Energy bills

[cheb]

I haven't used the last lot.

[Yambo]

Speaking of money-saving, I read an article this morning claiming that thousands of northern Greeks are travelling to Bulgaria each week to fill up their cars and do their weekly shopping. Meanwhile, thousands of Bulgarians travel to Turkey each week for exactly the same reason. Given how much the cost of food and petrol has increased here in the past 6 months, things must be pretty grim in Greece, cost-wise

It must be pretty bad in Bulgaria if they are coming here - inflation is running riot and whilst Istanbul and the North West may be a bit cheaper than the South West where I am, food etc is still expensive. Most ex-pats are insulated against inflation by the exchange rate, currently 21 Tl to the pound as I am ( my income is from UK sources) but it's still noticeable. Like some others I've started tipping more and not picking up the change in the smaller shops. Apparently, every little helps!

[Horse]

I haven't used the last lot.

You need that lentil diet mentioned earlier

[Hoonercat]

Speaking of money-saving, I read an article this morning claiming that thousands of northern Greeks are travelling to Bulgaria each week to fill up their cars and do their weekly shopping. Meanwhile, thousands of Bulgarians travel to Turkey each week for exactly the same reason. Given how much the cost of food and petrol has increased here in the past 6 months, things must be pretty grim in Greece, cost-wise

It must be pretty bad in Bulgaria if they are coming here - inflation is running riot and whilst Istanbul and the North West may be a bit cheaper than the South West where I am, food etc is still expensive. Most ex-pats are insulated against inflation by the exchange rate, currently 21 Tl to the pound as I am ( my income is from UK sources) but it's still noticeable. Like some others I've started tipping more and not picking up the change in the smaller shops. Apparently, every little helps!

Domestic users have been pretty well protected against electricity price rises, but govt support for business ended in March and along with fuel price rises, costs have been passed on to the consumer. No idea what supermarket meat costs, but butchers
Chicken breast went from 9 lev to 13.50 per kg (£5.66)
Beef and pork, for some reason, hasn't increased much, approx 9.50 lev per kg (£4.13)

Milk from the village shop has increased from 1.70 to 3 lev a litre (£1.31)
Bread went from 1.20 to 1.70 (£0.74)
English bacon (it really is made in England) is 7 lev for 6 slices (£3.05)
Petrol changes all the time, but approx rise from 2.30 lev to 3.15 per litre (£1.37)
500ml of beer went from 1.10 to 1.40 lev (£0.61). I can live with that

No idea how those prices compare to the UK or Turkey, many who live between Bulgaria and UK say food is now more expensive in Bulgaria.

Edit: most Bulgies (and expats) go to Turkey to stock up on general household shopping (mostly non-food), clothes, kitchen and other electrical appliances, floorcoverings etc. Oh, and hardwood furniture, far cheaper in Turkey and when handmade the craftmanship is much better.

[Asian Boss]

The most important thing is, as David "fuck the poor and screw the green crap" Cameron led us to, is to keep it Brexity. Nice and Brexity.

You don't like Cameron or Brexit but what's your opinion on energy prices, polluters pay or help the poor?

The northern poor voted against a massive domestic insulation program, opting for getting it done and sending them back instead.

Now they have the warmth of crowns on pint glasses. And the energy of sovereignty. (Sovereignty being fewer checks and balances on our government - which is ideal as they seem to be doing everything so well).

They knew what they were voting for and this was what they wanted all along.

[Asian Boss]

From a wider and more altruistic long term viewpoint, the increasing cost of energy is a real blessing for moving towards Net Zero and for anyone involved in domestic renewable energy.

We could really do with petrol / diesel going up to £3 a litre and flight prices to triple too.

There's certainly additional green taxes coming through for Extended Producer Responsibility and the Plastic Packaging Tax as well.

[Kneerly Down]

That's a good freezer if it keeps frozen steaks edible for more than 30 years.

Frozen beef will be safe indefinitely

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long ... reeze-beef



I made some kebabs with meat we'd had in our freezer for about 3 years....tasted fab.

[Hoonercat]

That's a good freezer if it keeps frozen steaks edible for more than 30 years.

Frozen beef will be safe indefinitely

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long ... reeze-beef



I made some kebabs with meat we'd had in our freezer for about 3 years....tasted fab.

I wish I'd known that.
The dogs don't

[Yorick]

I'm not up to date with all the UK stuff.
But wondering how much your daft inflation rate is caused by the Ruskies?
If the war ends soon and no more gas problems, would inflation drop?

[Count Steer]

That's a good freezer if it keeps frozen steaks edible for more than 30 years.

