Cost Of Living Stuff

[Paigntonian]

Woman teacher, earning £48,000 a year, whinging on BBC News that she can't cope with current energy bills. Is it me?

[naomi24]

Dave, if you’ve always had sufficient disposable income to be able to do that you should have no problem with the price rises.

[davebro]

//People don’t enter into mortgages, car finance etc with a mindset that says I’d better not just in case the interest rate goes up and fuel costs increase.//

Well they should! Some folks live to the absolute limit of their income & beyond. I have no sympathy with their "suffering" now.

[davebro]

//Dave, if you’ve always had sufficient disposable income to be able to do that you should have no problem with the price rises.//

I spend less than half my income - go figure.

[naomi24]

Did you always spend less than half your income, Dave? Even when you first bought a house?

[tiggerblue10]

I've had a bit of disposable income over the years which I've saved but what happens when I have to use up my savings to pay for fuel and food for me and my son? Plus new uniform and loads of other things. I earn way less than this woman but don't have a mortgage anymore, rarely use my car, and haven't been on holiday in over 2 years.

[davebro]

no - but I figured 15% mortgage rates wouldn't go much higher & I was prepared to use a motorbike if the car got too expensive,

[bednobs]

"Is it me?"
unlikely, i always had you down as an 80 year old man, not a woman teacher

[naomi24]

There won’t be many who don’t struggle, tigger. Is frightening really.

[naomi24]

Thought not, Dave. How would you have coped then with the situation as it is now? … and using a motorbike instead of a car won’t cut it.

[tiggerblue10]

And I've just spent a shed load on a new fence.

[davebro]

It said somewhere that UK holiday makers are now taking fewer than 3 (actually 2.9 average) overseas holiday per year when previously it was between 3 & 4 per year. The cost of living crisis is really biting!

[naomi24]

That’s people who go abroad, Dave. Many don’t.

[tiggerblue10]

I always thought holidays abroad were cheaper than in the UK.

[davebro]

but they still cost more than no holiday - which is what many choose to cut back on

[davebro]

A week in Blackpool up Dixon Rd. No sea view, bring food that the landlady cooks for you, or go out for fish & chips. Those were the days!

[ichkeria]

Who can say?
I had you down as a bloke but it’s always hard to tell

[emmie]

its you, she may be mortgaged up to her eyeballs, have kids, elderly parents, we don't know her story, which is what this is about. My friends and family are going to struggle i know, the brother earns a decent salary as does my SIL< but i reckon that will be the bracket hit the hardest.

[Spicerack]

To the people supporting this woman. Who do you think should subsidise her fuel bill?
You? People on £20,000pa?
Have you seen the scheme the Gas Companies want to inflict on us.
Subsidise the high volume users by spreading their costs among the low/middling users.

[naomi24]

Spice, //Have you seen the scheme the Gas Companies want to inflict on us. Subsidise the high volume users by spreading their costs among the low/middling users. //

No, I haven't seen that but it sounds odd. Who are the high volume users and how is it supposed to work?

Frankly, I can't see how government subsidies are going to be sustainable - how long can that feasibly continue? More to the point they're never going to be enough to really ease the burden.

[ichkeria]

I know it’s the sane old complaint but once again you provide no context.
Is it a single woman living in her parents hone with minimal outlay or a Sainsbury with a family and goodness knows what other expenses at the other end of the scale
It’s all very well to day: “cut out needless expenses”. Who can say what her expenses are are we haven’t a clue