The Rising Cost of Food

bravobeastie

I had to throw away 2 black bags FULL of spoilt freezer food this morning after my stupid dh unplugged the big chest freezer in the garage to drill some units on the wall and forgot to plug it back in. Hadn't had to use the freezer for about 4 days so everything was well and truly ruined

GreenNinja

I saw this programme too and was both shocked by the percentages food had risen by and also shocked by the percentage of food that people throw away.

I have noticed my monthly shopping figure has been rising steadily for the past few months and am trying even harder to reduce this. I cook pretty much everything from scratch and wonder how people that buy all ready made food manage??

3v3

bravobeastie wrote: »

I had to throw away 2 black bags FULL of spoilt freezer food this morning after my stupid dh unplugged the big chest freezer in the garage to drill some units on the wall and forgot to plug it back in. Hadn't had to use the freezer for about 4 days so everything was well and truly ruined

Is it covered on your home insurance? Its gutting when that happens (bet you felt like "gutting" dh, eh? )

bravobeastie

3v3 wrote: »

Is it covered on your home insurance? Its gutting when that happens (bet you felt like "gutting" dh, eh? )

Actually someone else recommended that too. Will give that particular job to dh as punishment if it is covered LOL :rotfl:

The_Thrilla

ceridwen wrote: »

Re Thrilla's comment - I recall reading some article by an economist back at the bout of Quantitative Easing (aka printing money) that the Government knew very well this would devalue our currency and this was part of the whole "game plan" for just that to happen. I think it was summat about it being deemed easier for Britain to pay its debts if each £ wasnt worth so much - so was done quite deliberately. They knew this would mean things would then cost us all a lot more - but its a side effect they were prepared to have happen.

I DO worry about the way they keep muttering about maybe having a second bout of printing money (dont forget that posh phrase they dreamed up for it - it aint printing money - its Quantitative Easing:cool:).

There are several definitions of inflation floating about. I use the oldest one, because you can see things happening. If you just think of inflation as rising prices, you will have no idea what is happening, and will swallow the poor harvests stories. Inflation is an old trick used by governments. Before they had paper money, the monarch used to debase the coinage by reducing the amount of silver in a coin.

Quantitative Easing is a particularly nasty form of inflation. You get money printing (inflation), and here is what they do with the freshly printed money. They buy the bonds of their own government.

Although you might think that interest rates are set by the government; they are in fact set by the prices and the yields on the bond markets. The Bank of England then follows suit, pretending they have decided the interest rates.

But with QE, the Bank of England does set the rate. And here is how they do it. A government bond (or gilt) is like a see-saw when it comes to price and yield: price goes up, yield goes down, price goes down, yield goes up. Whenever there is a bond auction, the Bank of England bids for any bonds going. They pay a high price for them, and that holds the yields down.

And that is why you can't get a decent interest rate on a bank account.

This is not a conspiracy theory: the BOE have already admitted that this is what they are doing.

The good news is that once you have figured out what is really happening, you can defend yourself against inflation quite successfully. You buy metals - usually precious metals, but any kind of metals will help. During the Weimar hyperinflation, you would expect to have the knocker wrenched off your door. Already some scallywags are breaking into switching stations and helping themselves to the heavy duty copper cables. You panic buy non-perishable food. You panic buy any non perishable items you know you are going to use - soap, razor blades (I get through a lot of these) Brillo pads - that sort of thing. You grow your vegetable garden. A lot of you are doing these types of things already.

There are two books I can recommend. You should be able to get them on Amazon or ebay. Both are American, both are by Peter Schiff. They are "Crashproof 2.0" and "The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets." Publisher is Wylie. Either will do.

I am a veteran of the 1970s and early 1980s. The difference is that then the interest rates were sky high. This time QE has driven them down, and is holding them down. This is going to be more vicious than Thatcherism ever was.

ceridwen

You've just reminded me Thrilla - must check out Ebay. Reason = I read somewheres that some "people" are selling allotments on there. If this is the case - then these "people" need to be reported for attempted theft - as those allotments are not theirs to sell in the first place (not unless they specifically and legally bought some land and converted it into an allotment themselves).

