A New Era Just Ahead

The number one subject nowadays, on everyone’s lips, is the escalation of the prices of just about everything we count on for our survival. Somewhere in the middle of last year, the inching up of the cost of essentials begun to assume an appreciable amount of significance … and people sat up and commenced taking notice.
Then toward the end of the year, as folk tried to adhere to “Tradition Noel” and purchase the little extravagances that typify the season, complaints began to set in.
It goes without saying that the first area to be hit by those complaints would be the supermarkets … for while not every citizen owns a vehicle (although sometimes, with the massive traffic snarl-ups that we have here, one would be inclined to believe so), the one thing we all have in common is that we have to eat and drink. So by the sheer weight of numbers, the complaints about the edible commodities would be the loudest and most frequently heard.
And of course, the fact that most of the supermarkets here are owned by a single company, gives fuel to the fire of argument that the price increases are being manipulated by the one entity.
It was believed that the situation was a locally induced affair.

Our front page today however, highlights the fact that gas – in its various forms – and bread are both getting a significant increase in their cost to the consumer … which brings stark reality to the fore: we just will have to face it and adapt our lifestyles to deal with the fact that higher prices all around is an inevitable, inescapable fait accompli. And that in general, the rise in the cost of goods and services is influenced and caused by elements beyond our control, beyond our borders.
Despite the fact that we managed, over the last couple of weeks, to cheerfully enough deal with the higher costs and have a relatively enjoyable season, with the advent of the month of January – which in any case is traditionally recognized as the hardest month financially for the average consumer – a more-than-usual tightening of our belts will be called for.
And February will probably bring no respite. Harder times are setting in; and with the outside influences setting the pace, the most we shall be able to do is endeavour to be more frugal, more penny-wise, more careful in the ways we spend what is becoming more and more hard-earned.
Sad as it may sound, let’s face it: Christmas is over … Lent and the time of fasting are on the horizon.
Let us all try and deal with the new reality. We have little choice in the matter.