Re: Rising cost of living
 

I think that’s Pierre’s point.

It’s insincere of Government to pretend the system incentivises “greener” motoring if in the event everyone did, in the long run, it this leaves a funding shortfall that inevitably comes back to “green” motorists to pay.

A pay as you go system would be interesting, and could vary from relying on “honesty”/MOT figures (I know these don’t apply to brand new cars for a period), to wildly complex using “big brother” GPS/Bluetooth technologies.

I’m not endorsing the latter but in theory you could allocate every driver an “essential” mileage to cover “necessary” journeys with a sliding scale for journeys over and above (e.g. based on alternative options). GPS data covering habitual journeys could be used to confirm that “essential” journeys specific to a driver are habitually undertaken in line with the rationale for them. I’d imagine there’d be outrage but I was just thinking through the tech in this instance.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Duty on fuel is a form of mileage tax, bigger/greedier vehicles also pay more but they also tend to wear roads out more.


It can't be a surprise that as EV ownership grows and becomes more common those owners will have to contribute to the "road fund".

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I have to pay duty on fuel, to mow my lawn, power my leaf blower and use my chainsaw, and I never take them on the road! well hardly ever.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I pay fuel duty on my boat diesel it's all a big con

Re: Rising cost of living
 

You can thank the EU for that … HMG succumbed to years of pressure for tax harmonisation on use of red diesel in boats back in 2013. It had not wanted to make the change and resisted earlier ‘requests’ from Brussels.

If they had continued to hold out, your duty exemption would be about to end now anyway. Red diesel is to be almost entirely banned on environmental grounds.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

So, we're not in the EU anymore, change it back and reclaim our sunlit uplands or is that not how it works? ;)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Governments may be reluctant to introduce certain taxes if they impinge on their voter base (I’m going to stick my neck out and suggest that boat-owning is more likely a monied, and therefore tory, pursuit). However I think we all know how willing governments are to ditch taxes once they’re established and people get used to them. ;)

Apparently when income tax was reintroduced in 1842 it was meant to be temporary, but the Crimean war caused some balance of payments problems and we’ve been stuck with it ever since. Plus ça change ….

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Using it on boats may still be ok.
I could not find a better definition of "some boats".

Re: Rising cost of living
 

That’s because it depends what you use the red diesel for. Unlike a diesel car, where it’s illegal even to have the red diesel in your tank, on a boat you can put red diesel in the tank, because you can still use it duty free for generating heat and power from your engine. Only the fuel you actually use for propulsion attracts duty and you have to declare to HMRC what proportion of the fuel is used for propulsion and pay the duty separately. Reams and reams of guidance have been written on how to do that, and what happens if you make a false declaration and then get audited by HMRC.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The calculation is pre agreed for the inland waterways 40% heating- 60% propulsion, the problem is the fuel stations set a ridiculously high rate for the fuel so after the deductions it's often cheaper to buy road diesel from tesco


in september diesel was around £183 at tesco, on the river it was £198 after deductions

Gas oil at local garage £150

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The thing is the on river fuel suppliers probably know Tesco don't have many floating fuel stations so feel the threat from the supermarkets is quite small. They probably also know you'd need to be buying lots of diesel at cheaper Tesco prices to offset the cost of getting your boat to the local supermarket forecourt and back, unless the supermarket has extra extra long reach hoses!

Re: Rising cost of living
 

5 gallon drums in the boot of the car, Tesco is 1 mile from the marina, and i have to go there for food supplies

Re: Rising cost of living
 

My second Cost of Living payment is pending ready to go in tomorrow. Happy days

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Happier days would be if you didn't need a cost of living payment. Increasingly few working, loads retiring early, and no one prepared to work for crap wages. Vital workers told to bugger off back to their 'own country'.

