Cost of living squeeze in 2022
Discussion
tannhauser said:
I think we’ve plateaued with technological progress somewhat. And there’s been a constant drive for lower costs. We can only go so far. We’ve ran out of ideas, and resources are finite.
Have we?Battery tech is improving, so is automation of data processing, to pick just two examples off the top of my head. As I have said though technological progress doesn't necessarily improve living standards on its own. It depends on the policies in place and the general economic climate.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
There are plenty of people far smarter than me who have simply thrown their hands in the air and said "we don't know" when it comes to the current financial situation.It's very very difficult to try to navigate and is a treacherous environment.
I agree that consumerism is arguably a bad thing (throw away culture etc.) but that it also keeps a lot of people employed.
What I don't understand is the handful of posters on this thread who seem to be actively wishing some sort of financial armageddon upon people.
That's pretty bloody weird.
xeny said:
stongle said:
Property value tax won't work. Although I understand why anyone outside the SE thinks its a great idea.
I'm in the SE, and intrigued why it wouldn't work.My view is that might make it a vote-killer, but doesn’t mean a tax wouldn’t work.
Individuals who can’t afford the property tax should sell up and move somewhere cheaper, just as if they couldn’t afford the heating.
In the very long term prices (whether that's consumables, housing or nearly anything else) can only grow when supported by per capita income growth. In the short term you might be able to use monetary policy to inflate asset prices and harness the wealth effect but the ability to do so is typically limited by the prevailing inflationary environment. Consequently things that drive per capita income growth, like productivity, are important.
Allowing inflation to blow out is actually a good short-term strategy for a quarter or two. However I wouldn't suggest embracing the Turkish School of Economics because inflation expectations become unanchored and people start to flee the currency and the inflation situation snowballs. It's actually important people view a currency as a relatively stable store of value over time.
Allowing inflation to blow out is actually a good short-term strategy for a quarter or two. However I wouldn't suggest embracing the Turkish School of Economics because inflation expectations become unanchored and people start to flee the currency and the inflation situation snowballs. It's actually important people view a currency as a relatively stable store of value over time.
tannhauser said:
JagLover said:
There is no ceiling on growth, that genuinely improves living standards, as long as technological progress continues. The fact we have seen little such growth over the past couple of decades, for the average worker in particular, is mainly due to policy mistakes and priorities. It does however remain possible.
what complete bulls
t! I think we’ve plateaued with technological progress somewhat. And there’s been a constant drive for lower costs. We can only go so far. We’ve ran out of ideas, and resources are finite.However it's always seemed too pessimistic in my view. The main argument seems to be an energy bottleneck will stop growth. Even if you accept, as many people do, we will have to stop using fossil fuels we are only at the very early stages of harnessing earths natural resources like Uranium and Thorium.
speedy_thrills said:
However it's always seemed too pessimistic in my view. Even if you accept, as many people do, we will have to stop using fossil fuels we are only at the very early stages of harnessing earths natural resources like Uranium and Thorium.
There may well be resource constraints on future growth. Then again they might well have said in the Bronze age that we could never grow much further due to shortages of tin......The point is we don't know what sources of energy can be cheaply harnessed and what materials can be used.
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: I agree that consumerism is arguably a bad thing (throw away culture etc.) but that it also keeps a lot of people employed.
What I don't understand is the handful of posters on this thread who seem to be actively wishing some sort of financial armageddon upon people.
That's pretty bloody weird.
Because the current status quo is unsustainable and it needs to stop sooner rather than later.What I don't understand is the handful of posters on this thread who seem to be actively wishing some sort of financial armageddon upon people.
That's pretty bloody weird.
Deep Thought said:
tannhauser said:
Because the current status quo is unsustainable and it needs to stop sooner rather than later.
It won't stop. Accept that and find a better plan to buy your dream home than the collapse of the economyAfter all, if you look at a long timeframe the last 100 years in the western world is an anomaly. Historically the very rich owned almost everything and the majority were poor and struggled to survive.
The worrying thing is that in those times the rich still needed people for manual Labour - a lot of that need has now been automated.
In reality, large corporations now hold far more power than governments, so consumerism is unlikely to stop.
Much more likely that stuff like universal basic income will subsidise low paid workers, who will be renting accommodation owned by large banks / investment firms.
