Inflation

[BlueLoo]

I noticed some of that last year. If in boxes I'm wondering when they will catch up with the size of the stuff inside them. In may cases the plastic trays can hold smaller and smaller items.

Packaging is the next big issue to tackle imho.

 

[BlueLoo]

I have noticed jumps in prices recently.

Even worse, I have seen shrinkflation: packs getting smaller and prices going up.

Christmas is always interesting to see how much smaller the tins of chocolates have gotten.

 

[SUNRAY]

Luck? No luck involved, it's called getting of my arse and making it work for me. At one point I had 4 mortgages, all of which have been self funding. Best bit of financial work I've ever done. I really regret paying into a pension scheme for 20 years.

Got myself out of that game. Too much aggrevation. But yes , better than any pension.
There is an element of luck in that you have no control over whether house prices go up or down , often regardles of how much money you plough in.

Yes there is a sensible approach to it. In my case I have 5 properties my total cash deposit has been ~80K and mortgage before breaking even ~5K, last 3 properties being purchased solely from rental income. Total of 5 25Year mortgages started in 1994, last of which paid off in 2013.
I stopped buying in 2002 when mortgage/rent ratio diminished with increasing property price, an action I have since considered was possibly incorect.
Current profit ~40K pa and decent 6 figures in the bank.I now live in one.
I have always maintained my properties to the standard that I would wish to live in. Accordingly my agents regularly say I do too much but they put better tenants in who look after the place and long tenancies. Currently 17, 14, 6 & ½ years Average tenancy in similar properties ~2-3 years

Conversely personal pension started in 1997 total paid in 50.5K pension 2.5K pa. In hindsight that should have been number 6.

It's not always been plain sailing, I've lost ~£1500 when an agent went bust. A sublet which resulted in lots of debt against the property and redecoration, a tenant being removed by police after a drugs fight (had to replace 2 window frames and 2 internal doors) and a moonlight flit owing 3 months rent but quite soon sent 8 post dated cheques which covered half and the deposit covered a month. Bearing in mind theres >100years worth of rental that's quite a small amount of agravation in my opinion.

 

[securespark]

Christmas is always interesting to see how much smaller the tins of chocolates have gotten.

Part of this is Government insistence that portions of sweets, crisps etc are reduced in size.

 

[securespark]

.

 

[gas112]

pensions not worth it ? depends on what pension.
i have got mates from BG currently retiring on 1 million quid pension pots as standard engineers , ex british steel mate on around 700k pension pots .

 

[BlueLoo]

pensions not worth it ? depends on what pension.
i have got mates from BG currently retiring on 1 million quid pension pots as standard engineers , ex british steel mate on around 700k pension pots .

Christ. That's big pensions.

 

[gas112]

Christ. That's big pensions.

Standard throughout centrica cadent and what was the old bg last mate that finished at 57 year old had 1.1 million in pot

 

[ajohn]

Part of this is Government insistence that portions of sweets, crisps etc are reduced in size.

Why does the price go up as well then?

Yonks ago some one compared the weight of a Mars bar against cost. It was remarkably consistent. If you could sell older heavier ones at a price that accounted for weight of current ones they would make a good investment. Not so much in terms of a large profit but retaining the value of your pound notes with some gain in real terms as the value of those is always decreasing.

Lidl sell my favourite chocolate digestive. Rather low sugar content compared with brands mostly sold here. They cut the price and also reduced the size of the pack. Net effect paying more per biscuit. A lot of this goes on. Cakes for instance, always getting smaller. The box remains the same size just the plastic tray they are in changes. The same goes on with all sorts of things or the price increases more where this isn't happening.

 

[securespark]

Why does the price go up as well then?

To discourage consumption.

 

[Dork Lard]

The problem of manufacturers increasing the price while reducing the product is known under the general term of "Bait & Switch". They're also b#ggerz for reducing the quality of 'consumable' items.

One of my frequent moans & whinges is the ever changing quality & quantity of my favourite processed foods. It seems when the product is being heavily advertised / promoted the value for money is spot on, a few weeks down the line & you're buying less product with lower quality ingredients.

 

[BlueLoo]

Guinness Hop House 13.
Was not a bad macro beer when released.
Now, its nothing more than dishwater.

Beer companies are notorious for this, they will have a "special", Make a big effort and produce something decent, and then give it a few months until they are rebottling the drains again.

 

[Dork Lard]

Guinness Hop House 13.
Was not a bad macro beer when released.
Now, its nothing more than dishwater.

Beer companies are notorious for this, they will have a "special", Make a big effort and produce something decent, and then give it a few months until they are rebottling the drains again.

They do it because people purchase mostly by habit. They're very skilled at watching for signs of falling sales & customer dissatisfaction, at which point they up the quality & advertising !!!!

Most FMCG Co's & supermarkets are heavily into it & if you not carefull it's like being 'mugged' by your supermarket.

 

[ajohn]

it's like being 'mugged' by your supermarket.

It's also a fact that lots of items are cheaper and better from smaller sized retailers.

 

[Mottie]

The problem of manufacturers increasing the price while reducing the product is known under the general term of "Bait & Switch".

That's not the meaning of "Bait and Switch" at all!

Bait and switch is a common deceptive sales practice that advertises an item for sale to entice customers to come to the store. Once the customer arrives in anticipation of the discounted item, he or she is told that the item is not available and is directed toward a more expensive alternative.