The Consumer Council Tell us how the rising cost of living is affecting you

I wish to complain about the high cost of bottled gas both in terms of the high rises which did not come down again (30%+) and the fact that in Uk mainland it is 30% cheaper. When I tried to complain to the consumer cuncil they said they have no power to intervine as botled gas is not regulated. I feel it is time it was and urge the council to loby MLA etc to this end.

I am very scared at the minute, i am in what i feel is a great job and my husband is in employment and we still cannot cope with our bills. have missed the last 4 mortgage payments and it just seems that all the money we get is being paid towards last months bills, cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel. and with 3 year old and another on the way I dont even know where I will be next year, i cannot even remember the last time I had a big shop. we just simply have to cut everything back even our food. havent turned the heating on this yet I'm too frightened.

These are scary times. Every day theres just worse news & what happens in America affects us. I cant see how my wages will stretch to pay all my bills. Cant even bear to think about Christmas - it will be a dismal time this year.

I am unable to work due to a disability and have struggled for years to make ends meet. I have managed to eke out one tankful of oil for the last four years, but it is now running out and I don't know how I will be able to afford a refill. My current mortgage runs out in December and I am very worried about renewing it. I dread the thought of losing my home.

Did you know that if you pay for your electricity through a key pad meter and you buy before the 23 September you will be using electricity at the old price until you top up again after 23 September. The card holds a maximum of £999.99. So buy as much as you can afford before 23 Sept and don't top up until you're ready to run out as the new top will activate the new price tariff.

Why don't assembly get act together to give us money to pay electric I don't care about politics

I have definately noticed a change in the price of things especially the price of diesel. I work as a vocational rehabilitation officer working with trainees who have a brain injury, this role is community based and i am weekly paying £70 on diesel. I am also having difficulties with my mortgage, i was on a fixed rate until December of this year. Recently i checked options of changing my mortgage but this does not seem possible, therefore i will face an increase of £150 per month on my mortgage payments at the end of this year. This along side the increase in food prices etc have meant I have to cut down and budget my money more effectively.

Now that the price of oil has collapsed with the current financial market turmoil, how quickly will a decrease in price be passed onto the consumer? How can oil companies say it takes 6 weeks for lower prices to filter through but when prices rise, they are passed on instantly?

The price of utilities and food has increased so much that it is difficult for families to cope. The government would be doing us all a favour if they dropped the VAT on utilities until the 'credit crunch' is over.

I suspect it's going to be a very different Christmas this year with Santa having to tighten his belt as well. Could be a good thing though and help us to control our spending & indulgence during this season, & re-arrange our priorities so that more money is spent on winter fuel and basic comforts.

The cost of gas is horrendous - we pay £100 a month but yet always seem to be paying arrears on our bills. Phoenix Gas have the monopoly in NI, at least in the mainland they can shop around for cheaper suppliers, same applies for electricity. I am reluctant to put the heating on but with a new baby due very soon we will need to keep the house warm. We are also doing everything we can to reduce electricity costs. Just when you think you can get on top of things the cost goes up!

I can't believe how much food has gone up in price over the last 6 months. The value brands are not great value any more!

This winter we will all be cutting back to reduce our utility and food bills, but what about the most vulnerable in our society, the old and the very young. They cannot be expected to cut back on food and heat especially in Winter. The government and the utility companies need to address this and act now.

You are the only organisation helping people in N.Ireland actively voicing their concerns, I am along time admirer keep up the good work.

When you turn on your oil or gas heating you are also using electricity for the pump so you are paying for both utilities to heat the home. I think the utility companies should absorb some of the rising costs instead of continuously hiking up prices at the expense of the consumer at every chance they get. There are a lot of vulnerable people living below the poverty line and this really needs to be taken into account.

When is Northern Ireland going to be included for schemes to help with fuel poverty and energy efficiency.. The news that gas and electricity were going up was bad enough, but to hear then of a £1bn package by Gordon Brown to help which doesnt apply here - insulting.

The cost of electricity and gas is scandalous. They are essentials not luxuries. I actually use oil to heat the house and that is a scandalous price too. You can ring around oil companies but the price is still terrible. I am lucky because I work. I feel sorry for people on benefits with kids and oaps

Why doesn't the new proposal for free loft insulation apply to Northern Ireland?

I would love to support local businesses but as the supermarkets petrol is cheaper I have to buy it there. Why is the price of petrol not coming down - crude oil prices are cheaper every day, it's now below $100 a barrel but where is the saving to the customer??

