Why you should consider moving to Cyprus

[Dominic]

We got petrol for £1.70. Mind you, we also saw it on offer elsewhere for £1.84. I had forgotten how much the price of petrol can vary in the UK, often within a few miles.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that everything was smelling of roses. But the portrayal of Britain you get in the British media these days is incredibly negative, and not what we found at all. And we didn't just spend all our time in leafy Surrey. We attended a wedding in North Wales which and were stationed there for nearly a week.

On a side bar, I had never been to North Wales before, and was taken aback by its beauty. It was difficult coming to terms with proper tides again though, as opposed to the piddly ones we get here. I walked out about half a mile (allowing for exaggeration) before I was deep enough to swim a bit.

[Dominic]

Another thing to bear in mind, inflation isn't just restricted to the UK:

https://www.paphoslife.com/news/consume ... _inflation

[Jim B]

We got petrol for £1.70. Mind you, we also saw it on offer elsewhere for £1.84. I had forgotten how much the price of petrol can vary in the UK, often within a few miles.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that everything was smelling of roses. But the portrayal of Britain you get in the British media these days is incredibly negative, and not what we found at all. And we didn't just spend all our time in leafy Surrey. We attended a wedding in North Wales which and were stationed there for nearly a week.

On a side bar, I had never been to North Wales before, and was taken aback by its beauty. It was difficult coming to terms with proper tides again though, as opposed to the piddly ones we get here. I walked out about half a mile (allowing for exaggeration) before I was deep enough to swim a bit.

I just Googled average petrol prices and that was the figure at noon yesterday.

Must agree North Wales is amazingly beautiful. My wife has a thing about castles so I took her on a grand tour from Flint around to Harlech via Beaumaris Castle on Angelsey. We went as far as Barmouth and then cut in land to Ludlow, another fascinating town. We intend to continue down the west coast.and visit all the castles in South Wales.
When we were kids we used to spend most of the Bank Holidays camping on Angelsey or Snowdonia, they were great days.
As for tides, the lifeguards in Southport near where I'm from are said to ride camels because of the distance the tide goes out.

[trevnhil]

Screenshot_20220810_183136_com.opera.browser.jpg

Perhaps you were lucky in your choice of products in the supermarket

I can't help but notice that your chart shows page 1 of 6. The price rise is steadily decreasing in your chart, and by Page 6 it includes price reductions. The average price increase is a lot less than your figures quoted, because you have skimmed off the top 15%. Had you used Page 6 instead of Page 1, you could have argued (incorrectly) that there was no inflation. You are being equally disingenuous by only showing page 1.

Yes, certainly selective in showing the highest increases on page 1,however it's ONLY the very last page that shows some decreases, and these are completely non essential items. Every other page shows an increase

Les, why not post the link to the article, and then we can see all the pages

[PhotoLady]

Good idea

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-12196322

Copied from the same article, as some people just won't click....

What's happening in other countries?
Other countries are also experiencing a cost of living squeeze.

The same reasons are often involved - increased energy costs, shortages of goods and materials and the fallout from Covid.

The ONS says UK inflation is similar to the European Union average.

In the eurozone, the latest estimate of annual inflation was 8.6%.

In the United States, inflation hit 9.1% in the 12 months to June - a 40-year high, the US Labor Department said.

[Firefly]

Jim B

No we don't have to repay the £400 grant, and how has the WFA been cut by £20 per week ? It has always remained the same at £200 per annum until my husband reached eighty, then it increased to £300.

[Jim B]

Hang on, the Winter Fuel Allowance is restricted to over sixties if we're talking about the same thing. Not much good if you're a young family with kids and I was referring to Universal Credit where they took away £20 per week off the poorest section of the community and are now giving less than half back as a grant, bit like cutting the police by 20000 and then bragging about employing 10000.
I was talking to my sister last night her electricity and gas totals £1400 at the moment but has been told it's going up to around £3600 in October and she lives in a small semi.

[josef k]

Do you have any figures?

I ask because I have very accurate figures for the readership of Paphos Life, and the vast majority of non-Cypriot hits come from the UK. So comments here will naturally have a British tilt.

The short answer is no, I have no figures. However, I accept what you say about Paphos Life as it is digital and you have the analytics. My view was based on anecdotal evidence from my own observations regarding the readership of the Cyprus Mail. Most Brits don't read it, and I have noticed it being in houses of various nationalities, including Cypriots. Not very scientific I know, but it does support my view that something written in English has a readership beyond those who are British.

[Firefly]

Jim B

I don't know where in the UK your sister lives, but I can't fathom how on earth her bills are that high. It's too hot to need any form of heating on, salads are the go to food in this weather. Showers don't use much energy, and unless there is a major news item, my TV never goes on before 7.pm. Maybe she chose the wrong supplier. I always shop around, see what they are offering, and look at reviews, before choosing which supplier to go with.

Yes WFA is for the over sixties, but we can't increase our income, as working age people can. Plus more of us baby boomers are home most of the day, so our homes are needing more heating in the winter than people out at work, and children in school.