A nation of pensioners and benefit claimants and a collapsing economy.. The sunlit uplands we were promised are here.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Yeah because then my life would not have been a living hell for the majority of it

I certainly hope you were not casting aspersions there

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Nope, just a general comment on the state of the country.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Well I am sure you can see how it could have looked

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Lord Wolfson, CEO of Next has been banging on today about how this isn't the brexit he wanted, what you mean his lordship didn't know what he was voting for, well tough, those cheap foreign workers can't afford to come back with things the way they are

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It's Lord Wolfsen who wants them back, I don't particularly, he was quite possibly happy selling the sunlit uplands and saying everything negative was project fear, well this is the reality, you've screwed your own business same as the weatherspoons guy and now it's turned out badly for them it's this isn't what we wanted, well it is, they knew what they were voting for and it was the end of the free movement of goods, people, services and cash, you don't get to pick and choose the bits you like wolfy

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Cost of living crisis can’t be that bad looking at the virtual queue for Peter Kay tickets.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

:(

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Already got mine on Thursday, Priority access.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I know - I’ve seen people in pubs and restaurants as well…

Re: Rising cost of living
 

How ? The site was dead all day.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Peter Kay tickets are relatively cheap are they not? Not a massive fan myself but I was surprised to see he wasn't doing London. Not sure if that's because of the cost or just logistics in booking a venue right now I think every decent venue in London is booked out for over a year already unless he just does one day sometime next year at the O2 but he'll want to do a week or more surely?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

??

<not sure if sarcasm/humour intended>

https://www.axs.com/uk/series/16382/...the-o2-tickets

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...0&d=1668283748

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Oh he must have added those after the original announcement. They weren't announced originally. 1 day a month for the next couple of years is a new way to do it, not seen that before.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Has he ever reported why he cancelled his last tour at short notice? last I heard it was cancelled with no further info

Re: Rising cost of living
 

"unforeseen family circumstances" according to the BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-63608866

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I guess a lot of people want something fun to look forward to. :)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Not for me, 10:00 am Thursday morning.

I had already logged into the site the day before, I clicked on the link and got straight through. Tickets purchased by 10:10am.

I know the site crashed for lots of people, the VM internal message board was going crazy.

Jan 20th in Leeds.

The tickets cost £150, I’ve seen them viagogo for 10x that now.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Lucky you I guess. :)
I got mine in the end, from the general sale on Saturday.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It's amazing demand for a stand-up comedian. I knew he was popular but this is blockbuster sales.

---------- Post added at 18:42 ---------- Previous post was at 18:37 ----------

Also did any of you find £35 tickets? I knew they were 'starting at' that price but I wondered if there actually were a lot of them or just two rows in the back corner and everything else was £50-£100?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

We got the £50 tickets, didnt notice anything cheaper in the block we got.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs:

Sainsburys £9.06 / kg
Waitrose £8.89 / kg
Asda £6.77 / kg
Tesco £6.00 /kg
Morrisons £5.99 / kg
Aldi £4.99 / kg

Re: Rising cost of living
 

These are my main meal ingredient for over half my meals. Add them to sauces for cheap meals get 4 meals per pack and is pretty much my staple. I have a set budget of £60 per fortnight to live off food wise and normally buy at least 2 of these normally from Asda or Tesco delivered. Certainly do not get as much as I did and have had to change but can not really drop these

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Do they need to be boneless? Looking at the Tesco Frozen Chicken, there are drumsitcks and thighs, and "Butchers Choice" brand eg breast fillets @£3.79/kg and chicken portions @ £1.31/kg.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I buy bone in too. I like the flavour and convenience of buying boneless thighs and you do not really gain much when you factor in bone and skin. Not a fan of drumsticks and breasts I find flavourless. If/when it gets worse I will have to compromise

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Just to note Taf Iceland do 1kg for £6.50 as well.

---------- Post added at 15:35 ---------- Previous post was at 15:33 ----------

Bone in meat is really good for flavour as you say but bones in curry and tagine among other meals is a no no.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

yeah I buy bone in and boneless but tbh I am a simple cook nothing fancy

Re: Rising cost of living
 

For roasting, I use skin-on, bone-in. But for casseroles, curries, etc. I use boneless for ease of eating for our disabled son.

And you have to be careful, as many places sell "thighs" that are actually "quarters" with a big chunk of spine and other bones attached, so poor value for money. As in the attached image.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I'm seeing this more and more, new charges being brought in. Asda did it first charging for click-and-collect, but now The Range charges for delivery to their own stores.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

And you are surprised why ? People to do these jobs cost money , just look out for pharmacies charging for delivery . Rising fuel costs , wage's and ever increasing energy bills , can't see the government rising fees so cost wil be covered somehow, unless it just stops

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Around here, Asda charge 50p for a Click & Collect slot.
Strangely, you have to collect it from a different site than our local store.
All the bigger Asda stores around here offer on-site C&C, but not ours, no idea why.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Not really a hill I would die on, most of my shirts do not have a pocket. But you already answered the question.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

You mean, what practical use is a shirt, apart from its principal practical use?

