I am. What are posters going to do to get by this winter?

Stop buying non- essentials - you know, football tickets, replica shirts, Sky Sports subscriptions…??

Be dressing like the guy off Cool Runnings when he comes out of the airport to avoid putting the heating on.

It is getting worrying. I saw a news report talking about inflation potentially hitting 18% in January as well.

Middle-agedClaret wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:09 pm

Stop buying non- essentials - you know, football tickets, replica shirts, Sky Sports subscriptions…??

Middle aged men who wear football shirts need there hard drives checking.

Sky Sports subscription is an essential for me and I’ll probably reduce my betting by £50 a week which will take me to £250 a week on betting.

If Lies Truss has her way it will be heading towards 25%.

kentonclaret wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:13 pm

If Lies Truss has her way it will be heading towards 25%.

She won't be worried about heating. She is full of hot air.

timshorts wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:15 pm

She won't be worried about heating. She is full of hot air.

No doubt she'll just blame it all on people not working hard enough.

Can't pay, won't pay.

Sunak seems to forget its under him until recently as chancellor that we have got into this financial mess and he's offering more of the same.

Im quite happy to take a gamble on Truss.

As for the price cap my thoughts are we are being shafted every which way possible but what answer is i don't know.

Locked my energy bills last September with BG and I'm capped until November next year at last year's prices.
Saw it coming

fanzone wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:26 pm

Sunak seems to forget its under him until recently as chancellor that we have got into this financial mess and he's offering more of the same.

Im quite happy to take a gamble on Truss.

As for the price cap my thoughts are we are being shafted every which way possible but what answer is i don't know.

Are you working class?

If you are, Liz Truss does not care about you. She thinks you aren't working hard enough. Why would you be happy to take a gamble on her?

You're right about Sunak though. The leadership contest is like asking whether you'd prefer a punch in the face or a kick in the gonads.

Yes very worried. Not for myself really, I won't save as much but I'll live, unlike thousands of others who will actually die this winter as a result of cold, hunger, or both.

We're in a situation now where the energy companies are unable to provide energy for us at a cost we can afford. I normally would say nationalise the buggers temporarily at least, but I'm not convinced bringing them under the control of this government would help.

Scary times for everyone.

The front pages of several of tomorrow's newspapers will refer to a forecast that inflation will hit 18% in Jaunary. I worry about how the vulnerable and those on low incomes will manage. There must be more targeted support to them. I struggle to see the sense in general tax cuts at this time instead.

Have to admit that I just don't understand how all this has happened. I'm genuinely perplexed about it all.

First we print tonnes and tonnes of money to "pay" everybody furlough instead earning a living. Suddenly inflation appears out of nowhere.

This is clearly Putin's fault.

Then we go ahead and put all of our budget for energy into renewables and the price of energy shoots up.

Putin definitely to blame.

I heard today that the likely plan is to reduce our monthly bills but we would then have to pay back the difference between what we pay and what we should have paid over the next 15 years

Its way to complicated to understand how its happened (but our economic choices clearly are less than stellar) and its bloody worrying

The only good news is that no government will survive unless it supports everyone through this, so that is something to cling to

It’s going to be cheaper to book a 3 month holiday in Tenerife!

ArthurShelby wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:12 pm

Middle aged men who wear football shirts need there hard drives checking.

Sky Sports subscription is an essential for me and I’ll probably reduce my betting by £50 a week which will take me to £250 a week on betting.

Its "Their"

fidelcastro wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:30 pm

Are you working class?

If you are, Liz Truss does not care about you. She thinks you aren't working hard enough. Why would you be happy to take a gamble on her?

You're right about Sunak though. The leadership contest is like asking whether you'd prefer a punch in the face or a kick in the gonads.

You're probably wasting your energy.......they can't see t' wood for t' trees

TheOriginalLongsider wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:45 pm

It’s going to be cheaper to book a 3 month holiday in Tenerife!

Haha. I have just seen something similar on social media. There is an older couple in a big old house and their bills will close to £500 per month for energy, as such they have decided to go to Portugal and rent an apartment for £600 per month for the 3 months in October.

TheOriginalLongsider wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:45 pm

It’s going to be cheaper to book a 3 month holiday in Tenerife!

I've got 3 holidays booked over winter, might have to make it 4..

burnleymik wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 4:48 am

Haha. I have just seen something similar on social media. There is an older couple in a big old house and their bills will close to £500 per month for energy, as such they have decided to go to Portugal and rent an apartment for £600 per month for the 3 months in October.

Didn't realise there were 3 months in October

Getting an electric car in September so switching to Octopus Go, which gives 4 hours cheap electric from 9:30pm onwards. To help offset the rises in electric I'll be switching my high consumption activities as much as possible to 9:30pm e.g. delaying washing machine, dryer, dishwasher to come on later.

