Everything is going up except our income.

While we're discussing small business and rates - many small businesses are being unfairly hit with the rates increase to fund social care.
That doesn't seem fair, since the people who own the small businesses will probably be paying council tax too if they have a home elsewhere and surely the cost of social care should be spread throughout the community?

Like Jalima, I too favour Lurpak butter and so checked to see who is selling at the best price today. Asda is selling a 1kg tub for £5.00 and, since March 2016, it has only been lower in price once - in June 2016, when it was £4.50. The graph shows that prices have fallen, quite significantly, in the past 12 months. It's quite easy to check to see what "special offers" are available in supermarkets for most food items and the trajectory of price increases/decreases over the last 12 months. Haven't found much to alarm me yet though.

I usually buy the packet butter but I did buy a tub (which contains rapeseed oil too) last week. £2.79 for 500g from Lidl

2 for £5 from Tesco!

Really Jalima ? even lower price than March 2016 in that case!

We live in Dorset so are paying these high rates. DS lives a few miles away and his council tax is well over £3000 and ours is slightly less. We would be better of paying poll tax with only two of us in the house. Next door in a similar size house are a family of five adults all of whom work but the council tax is the same as ours.

I do think it is bonkers that Kensington and Chelsea, with its high number of extremely wealthy foreign residents ( chiefly Russians I believe) has a lower rate of council tax than where many of us live. And I agree gillybob that those on a fixed income must be finding it harder and harder to make ends meet, not just those on retirement pensions like your DF, but many public service employees such as teachers, nurses etc have had little or no payrise for 8 yearsnow I think, although no doubt someone will come along with the correct figures soon. I am glad you live in your little bubble Norah and can give such sound advice to people such as gillybob and you are obviously expert in NICs and self employment. You must be such a help to others. I too run a small business with 7 employees, everyone gets an annual rise apart from me, I get paid last, I am considering selling up to be honest as I am breaking the minimum wage regulation with myself

I've just checked and Lurpak is £1.70 in Tesco.

What makes Lurpak superior to other butters? Genuine question, because I have no idea!

Getting cheaper by the minute Sue! I like Lurpak because it's a very mild, creamy taste, easy to use straight from the fridge and is good on sandwiches or for baking. I think Aldi do a very similar product called Norpak but that's one of the very few items of theirs that I haven't tried.

It will change now. 5 years from now, you mark my words, things will be good again.

The Lurpak taste is lovely - but I only have it on its own - no good in a sandwich or with jam as it has a distinctive taste - which I adore'

GillT57 I like my bubble as well. No complaining. Prices not going up much that I see.

Additionally, DH business transitioned on to another. It's all good. Thanks, also, for noting properly accomplished taxes/self employment contract to DH's business.

Norah ???

I voted leave too by the way. Ah but maybe you know that already. Why pity the young? I voted leave for them. They don't know it yet but things are going to get a whole lot better in England soon.

I keep my butter out of the fridge in an insulated butter dish. It's always perfectly spreadable, that way!

I like to support local farmers so I buy Scottish butter.

I keep my butter in the fridge I don't like gloop.

You must have a very hot kitchen if butter turns to gloop if you keep it out of the fridge (especially at this time of year).

I like butter cold personally. There's a certain texture that to me isn't good when it's kept out of the fridge, it tends to be, like I said, gloopy and far too unwanted-ly spreadable. I like to see it "almost melt" on toast for stay cold in a sandwich.

or

It doesn't go to gloop in an insulated butter dish. It's perfect for spreading. I used the same butter dish when I lived in the tropics and it didn't go to gloop then, either, despite the climate.

Warm and gloopy in a butter dish no matter what the climate. I don't like butter dishes. Awful texture. But that of course is my preference not yours.

Typical of Gransnet to turn a post about the cost of living into gloopy butter I love it . I must tell my dad that he has to cut back on his luxury butter intake.

Don't know what bubble you live in Norah but let's hope it doesn't burst anytime soon and I hope your properly accomplished taxes are all going to keep you in the manner to which you are accustomed.

My late mums idea of butter was that if you couldn't see your teeth marks in it, then you didn't have enough on!

Our butter isn't gloopy - your house must be very hot!
We buy the packet butter, not the spreadable and it stays firm except when the temperature goes right up in the summer (one or two days a year). It's just right to spread.

How do you spread it on bread straight from the fridge? Unless it is the type mixed with oil which isn't pure butter.

Goodness gracious, what on earth do properly accomplished taxes mean that's pretty funny. Norah, what are they? Never heard of that. Do you mean you pay tax? I think I accomplish that too. Not sure I like what I get taxed on much though.