So - I'd better nip off later and see if I need to report attempted theft to any local Councils.....

notatvstar

Basically what's happening now (on a Global scale) is a culmination of several factors. Firstly - there was/still is a significant proportion of the Global population who live beyond their means, generating this 'toxic debt' phenomenon.This toxic debt was generated both at an individual (120% mortgages for the unemployed!) and national (PIGS!) levels. This toxic debt then bleeds through into macro economics as banks etc sell these debts to each other and some banks accumulated these debts. Things snow ball out of control and then there's a 'correction' in the markets. About 4 years ago a mate of mine (who works in the City) warned me not to buy a house as he predicted this was going to happen. Yep - peeps... they all knew. And by ALL - I mean ALL - regardless of political hue...

Secondly - there has been a poor harvest for many crops.

Thirdly - Ongoing political instability in oil producing countries. (Stuff has to be transported - does it not?)

I personally don't think the introduction of the Euro has helped (many reasons) also there are some international trading bodies who artificially keep some prices high (the EU being one of them).

Therefore - Yep food prices are rising. But there are many reasons why they are rising and you can't just blame one thing whether it be a government or one meteorological phenomenon.

For anyone who's using this sad, sorry state of affairs to push an environmental or political agenda I think you need to have a word with yourselves...

[Deleted User]

I have just read through the posts and there are lots of good tips on here.The ones that I can do are keeping a sharp eye on basic stuff, and buying offers of stuff I will actually use.I have changed my shopping habits somewhat over the past few months and can usually see where to cut a few pennies here and there I know it doesn't sound much but added up over a year its well worth it .No good me getting an allotment as because of my osteoarthritis, I wouldn't be able to keep it in good order.But I can get a couple of empty tubs and pot up some herbs in the conservatory .Why pay £1.5- £2.00 for a tiny jar when I can grow my own and if necessary dry and store myself.Things that I used to buy i.e. diet coke has gone up so much I will not pay£1.50 for a bottle of fizzy water when that £1.50 could buy me the building blocks for a couple of meals.At the moment because the children are on school holidays there are a few offers on fruit squash Sainsbobs has a bogof on a litre of Robinsons squash for £1.25 so I get a couple of bottles of that and use them instead of coke for a cool drink.
If I had got some room in my freezer I spotted a 500 gm bag of peas in the pod at the farm shop for a £1that I only wished I had bought but I may get and put in to DDs freezer.(Anyone got a recipe for the empty pea pods I'm sure someone on here said you can top and tail them and use as a veg)
I will always buy tinned tomatoes if I see them on special offer as they can be stashed towards winter time.I am begining to feel very squirrel like in my putting away for winter but I honestly think that by building up a store of basics it will help to get through the coming winter months.One things for sure the price of food never ever comes down in price and once the supermarkets have got us used to spending more on consumer basics the whole price rise roundabout will start again Be warned;)

Gigervamp

ceridwen wrote: »

You've just reminded me Thrilla - must check out Ebay. Reason = I read somewheres that some "people" are selling allotments on there. If this is the case - then these "people" need to be reported for attempted theft - as those allotments are not theirs to sell in the first place (not unless they specifically and legally bought some land and converted it into an allotment themselves).

So - I'd better nip off later and see if I need to report attempted theft to any local Councils.....

It's the council that's selling them. Article here.

FatVonD

parsonswife8 wrote: »

Some people just don't know how to shop effectively for food that is good for them, as well as relatively cheap and nutritious. It's a crying shame really. Education re this matter should begin in schools.

My son chose a vocational catering course as two of his GCSE options, I'd have preferred him to choose the GCSE in-school course plus another subject but thank heavens I didn't as the school have dropped it due to lack of interest :eek: His college course has also been moved to the college we *didn't* want as there wasn't enough demand to run the one at our preferred college. Pretty soon kids will have forgotten how to cook altogether!

Re stocking up on non perishables, I did this in January when I was made redundant, there are some things I wish I'd bought more of as prices have rocketed. I need to replenish but I begrudge buying them at the new price but I guess they'll only be going up further and not down