Anyone felt the pinch yet?

Notice a good proportion of my hotels are quiet this week. But with the jubilee round the corner and pride the week after maybe folk are simply saving their trips for that.

Cant help but feel the media are driving a lot of it. They seem hell bent on us heading into a recession. Making people panic and stop spending.

They should be telling everyone its all gravy.

Only area Ive felt it is diesel. £154 to fill my van the other day. That's taking the piss.

13 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Good work Swanny

We’re planning on not bothering with a lot of the usual “buy for the sake of it” Christmas food and getting foodbank stuff instead 

Yeah - we're doing a big toy clear out this weekend, things we've been keeping hold of for some reason, when the kids are too old for it and some games they might have played once and taking them down to Bromley Toy Bank. Should have done it much earlier, hope someone can use them, the tales of battered women in temp accomdation with their kids is heartbreaking.

We've already done the food bank - they seemed like people were donating a lot which was good to see.

21 hours ago, only1swanny said:

Kids school have done a clothes drive this morning, they've got families in dire need, and it's not the ones claiming. 

Wife's taken down 3 bags of kids clothes, people have been sending them in and parents can take 6 pieces of clothing per kid. Wife's ironed and folded them all so they look nicer. Must be grim to be in that position. 

Headteacher has said they have about 5/6 families who are up sheet creek with it, struggling with essentials... again.. Hard working families who just can't face it. 

We're lucky, we both work, (although I've just been shown the door I've got a list of recruiters wanting me for January) and we're on a decent wage. Being a workaholic helps. We're going to pop down to asda later and buy 5 food hampers worth..said to my wife... if it sorts out 3/4 meals for a family of 4, could make the world of difference. 

Puts perspective on things, 

Great effort 👍

1 hour ago, Not in Crawley said:

Yeah - we're doing a big toy clear out this weekend, things we've been keeping hold of for some reason, when the kids are too old for it and some games they might have played once and taking them down to Bromley Toy Bank. Should have done it much earlier, hope someone can use them, the tales of battered women in temp accomdation with their kids is heartbreaking.

We've already done the food bank - they seemed like people were donating a lot which was good to see.

Was in the loft getting decs down the other week and noticed all the boys toys from over years. Big giant tubs of turtles figures and stuff.

Never thought about doing anything with them till now 👍

21 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Was in the loft getting decs down the other week and noticed all the boys toys from over years. Big giant tubs of turtles figures and stuff.

Never thought about doing anything with them till now 👍

Yeah - I didn't think until I saw a call out and we were looking to make room for other stuff, loads there in really decent nick that other's should have

On 15/12/2022 at 15:10, only1swanny said:

Kids school have done a clothes drive this morning, they've got families in dire need, and it's not the ones claiming. 

Wife's taken down 3 bags of kids clothes, people have been sending them in and parents can take 6 pieces of clothing per kid. Wife's ironed and folded them all so they look nicer. Must be grim to be in that position. 

Headteacher has said they have about 5/6 families who are up sheet creek with it, struggling with essentials... again.. Hard working families who just can't face it. 

We're lucky, we both work, (although I've just been shown the door I've got a list of recruiters wanting me for January) and we're on a decent wage. Being a workaholic helps. We're going to pop down to asda later and buy 5 food hampers worth..said to my wife... if it sorts out 3/4 meals for a family of 4, could make the world of difference. 

Puts perspective on things, 

This is just from the office staff at ours, these kind of things are the only presents some will open Xmas day 

nice work fellas 
 

The charity I'm at this year has a similar scheme called Spirit of Christmas. I've been out delivering today and it's amazing what people donate. Some proper nice stuff that makes a huge difference to the families at a time when buying presents is just out of the equation. People can be ace sometimes. 

32 minutes ago, London Wanderer said:

nice work fellas 
 

The charity I'm at this year has a similar scheme called Spirit of Christmas. I've been out delivering today and it's amazing what people donate. Some proper nice stuff that makes a huge difference to the families at a time when buying presents is just out of the equation. People can be ace sometimes. 

The car club I'm in over here as one every year called "toys for tots" , this is run nationally by the Marines, we had ours last Saturday. 

