Energy Prices

[Detournement]

1 minute ago, oaksoft said:

One of these days you're going to be right about something. 

Just like those doomsday cultists. 

You are talking about "mass closures of businesses" so you are on the right track. 

The scary thing is that we are only in year one of this and there is no indication the government intend to take any steps to protect average people. The news about Netherlands and Ireland preparing to lower food domestic production is a very clear indicator of where we are headed. 

[Detournement]

 

[The Moonster]

1 hour ago, virginton said:

The 2pm kick-off idea is a sensible mitigation though. Morton's energy costs are apparently up 300% already and we no longer have some daft sugar daddy writing IOUs for his sprogs to collect later. So that cost leads to a threadbare squad being signed as well as an extra 10% hike in walk-up ticket prices. When people complain about paying £22 for a game at Cappielow - well energy costs are a big reason why that's the price now. 

Business energy use will quite possibly be rationed across Europe this winter so football clubs scheduling to use a set of floodlights every fortnight is daft.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lanarkshire/lanarkshire-brewery-calls-day-amidst-27635577

Other businesses will be collapsing left, right and centre for similar cost reasons and if Scottish football doesn't adapt then a lot of its clubs will follow. 

Not against a 2pm kick off but regionalising the lower leagues is a pish idea, which was my gripe with the previous poster. 

[V.Aye.R]

1 hour ago, oaksoft said:

You are right that a lot of people who should be comfortable financially will have left themselves exposed with potentially no way out.

For those people that you describe, the next year is going to be a life-changing experience.

I think it's fair to say that very few people of working age will remember the last time things were as bad as they are about to be.

It all feels a bit surreal really. Almost reminiscent of covid just before lockdown when most people didn't believe for one second that our way of life could change overnight. Until it did.

Not sure how we're going to avoid mass closures of businesses either. They're not on capped energy usages. If we see mass closures that'll be countless folk on comfortable salaries suddenly dragged into potential disaster overnight.

It's still possible that our new PM Liz Truss will fix all this before the shit hits the fan in about 6 weeks time of course....

If I'm honest, I don't have a huge amount of sympathy. 

Some people are totally irresponsible with how they spend their money and the exposure they create for themselves. 

Myself and the missus have always lived on one salary despite both bringing one in. Could have the fancy cars, new kitchen etc but it's just keeping up with the Jones' behaviour going down that route. 

[SuperSaints1877]

1 hour ago, oaksoft said:

Is it me SuperSaints?

Is everyone else normal and sane and I'm just not "getting with the program"?

It is me isn't it?

You can say it.

Go on.

You and I and many others on here try not to succumb to the power of advertising and consumerism. The marketing budgets and advertising methods that companies use to exploit peoples weaknesses is obviously working.

As for you being sane. I’d say you are definitely OFTW.

[mathematics]

1 hour ago, oaksoft said:

Or buy cars primarily in only 3 colours - white, grey and black

I can answer this one. Car manufacturers produce these ones in huge quantities and hence sell them for cheaper than “exotic” colours.

[Bonksy+HisChristianParade]

I drive a black car and have mobile banking. I feel personally attacked by oaksoft

[mathematics]

Just now, Bonksy+HisChristianParade said:

I drive a black car and have mobile banking. I feel personally attacked by oaksoft

Ditto. Bullying, IMO.

[scottsdad]

Scottish Power update. 

Their complaint department has sent me a new final bill for almost £3,000 and asking me to pay it. For those unfamiliar with my case, I left them in 2015 and last month they sent me a bill out of the blue for almost £12k. I have complained and they have revised their numbers. 

Looking at the bill, the payments made and energy use etc. all balances exactly. But they added this charge of almost £3k in 2019 simply labelled as "Mass Write-Off". 

I have got back to them telling them to recalculate it again without this mysterious charge added. When they do that, they will owe me 7 pence. 

[flyingscot]

3 hours ago, virginton said:

The 2pm kick-off idea is a sensible mitigation though. Morton's energy costs are apparently up 300% already and we no longer have some daft sugar daddy writing IOUs for his sprogs to collect later. So that cost leads to a threadbare squad being signed as well as an extra 10% hike in walk-up ticket prices. When people complain about paying £22 for a game at Cappielow - well energy costs are a big reason why that's the price now. 

Business energy use will quite possibly be rationed across Europe this winter so football clubs scheduling to use a set of floodlights every fortnight is daft.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lanarkshire/lanarkshire-brewery-calls-day-amidst-27635577

Other businesses will be collapsing left, right and centre for similar cost reasons and if Scottish football doesn't adapt then a lot of its clubs will follow. 

Actually agree. Moving kick-offs forward on Saturdays in winter would be a decent idea especially if clubs are struggling. Probably has to be 1.30 Nov to Jan like the juniors however. 

[flyingscot]

3 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Yep. Not remotely interested in getting one as there's no benefit to me at all.

At some point I suspect those on smart meters will be offered a cheaper deal to force others to get one but until then it's a solid nope from me.