Frozen beef will be safe indefinitely

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long ... reeze-beef



I made some kebabs with meat we'd had in our freezer for about 3 years....tasted fab.

There's 'safe' and then there's 'edible'.

3yrs/kebabs probably

30+ years might not do your Wagyu steaks any favours*.

Hmm...with all this global warming there may be a few freshly thawed woolly mammoth chops coming on the market.

* If you vacuum packed them first they might actually be OK. Dehydration is the main issue with most stuff in domestic freezers because stuff isn't packed properly..

[Mussels]

I'm not up to date with all the UK stuff.
But wondering how much your daft inflation rate is caused by the Ruskies?
If the war ends soon and no more gas problems, would inflation drop?

As fuel is used to calculate inflation then it has a lot to do with it. Negative inflation is possible, normally it is highly unlikely but these are strange times.

[Count Steer]

I'm not up to date with all the UK stuff.
But wondering how much your daft inflation rate is caused by the Ruskies?
If the war ends soon and no more gas problems, would inflation drop?

Inflation rate will drop but whether it will go -ve and prices go back to where they were? Most unlikely. The oil and gas issue is masking one or two other underlying issues. It will settle but there will have been a step change. It's going to stay painful for anyone that can't up a lowish income for the foreseeable future.

OTOH if it does go negative and we get a really hard recession...that's going to be painful too.

Probably best to hibernate...for 3 years.

Edit: ^^^^ that all reads like a fortune cookie.

[Hoonercat]

Domestic users have been pretty well protected against electricity price rises, but govt support for business ended in March and along with fuel price rises, costs have been passed on to the consumer. No idea what supermarket meat costs, but butchers
Chicken breast went from 9 lev to 13.50 per kg (£5.66)
Beef and pork, for some reason, hasn't increased much, approx 9.50 lev per kg (£4.13)

Just went back and checked this, and while support did end in March, it was re-introduced in May on a two-monthly basis (the amount of support changes every 2 months). That would explain why Mrs Beef and Pork butcher has only increased prices slightly (to cover the extra transport costs), while Mr Chicken butcher has been properly taking the piss. On the plus side, I get served straight away as he's lost so much custom

Just checked my electricity bill, went up 3.4% last month, capped until July 2023. From memory, that's about the same increase as last year.

[Skub]

Just been reamed for nearly a bag of sand for 900 litres of heating oil.

[Count Steer]

I'm not up to date with all the UK stuff.
But wondering how much your daft inflation rate is caused by the Ruskies?
If the war ends soon and no more gas problems, would inflation drop?

No it won't.
The price of fuel might drop, but the supply of money in the system will still be the same, with the eventual same results. Prices rise and fall in sporadic response to various things, but over time everything always goes up in price, that's a strategy, it has to be created, it's not some sort of cosmic financial entropy law that happens by accident.

Like I said, I'm talking to a brick wall.

Sorry, but you haven't actually told us what you want us all to do about it. As far as I know only Gremlin is a banker and he's not BofE. I could try phoning Andrew Bailey I suppose.

(QE had it's uses in getting stagnant economies to develop and maintain a small inflationary 'head' of a couple of % but there's always going to be a payback. The problem was, having been seen to work-ish a couple of times inc. In Japan, it became the go-to solution for all economic woes. Yes, it kicked the can down the road for a while and yes, there's a price to pay and yes, some of us saw it coming. (Some even predicted pandemics are inevitable too).

But. What do you want us to do about it? Prepare for hard times, complain to someone, say 'Gosh, you're so right Potter', vote Raving Loony Party, emigrate, start a Facebook group.......????

[slowsider]

That's a good freezer if it keeps frozen steaks edible for more than 30 years.

Frozen beef will be safe indefinitely

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long ... reeze-beef



I made some kebabs with meat we'd had in our freezer for about 3 years....tasted fab.

USDA - dont they endorse washing chicken with bleach?

[MrLongbeard]

USDA - dont they endorse washing chicken with bleach?

Chlorine.
The same stuff your leafy greens are washed in here

[Davie lad]

Just been reamed for nearly a bag of sand for 900 litres of heating oil.

Got reamed on Friday for £1175, 1200 liters of oil…. GGGrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Count Steer]

USDA - dont they endorse washing chicken with bleach?

Chlorine.
The same stuff your leafy greens are washed in here

Point of order. Chlorine is a gas.

[Yorick]

USDA - dont they endorse washing chicken with bleach?

Chlorine.
The same stuff your leafy greens are washed in here

Point of order. Chlorine is a gas.

I buy it in tubs for the pool.