JagLover said:
speedy_thrills said:
However it's always seemed too pessimistic in my view. Even if you accept, as many people do, we will have to stop using fossil fuels we are only at the very early stages of harnessing earths natural resources like Uranium and Thorium.
There may well be resource constraints on future growth. Then again they might well have said in the Bronze age that we could never grow much further due to shortages of tin......The point is we don't know what sources of energy can be cheaply harnessed and what materials can be used.
Thorium salt reactors, fusion (yes, I know, it's always been a 'few decades away'!), etc.
Then add in stuff like molecular '3d printing' and as long as you have matter available, job's a good un.
Crikey, we could even be looking at asteroid capture to provide more rare materials than we could shake a stick at.
princeperch said:
Hadn't had to fill the jam jar up for a few weeks and hadn't been looking at fuel prices. Looks like they've jumped considerably again recently- petrol is 173p at my local esso. That has to sting if you have to drive everyday, no two ways about it.
Even with the 'not 1p, not 2p, but 5p reduction in fuel duty'?? 
tannhauser said:
65 to fill my Jazz today. I guess you have to laugh. Thank fk I do a fraction of the mileage I used to! The BMWs will be over 100 now. This is really going to hit a lot of people in the pocket.
The gas guzzlers can stay at home. Besides, I like driving my Jazz on local back roads, where most of my journeys take me. I enjoy modest machinery as much as I do flashy.
Good plan. I’ve just got a cheap Nissan Juke for cutting around in. Shed life. Cheap motoring. Enjoy driving it. k I do a fraction of the mileage I used to! The BMWs will be over 100 now. This is really going to hit a lot of people in the pocket.The gas guzzlers can stay at home. Besides, I like driving my Jazz on local back roads, where most of my journeys take me. I enjoy modest machinery as much as I do flashy.
emicen said:
Welshbeef said:
emicen said:
Welshbeef said:
So daily walk and paper popped into Budgens to see reduced whole chickens 1.4kg each.
RRP 5.99
Reduced to clear price 1.64.
I bought 5 of them - we are having a big bbq needed 10 breasts and thighs etc. we’ve saved a lot.
Who said yesterday reduced to clear would vanish - no it will not.
RRP 5.99
Reduced to clear price 1.64.
I bought 5 of them - we are having a big bbq needed 10 breasts and thighs etc. we’ve saved a lot.
Who said yesterday reduced to clear would vanish - no it will not.
Did ye aye?
True story dat Fam.
Picture of till receipt in front of 5, discount marked, whole chickens please…
Deep Thought said:
tannhauser said:
Because the current status quo is unsustainable and it needs to stop sooner rather than later.
It won't stop. Accept that and find a better plan to buy your dream home than the collapse of the economyThrottlebody said:
tannhauser said:
65 to fill my Jazz today. I guess you have to laugh. Thank fk I do a fraction of the mileage I used to! The BMWs will be over 100 now. This is really going to hit a lot of people in the pocket.
The gas guzzlers can stay at home. Besides, I like driving my Jazz on local back roads, where most of my journeys take me. I enjoy modest machinery as much as I do flashy.
Good plan. I’ve just got a cheap Nissan Juke for cutting around in. Shed life. Cheap motoring. Enjoy driving it. k I do a fraction of the mileage I used to! The BMWs will be over 100 now. This is really going to hit a lot of people in the pocket.The gas guzzlers can stay at home. Besides, I like driving my Jazz on local back roads, where most of my journeys take me. I enjoy modest machinery as much as I do flashy.
survivalist said:
Deep Thought said:
tannhauser said:
Because the current status quo is unsustainable and it needs to stop sooner rather than later.
It won't stop. Accept that and find a better plan to buy your dream home than the collapse of the economyAfter all, if you look at a long timeframe the last 100 years in the western world is an anomaly. Historically the very rich owned almost everything and the majority were poor and struggled to survive.
The worrying thing is that in those times the rich still needed people for manual Labour - a lot of that need has now been automated.
In reality, large corporations now hold far more power than governments, so consumerism is unlikely to stop.
Much more likely that stuff like universal basic income will subsidise low paid workers, who will be renting accommodation owned by large banks / investment firms.
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