The Credit Crunch hasnt hit us yet BUT...

[where2start]

As i say the credit crunch hasnt really hit the FI yet but i am totally fed up with the cost of everything. All this talk off people suffering in the UK has made me realise how expensive everything is the world over. It sucks, people work long hard hours and still have to try and make the money go further.

To give some examples, cheese is £7.50 a kg and now bread is a shocking price. We only have one bakery and they charge £1.50 for a regular loaf, so in protest i started buying frozen english bread at £1.75 per loaf. Fed up with this as we use a loaf a day i have just been out a bought a Panasonic SD255 bread maker in an attempt to save some of our hard earned pennies.

What really gets me, is my hubby and i are both earning very good wages and yet we still have to "watch" what we do.

Our house is heated by Kero, we have a combi boiler (only fireing up when needed to maintain heat in house and hot water) and I had to buy a new washing machine as my old one was a duel feed and using silly amounts of fuel.

Everything is just so expensive and its not fair, people should be happy in life, money shouldnt be everything.

I want to give it all up and become self sufficient Money pahhhh the root of all evil...

[pjh75]

[QUOTE=where2start;354285]Fed up with this as we use a loaf a day i have just been out a bought a Panasonic SD255 bread maker in an attempt to save some of our hard earned pennies.[QUOTE]

I got that breadmaker at Christmas and it is brilliant... thought it would save us a few pennies, but because the bread is soooo much nicer then shop bought, we eat more of it... hasn't done much for my waistline either.

I agree with you though about the price of everything.

[Jardiniere]

hit us because the euro/pound exchange rate is so awful....but the price of stuff in the falklands must be astronomical cos everything has to be shipped in?????

[bubblewrap]

hit us because the euro/pound exchange rate is so awful....but the price of stuff in the falklands must be astronomical cos everything has to be shipped in?????

Been to the super market recently?
Look at where most of the "Fresh"? fruit & veg comes from.
Most of our electrical stuff comes from the far east
Even Hornby model railway stuff is made in China.

[Jardiniere]

yeah but you know what i mean ...we get our stuff shipped in in bulk - and i only buy in season stuff from the shops...(except bananas) allegedly ....and well i've got to buy a washing machine in the week after having managed without one for 2 and a half years - hoping there is one thats made in europe? Unlikely?
Japanese stuff is meant to be going up in price at the moment.........

[where2start]

we do get most things sipped in which doesnt help with the price. What gets me though is exactly how much does one family have to earn to be comfortable and live without worry?

SO anyway whilst i am on here! i made one loaf, then went to start another one off right away and it said it was too hot. Now it wont let me press any buttons at all - cant change the settings etc?! Any ideas, is it just not happy about having to make two loaves one after the other?

[MaureenHall]

This week I've made a conscious effort to spend as little as possible. I've used up things out of the cupboards (even if they're out of date) and the freezer, and made bread by hand (got a breadmaker but it's temperamental). So, this week I've spent about £2 on milk and that's it! Ok, so the cupboards and the freezer will need re-stocking eventually but I'm afraid now I'm going to always go to the reduced shelf in the supermarket before looking at anything on the regular shelves. Thank goodness the chickens are laying or I might have gone hungry a couple of times

[where2start]

We dont really have reduced produce. Everything comes in from overseas, so its normally frozen or it used to be fresh (if you see what i mean!)

A frozen pizza which costs £1.99 in the UK (its on the box) sells for nearly £5 here, i surpose thats the freight issue but still.

Beans are 60p a can, and a tin of tuna is £3.

On the plus side beer and fags are cheap! So its decided i give up eating and just drink and smoke. BUT then who pays for my ill health, oh yes that would be me!!!!

[maytreefrannie]

This week I've made a conscious effort to spend as little as possible. I've used up things out of the cupboards (even if they're out of date) and the freezer, and made bread by hand (got a breadmaker but it's temperamental). So, this week I've spent about £2 on milk and that's it! Ok, so the cupboards and the freezer will need re-stocking eventually but I'm afraid now I'm going to always go to the reduced shelf in the supermarket before looking at anything on the regular shelves. Thank goodness the chickens are laying or I might have gone hungry a couple of times

Good idea to use up what's there- even if some things still need to be bought.

I think there may be another thread on this, but anyone who's got good ideas to save money, I'd love to get any tips.

Where2Start, --- I think we all know how you feel (though your prices seem even higher than this side of the world) - it's so discouraging to do your shopping, trying to be as careful/thrifty as you can and still find it's too expensive.

[where2start]

To date to save money, i have bought a new washing machine (reduced fuel usage LOADS)

Started growing my own OF Course

Bought a new fridge A classified

Bought a breadmaker

Bought energy saving light bulbs

Bought a washing line to save me using the tumble dryer every day

Turned the heating down and started wearing a jumper

Almost given up eating (not very practical but still worth giving a go!!)

erm what else have I done?

[Alice]

I think we should all give up whinging and be truly grateful for what we have. Half the world has nothing and they work in a way we couldn't begin to think of.

[where2start]

I am not whinging, i already said i feel bad for all those people who suffer more than we do.

I am a very sensitive sole, when people cry i cry with them so comments like that can make me feel very sad, i don't ever mean to offend........

[MaureenHall]

I am not whinging, i already said i feel bad for all those people who suffer more than we do.

I am a very sensitive sole, when people cry i cry with them so comments like that can make me feel very sad, i don't ever mean to offend........

I really do understand where you're coming from, and the fear that the credit crunch will hit the FI in the not too distant future must make the stress even worse. I think lots of us will be "going back to basics" and making do with what we've got rather than replacing things. I'll tell you something to make you smile though, I've learned that you can feel full and satisfied after a big bowl of "allsorts soup" and a crust of home-made bread Still haven't lost any weight though

[bramble]

I think in this financial climate we are all entitled to whinge a little.
After all, we are looking at prices going up daily and wages staying the same.
Alice, I know where you are coming from and also how little others in the world have, BUT when you have to try and manage on a fixed income and the prices keep going up,,,,

[where2start]

Truth be told we pay more than most for our shopping. What my family is trying to do is reduce how much we spend and make changes to improve the situation rather than just going with the flow.

I find it hard because i had to replace some of our white goods which were clearly costing us lots of money to run for more energy efficient items.

Changing the washing machine made a big difference we were using 100 ltrs of kero a week and now we only use 100 ltrs of kero every 25 days so that is a massive saving. And this is where i am coming from, i feel for the people who cant replace older items for more energy efficient models and then you wonder how they make ends met? Do they have to cut back on the basics like heat, food, water etc???

We have lived in extreme poverty before, and i know how desperate it can be, not knowing where the next meal will come from so i do feel very lucky to be where i am now but that means i still care very much about others.

I love making soup, but i dont do it very often, we both work and it can be a bit difficult finding the time and energy to make nice meals. I really must deal with this issue too...I must find the energy to make proper meals and not cut corners.....