High Inflation.

Just did an Asda shop of one of the minor items I buy regularly. 42.5% increase on one commodity. Needless to say I'm now on the lookout elsewhere.

When I worked full time I always took packed lunch and if driving any distance, or working anywhere without kitchen facilities, I take a flask of coffe and a bottle filled with tap water. My daughters’ generation can’t be bothered and always head straight for Costa or a posher coffee shop or sandwich bar. And wherever they might economise, it won’t be cutting back on nails, hair, brow and lash treatments. It infuriates me and perhaps they are kicking back at the frugalities they grew up with, they don’t live at home and they are high earners, but I have no sympathy if ever they do complain at the cost of living!

vegansrock needs must. I dont particularly want to return to the 70's were my parents fed me and my two children twice a week, even if it was just egg and chips. We didn't have a car or even our own telephone. We hardly went out anywhere other than once a week each to an evening class or a hobby. When the circumstances dictate it belts have to be tightened where possible. Itsthose who have nowhere to tighten that I'm.sorry for. I including some of my fellow pensioners.

I'm really fed up with the poor me interviews on the TV as they moan about not having enough money to feed the kids yet they have top of the range mobile phone fancy manicures etc they haven't a clue what it's like to be really hard up

katy1950

I'm really fed up with the poor me interviews on the TV as they moan about not having enough money to feed the kids yet they have top of the range mobile phone fancy manicures etc they haven't a clue what it's like to be really hard up

Do they have their phones out when they're being interviewed? How do you know they have top of the range phones? And how do you know they didn't do their own nails?

PS. You forgot the mega-widescreen TV and the zillions of takeaways.

twiglet77

When I worked full time I always took packed lunch and if driving any distance, or working anywhere without kitchen facilities, I take a flask of coffe and a bottle filled with tap water. My daughters’ generation can’t be bothered and always head straight for Costa or a posher coffee shop or sandwich bar. And wherever they might economise, it won’t be cutting back on nails, hair, brow and lash treatments. It infuriates me and perhaps they are kicking back at the frugalities they grew up with, they don’t live at home and they are high earners, but I have no sympathy if ever they do complain at the cost of living!

How old is your daughter? I don't recognise my daughter in your description.

Dinahmo

We should not be a service based economy. We have relied too much in the past on the wealth generated by bankers, insurers, etc etc. We should be moving towards an economy that has a larger proportion of manufacturing industries that at present.

We are also very good at the performing arts which get little support from governments but which were a very good source of revenue.

The "services" include restaurants, hairdressers, manicurists, etc. What do you suggest the UK could manufacture at a lower cost than anybody else?

Aepgirl

People have different priorities these days. Some can’t do without eating out a couple of times a week, having takeaways delivered, 2 holidays a year, huge cars, etc, etc. I think myself lucky that I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, clothes on my back - something the people of Ukraine don’t have at the moment.

Those same people pay the takeaway chefs' and delivery drivers' wages, who then spend their money on keeping somebody else employed and so it goes on ...

growstuff

Dinahmo

We should not be a service based economy. We have relied too much in the past on the wealth generated by bankers, insurers, etc etc. We should be moving towards an economy that has a larger proportion of manufacturing industries that at present.

We are also very good at the performing arts which get little support from governments but which were a very good source of revenue.

The "services" include restaurants, hairdressers, manicurists, etc. What do you suggest the UK could manufacture at a lower cost than anybody else?

There are definitely some things we could do in the UK that would cut down on imports. Long term, wood is definitely one as we are planting more trees anyway, and we import millions of tons every year. We could also grow more of our own produce, and make better use of our natural resources.

Well said Zonne. Completely agree

Casdon

growstuff

Dinahmo

We should not be a service based economy. We have relied too much in the past on the wealth generated by bankers, insurers, etc etc. We should be moving towards an economy that has a larger proportion of manufacturing industries that at present.

We are also very good at the performing arts which get little support from governments but which were a very good source of revenue.

The "services" include restaurants, hairdressers, manicurists, etc. What do you suggest the UK could manufacture at a lower cost than anybody else?

There are definitely some things we could do in the UK that would cut down on imports. Long term, wood is definitely one as we are planting more trees anyway, and we import millions of tons every year. We could also grow more of our own produce, and make better use of our natural resources.

So what should we grow with our home-grown wood and who would buy whatever we produce? Sorry, but I can't see wooden artefacts replacing the money generated by service industries.

Whitewavemark2

economy!

No idea. It is a very low rate compared to the high rates that we experienced back in the late 80s and 90s. quite honestly I can't remember how we coped then with our mortgage repayments increasing quickly.

Mortgage repayments started from a lower share of household income in the 80s and 90s.

I could have written your post katie1949,exactly the same this end.

Casdon

growstuff

Dinahmo

We should not be a service based economy. We have relied too much in the past on the wealth generated by bankers, insurers, etc etc. We should be moving towards an economy that has a larger proportion of manufacturing industries that at present.

We are also very good at the performing arts which get little support from governments but which were a very good source of revenue.

The "services" include restaurants, hairdressers, manicurists, etc. What do you suggest the UK could manufacture at a lower cost than anybody else?

There are definitely some things we could do in the UK that would cut down on imports. Long term, wood is definitely one as we are planting more trees anyway, and we import millions of tons every year. We could also grow more of our own produce, and make better use of our natural resources.

Yes, we definitely need to plant more trees and produce more of our own wood.

