Re: Rising cost of living
 

I had a lasagne and it has about 6 or 7 scrapings of grated cheese on the top and next to no mince . It tasted ok with a bit of extra cheese though

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Exactly as my Dad bought some steak a while back and it was unedible.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

In my experience cheap steak has to be medium rare and fried quick or it will be tough

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Time expired milker as opposed to prime 30day aged Aberdeen Angus.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The blacker the better mmmm I used to be a butcher in my teens and where I first worked we used to fry up the first cut off the hind quarters as people just did not know black was good. My fave cut has always been chine rib been eating it for over 35 years. Who knew 30 years later people will catch up hahaha

Another nice cut that I used to be able to pick up real cheap is the Jacobs Ladder that they now call short rib and normally sell it slow roasted in a sauce

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I think you need to be selective in what you buy from that range. The tomato soup gets 5/5 and was found to be as good as Heinz but only cost 30p, Heinz being a £ more!
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/what...-asda-25002587

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Sounds good mate, but go easy you'll have the nutjob veggies having a fit. :D

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Annoyed that so many supermarkets cut the ladder into individual ribs, normally before it gets to store. You can easily cut them apart but not join back together. I put a strong rub on and then slow smoke on the braai. But the price, like pork belly and other "cheap cuts" are now more expensive, often thanks to celeb chefs showing how to use them on TV. (Costco ribs (devoid of most meat) cost more than belly costs more than shoulder costs more than leg - per kg).

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Yeah we used to give what they now call spare ribs away for next to nothing

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Interest rates could hit 6% next as Bank of England boss says to expect a significant rise

https://news.sky.com/story/significa...-says-12706354

https://news.sky.com/story/pound-slu...peech-12615118

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Well at least savings rates will go up.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

What Savings, it's all gone to the power and fuel companies

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Not as quick and not as high.

Me and Mrs Pierre have emptied all of our savings and banged it off the mortgage. We should be mortgage free by the end of next year.

Then we’ll start saving again.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

One thing I am thankful for, I dont really have one of any significance.
A few years ago, I did two jobs for 6 years, that allowed me to basically kill off my mortgage.
I keep it ticking over at £50 so I can dip into it if necessary, I have no interest to pay, and no monthly repayments.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

£324 Cost of living payment due between the 8th and 24th November

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/o...m-8-november-1

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Mortgage free..Got some savings stashed.I have 2 pensions and the other half's navy pension is a good one.My children are employed and are earning.We will survive.

It's those who are just at the start and have been messed about by the pandemic who are going to tighten belts plus the usual unlucky souls for whom life hasn't been blessed.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Reserved a 5-year fixed rate at 1.44% in January, which we took up in June when we moved. The average offer for a 5-year fix today is now 5.75% :shocked:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

My daughter & son-in-law got a 5 year fixed rate approved last Monday (3.44%) - remortgage to extend their current home.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Bad time for plans like that with no idea what the future holds, unless they can pay it off in the 5 years cuz who knows what the rates will be after

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It's their home for life - it already has 4 bedrooms (well, 3 and an office), so they are expanding/reconfiguring the downstairs; they're relieved, as the current rates for the equivalent deal are 5.2% and above.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

We decided to upsize and moved house in September 2018 so got a mortgage after a few years mortgage free. We made the decision to go for a 10 year fixed rate at 2.64% which was more than we'd could have paid on a shorter fixed deal but knowing where you are for the longer term is a bonus and 4 years ago rates were so low there was only really one way they were going to go. Cheap money like that was never going to last (and I'll be surprised if we see again).

So it looks like we made the right call because when our deal comes to the end in 2028 I doubt getting anything less than 5% will be a distant memory, but we're overpaying every month so when the deal ends we hope not owe too much and may even be able to pay it off.

We do also remember the days of 15% and no fixed rate deals so your payments were up and down like something that goes up and down a lot :shocked: but you did get tax relieve on the interest on the first £30,000.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I fixed in December at 1.3% for 5 years, extremely lucky with the timing.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

You were - January was when mortgage rates started climbing, albeit slowly at first. We were kicking ourselves for not arranging ours 3-4 weeks earlier, though it’s all relative now.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Yup the BoE first raised the base rate as the application was on-going in late December. Thankfully the mortgage application was done absurdly fast, a matter of days, so it was locked in even though I didn't complete until March.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

BBC now discussing the typical 2-year fix on Politics Live, saying it is now 6.07%.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Yes, it’s now at 2008 levels, when Labour were in charge.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

What is - the average rate available for a 2-year fix? I’d appreciate a link to that data set if you have one.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It’s probably relevant to point out that whilst average house prices have increased by 60% since 2008, average wages have increased by 20%, so that’s a variable in the "affordability" formula that should be taken into consideration…

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

But nowhere near the 15% of July 1980, or the 15.25% of October 1990, so I’m not sure what your point is?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Desperate deflection & blind infatuation, think Truss but with a singular sock

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Old Boy is saying we're in the same position as we were during the Global Financial Crisis, but self-induced. Not really the kind of endorsement for Trussonomics she might have hoped for!

