All bills set to rise

[jonbeeza]

The amount of food we (me and her) throw away is a disgrace. By far our biggest waste. If you count wine as essential.

I tend to buy just what we need, and not over buy. Only time I over buy is when something on offer, and that is probably tinned stuff and the likes.

 

[wyx087]

The news keeps going on about all bills will be going up sharply. Gas and electricity bills will be going up drastically. Rent will be going up, probably to recoup what landlords lost as tenants were finding it hard to pay the rent. They reckon food bills will be going up also, in fact everything will be going up.

Gas and electric - they tend to creep up, rarely jump drastically. You can always keep on switching to current cheapest tariff. There are also so many ways to reduce this bill as previously mentioned, so in a way the cost to an individual rarely actually goes up as efficiency improves over the years.
Rent - no idea. I'd thought vast majority would still paid rent on time so most landlords aren't affected by the pandemic.
Food - it was expected as result of the B word, it was clear before the vote, shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

Tax - Of course due to the pandemic, taxes has to increase to cover the shortfall.
The recent Gates foundation annual letter talked about this pandemic being like a world war, where everyone is affected and humanity is working together (finally IMO) to combat the virus. So in similar rebuild spirit after the war, having one's finances affected slightly to help the economy shouldn't not a big problem.

 

[jonbeeza]

Gas and electric - they tend to creep up, rarely jump drastically...

But they are the supplies that are supposed to be going up drastically, as there is is going to be a massive price increase in wholesale prices. Anyway, we will just have to wait and see.

 

[wyx087]

I've been following Octopus Agile half hourly electricity prices, which roughly follows the wholesale price.
Over last summer, it has been just as cheap as before, often cheaper because of lower industrial use during lockdown. Over this winter, it has indeed gone up more compared to previous winter. Whether that will trigger large price increase across the board? I don't believe it will be as big as mass media headlines make out.

I expect the wholesale prices to settle back down during summer, sometimes paying you to use electricity. There's always ways to make one's home more efficient and to move electric usage to cheaper/paying periods.

 

[jonbeeza]

I've been following Octopus Agile half hourly electricity prices, which roughly follows the wholesale price.
Over last summer, it has been just as cheap as before, often cheaper because of lower industrial use during lockdown. Over this winter, it has indeed gone up more compared to previous winter. Whether that will trigger large price increase across the board? I don't believe it will be as big as mass media headlines make out.

I expect the wholesale prices to settle back down during summer, sometimes paying you to use electricity. There's always ways to make one's home more efficient and to move electric usage to cheaper/paying periods.

I suppose to be fair, the price of power in the UK has been reasonable, compared to some countries. It seems that the UK might be starting to charge what they think we should have been paying all along.

 

[nilagin]

It's a balancing act, you don't want to live in poverty so you try to save for a rainy day, but you don't want your children to pay inheritance tax so you feel you should spend some of your savings.

I have a solution to that, I am spending the money on them now and we are enjoying it together. Well we were until Covid came along. We go to several gigs and motor racing meetings each year and they will still get the rest of the inheritance when the wife and i are gone.

I could retire now, but have no wish to. Work is like a part time job, lots of spare time to do as i please each weekday. More days holiday than i know what to do with, I still have 3 days left from last year, before I start using up this years holiday. If a voluntary redundancy opportunity doesn't come along I have no problem staying another 8.5yrs until I am 67.

Only getting to go to one gig and no motor racing meetings last year, meant lots of money saved last year, gigs are looking doubtful this year too, so looks like the saving will continue.
Gas and Electric provider was swapped last August, and prices frozen for two years. Haven't noticed any price rises in the weekly shop. Just spending less at the moment as not going to the gym means I am eating less.

 

[wyx087]

I am spending the money on them now and we are enjoying it together. Well we were until Covid came along.
Only getting to go to one gig and no motor racing meetings last year, meant lots of money saved last year, gigs are looking doubtful this year too, so looks like the saving will continue.

I've found similar. Covid really put a pause to non-essential spending (eg. going out, eating out, holiday). So over the last year, despite doom and loom mass media reporting, we actually have saved soooo much money, the most we've ever saved. That's more saving than before having kid, despite more takeaways, upgrading my gaming computer and buying toys like no tomorrow.


But then, I understand this is a photography forum where some are struggling due to people not getting together for events. So each to their own. Those people whos household income are unaffected are the lucky ones in this crappy year(s).

 

[jonbeeza]

I've found similar. Covid really put a pause to non-essential spending (eg. going out, eating out, holiday). So over the last year, despite doom and loom mass media reporting, we actually have saved soooo much money, the most we've ever saved. That's more saving than before having kid, despite more takeaways, upgrading my gaming computer and buying toys like no tomorrow.


But then, I understand this is a photography forum where some are struggling due to people not getting together for events. So each to their own. Those people whos household income are unaffected are the lucky ones in this crappy year(s).

I am spending my money a little more wisely, well at least since my last camera purchase a month or two ago. Any money that I have managed to save, will probably go on household stuff, replacing various items etc.