Cost of living.

[12th Monkey]

Overlaps rather with the energy thread, but I was at a training day last week and some stats were bandied about (apologies Gray - no idea where they got them from!). Apparently 83% of people have changed their spending habits and/or behaviour this year - we definitely have.

The other one was breaking down people into four sectors of a grid, showing the relationship between how affected people were financially and how much they were worrying.

36% were not on a secure financial footing and were worried.
25% were similarly insecure but not bothered about it.*
25% were on a sound footing but were concerned about things.
14% were financially sound and not bothered.

Changes made:

Mrs 12th is using drying racks rather than the tumble dryer.
My hifi is now off when not in use - the amps have no standby and are not exactly eco when running.
We're buying groceries etc in the largest possible size to benefit from bulk.
I've refrained from sponsoring some people's charitable activities - though in fairness this is because they aren't people we know well, and in the past I've done so because I've felt compelled to. Present climate is therefore a convenient excuse.

Have you changed anything?

*These are the people who are likely to end up using payday lenders.

 

[12th Monkey]

Oh, an interesting quote from the training day was 'I'm tired of living through once in a lifetime events.' Absolutely.

I forgot the big change - our mortgage, mercifully, is in its final few years and was therefore pretty small. Given rising interest rates and the negligible returns on cash, I've paid it off today. Not sure it's sunk in yet that we are now 'proper' homeowners. But I have the feeling that I'll feel more inclined to do some of the decorating and genral tidying up that I have been neglecting, so it's not all positive...

 

[nopiano]

Oh, an interesting quote from the training day was 'I'm tired of living through once in a lifetime events.' Absolutely.

I forgot the big change - our mortgage, mercifully, is in its final few years and was therefore pretty small. Given rising interest rates and the negligible returns on cash, I've paid it off today. Not sure it's sunk in yet that we are now 'proper' homeowners. But I have the feeling that I'll feel more inclined to do some of the decorating and genral tidying up that I have been neglecting, so it's not all positive...

That’s an interesting one, the psychology of being an owner outright. We have been in both situations, though I’ve mostly been mortgaged all my life, like most of us.

However, I remember my wife’s delight when we repaid the mortgage on our Welsh cottage and actually owned it fully. I, in contrast, thought more along the lines that we still had the utility bills to pay, and in particular the unpredictable oil fuel bill!

 

[12th Monkey]

That’s an interesting one, the psychology of being an owner outright. We have been in both situations, though I’ve mostly been mortgaged all my life, like most of us.

However, I remember my wife’s delight when we repaid the mortgage on our Welsh cottage and actually owned it fully. I, in contrast, thought more along the lines that we still had the utility bills to pay, and in particular the unpredictable oil fuel bill!

Don't you just hate spotting a typo in one of your posts? Not sure what I meant by 'genral'...

 

[nopiano]

Don't you just hate spotting a typo in one of your posts? Not sure what I meant by 'genral'...

Ha, I find I often edit mine afterwards, as I think when I tweak a word my iPad has its own idea what I meant!

 

[Gray]

Have you changed anything?

No, nothing at all.
My life has always been a case of need not want.
Apart from discounted / value hi-fi and too much spent on music, I've never "treated myself" in the way that others do.
I'm well aware that my standard of living is (way) below what 'normal' people would consider acceptable.
However, that doesn't bother me in the least.

What bothers me massively now though, is having to spend so much more money - for nothing.
But really, there's no way I could spend less 😐

Must grumble though, I'm currently exceptionally grateful for three things:
1) My good health
2) I'm not as skint as some
3) I was born in London and not Moscow