Re: Rising cost of living
 

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/c...mited-25190530

Although I applaud this help, I fear the cafés will be full most days, making it impossible for other customers to get food or drinks.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

As with buses, so too Asda. Please give up your seat if required by someone in greater need. :shrug:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Unlimited data sim a laptop and Netflix the silver surfers could spend the day their binging

Re: Rising cost of living
 

There will be long queues for the loos too.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

they could take their own commode hahaha

Re: Rising cost of living
 

An email from Santander:

At least it's better than the 0.1% they were giving.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The thing with this and the idea of "warm banks", is that people still have to travel there and back, go home for meals, and return to a cold home as they've remembered to switch it off while out.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Sorry I can't see what's wrong with it. If anything, it could help to combat loneliness which is a really good thing.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

You really have to be pathologically contrarian to have come up with this …

Re: Rising cost of living
 

And if they they fall ill due to hypothermia when they go back to a cold home, won’t it just be counter-productive if they’re taken to hospital to recover, as they’ll just have to go back to a cold home?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Unless they spend all day there and remember to turn their heating off, any savings are not going to be as much as is made out. How many people would think of turning their heating off?
There may be people that might be able to spend all day there, and are happy with soup and a roll for lunch, but otherwise it's going to be for just 2 or 3 hours at a time.

What got me thinking about this before now, is that I live in a set of sheltered bungalows, and was thinking about issues that might crop up if it was suggested that people spent time in other people's homes. Making sure that they turned off their heating before going elsewhere was one of them.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Given the current utilities cost, most ?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I can only imagine you live in sheltered bungalows in Marbella where nobody thinks much about their central heating. Because I know nobody at all that doesn’t think about when to turn theirs on and off. We used to have to persuade my mum to have hers on more often.

As I said … you have a near pathological knack for taking a contrary view of any issue, even to the point of compelling you to take a position that is very obviously bonkers.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Maybe we should solve the energy crisis by telling all those out at work, with children at school, to stop heating their empty homes during the day.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Well, I work from home and live in Yorkshire and I can tell you it’s been quite cold in the evening and getting colder.

I haven’t turned the heating on yet, I have some portable electric heaters (used sparingly in the evening if required)

During the day, so far, decent clothing has been adequate. Of an evening a wood burner has been perfectly fine.

The heating will come online eventually, but it will be well into November I think.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I'm not seeing the logic in this one, Nomad.

Your hypothesis is about someone who can't afford to heat their home who makes the effort to go to a warm bank yet leaves their heating on by mistake? :confused:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I saw plumes of steam from several boiler chimneys this morning. A few of the homes also had windows wide open. It only dropped to 8c last night.

---------- Post added at 10:16 ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 ----------

Several years ago, our Labour-controlled council closed all the Day Centres where older people and those with disabilities could congregate for a few hours. Hot drinks, and often soup and rolls were always available. Plus they had visits from community nurses and council staff to answer any questions.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

We have several churches in our city that will be opening to offer a warm place for a tea or coffee. All faiths welcome.


I think that is a wonderful thing to do.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I have never been inside a warm church they're always freezing

i should point out i'm not a regular church goer just the stuff you can't get out of.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Significant rate rise needed in November - Bank of England chief economist
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/in...vsgRrU6G3DqlqK

Re: Rising cost of living
 

which country are these people working for

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I really don't know, you'd best ask Truss and Kwarteng directly.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The Bank of England is the UK's central bank, its there to deliver monetary and financial stability for the country.

l hope that explains things to you..

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I think they are trying to salvage the destruction our Prime Minister and Chancellor have bought upon us.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

That's nice.

Asda Cafe launches £1 meal deal for over 60s with unlimited tea or coffee

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Hopefully they'll do this in January, February and March too which are cold months in most of the UK too.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

2016. Car service, MOT, internal and external valet. £99.
2017. Car service, MOT, external valet. £99.
2018. Car service, MOT. £99.
2019. Car service, MOT. £119.
2020. Car service, MOT. £129.
2021. Car service, MOT. £149.
2022. Car service, MOT. £229. :shocked::shocked::shocked:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Not entirely sure if that's a fair comparison?

