The Cost Of Living Crisis

[FrancisFogarty]

Thanks everyone. My point was that last month it was okay to have a bit of a 'debit' on my account, but now that prices have come down, it's not a debit anymore, it's now a 'debt'. I'm not actually bothered about the amount, and I'm happy(ish) at my DD amount anyway.

I should have read my post back before pressing send. If I had, I would have left the last sentence out. In hindsight, it was asking for trouble from the dairy product department.

[Sweep]

20 hours ago, Sweep said:

Octopus have just reduced my DD to £0 😁  -  I'm not sure how long it'll be down there for, but I like it

 

10 hours ago, Traf said:

Have you suddenly become a Tory MP?

No, I'm currently about £700 in credit, and only using around £30 per month dual fuel - I should probably ask them for some of it back at some point

[MickyD]

51 minutes ago, Sweep said:

 

No, I'm currently about £700 in credit, and only using around £30 per month dual fuel - I should probably ask them for some of it back at some point

I’m in a similar position. Over £400 credit and building during summer when we’re hardly in and not falling at the same rates in winter when, according to that Martin Lewis guy, the surplus will be used up. 
Thinking about it, I may as well be £400 in debt to them in winter rising to nothing in summer. I doubt that’d work for my supplier though.

[globaldiver]

https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/interest-rates-not-returning-to-zero-in-near-future-by-jeffrey-frankel-2023-08?utm_source=Project+Syndicate+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fae6dff16f-sunday_newsletter_08_13_2023&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_73bad5b7d8-fae6dff16f-107662454&mc_cid=fae6dff16f&mc_eid=3e352da565

[Spider]

18 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/interest-rates-not-returning-to-zero-in-near-future-by-jeffrey-frankel-2023-08?utm_source=Project+Syndicate+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fae6dff16f-sunday_newsletter_08_13_2023&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_73bad5b7d8-fae6dff16f-107662454&mc_cid=fae6dff16f&mc_eid=3e352da565

Who benefits the most from higher interest rates?

Savers don’t seem to be very happy.

I know my savings account isn’t being raised 18 seconds after the BoE increases rates, unlike my mortgage which the bank manage to increase faster than the speed of light.

if mortgages are up by an average of £600 a month, for 3 million people, that’s an extra  £1.8billion per month the banks are taking in.

Lot of dosh, that.

[globaldiver]

9 minutes ago, Spider said:

Who benefits the most from higher interest rates?

Savers don’t seem to be very happy.

I know my savings account isn’t being raised 18 seconds after the BoE increases rates, unlike my mortgage which the bank manage to increase faster than the speed of light.

if mortgages are up by an average of £600 a month, for 3 million people, that’s an extra  £1.8billion per month the banks are taking in.

Lot of dosh, that.

Savers can, and should, shop around. There are great facilities available to them these days.

Raisin, AJ Bell, Akoni, and others.

[Spider]

Just now, globaldiver said:

Savers can, and should, shop around. There are great facilities available to them these days.

Raisin, AJ Bell, Akoni, and others.

Will have a look, thanks.

What do the banks do with all that extra cash though? £20bill over a year is a big chunk.

[Farrelli]

54 minutes ago, Spider said:

Will have a look, thanks.

What do the banks do with all that extra cash though? £20bill over a year is a big chunk.

Bankers bonuses. We don’t want to lose them.

[Not in Crawley]

26 minutes ago, Farrelli said:

Bankers bonuses. We don’t want to lose them.

Indeed, got a mate scrapped through to get a 2:2 in history from Newcastle. Joined RBS after Uni and bought his massive 5 bed house in Dulwich with just two bonuses.

Winners and losers innit.

[Pablo]

Nobody crying about energy bills anymore then ??!!

Mine is £700 in credit and never once went about £250 a month.

 

[globaldiver]

Just now, Pablo said:

Nobody crying about energy bills anymore then ??!!

Mine is £700 in credit and never once went about £250 a month.

 

It’s too early and not making headlines. It’ll come, probably in October, with screeching about x,000 deaths over the winter.

Any refunds will have been omitted from the balance sheet.

[Not in Crawley]

18 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

It’s too early and not making headlines. It’ll come, probably in October, with screeching about x,000 deaths over the winter.

Any refunds will have been omitted from the balance sheet.

Yeah - summer is fine, but it was a bit much when we had that cold snap. It's not gone away, its just people are one holiday and folk haven't had their heating on as much.

I'll certainly be in the office more this winter rather than working from home.

[globaldiver]

3 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Yeah - summer is fine, but it was a bit much when we had that cold snap. It's not gone away, its just people are one holiday and folk haven't had their heating on as much.

I'll certainly be in the office more this winter rather than working from home.

Hopefully better for business as well?