As soon as they are everywhere, sure as hell they'll be charging more for peak time usage.

It's all a massive financial trap

This already exists. Octopus offer Agile and Tracker tariffs. They don't really work at the moment as the price is so high wholesale wise but years ago there was some benefit, especially if you have storage heaters or electric cars as nightime costs were low. 

[Bairnardo]

This already exists. Octopus offer Agile and Tracker tariffs. They don't really work at the moment as the price is so high wholesale wise but years ago there was some benefit, especially if you have storage heaters or electric cars as nightime costs were low. 

Think agile still works if you have storage. I have a battery, and so the ability to charge it on a cheaper rate is a no brainer. I need to get switched over though and that requires a smart meter.

[Left Back]

Just now, flyingscot said:

This already exists. Octopus offer Agile and Tracker tariffs. They don't really work at the moment as the price is so high wholesale wise but years ago there was some benefit, especially if you have storage heaters or electric cars as nightime costs were low. 

I was on Agile Octopus until the prices started rising.  Moved onto a fixed tariff in December last year.  I've been looking at their newest tariff (Intelligent Octopus).  From what I can see you can fix for a couple of pence less than the unit cost is expected to go up to in October and still get the benefit of 7.5p per kWh overnight.  

[Gordon EF]

5 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

It obviously does work. Not sure why people fall for sales and marketing lines but they clearly do. In vast numbers.

The car situation is an interesting one.

For years there was shame in borrowing money to pay for something flashy that you couldn't afford, so people bought cheaper cars than they wanted.

Somewhere along the line that attitude changed and became "Why not rent one, that way you get a flashier car  than you could ever afford outright and you get a new one every 3 years. Buying is a mug's game." Some people are about to learn the lesson of that change in mindset.

I'm not meaning to have a go at what folk choose to do with their money (including taking out loans) but it stark the difference you seen in the standard of cars walking around these days. 10/15 years ago, if you walked round a posh neighbourhood, you'd see fancy, expensive cars. If you walked round a poorer area, you'd see cheaper, older cars. Now you can walk around almost any part of a town or city and and see expensive, newer cars.

Maybe cars have become relatively more affordable but it's clearly been an absolute victory for car dealers and financiers in convincing folk to part with far more money for a car than they were 10/20 years ago.

[V.Aye.R]

30 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

TBH, this isn't really a route of thought that I want to go down despite being similar to you as regards your last paragraph.

It's not really an issue of sympathy for people in that situation (or gloating at them for that matter).

The fact of the matter is that any government help needs to be directed at those right at the bottom in terms of earnings.

After that, I just don't think there will be enough to help anyone else including those who have over-extended.

Some people, maybe quite a few, will end up bankrupt, potentially losing their houses. I'm not gloating over that.

No gloating from me. 

People who have an above average income and over extend are in my view asking for trouble. 

History tells you of crashes so its just a matter of time until one comes along. 

It's grim that people need to learn the hard way but its inevitable that those who are over exposed through unnecessary spending will suffer. 

[Clown Job]

 

[Gordon EF]

9 minutes ago, V.Aye.R said:

No gloating from me. 

People who have an above average income and over extend are in my view asking for trouble. 

History tells you of crashes so its just a matter of time until one comes along. 

It's grim that people need to learn the hard way but its inevitable that those who are over exposed through unnecessary spending will suffer. 

If you're relatively well off but hit problems because you're over-extended, you should at least have options to sort yourself out. They might be sore ones to take but you should be able to reduce your spending or down-size your property (if you own one). I have way less sympathy for folk in that situation than folk who're getting skewered by sheer bad luck and circumstance whilst on lower incomes.

I think too many folk feel like downsizing your lifestyle is an intolerable hardship. It's not.

[dundeefc1783]

44 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

Here's a great example:

Nearly New 2022 (22) Citroën C4 1.2 PureTech [130] C-Series Edition 5dr in Stirling | Arnold Clark

This (I have to admit unbelievably fugly) car is a 2022 model and costs £23k to buy new. Almost nobody is buying that car at that price.

But you can hire it for 4 years for £350 per month. For many people this is a no brainer even though they'll have paid about £16.5k over that period and still won't own the car. They can have the flashy car and they ignore the £16.5k bit. That's an incredible sales trick to pull off. Even people living in rough estates can afford this sort of monthly payment which explains what you are seeing when you walk around almost any area.

It taps into anyone who has no patience to wait for a reward but wants stuff right now.

That's how they've done it.

Of course, anyone in that situation is now stuck as prices rise.

I have regularly done pcp type deals as they suit my circumstances. I like to have a new/newish car every 2/3 years as I don't want to own the car outright. 

[scottsdad]

15 minutes ago, Clown Job said:

 

Thank God for that!

[welshbairn]

Just about everyone who has recently bought their first house or flat will be extended to the max. If interest rates keep going up say to Truss's economist guru's prediction, 7%, or higher, they'll be fucked.