In the long-term it would help to cut down on imported types of wood and wood products and will also be good environmentally.

We produce a very small percentage of our own wood in the UK which is very shortsighted.

Sawn softwood, particleboard, fibreboard, and paper and paperboard were overwhelmingly imported from EU countries in 2017 (Table 3.8):

[[https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/forestry-statistics-2018/trade-2/origin-of-wood-imports

Growstuff We have to get used to the idea of not buying clothes from Primark for example. We live in a throwaway society where some garments are only worn once and then discarded. Is that necessary?

More recycling perhaps? Make do and mend? There was an article in the Guardian at the weekend on a Japanese method of repairing clothes, using clever patches and neat stitching. There are several small clothing companies that recycle clothing.

I've had periods in my life when I could afford to sit in the Grand Tier at Covent Garden and others when we've taken sandwiches which we ate on the train and we stood at the back of the stalls.

You could say that my suggestions are rather middle class but it may get to the point when even those in well paid work will have to cut down. Many will be in shock if interest rates go up again with the knock on effect on their mortgages.

Try again:

www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/forestry-statistics-2018/trade-2/origin-of-wood-imports

It could help with our balance of payments.

So what should we grow with our home-grown wood and who would buy whatever we produce? Sorry, but I can't see wooden artefacts replacing the money generated by service industries.
Wood isn't just used for carved fruit bowls and Welsh love spoons.

Dinahmo The countries of the UK have been trading nations for hundreds of years - for a reason. We are a small island and we quite simply do not have the raw materials we need to thrive. It's not just a question of not buying clothes from Primark.

The UK needs to look at what it does well - and that's not making physical "stuff". We could invest in green technology, but we still need to import the raw materials. What we're good at is innovation and using our brains. We're at the forefront of certain technologies and research and we need to exploit that. Our GDP depends on service industries and we can't just change that overnight. Trade with our single largest European trading partner (Germany) is down and nobody has a clue how that can be replaced.

One thing is for sure - a recession now is not going to help anybody, except the very wealthy. One person tightening his/her belt will mean that somebody else's trousers will fall down, as they can't afford to fill their bellies.

Callistemon21

Try again:

www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/forestry-statistics-2018/trade-2/origin-of-wood-imports

It could help with our balance of payments.

So what should we grow with our home-grown wood and who would buy whatever we produce? Sorry, but I can't see wooden artefacts replacing the money generated by service industries.
Wood isn't just used for carved fruit bowls and Welsh love spoons.

Hmm ... I'm sure it will make wonderful electric cars!

Have you ever seen how much space there is in Canada or Finland for growing trees?

Yes, I've been.

But we still have room as much of our land was forested - the trees were cut down, the timber used but the trees never replaced.

Reforesting will also help to prevent flooding.

growstuff

Casdon

growstuff

Dinahmo

We should not be a service based economy. We have relied too much in the past on the wealth generated by bankers, insurers, etc etc. We should be moving towards an economy that has a larger proportion of manufacturing industries that at present.

We are also very good at the performing arts which get little support from governments but which were a very good source of revenue.

The "services" include restaurants, hairdressers, manicurists, etc. What do you suggest the UK could manufacture at a lower cost than anybody else?

There are definitely some things we could do in the UK that would cut down on imports. Long term, wood is definitely one as we are planting more trees anyway, and we import millions of tons every year. We could also grow more of our own produce, and make better use of our natural resources.

So what should we grow with our home-grown wood and who would buy whatever we produce? Sorry, but I can't see wooden artefacts replacing the money generated by service industries.

You asked for some examples. Did you mean you wanted an exhaustive list? Wood is used extensively in the building industry, I was thinking of that rather than ‘artefacts’ - although there is a market for UK made furniture.

if the couple you are talking about is the ones who own a small jam makers, they seem nice and just trying to keep the business going and the ladies attitude was more of a just need to get on with it. i am so lucky i have my son and his family, they do not drink, smoke and only go out as a family or with me on his days off, i live on benefits and have done for 5 years, i live as cheaply as possible, he got me new nighties after a hospital emergency, new microwave when mine broke and helps out with paying for some shopping when i am out with them, they also pay my phone each month on there account. i am so grateful for the help and would never begrudge them buying take ways 3 times a week or spending money on something i see as a waste. he deserves it as he had very little when he was young as his dad was ill for 7 years and we lost him when my son was 16.

I thought demand for wood had gone through the roof, no pun intended. Our son is having an extension and a loft room built but the availability and increased price of wood have caused a delay for a variety of reasons ... lockdown demand, wood usually supplied from Russia and Ukraine etc.
I think it is timely for businesses and government to create sustainable supply chains in our own country for the future.

There was a time when we made ships, rail carriages and buses. Some buses are made in the UK and some elsewhere - currently some are being made in Egypt. Stadler, a Swiss company are making 30 combined electric/diesel engines for the UK. Previously carriages have been supplied by German manufacturers.

There is very little ship building either. Even the super yachts are built in Germany, Italy or the Netherlands.

Why isn't the UK making them? (I am aware that the UK does make some but not a lot). All these products require a skilled workforce and I assume that the workers are well paid in the European countries that we buy from.

We are good at innovation - there are several small companies involved in the computer games market but when they grow they are sold off, usually to foreign competitors at which point the profits leave the country.

I don't think that there is something to be proud about regarding the number of employees working in bars and doing nails.