1. MOT's can be charged up to a fixed maximum price of £54.85
2. generally, servicing costs depend on the vehicle mileage and what work is required

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Had my car done yesterday
mot £39
service +internal/external valet £182

Re: Rising cost of living
 

They call it an "oil change service", and it's been the same very year as I do little driving that I haven't hit the next "special" service yet. These costs don't include other things like brake fluid, brake pads, etc. Those always get added separately to the bill. And boy, they have hiked-up a lot too during the last 2 years!

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Inflation figures announced today - some 10.1%, higher than expected and five times the Bank of England's target.

September's figures are normally used for increasing benefits and pensions in April.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I certainly hope so :D

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I have noticed the prices of pasta and cooking oil rising rapidly. Also beef and chicken.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

There was a article about this today following the Office Of National Statistics report.

https://www.theguardian.com/business...-inflation-ons

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Bank of England expects UK to fall into longest ever recession

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63471725

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It's amazing that Bojo and even Truss forgot to mention anything about it as recently as last month. :erm:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It would be much more amzing if they had mentioned it, do you think they can time travel ?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

They could have borrowed Rishi Sunaks time machine then, he seemed to have a pretty good idea. Failing that the OBR could have given them a gentle nudge had they bothered to consult them.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I think energy costs are going to stop, or reduce drastically, public spending for a long while.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Gas costs for energy retailer are coming down and so far it's a mlld winter. But energy retailers have contracted at expensive rates out of necessity so high prices will continue for six months or so. Fingers crossed for after that!

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

This is the Times explanation

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/money-men...nterest-rates/

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Free market capitalists would rather people get poorer, and unemployment increase, to reduce demand than admit the fake free market for energy doesn’t work.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It works very well for them so they do not really need admit anything. You could say that we, the consumer, should be up in arms about how much we are being ripped off but, to be fair, enough of us voted for the Party that implemented this, so it is sort of what we voted for.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

On the other side of the argument interest rates for savers should go up

Re: Rising cost of living
 

:LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:

One of my savings accounts was paying 1.75% a week ago. It's now paying 1.5%.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

get a better bank;)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Give these folk a go, a reliable source tells me they’re good:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

And inflation is 10%.. so losing 7% a year.

I have some national savings index linked bonds they track inflation,they are very beautiful things:)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Is there a limit on the amount they pay out on , some only allow a small amount of money in the account that attracts interest

Re: Rising cost of living
 

10k limit on the HSBC Online Saver, more than that and they pay 0.5%. Not enough for my millions unfortunately...

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The limp dumbs are priceless aren't they. :rolleyes:

Suggesting that people with mortgages should be given government help!

Pretty sure no mortgage adviser suggested the interest rate would never go up.

The idiotic, uncontrolled splashing of cash during covid means people now think the state will pay for anything.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Yea:( my santander account only pays out on the first £20k and bugger all on the rest.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Nope, its 0.5% over £10k.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Fair enough, I stand corrected !
It's 0.5% if you're cheeky enough to withdraw anything in a month.

Whichever way its a lot less than the 10% inflation atm.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It’s the fact the state has never paid for anything that’s put us in this £3 trillion mess.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Electric cars are to be subject to vehicle excise duty for the first time under measures to be introduced by Jeremy Hunt, the UK chancellor, in this month’s Autumn Statement.

People briefed on Hunt’s plans said that applying road tax to electric vehicles was the first sign of a chancellor “dipping a toe in the water” to address the fall in motoring tax revenues caused by the transition to battery-powered vehicles, as their owners also avoid paying fuel duty.

Last year the Treasury warned that “new sources of revenue” would be needed as the country switches to EVs. Fuel duty and VED raise about £35bn for the exchequer but the Office for Budget Responsibility has forecast that the growing share of electric car sales would cut motoring tax revenues by £2.1bn by 2026-27.

https://www.ft.com/content/405467f9-...8-2582890e7820
ooh heck never saw that coming

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I don't suppose it will be long before the electricity for EV's will be subject to extra tax as well.

Motorist is always the milchcow. :rolleyes:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Road pricing is the only sensible way forward. You pay for the mileage you do.

There will have to be various caveats in-built into any system to cover lack of public transport, business etc.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Makes sense to a degree, bet you it includes where and when as well though

Re: Rising cost of living
 

In practical terms, how would you implement such a PAYG system ?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Bung all the tax on fuel?
Not sure how they'd charge for electric vehicles.