I also made a start collecting free wood at the start of summer to stockpile for the log burner over winter but haven't made much progress on that front. I'm always a bit wary as to what can be burned in them as I've only ever burned the kiln dried logs before.

The rich have the middle and working classes arguing whilst earning billions in profits and giving out millions in bonuses. It's really that simple.

FeedTheArf wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:25 am

Getting an electric car in September so switching to Octopus Go, which gives 4 hours cheap electric from 9:30pm onwards. To help offset the rises in electric I'll be switching my high consumption activities as much as possible to 9:30pm e.g. delaying washing machine, dryer, dishwasher to come on later.

I also made a start collecting free wood at the start of summer to stockpile for the log burner over winter but haven't made much progress on that front. I'm always a bit wary as to what can be burned in them as I've only ever burned the kiln dried logs before.

How much more expensive was the electric car compared to the petrol version?

ClaretAndJew wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:26 am

The rich have the middle and working classes arguing whilst earning billions in profits and giving out millions in bonuses. It's really that simple.

Yup

The market is the market. The price is the price. The state should get the hell out of the way and let the market take care of everything. If you're poor, it's your own fault and you should work harder.

That's what the majority of the electorate has been encouraged to believe for the last 40 years, isn't it?

It's very sad that it will take a social and economic catastrophe like this winter for that appalling theory to be absolutely discredited. The next 6-9 months are going to be horrific for a lot of people. It's a disgrace.

Are multifuel fires worth the switch when considering the price of wood/coal compared to Gas? I am debating whether to take the plunge at around £2k to get 1 installed. Just conscious that the Government may step in and gas prices lower.

The people that warned about the after effects of lockdown got absolutely lambasted

What else did folk think was gonna happen?

There’ll be another huge transfer of wealth because of this…
The rich will come in and buy stocks at discount prices rinse and repeat

I advise to try as much as you can to minimise energy expenditure and try to cut out non essentials - perhaps put spare money into something like gold or another sure bet hedge against inflation - any money in the bank will be losing value.

Best wishes to all posters

Nori1958 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:26 am

How much more expensive was the electric car compared to the petrol version?

For me it was actually slightly cheaper to get the electric as I got a preferential rate through a salary sacrifice lease scheme at work. £267 a month for a VW ID3, with insurance, servicing, tyres etc included.

If I was buying it privately the electric option would be much more expensive, probably prohibitively so. Even with energy prices as they are, my back of the fag packet calculations mean I should save around £170 in a combination of fuel/insurance/servicing etc.

FeedTheArf wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:48 am

For me it was actually slightly cheaper to get the electric as I got a preferential rate through a salary sacrifice lease scheme at work. £267 a month for a VW ID3, with insurance, servicing, tyres etc included.

If I was buying it privately the electric option would be much more expensive, probably prohibitively so. Even with energy prices as they are, my back of the fag packet calculations mean I should save around £170 in a combination of fuel/insurance/servicing etc.

That was my understanding, that the electric versions were that much more expensive, it wasn't worth it for immediate savings.
Well worth doing it in your circumstances, though the lack of charging points, and low range of the present vehicles would put me off personally

I think most people are concerned and everyone will be thinking of ways to cut back. We’re looking at ways to use less electric and gas. We heat the water through gas but looking at setting it up to be done by electric, hoping that’s cheaper. We have some solar panels, we don’t own them though we just get the benefit of them but can’t store anything. Was thinking of changing the car, like me it’s getting on a bit but I’m now thinking it’s not a sensible thing to do.

I have booked a small place on Cyprus for the world Cup, as I think it is cheaper!

With my free supercharging, I might have to live in the car! Can be done!

Just buy gold eh?

Lancasterclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:38 am

Just buy gold eh?

I didn’t quite say that did I?

I said look for things that will at hedge against inflation as to not lose ~ 18% value of your own cash.

Look at what the value of gold did during Covid

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:47 am

I didn’t quite say that did I?

I said look for things that will at hedge against inflation as to not lose ~ 18% value of your own cash.

Look at what the value of gold did during Covid

I think if you can afford to do that, then you are not in the position that millions will be in

Comes across as slightly out of touch tbf

IanMcL wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:27 am

I have booked a small place on Cyprus for the world Cup, as I think it is cheaper!

With my free supercharging, I might have to live in the car! Can be done!

Free you say? Care to share?

The problem its not just domestic users its also industry and entertainment establishments that will be affected. A few factories and restaurants etc will close with the loss of jobs. All thanks to 20.years of catastrophic misjudgement by our political class.

Lancasterclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:47 am

I think if you can afford to do that, then you are not in the position that millions will be in

Comes across as slightly out of touch tbf

Better advice than buy a brand new electric car that’s for sure

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:54 am

Better advice than buy a brand new electric car that’s for sure

Again, if you can afford to do that, then this won't affect you

I think that far too many of us are completely unaware of how bad it is for millions, and that isn't great

ksrclaret wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:34 pm

Yes very worried. Not for myself really, I won't save as much but I'll live, unlike thousands of others who will actually die this winter as a result of cold, hunger, or both.

We're in a situation now where the energy companies are unable to provide energy for us at a cost we can afford. I normally would say nationalise the buggers temporarily at least, but I'm not convinced bringing them under the control of this government would help.

Scary times for everyone.

Correct. You can’t nationalise the firms in a way that will make production and delivery any cheaper. The problem isn’t with the customer facing elements of energy companies, as the wholesale costs are what’s driving this.

We will obviously have impact on our bills but spare income is sufficient enough to absorb this. However I will still be looking at ways to keep outgoings down. We have a wood burner and will be using that a lot - I think. I may even return to working in the office a few days a week on the colder days.

I was reading the other day that Octopus were encouraging some people onto a tariff with a unit cost of 77p for electric, as they believed it would be cheaper than the price cap. Thats outrageous and it isn't sustainable for most people, let alone people already struggling.

Lancasterclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:55 am

Again, if you can afford to do that, then this won't affect you

I think that far too many of us are completely unaware of how bad it is for millions, and that isn't great

I don't think some posters realise just how much of the population these increases will hugely impact upon.

And most of the people that are worried are working before the usual rubbish about benefit scrounging starts, it's just that their salaries haven't kept pace with the rising costs.

Personally I'll be able to absorb it, just me and my dad both working, and we don't use a lot of energy anyway, plus we've been fortunate to be able to build up a nest egg over the past few years for when a rainy day came.

However for those with young children, or those who have caring responsibilities, or who increasingly work in the gig economy and zero hours contracts it could be the final straw for many alas.

Not to mention the impact it will have on businesses who are just starting to recover post covid.

clarethomer wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:59 am

Correct. You can’t nationalise the firms in a way that will make production and delivery any cheaper. The problem isn’t with the customer facing elements of energy companies, as the wholesale costs are what’s driving this.

We will obviously have impact on our bills but spare income is sufficient enough to absorb this. However I will still be looking at ways to keep outgoings down. We have a wood burner and will be using that a lot - I think. I may even return to working in the office a few days a week on the colder days.

Its not particularly who owns the companies or how they are run, though some are not very good. Its a question of supply and demand. No supply and the price goes up. Gas turbines are still the biggest producers of electricy in this country - or would be if there was some gas. But our politicians have made sure that our gas resources are not to be exploited.

ClaretAndJew wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:26 am

The rich have the middle and working classes arguing whilst earning billions in profits and giving out millions in bonuses. It's really that simple.

This isn’t a conspiracy. It’s the result of bad monetary and energy policies.

Energy policy has been dictated by the greens for 15 odd years. Monetary policy went out of the window when we closed the entire world down for 18 months and paid for it with Monopoly money.

Rowls wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 10:23 am

This isn’t a conspiracy. It’s the result of bad monetary and energy policies.

Energy policy has been dictated by the greens for 15 odd years. Monetary policy went out of the window when we closed the entire world down for 18 months and paid for it with Monopoly money.

Yes. Only last month Boris Johnson said 'We will get rid of Gas'. I wonder what he thought would replace it this winter???

Stop reading the fake news and you will sleep much better

Rowls wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 23, 2022 10:23 am

This isn’t a conspiracy. It’s the result of bad monetary and energy policies.

Energy policy has been dictated by the greens for 15 odd years. Monetary policy went out of the window when we closed the entire world down for 18 months and paid for it with Monopoly money.

If it had been dictated by the greens for the past 15 years, then we'd have a fully functioning renewable energy system wouldn't we?

What isn't in dispute is that no one is prepared to make a long term commitment because they all cost a s**t load of money and people vote for stuff that they are told won't cost anything and will be better than what they have now

You need to sort that first, or we really are screwed

If the billions of subsidies and tax breaks given to oil and coal companies for the last 40 years had been ploughed into renewables then we would not be in this mess.

If the billions of profit from energy companies that has gone to shareholders been ploughed back into renewables or used to reduce bills as we could have done if the industry was nationalised then we would not be in this mess.

The government has spent the last decade cutting back funding on core services that support the whole of society but especially the working class in order to protect taxing the super rich and so its no wonder that as soon as we've had to face some disruptive events such as Brexit, Covid and the Ukraine war the country has just collapsed on its arse.

Unfortunately the scary thing is we still have a govt thats more interested on stoking culture wars, playing to their base and protecting their donors than they are in actually governing and trying to help the people who need it. Even scarier is that plenty of people who this govt couldn't give a sh*t about and who are being screwed by this govt are still happy to defend and support them

What happened to the no political posts rule ?