32 minutes ago, tyldesley_white said:

The car club I'm in over here as one every year called "toys for tots" , this is run nationally by the Marines, we had ours last Saturday. 

great name

Always do my food shop in person given we have half a dozen supermarkets in walking distance, but had a Sainsbury’s voucher for £18 off a £60 online shop so I’ve bought a fuckload of cheese and I’ll donate a few quid to the foodbank to see off the impending nightmares 

It's good that so many of us on here can and do help in our own little way, but isn't it heartbreaking that it needs doing?

3 minutes ago, Traf said:

It's good that so many of us on here can and do help in our own little way, but isn't it heartbreaking that it needs doing?

It is. I've dropped a load of decent school uniforms and winter coats off at our local charity shop, they give them away for free of course and they are snapped up.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41264965

The haunted pencil thinks this is a good thing.

4 minutes ago, Winchester White said:

It is. I've dropped a load of decent school uniforms and winter coats off at our local charity shop, they give them away for free of course and they are snapped up.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41264965

The haunted pencil thinks this is a good thing.

He told LBC radio the only reason for the rise in their use was "that people know that they are there".

The North East Somerset MP said the former Labour government had failed to inform people of their existence.

When the Tories came to power, they had allowed Jobcentre Plus to tell people food banks were available, he said.

What an absolute thundercunt. That's some spin, isn't it?

19 minutes ago, Traf said:

It's good that so many of us on here can and do help in our own little way, but isn't it heartbreaking that it needs doing?

It has always been this way, growing up on a council estate in the 60s 70s 80s we didn’t have much but our neighbours 2 down had less, 2 brothers who’d hardly ever worked, mum used to send us down with couple of bowls of tata ash or whatever we had spare, whichever government is in power they can’t cover all eventualities…. Currently I feel the government needs to offer more support to help with heating costs but ultimately there is a limit to what can be done. 

2 minutes ago, Mounts Kipper said:

It has always been this way

Has it fuck.

Im feeling like the issue these days isnt the folk who dont/cant work, but that folk in decent jobs need charity

4 minutes ago, Casino said:

Im feeling like the issue these days isnt the folk who dont/cant work, but that folk in decent jobs need charity

I agree, the cost of heating your home in these current conditions is ridiculous, I’m looking at £450 a month if the current conditions continue, plenty of folk haven’t got that type of expendable income… more government help is needed to help cover the cost. 

One of the lads has a stall on Bolton market (meat stall) his rent (which includes bills) has just gone up to £3200 a month! How are they supposed to make a living with costs like that? 

29 minutes ago, Casino said:

Im feeling like the issue these days isnt the folk who dont/cant work, but that folk in decent jobs need charity

Spot on

More’s the pity

The charity we send to gave us a list of things they’re ideally after based on gender & age

older girls- sanitary products these are gifts for Xmas ffs 

Noticing that petrol prices are reducing nicely

4 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

Noticing that petrol prices are reducing nicely

Yes, my local was 1.54 in the week but 1.49 this morning.

If you look back to the start of the thread many were dismissing poverty etc. I’m not sure if it’s good or sad that more are acknowledging how grim it is, as I imagine it means it’s closer to home for more folk.

Top work @radcliffe white

5 hours ago, radcliffe white said:

The charity we send to gave us a list of things they’re ideally after based on gender & age

older girls- sanitary products these are gifts for Xmas ffs 

That’s grim

31 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

Noticing that petrol prices are reducing nicely

As it should with the price of oil at the moment, down $2 a barrel again yesterday

5 hours ago, radcliffe white said:

The charity we send to gave us a list of things they’re ideally after based on gender & age

older girls- sanitary products these are gifts for Xmas ffs 

I think that's one of the bleakest things I've ever heard

Anyway, after a recent post by @MickyD about what Mrs D was doing at Bolton, myself and Mrs Sweep always put some sanitry products in the foodbank trolly thing when we're shopping (although she reckons I'm a bit tight going for "home brand" rather than the leading brand.....when I said, yes, but it's only getting rammed up their cunt, I got a bit of a stern look, especially from the lady on the checkout)