Bizarre.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

What do you mean bones in curry is a no no? All my Indian relatives would use bone in meat for curry. Good butchers will cut up lamb/goat shoulder bone in "for curry". I use bone in thighs and cut them up with my cleaver for curry.
Get you fingers into the curry to nibble the meat off the bone then using a chapatti as an edible napkin - lovely. I don't get why all the curry houses now use breast when thigh is cheaper and tastier. I still remember when boneless chicken curry cost extra.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

This forum needs a men’s fashion section. :D

(My shirts lack pockets, that’s the point of a jacket).

Re: Rising cost of living
 

But in summer, when it’s too hot/muggy (the rare occasions) for a jacket, where does one place one’s Montblanc Meisterstück?

:confused:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

If you can afford that, you can afford an EA to carry it for you! :D

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Load that much into your shirt pocket and you’re certainly in no danger of looking overdressed.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

To be honest, before I retired, I used to get my work shirts from Charles Tyrwhitt, TM Lewin, or Hawes & Curtis (occasionally from Thomas Pink), and it was rare for them to have a pocket… :)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

You get a pocket at Matalan. You missed a trick there Hugh ;)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

missed a trick/dodged a bullet - toemaytoe/tomato… ;)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It's weird seeing prices going up so quickly. Usually, it's something you wouldn't notice unless someone pointed it out but I am seeing items I get nearly daily go up.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I have been inundated with vouchers. Had delivery today from Ocado (I know posh or what) £103 total £20 off £60 spend plus another £20 off in multi buy and special offers. Got a 2KG Chicken for £2.50. A Gnocci themed dish combined price £10 got it for a fiver. 2 Packs of chestnut mushrooms 2x250 frankfurters and a pack of Pineapple chunks combined price £7.70 for a fiver absolute bargain

Last week I used a £15 off £50 shop Morrisons through Amazon. Shopped clever so nothing was more than I normally pay and I have 2 more of the same offer to use

So till mid December my cost of food shopping at least is subsidised

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Yeah, I've had a couple of £10 off when you spend £50 on Morrisons (home delivery), used them both (Even though I mainly use Asda now).

Re: Rising cost of living
 

We get our food shopping online and book several grocery orders in advance and some items have gone up 4 or 5 times in these past few months.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

You need that at Morrisons now. One of the most expensive supermarkets out there according to latest figures, now gone above Sainsburys in the cost rankings.
Supermarket
Average basket price​​​​
Aldi
£75.79
Lidl
£77.68
Asda
£84.98
Tesco
£86.21
Sainsbury's
£86.36
Morrisons
£92.72
Ocado
£93.99
Waitrose
£101.17

It's a business in trouble since the yanks took it over.

I've now discovered Lidl and supplement with an occasional Sainsburys big shop.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Inflation now 11.1%. The highest for 41 years. Energy bills cited as main reason, also food. Could lead to a bigger rise in interest rates than previously expected.
https://news.sky.com/story/rising-en...t-111-12748553

Re: Rising cost of living
 

£3.45 for Heinz Ketchup, I don't use it (HP man), but I'm afraid the kids are now on a budget brand. 60p for the same size bottle.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Heinz still get your cash as they own the HP brand too. ;)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

We have been getting Hellmans Ketchup from Iceland lately.

Its better then Heinz in our opinion.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Ketchup and mayonnaise would be in my Room 101 ;)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

They'd be in my prawn cocktail ;)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

As noted, I mainly use Asda for my weekly online shop now.
I also get a discount for paying at Asda (plus their new rewards scheme).
I can also get a discount off Morrisons, but not online, which makes it far less useful to me.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

We really need Aldi or Lidl to start home delivery

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Yeah, substitutions drive me crazy. A lot of the time you wanted that specific thing and not a rival product. No? No Daily Mail? Yeah is Milka Instead. We don't have Crunchy Nut Cornflakes so here are some normal Cornflakes, same thing right?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

you can say if you want a sub or not on the order. I do quite well out of subs. I do not read the emails with the recipes then just call em and say bad sub and get it free hahaha

Re: Rising cost of living
 

20% off everything until tomorrow :D

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Again ... Asda ... :)
You can turn substitutions off - for specific items, or all items.

