Gosh, how the price of things has increased! Yesterday, Tuesday 8th November 2022, I went to Waitrose and spent a fraction over £100 on food and other household goods. It dipped down to £99.41 after the local council car parking was refunded at the till. But even so, the era of three-figure shopping bills had clearly begun.
I hadn't bought an exceptional amount of shopping. Yes, back from holiday, I had stocked up a bit on various things that had become depleted while away, such as breakfast cereal, tea, steak and fresh fish, but the largest individual item was a tenner for a bottle of wine for next Sunday, when I'll be lunching at a friend's.
But there was of course the 'Waitrose premium' to pay. I could have saved myself at least £20 by traipsing around two or more discount stores and buying there instead. But to offset that saving, I'd have to count the fuel expense, and the sheer effort of visiting multiple shops. And I wouldn't have the distinct pleasure and convenience of shopping at my local Waitrose early in the day, when I'm outnumbered by staff making sure the shelves are fully-stocked, and not crowded by the kind of people you might meet in other stores. In any case, I have a few favourite staff in my local Waitrose, and my twice-weekly visits are in truth part of my social life during the week. In other stores there isn't the same opportunity for a chat, however brief. And the particular Waitrose I go to is the anchor store in Burgess Hill town centre, with Boots right next door, and a good selection of other shops just steps away. There are many good reasons to make Burgess Hill town centre my main shopping destination, and Waitrose my food store of choice.
Still, £100. And I shop for food and household goods twice a week. Will it be another £100 next Friday? And therefore £200 every week? When a year ago it used to be about £110 or so?
No, now that I'm home for the winter, my shopping will settle down to a very predictable pattern, and I think I'll be actually be looking at 'only' £130 or so in an average week. I can afford that; and I can if necessary make some food items more of an occasional treat, rather than a regular thing. But things like toiletries and detergents for washing clothes can't be rationed so easily, and they have become expensive too. Oh well, some other economies may have to be made. Thank goodness I have only my own needs to consider.
It looks to me as if high prices are going to be normal henceforth, and one had best get used to this. I had allocated £6,725 for food and household shopping in 2023 - both when at home, and when away in the caravan - but that may now prove insufficient.
