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

elsien

My memory is shocking at the moment. I keep telling parent there’s no hope for me by the time I reach her age. (Eighties).
I’d probably worry about it more if I could remember what I’d forgotten.

YoungBlueEyes

In our house we have “the good list”, stuff that we’re (so far) prepared to pay for. Himself’s teabags, my coffee, good strong cheddar, seeded bread loaves, co-op’s lemon drizzle cake, Cumberland sausages from the butcher. Different bits and bobs that are worth it to us and I squiggle the budget about so we can still have them. 

Some things would be sacrificed before others though. Lemon cake would go to save the cheese obviously! 

EssexHebridean

YoungBlueEyes said:

In our house we have “the good list”, stuff that we’re (so far) prepared to pay for. Himself’s teabags, my coffee, good strong cheddar, seeded bread loaves, co-op’s lemon drizzle cake, Cumberland sausages from the butcher. Different bits and bobs that are worth it to us and I squiggle the budget about so we can still have them. 

Some things would be sacrificed before others though. Lemon cake would go to save the cheese obviously! 

Priorities absolutely straight there - good stuff!  

We have a limited number of items that are always bought branded:
MrEH's instant coffee - he's tried the alternatives and didn't enjoy them as much, so we buy on offer.
WU liquid - we have hard water and simply end up using more of cheaper ones and getting worse results, so a false economy.
Washing liquid - again, partly the water, partly that I prefer a 2 in 1 option. Also bought on offer.
Crunchy Nut Cornflakes - MrEH again, however since the company beginning with Kel and ending in Logs have increased their prices and decreased their box sized, he rarely finds them at a price he'll accept, now. 
Tune - tinned. This isn't a hard-and-fast - or for reasons of taste, it's because right now, with the special offer we usually buy using, we can't get it any cheaper by buying store own brand!

There are also some things we choose to spend extra on because we like them, or because we want to support the seller - rapeseed oil is one, and flavoured mayonnaise (from the same supplier) is another - we put an order in as  needed, it's not cheap but it is VERY tasty, and it's a really lovely company that we got to know when they had stalls at the Good Food Show for many years! My peanut butter too - again, same thing, nice little company, we like their ethos, and it's the nicest product of the type I've tried. And again, MrEH's groud coffee - a lovely little company in Cornwall - we've visited the shop, and he loves the coffee. We also choose to spend a little more on stocking up on certain items when we're in the Hebrides - Black, White & Fruit puddings, and oatcakes, tattie scones and water biscuits from local-to-there bakeries. Again - we could buy cheaper alternatives - and indeed do in the case of the biscuits, to supplement the "posh" stuff - but we wouldn't enjoy them as much. If we were no longer in a position where we could afford those things, they would be first on the list of stuff to be changed. 

YoungBlueEyes

Oh aye, my peanut butter is on the good list and himself’s olives. 

We’ve downgraded a lot of stuff, but some things I’d sooner go without than buy cheapo carp that neither of us enjoy. 

zcrat41

Zint and those querying the price rises it really can be to do with input costs. I assume primula is made from milk. 

The fertiliser the farmer uses has tripled. The feed costs have virtually doubled. Diesel has doubled. Electric has tripled. 

So a less than 100% price rise is still not passing on all of the increase in input costs. 

YoungBlueEyes

Oh and marzipan logs. 

She said, tucking into a marzipan log with her coffee like a person who’d not been fed today…. 😁

Wednesday2000

I cannot stand cheap peanut butter (eg: Sun Pat) as it tastes so weird and sugary.

I prefer fresh fruit and veg but I buy frozen too as I don't see much difference in flavour and at least it means it doesn't go off like fresh sometimes does.

EssexHebridean

YoungBlueEyes said:

Oh and marzipan logs. 

She said, tucking into a marzipan log with her coffee like a person who’d not been fed today…. 😁

MrEH would agree with you on that one. I, meanwhile think that marzipan is food of the devil!  

YoungBlueEyes

Ooh I’ll have your share then! Dark choc only though… 

Katiehound

YoungBlueEyes said:

Oh and marzipan logs. 

She said, tucking into a marzipan log with her coffee like a person who’d not been fed today…. 😁

I managed to walk past in Aldi this morning- the marzipan bars were calling but I resisted!