The cost of living is continuing to rise, and it’s scary.
It’s now prohibitively expensive to fill up the car with petrol – over two quid a fucking litre in some areas, Jesus wept – and even the cheapy supermarkets are putting their prices up a little each week.
It isn’t just affecting the poorest in our society; people who considered themselves comfortably-off, who’ve never bothered worrying how many times they had to re-boil the kettle before they remembered to make that cup of tea, are now thinking ‘shit, better turn that off at the wall before I go to bed’.
We’ve already had all manner of fuckwit politicians giving us their entirely useless and out of touch advice and now there is a deluge of articles (like this. And this. And this. etc) showing us how savvy mums (it’s ALWAYS savvy mums) across the country are saving money on their household bills.
The articles go like this:
Read how a savvy local mum managed to cut her bills right down!
Savvy mum of 7, Clare, has managed to get her bills down to just a few pounds a day, by making some simple swaps and changes.
“We spend our evenings huddled in blankets in the dark staring at each other” she said, “It’s really bloody boring but at least we haven’t yet had to kill and eat my youngest’s gerbils.
Every week I go and collect a mystery bag from the local Co-Op for £3 using my handy ‘Poor People Should Eat Whatever Food You Give Them’ app* and then I make meals from whatever’s inside the bag. Last week for example we had Scotch egg with spongy radishes, and 2 packs of those super cheap Richmond’s sausages with an exceptionally wilty lettuce and a pint of expired milk. Delicious. It’s saved me loads, mainly because no bugger was hungry when that was on offer”.
Well done Clare! You’re an inspiration to us all.
The tabloids (usually the Daily Mail) position these as ‘good news stories’ – but they aren’t.
It’s all bullshit.
Yes, we could all save electricity by sitting in the cold and dark every evening revelling in Blitz spirit but why the hell SHOULD people live like that?
People – not just the feckless, lazy, benefits-claiming ones that the Mail readers like to blame for everything but, you know, people with actual jobs, people we all clapped for every Thursday night a mere two years ago – shouldn’t have to scour the reduced section of the supermarket just to be able to eat a decent meal.
They shouldn’t have to stop doing everything that gives them any slight joy in their life just to fill their car up with petrol, so they can even get to their job in the first place.
They deserve a quality of life that makes it worth the living. We all do.
These puff-piece articles don’t offer anything in the way of sustainable solutions.
They’re just a way to shut down valid complaints from the many, many people who are struggling and want answers from the government because in one of the richest countries in the world, we shouldn’t have families fighting in the reduced food aisles for the last £2 pizza.
There is only so much reduced food for people to buy and even if you can get it, buying food bundles from apps or from the reduced section largely relies on luck as what’s there can massively vary, and of course having kids who don’t have allergies and will eat whatever they’re given, which mine will absolutely not.
Today for example, I made omelettes for tea because I picked up some reduced eggs, and then my son decided they were disgusting (they weren’t, I had one too, he’s just…six) and promptly vomited the whole thing into the bin, which kind of negates the whole value for money thing.
Basically what I’m saying is that if you’re struggling, you don’t have to be happy about it.
It isn’t your fault. Rents are going up, bills are increasing exponentially, the cost of food is spiralling and the government should be doing more to help people, but they won’t because they don’t give a shit. You don’t have to be like Savvy Clare, living a miserable half life with shit sausages and no petrol with a smile on your face.
By all means, grab a bargain – it’s a great feeling – but don’t blame yourself if it doesn’t magically solve all your problems.
It’s deplorable that people should have to live like this and to tout it as a good news story is equally as shitty.
*I actually quite enjoy the occasional Too Good To Go mystery bag (although it’s usually more hit than miss, the mystery part is fun). They’re good for reducing food waste and you sometimes get a great bargain, but often they’re sold out early in the day. I don’t go mad with them as I recognise that there are probably people out there who need them more than I do, and who won’t ultimately end up throwing half of it out because no one will eat it, but do give them a try if you haven’t yet.
I was interested to find a new food app “Poor People Should Eat Whatever Food You Give Them” due to this article. I’m going to use it along side my other food apps such as “you’re scum you should eat like scum” and my favourite “cardboard has calories” where you get a selection of cardboard from different companies to share amongst your malnourished children.
But seriously when do we riot??
I’ve been warning people that this was all coming, the convid was a test of Compliance. But now people see it when we could have united 2 years ago and took our pitch forks to parliament. But no, too many love the government to unite and get off their arse and that includes the police having morals as to who they serve
I think you need to step away from the internet dude