I just think it's a real disgrace, the price of money or food at the minute. It's so expensive, literally I can't believe the price of fruit. I mean, both my children's schools, one's 14 and one's ten, they both require fruit daily. But it's getting to the point where it's cheaper to buy biscuits. I know you're not really allowed to send them in with biscuits, but it's just trying to keep up all the time. It's just ridiculous. My son loves strawberries and he's on the spectrum, but he's not diagnosed. And there used to be, like, say, for example, 20 strawberries in a packet, and there used to be, like, £1.99, and now you're getting, like, about ten strawberries if even in a packet, and it's like it can be as much as £3.59.

Yesterday I paid £2.49 for, like, ten strawberries, and I was just like, seriously, what is the point? This is crazy. Then, we used to be able to get wee pots of strawberries, or like mixed fruit, like a wee ready made pot, and it was a pound, and now it's £1.59. And I'm talking about six months ago. Six months ago, it didn't seem this bad. No, it's just really bad.

And I've noticed in Northern Ireland, there is a shortage of fruit. You go to a store and there's very little fruit, and you're like, well, why is that happening? And then when you do get it, it's like an absolute luxury. But these are the things that we are told that we need to give our children for 'five a day', et cetera. And the school isn't budging on the fact that they need fruit for their break and nothing else. So what do you do? You just have to.

What a cold week and iced over this morning. Our buses were off due to strikes and I had no way to get my 14 year old daughter to school. I could have paid for a private taxi but I had little money left over from all the other extra expenses. Food, gas and electric so I had to keep her off very reluctantly I might add. It’s terrible that I had to make that decision based on finances.

Panicking!

It’s always going up!

I used to shop at just one supermarket until I noticed there is a price difference to where you shop. So now I split shop between Asda and Tesco. I don’t drive so rely on delivery.

By comparing what I would buy between the 2, I do save a little each time.

However feeding a family of 5 where 2 are still in nappies is stressful. I have a what I see as a big budget for food for the month but sometimes things happen that cause it to go down.

This month I’m having to use zilch to spread the cost of my food shop over 6 weeks.

I do wish the prices would start to come down!

The cost of food has increased greatly in the last year. It has been harder to budget. I tend to cut meals and I’ve had no choice but to cut down on things such as fruit, soft drinks, fruit juice and snacks. I can only afford to buy essential foods for us. I'm sure this is having an impact on both me and the children, we are certainly unwell often and run down. I think the increased food prices are caused by a number of factors, not just the one can be pinpointed. Overall I expect the costs of food will stay high. We can attribute this to; the war in the Ukraine, Brexit and climate change. I do know that food and fuel costs are a global problem and not simply just affecting the UK.

As the year comes to an end, fear is building up with regards to high cost of living and new things coming to law. Lots of us are so scared of the future but no matter what happens, we are hopeful that somehow we will be fine.

Today is the beginning of the end of the year that started like a marathon. It started with lots of uncertainty with fear as a result of high cost of living. The fear is still there as the cost of living has not come down..

This week, with temperatures plummeting to freezing so frequently the £25 cold weather payment looks set to be on the verge of being paid out to benefit claimants...

"if the average temperature in your area is 0° or below for 7 consecutive days you could be eligible "

Let's break that down..

"Average temperature"???

"7 consecutive days" ???

Seems a case of more Government hand outs that aren't exactly handed out..

In all the years I've been claiming different benefits, I can literally only recall receiving this a few times..

Can't imagine why criteria can't be more in favour of the claimant rather than the Government... It's bitterly cold here in the middle of a cost of living crisis...

I've just been watching "A Christmas Carol" (the animated version from 2009) with my son, & feel the opening scenes are remarkably like the current cost of living crisis 🤔.... Fancy that? Who would have thought Charles Dickens could predict the future so accurately???

It is amazing how with probably even more limited resources, Changing Realities have been able to deliver support to all participants and multiple of timely updates.

You really get to feel ‘part’ of something real and game changing.

We are more than just families spread across the country, we are actually a community of people, coming together for the better good of the community! Kudos to the CR staff team

How there are people who still vote Tory after more shocking revelations from Michael Gove in the Covid Inquiry - is make me wondering what do they benefit from by voting Tory?

I'm going to respond with a poem first & foremost, given the shameless attack on sick & disabled people in the Budget. Originally written for last year's Challenge Poverty Week, I still think it has relevance today. It's called People of Worth.

People Of Worth

I felt productive today.

But the gnawing pain of Fenella,

My inner critic’s voice in my brain

Whispering guilt never quite goes away

Or dissipates.

Chronic illness is thought a drain.

The resultant disability affects my aim

Of being economically active again.

Yet I’m someone worthy of being helped

When, sometimes, I can barely help myself

Too overwhelmed.

As neurons, run ragged by disease

Fire up & stop me;

Feeling ill at ease,

They refuse my aching quest

To push though.

Spasticity calling all the shots, gleeful,

“Ha! Look at you!

You’re weak, you’re lame”

(Fenella’s voice, shrieking in disdain!)

“You’ll never regain

Your competence, your confidence

Your sense of wholeness

Ever again!”

Maybe not today, brain, but here’s the thing

You forget - I still have my voice.

I’ll shout, I’ll chant, I’ll sing

(Like no one's listening!)

“So what? I’m still here!

I’ve survived every flaming obstacle that has ever come my way

So far.”

I deserve dignity & respect

Just like the 14 million plus others, who

Like me

Found life turned upside down instantaneously.

You see, Fenella, dear

Adversity is the forge

Upon which my comrades & I

Will hammer out our truths to Power.

Upon their anvils of incredulity.

To those who fail to listen,

Do not mistakenly dismiss us contemptuously.

Beware!

Our voices, like continuous bouts of tinnitus, will ring out

That we & our communities, are still worthy

Forever bound through hope, courage, love & unity.

Ignore us at your peril!

© SAL Widdop October 2022

So universal credit been in touch with me about my low wage this month bearing in mind I've told them as I struggle with childcare I take parental leave which is for single parents who do struggle with childcare which is unpaid. They're wanting me to go in for an appointment - I've already told them I have to pick my son up from school due to his anxiety of being bullied. I don't live near his school. I had a massive amount of pressure on my shoulders thinking they were going to not pay me.