Pensioners...new Energy Prices, And Cutting Back

[pastafreak]

This is really for anyone on a fixed income.
Do you expect to be cutting back in order to pay for fuel price increases?
What will go...days out? Clothing? Food?

[youngmafbog]

Surely most people are on a 'fixed Income' ?

Will I be cutting back? No, not at present anyway but if I did it would have to be on both eating and fuel, I dont buy clothes very often so nothing to be saved there. Food though, like many I eat more than I need and heating I can put a pully on.

[pastafreak]

Oh...and what would you do if you were on the standard UK pension?
If I'm not mistaken, you've mentioned having both a jag and a Mercedes. That's a different level of fixed income.

[Ken4155]

Just before Christmas, i worked out that i spent almost £500 per year on newspapers! On Boxing Day, i cancelled all bar my Saturday paper. Usually around half a dozen race meetings on a Saturday and having the racing pages to hand saves quite a lot of time searching for stats on line.

[bednobs]

in all honesty, pensioners have consistently got a better % increase than my wages!
i consider my income pretty fixed - i couldn't do any more work than i do and dont have much in savings. the only thing not to have gone up in the last 2 months is my car insurance, which went down by £50

[davebro]

I doubt if many are simply on "the standard UK pension". If you were you should be entitled to some other benefits.

Fortunately I get more than that, and
a) being a long term saver I am used to budgeting
b) if I did need to cut back there are some things I can easily do without.

[bednobs]

that should read 12 months. mortgage gone up too.
in all honesty we could save a load if people would just SWITCH THE BLOODY LIGHTS OFF occasionally!

[sandra4444]

For now lets just hope the summer starts early. There are always ways you can cut back if you take a little time to think about it.

However with such large increases all round , including food prices that will increase a lot lot more due to fuel prices, its going to be difficult. But ever little helps.

[bednobs]

also, probably we'd cut back on extra curricular stuff for my daughter who seems to do a lot of expensive things (choir, piano lessons, swimming lessons)

[pastafreak]

I got rid of some subscriptions when I had to pay my share of a new roof last year. I still have one online subscription to the NY times which is a lot cheaper than buying it!
My monthly pension increase will pay for half of the projected gas/electric increase...never mind all the other possible increases.

[anneasquith]

Isn’t it sad, many many of today’s pensioners will be feeling the pinch. Not much to look forward to is there? ( for some).
I’m thankful I can manage even with the increases .

[sandra4444]

The other problem is that apart from genuine increases you also will have a lot of profiteering going on.

So no more covid profiteering, its now...........

[sandra4444]

Its never a good time to be old Ann, but lets face it now is just s**** and you are in even bigger trouble if you need hospital treatment, or even a fully working local surgery.

[dannyk13]

Pasta, I think it is a foregone conclusion that someone on state pension only is going to struggle.I imagine most of them will cut down on heating.

[jno]

bednobs, couldn't you at least monetise her by sending her up the chimneys after piano practice?

[bednobs]

i dont think she'd fit - she has a big tummy

[bednobs]

which seeing written down leads me to belive we should probably cut back on food bills too

[MrsCheese]

Already cut right back on food and heating, switching off lights and unnecessary electricals, heating off bar an hour in the morning, I can cut food back some more and I am having a clear out and selling stuff I don't use, I will eventually ration car use and walk/shop as close to home as possible, roll on the warm weather. might look at cooking meals on the bbq to save using the cooker

[Barsel]

Can I just say that if you get notification that something has gone up, phone the company and see if they can offer you a better deal.
I've done this already with TalkTalk and my boiler insurance.
I don't like having to do it, but I'm glad that I do.

[Hopkirk]

People are still buying physical newspapers? Why?

[david small]

Just had my fuel usage projections. £800 per year extra on top of the usual £1200.
Then petrol increases, food increases, etc. I don’t smoke, drink, or fornicate. My clothing has gone out of fashion and come back in again. Options? One day at a time, don’t worry be happy….