---------- Post added at 15:46 ---------- Previous post was at 15:43 ----------

How come ? New customer ?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

l think if they were going to do it they would have set it up by now.

---------- Post added at 15:50 ---------- Previous post was at 15:47 ----------

l only tick substitutions for specific items knowing that it will be replaced by something very similar.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Staff ( Not Me ) discount. 10% all year round with frequent additional discount periods. Currently 20% off. Usual exclusions for cigs, lottery and alcohol below unit pricing. :)

Plus Reward earnings and 1.25% cashback on Amex card.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Asda are giving 10% off for Blue Light Card holders.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

"Is Asda still accepting Blue Light Card?

Customers who qualify can now use the discount until 31 December 2022".

Then their post New Year strikes might make them less of a group to support?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Pretty sure none of my fellow ex-Services are planning to strike early next year - I know I’m not… ;)

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Ah, Yes, I used to get the Morrisons Staff Discount when my Daughter(s) worked there.

---------- Post added at 17:34 ---------- Previous post was at 17:24 ----------

A suprising large number of people qualify for Blue Card, including "Highways England Traffic Officer". :erm:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

It's hard work persecuting people who are just trying to get on with their job. why don't they do some real policing? :mad:

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Maybe because "Highways England Traffic Officers" aren't Police Officers, but civilian employees of the Highways Agency?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Indeed, which was my whole point, how are they a 'Blue Light' worker ?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I stand corrected :dunce:. I now know that in England there are traffic coppers and skivvies impersonating traffic coppers.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

No Xmas party. No free alcohol

Watchdog apologises after MPs' Christmas expenses row

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63750920

What's the point of having an expenses account?

London will die.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The annual insurance for my MOT-failure-so-had-to-be-scrapped Skoda was £113 (Protected Comprehensive) with Swinton.

Comparethemarket showed a quote from them for the same cover for the Dacia I'm buying as £424 (with excesses as £400).

For the same, eSure quotes £230 (with excesses at £200).

So I went to Swinton asking if they could beat that price. Their calculator came out with £1016!!

With 9 months to run with Swinton, I asked how much I would get refunded if I cancelled. Just £35 due to a cancellation fee of £60 which was just £25 when I took out the policy!

So it looks like cost of living increases have hit the insurance companies now.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Bl**dy welsh arsembly led by Labour....

"Plans to reduce financial help for some of the "poorest and most vulnerable" people in Wales towards the cost of their NHS glasses has been criticised.

Proposals are to lower the current £39.10 contribution for children and adults on some benefits to £22".

Those needing glasses with the least complex eyesight problems are the most popular in Wales, as latest official figures show almost 75% of the 132,000 patients were in that lowest band."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-63627177

Re: Rising cost of living
 

If you arrange a delivery at X price and an item(s) increase in price before the delivery date, do you get it at the old price?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

I think that depends on who it is, Asda charge you the price at the time you order, however, if you edit/amend your order, it will amend the prices of existing items (or remove them if no longer available).

Re: Rising cost of living
 

If they have to substitute a item and its dearer they refund the difference with a voucher.

That is Sainsburys as l don't know how the other supermarkets work.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

Tesco simply charge the cheaper price of the item that you ordered. If the substitution is cheaper they charge the lower price. They even factor in, if the item was on special offer and a different pack size.

---------- Post added at 19:28 ---------- Previous post was at 19:23 ----------

The ads on TV seem to indicate that glasses with simple lenses are available pretty cheaply. Once your have the optical prescription, you can go wherever.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

He wasnt referring to substitutions, but the original items, which have increased in price since you made your order.

Yep, I did this last month, bought some replacement glasses online using my specsavers prescription.

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The last time I did a fill-up for the Skoda Felicia it was July:

37 litres at 194.9p/l = £72.11

I just filled the Dacia Logan for the first time 5 months later with the Skoda running on fumes:

48 litres at 146.7p/l = £70.50

Re: Rising cost of living
 

You want to be careful if you’re leaving E10 sitting that long. Or are they diesel?

Re: Rising cost of living
 

The Skoda had to swap to E5 premium, the Dacia is OK up to E85, so E10 should not be a problem. It takes three months or longer for E10 and other ethanol blends to take up enough water for phase separation. A mate changed from petrol-powered garden tools to electric, and gave my about 4 litres of Sta-Bil that he used for his stored equipment.