I lose my pension, so they have to be secure enough to provide for me, or its just not worth it.

You lose your pension? This may be one of those where the word means something different here in the states than it does there. Here, a pension is retirement*. For example, I'm eligible for retirement. If I did it now I'd get 70% of my salary for the rest of my life, and my health insurance is still paid for.

*The vast majority of private sector jobs no longer use pensions. They do 401k matching (if they do anything). But it used to be the default retirement.

 

[nightshade]

Hopefully I'm starting a second job on Monday, just a few hours on my days off to make up for my hours cutting back and the bills rising again.

 

[November]

You lose your pension? This may be one of those where the word means something different here in the states than it does there. Here, a pension is retirement*. For example, I'm eligible for retirement. If I did it now I'd get 70% of my salary for the rest of my life, and my health insurance is still paid for.

*The vast majority of private sector jobs no longer use pensions. They do 401k matching (if they do anything). But it used to be the default retirement.

Yeah probably another one of those words thats used differently in different places. We have compulsory superannuation in Australia.

I am medically retired, my disabilities make me unemployable, so I get welfare without requirements. I used to work, even after being accessed as very "low capacity", but moved for housing and now cant find work where I can afford a home. This is why Im looking for a guy haha.

If I could earn minimum wage, I wouldn't need a partner as minimum wage is double what I live on now. If I find a partner who works at minimum wage, it puts me over the income bracket to receive any welfare at all (unless we had kids). I'd be financially trapped.

The problem is, I want to work. I plan and pray all day. If I find a husband to fund the 10 acres (around $200,000 here) I will do the rest! I can make my own money, be my own boss. If he cant afford that, then he's no use to me. Its not worth losing my home and income for companionship alone.

 

[nightshade]

Since we have had no council tax this month or last, I've been trying to get ahead with things. I've bought all except one gift that's needed between now and June.

 

[November]

My phone bill more than doubled. They dont offer the low data plan anymore and it didnt let me update my card details for the old $75 prepaid, I had to get a new prepaid deal with the new debit card. Boo. So now that is $250 a year with more data than I'll ever use cos I barely leave the house!

My teapots have been working well 🙂 I can get 3-4 cups of tea from a single teabag. My teeth have become tea-stained.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

Well, I was fired a couple days ago from my job of two and a half years. I'm pretty upset, and feeling helpess and stressed. This is such a bad time for me to me out of work.

Trying to remain positive and proactive, and applying for jobs and benefits now at the library.

How is everyone doing?

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

Well, I was fired a couple days ago from my job of two and a half years. I'm pretty upset, and feeling helpess and stressed. This is such a bad time for me to me out of work.

Trying to remain positive and proactive, and applying for jobs and benefits now at the library.

How is everyone doing?

That really sucks. But I'm confident you'll find something within 3 weeks. My crystal ball says so.

 

[nightshade]

Well, I was fired a couple days ago from my job of two and a half years. I'm pretty upset, and feeling helpess and stressed. This is such a bad time for me to me out of work.

Trying to remain positive and proactive, and applying for jobs and benefits now at the library.

How is everyone doing?

Not going well here either, the chip shop job didn't happen as they wanted by to work during the day when I already worked. So back to the drawing board on finding another job.

How's the new housemate going?

 

[nightshade]

I decided to fix my energy bill before the new price rise, it's just about the same as I'm currently paying, but with no exit fees so if it does go down I can which back to the variable rate.

I haven't had the council tax letter yet, but I know it's going up 5% so I can work that out easily enough.

Next month is going to be tough, but I've got no extra bills due, no birthdays, so only extra will be buying myself an Easter egg!

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

@nightshade New guy not moved in?

Not yet!

 

[NotASlayer]

On the news today, they said that petrol might go down 6p a litre. If the companies pass savings onto the customers.

Here is hoping that they do.

 

[nightshade]

But my water bill is going up am extra £9 a month!

 

[November]

Woman have a higher cost of living than men. I rekon we should get more money in everything. Just had to buy new bras cos I went down two sizes now that Im spending over $110 a week on salad groceries instead of the bare minimum of living on rice and pasta.

Bras are SO expensive. And usually out of stock for my size. Even before I was fat, at 13 years old I was an E cup. Now try finding a 14 F/G with free postage in Australia? Ugh. Admittedly they are cheaper now than they were when I was a teen, but still ridiculous. Just spent over $100 on 4 bras that took me two days of searching for the best prices on. They make a difference to my back and knee pain level when I can find one that fits, but its so rare that I do find one that isnt painful to wear some other place. Does my head in. I cant wait to be naked in heaven.

 

[NotASlayer]

But my water bill is going up am extra £9 a month!

Yes; the occasional thing that might be going down in price hardly counterbalances all the things that have gone up or are going up. Water, gas, electricity, council tax, phone bills, shopping; petrol is one of the few things that might be going down.

 

[November]

Petrol isn't down here, it was over 180c/litre today.
Aldi didnt turn out all that much cheaper. They were sold out of lots of bulk stuff that I usually get. They have upgraded to self serve checkouts and only one manned check out was open. I overheard the lady say she was the only one on staff - they dont bother rostering staff on a sunday because they have to pay time and a half, so they just dont restock or open tils. It was as busy as I've ever seen it, but their self serve checkouts are a billion times better than coles! Sunday trading is still very new for the city. I was surprised at how busy it was.

Meat was marginally cheaper, but a lower quality product than I get from coles anyway. Bacon was the one I saved big on. I haven't been able to get it for less than $14 a kilo for ages. Aldi had it for under $12 a kilo. Mince was cheaper but it was 3 star mince in the biggest bulk pack available. Chicken was pretty much the same price. I got some BBQ chicken kebabs too. My freezer is full now!

Of course I spent more than intended just because of the middle isle. I did need a new doormat, with winter coming I want as little mud in the house as possible!

 

[TamsinValencia]

Since when is a pack of super noodles £1?! for only one pack!

 

[November]

Since when is a pack of super noodles £1?! for only one pack!

Noodles are cheapest at Aldi here. I picked up a 5 pack of 2 min noodles for less than $2! Maggi noodles are about $5 from coles. I will see how they taste tonight!