[Pablo]

3 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Yeah - summer is fine, but it was a bit much when we had that cold snap. It's not gone away, its just people are one holiday and folk haven't had their heating on as much.

I'll certainly be in the office more this winter rather than working from home.

 

The amount of idiots that never ever used it correctly in the first place is staggering.

Plenty of mates of the Mrs - Just had it on all the time, some low just ALL the time and then wondered why it was expensive, utter morons.

People had taken things like heating for granted, and its bit people on the arse.

Obvs does not mena the increases are good or fair.

[Not in Crawley]

1 minute ago, globaldiver said:

Hopefully better for business as well?

Six of one, we've taken our first office because more clients want face to face meetings and with more openings etc we neeed to be in London a bit more. Looking forward to it - but the flexibility is still good like over summer holidays where I can work at home and be there for the kids.

Also, its good for the old noggin. As my mrs is now in town 3-4 days a week just having zoom calls and working alone can be a bit depressing as the nights draw in.

So I do get more done at home in terms of concentrated work, but I get more cleared in terms of speaking with clients directly and new work in the office.  

 

[Not in Crawley]

5 minutes ago, Pablo said:

 

The amount of idiots that never ever used it correctly in the first place is staggering.

Plenty of mates of the Mrs - Just had it on all the time, some low just ALL the time and then wondered why it was expensive, utter morons.

People had taken things like heating for granted, and its bit people on the arse.

Obvs does not mena the increases are good or fair.

Yeah - last couple of winters I got a small electric heater for my 'office' put it on an hour in the morning and then I used an electric blanket if it was really cold. Seemed to work fine.

Our issue is that we don't have a tumble dryer, so getting clothes dry in winter is a pain, but got a couple of electric clothes horses and that was a lot better than whacking the heating on.

[Pablo]

4 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Yeah - last couple of winters I got a small electric heater for my 'office' put it on an hour in the morning and then I used an electric blanket if it was really cold. Seemed to work fine.

Our issue is that we don't have a tumble dryer, so getting clothes dry in winter is a pain, but got a couple of electric clothes horses and that was a lot better than whacking the heating on.

 

I've seen pople scoff at the idea of making changes like this, like why should they do it....

People are mental.

Either change what you do, or don't moan.

[globaldiver]

21 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Six of one, we've taken our first office because more clients want face to face meetings and with more openings etc we neeed to be in London a bit more. Looking forward to it - but the flexibility is still good like over summer holidays where I can work at home and be there for the kids.

Also, its good for the old noggin. As my mrs is now in town 3-4 days a week just having zoom calls and working alone can be a bit depressing as the nights draw in.

So I do get more done at home in terms of concentrated work, but I get more cleared in terms of speaking with clients directly and new work in the office.  

 

Good positive outlook

[Spider]

Still not sure what the banks are doing with these extra billions. They’re not passing it to savers.

Cynics would think it’s all just a ploy to make them lots of money. But I suppose that’s what banks are there for, and we cannot afford to lose graduates with 2:2 degrees to Paris

[Not in Crawley]

12 minutes ago, Pablo said:

 

I've seen pople scoff at the idea of making changes like this, like why should they do it....

People are mental.

Either change what you do, or don't moan.

My other half is brutal about this (mainly because she pays the gas and leccy bills) She reads the meter weekly and certainly as soon as the fuel prices kept rising keep a very beady eye on it.

I look after the water and I have to say I was lovely my 20 minute showers until I was bollocked was it was wasting electric, so now its showering at the gym three times a week when I go instead of coming back home! 😄

[Not in Crawley]

2 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

Good positive outlook

Hey, I'm over the moon, never thought I'd own my own business much less have an office on Dean Street in Soho.

With a second hand nespresso no less!

[globaldiver]

6 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Hey, I'm over the moon, never thought I'd own my own business much less have an office on Dean Street in Soho.

With a second hand nespresso no less!

I’m really pleased for you. We had a Nespresso at a hotel last week in the Lakes, but it leaked! 

[Not in Crawley]

18 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

I’m really pleased for you. We had a Nespresso at a hotel last week in the Lakes, but it leaked! 

Thanks - I've been banned from decorating the office so tomorrow is the first time I'll see it with office furniture etc

I don't tend to drink coffee anyway, so I've made sure they've bought a bloody kettle!

[globaldiver]

3 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Thanks - I've been banned from decorating the office so tomorrow is the first time I'll see it with office furniture etc

I don't tend to drink coffee anyway, so I've made sure they've bought a bloody kettle!

You’ll want some of this

[Not in Crawley]

9 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

You’ll want some of this

Doesn't matter what I use down here the water is so rubbish, you can never get a cup of tea that tastes like it does back home.

Even my kids think southern water is bobbins despite having grown up with it.

I especially like the scum you get on top of the brews if you leave the teabag in more than a minute. And don't get me started on Calgon!