[PhotoLady]

We have a 2 bed semi bungalow.
We're with Bulb who are in Special Adminstration, bailed out / being supported by the UK Government due to the amount of households involved.
One gas fire and GCH with a third of our radiators not in use for over 18 months as there are double in some rooms we don't need to have switched on.
Electric oven and hob.
TV, just the one which goes on around 6:30pm.
Timers on internal lights.
Gas fire only in the evening when we're both in the living room.
2 pcs which we work from home on, a router and Alexa streaming from 8am until 7pm.
Our monthly utility bill for gas and electricity is currently £194 and rising constantly.
The daily standing charge for electricity went from just over 20p per day to 48p per day - and it's this which is crazy. For what reason does it increase?
It's time standing charge was built into the overall KWH rate so everyone can compare the supplier rates on a like for like basis.

[Firefly]

Photolady

You both work from home, therefore you have an income which is not a pension payment.

Does your employer not pay you for part of the cost of electricity you both use at home ? You are also able to claim tax relief for that I understand.

L.B.

The prices of everything is increasing the world over, including Cyprus, at least we have received, and are still due to receive, some help from our Government, in the form of cash payments. Maybe there is more to come, who knows.

[Dominic]

Nobody is denying that inflation is increasing. It is just the amount that is under question.

[PolemIan]

Latest, published last week, cost of living data for Cyprus from Cystat.

https://www.pio.gov.cy/en/press-release ... l?id=29503

Ian

[trevnhil]

In recent times the rise has become a steeper incline

[PhotoLady]

Photolady

You both work from home, therefore you have an income which is not a pension payment.

You have no idea of my life at home or what money comes in, let alone where or how it is earned.
It's a life we made a conscious decision on until our government pension kicks in, but that's 2 and 6 years away.
Up to this year, it's been working for us but now we're using the small nest egg we had behind us to support ourselves.

[Firefly]

PL

You did state that you both work from home, maybe I'm wrong, but to me, 'working', implies being in receipt of an income.

My humble apologies if your work does not produce an income.

[Firefly]

LB

I did not say that we did not have inflation, please not not twist my post to make a cheap shot.

[Poppy]

Jim B you are wrong on so many things! As Firefly has said the £ 400 which will be credited to everyones fuel account in 6 monthly instalments of £66 is non repayable. - FACT. Everyone in the UK who lives in a BandA-D council tax home received £150 in early Summer - FACT. The £20 Universal credit you are talking about was a TEMPORARY uplift during Covid. Everyone was made well aware that it was temporary - FACT. People on low incomes/ benefits have already received a payment of £350 and a further similar payment due in the Autumn - FACT. Everyone on most disability benefits is receiving £150 per person in September - FACT. As Firefly says this years WFA ( winter fuel allowance) is £500 per household or £600 if over 80 - FACT! I live in a 2 bed well insulated bungalow and my last monthly bill for gas and electric was £90 and that is on a fixed rate until April next year - FACT! The £5000 suggested per annum next year is certainly not for people like me and should the tarifs go to an anticipated rate( only gueswork at this stage) then this would raise my bills to £2500 which equates to approx £210 per month - FACT! I think we have done incredibly well with the help we have all had from the Government and almost forgot those on very low incomes can also obtain grants from their fuel companies - FACT!! Incidentally finally petrol prices are tumbling over here and apparently set to reduce by a further 15 p per litre

[Poppy]

We have a 2 bed semi bungalow.
We're with Bulb who are in Special Adminstration, bailed out / being supported by the UK Government due to the amount of households involved.
One gas fire and GCH with a third of our radiators not in use for over 18 months as there are double in some rooms we don't need to have switched on.
Electric oven and hob.
TV, just the one which goes on around 6:30pm.
Timers on internal lights.
Gas fire only in the evening when we're both in the living room.
2 pcs which we work from home on, a router and Alexa streaming from 8am until 7pm.
Our monthly utility bill for gas and electricity is currently £194 and rising constantly.
The daily standing charge for electricity went from just over 20p per day to 48p per day - and it's this which is crazy. For what reason does it increase?
It's time standing charge was built into the overall KWH rate so everyone can compare the supplier rates on a like for like basis.

For goodness sake what are you doing having heating on? We live in the North East and have had no heating on since April! I am on a fixed rate tarif set in April which is higher than the current variable rate and it is 9.3p for gas and 33,7p for electricity. I pay £120 per month on DD, my last bill in July was £90 and I am £66 in credit. - FACT!!

[PhotoLady]

Poppy, where did I say we have the heating on.

The post was about what we use when we need to use it. Only a couple of weeks ago it was necessary to put the gas fire on in the evening.

The gas central heating hasn't been on for several months. Our consumption is down but the monthly bill rarely drops much because the standing charges per day have increased.

We're on a monthly direct debit payment to spread the bills over a full year. It means you build up credit over the summer months to cover the costs over winter.

That's not happening as the kWh rate is increasing with every month that passes - not usage, which is down!

We're £120 in credit as of the fifth of this month