"Costy Livs" is what my children call the cost of living crisis which is making life more expensive and difficult for UK dwellers and as it drags on the effect is evident across daily life. From clothes to carrots, everything is more expensive while income remains stagnant. All very serious but in my usual light-hearted style here's a few things I've noticed when shopping.
Let's start with fast food. We are regular visitors to Mcdonald's, a fave of our autistic children. (Many parents of autistic people will be nodding in recognition here.) The famous fast food chain has just released another set of short-term specials and I spotted that in our area the new Big Arch meal costs almost £11! I suppose it's good value price-wise compared to the cost of a burger with fries and a soft drink in a pub but still... Interestingly I see that the chain has started introducing budget options so it's still affordable for most people.
I will always try and steer my husband towards Maccies or Greggs when he fancies a coffee out. The man prefers instant coffee to real so I resent paying almost twice the price for a latte in coffee houses. I've never drunk a coffee in Mcdonalds as I'm lactose intolerant and in this country they don't offer an alternative milk, but he says it's fine for him.
Meanwhile in Starbucks, a medium Pistachio Velvet Oat Latte or similar is over £5 for a medium size so a visit there is now a very occasional treat. Much like takeaways with cod and chips costing over £10, a Chinese for 2 sharing two dishes and noodles over £20 and similar for an Indian takeaway. So a coffee a day on the way to work and a takeaway once a week would cost almost £200 monthly. That's why I love apps like Too Good To Go for evenings I don't want to cook. Our local garden centre offers left over carvery ingredients via the app and two portions at £3.50 each will feed 3-4 of us.
Of course prices vary depending where you live - I recently bought food and drinks for 4 of us in a Midlands chip shop and had change from a tenner. And a pub we popped into there gave us a large white wine and a pint of beer for less than I pay for a glass of wine in our local.
Let's move onto clothes. Now we are a family of thrifters and love browsing the "chazzers" (charity/thrift shops) where you can usually pick up better quality or even designer brands at fast fashion prices. Except yesterday my husband was open mouthed at two pairs of very ordinary looking men's shoes which were on display in a charity shop in a very run down town for £100 a pair!!
In the same town acrylic jumpers were going for £6-10 and coats started at £25. A nice Planet wool coat my friend found in a chazzer last week was up for £65. I guess they are aiming to make money for their charity- fair enough-but I think it's sad that people using charity shops because they can't even afford Primark are suffering.
I used to see this kind of thing and mutter that I could get cheaper in Primark, but the last time I popped in there for socks I was astounded at the prices. Dresses range from £14-26 which I suppose isn't horrific but none of it is designed to last really is it?
It definitely pays to shop around. My grandson wanted Spiderman pyjamas for his birthday and I checked cheaper stores only to find better quality and a nicer design at the same price in Marks & Spencer.
Onto the supermarket which prompted this post. I popped into Tesco yesterday for a basket I expected to cost around £20. Bread, milk, cat food that kind of thing. I did add logs for our open fire which cost just over £10 but still was not expecting a bill of over £50. No meat, no booze no treats.
I've become a hoarder of reduced price food, even more than previously. Minced beef has always been a cheap go to for me for family meals - shepherds pie, lasagne, spaghetti bol, meatballs and so much more. Now 750g of lean beef mince costs the same as I used to pay for a joint of pork and more than a large chicken. I'm not quite at the level of what the local supermarket workers call the vultures who turn up every day and crowd round as food is being reduced but I definitely check the discounted items if I am there. Thank goodness I don't have all seven children at home now!
I could go on about utilities, transport, housing and the like but depressingly I don't think I need to. If you live in the UK you already know.