It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

Floss

I think all the hand-held supermarket scanners give the running total, I use the Asda app on my phone & that certainly does. 

I was in Morrisons earlier & while the staff were stocking up the Kellogs cereals, there were lots of gaps in the own brand cereals & they didn't have any to fill up with.

Auntycaz

I taught my daughter her times tables parrot fashion as the local school was trying a new method eg just the answers eg 2.4.6.8.10. How on earth do they expect them to remember teaching them that way and some of the children didn't have parent who were able to help them.

weenancyinAmerica

If you are short on money, there is a good likelihood that they don't have a computer or a handheld calculator either. I know many people who still do not have computers. Paying for access is expensive. If you have the choice of eating or having computer access, I think I would put eating first. The roommate I had who went back to Missouri couldn't add 2 and 6 together to tell when to take her pills the next time - but had graduated from high school. She couldn't tell time either. I worry about her often.

arnoldy

weenancyinAmerica said:

If you are short on money, there is a good likelihood that they don't have a computer or a handheld calculator either. 

I would have thought the opposite. A cheap notebook/paper and a £3 basic calculator would be essential budgeting tools? Surely if ££s are a bit tight you write shopping lists, compare prices, and record spends/notes etc.

euronorris

Yes, all the scan as you go supermarket things add up as you go along. They are also handy for checking the price of something that either doesn't have a shelf edge label, or you think might be reduced (ie, I like to use them after Easter, halloween and Xmas in sainsburys to check the price of seasonal items which are often marked down by 90%, but shelf edge label not yet updated).

However, the barrier to these is that they usually require the user to first sign up for an account online. And as has been pointed out, not everyone has that access, or indeed has the skills to do so.

boultdj

I'm lazy when it comes to adding up, I just use whole numbers, so a 79p item to me is 80p, it did help when I only had £20 a month shopping money back in the late 80's early 90's.

CKhalvashi

weenancyinAmerica said:

If you are short on money, there is a good likelihood that they don't have a computer or a handheld calculator either. I know many people who still do not have computers. Paying for access is expensive. If you have the choice of eating or having computer access, I think I would put eating first. The roommate I had who went back to Missouri couldn't add 2 and 6 together to tell when to take her pills the next time - but had graduated from high school. She couldn't tell time either. I worry about her often.

Most people have a phone though.

I believe even the old devices have a calculator on them.

MovingForwards

boultdj said:

I'm lazy when it comes to adding up, I just use whole numbers, so a 79p item to me is 80p, it did help when I only had £20 a month shopping money back in the late 80's early 90's.

That's the way I do it and I'll often be seen counting with my fingers. 

sammyjammy

CKhalvashi said:

Just a quick reminder to look after vehicles, as someone else felt the pinch today. 

Catalytic converter stolen from my father's car. This was all in a public car park. Trying to source a second hand replacement as we speak.

Luckily he has a second car but at £1500 retail, this isn't what anyone needs right now (except probably the idiots taking this and maybe earning £300 from it).

How awful for your dad and in broad daylight too

Its started happening alot around here, my car doesn't have one (I don't think LOL), there have been rumours of people going around with a machine after dark which can get the coding for keyless starting cars, they get the code and just open the door and drive off, so awful.  I don't have a keyless starting car but do have remote locking so got a little pouch to put my keys in when I'm home.  So so depressing 

Floss

I think we have established that there will be a proportion of society who - for whatever reason - do not use any tool whether physical or mental to add up their shopping as they go around the supermarket. Can the judging & comments stop please?