I have always shopped in Lidl because it was the cheapest supermarket, and it still is. But even their prices are rising. I live alone and am worried about the future. My petrol bill is becoming crazy but I need it as I work in Belfast.

I am a single mother and I work full time. I am really scared as I have a 17 year old heading off to uni next year. He is an A grade student but unfortunately I earn a d grade wage!
I am trying to cut back in all sorts of ways but it is very hard. I time the heating to come on and off for less hours. I look out for on-line discounts were I can. I order food shopping on-line and that way I don't get distracted with 'bargains' I don't really need.

I have recently signed up to Phoenix gas. I will be connected within the next week, however since my 'estimated' DD bill was calculated the price has shot up 19%. My knowledge is that I will have a lump sum to pay at the end of the year to top up my DD payments. Surely this method is unfair and merely creates confusion for consumers?

My mum says that older people will be better equipped than younger people to deal with this credit crunch becuase in war times, they had to do with much less and make food etc last as long as possible. She is teaching me to bake so that I can get a few days out of my food and freeze stuff for later in the week. I am also going to bring a lunch to work instead of buying a sandwich.

Perhaps government should take into account when assessing working families tax credits the cost of living in N.I.as my wife and my combined wage means we wouldn't be entitled to any extra benefits for our rapidly shrinking disposable income where our extra energy and car tax costs come from.

The cost of petrol and utility bills have increased leaving me with a lot less disposal income. I find myself at the ATM all the time. The price of food also varies from shop to shop and is generally on the increase. No prices seem to come down. I tend to cook at home now and make big batches of food that we freeze so that we are not running to the shops to buy food all the time.

My husband and I both have reasonably paid jobs and we have 2 children. We are very low maintenance regarding lifestyle as we always socialise with friends/family at home rather than go out and do not always have a foreign holiday. Even with this approach it seems that our money simply does not stretch far enough for everyday needs..Month on month the "dry spell" comes earlier.While we are not breaking up furniture for the fire I would have to admit that things could be better..we seem to be working simply to keep our heads above water.Not very 21st Century is it?

I think we should move to Scotland or Wales were the devolved governments are really passionate about the local people and make edge decisions to make life better for them when it matters. I cannot believe that Gordon brown is not taking drastic action and suspending or reducing Vat on fuel for 6 months.. its a start. The only way to make a difference is for the people to make their voices heard.

'Northern Ireland Electricity said their 33.3% rise would mean an extra £2.81 on the average weekly bill of customers'. £2.81 is fairly manageable if you are working but if you have to live on benefits, such as the State Retirement Pension, then it is a lot of money. Pension Credit went up by £5 a week for single people last April but with the previous 14% increase in electricity added to huge increases in oil, food and petrol, that extra fiver means very little.

Something everyone in NI can do is move over to the NIE Eco Energy Tariff. If you're on this, NIE have to source your electricity (well the same amount) from renewables. This removes the reliance on the coal/gas/oil that is a big part of why prices have gone up so much. They WILL run out. Renewable energy isn't free either though (anyone bought a windmill?) but at least it lessens the relaince on the oil industry.
I really, really would like to know what the energy regulator, paid out of our taxes, is doing for us. Sitting back and saying 'it's ok, the fuel's gone up' isn't what i call regulation of energy companies!

Our electricity/fuel/gas prices have always been higher than the rest of the UK - this new hike may match the rise in wholesale fuel (although the petrol prices are quite steady at the moment, surprisingly) however, it is based on an already unfair and over-priced system in place in NI. This does nothing but protect massive profit margins for the oil companies. There was also a slight slump in prices over the summer which wasn't passed on to the consumer - government should ensure that this happens just as fast as the price hikes.

I'm not elderly, nor out of work, I dont get benefits. I'm a normal working person, husband stays home to look after family. My house is well insulated, I have double glazing, wear jumpers before putting heating on, share baths like most normal families yet my bills are going up, my children are priority & must be kept warm , fed, happy. Salary last went up 3 years ago when I changed jobs, it's still £10,000 less than mainland. Doubt it will rise in line with cost of living. Perhaps a "minister" earning £50k+ for talking about events 30 years ago on recurring cycle could tell me how to cope with general normal living?

Northern Ireland is becoming a very hard place to live. Wages lower than anywhere in the UK (for most people - not the highly paid ones at the top), cost of living much much higher and officially the worst weather with about double the rain so we need our heating on more. Why do our politicians not help us? What actually is the point of them? Its like some kind of horrible experiment to see how much we will put up with. Talk about fiddling while Rome burns.

Energy prices are soaring all over the world. Now is the time for us to all cut back on our energy consumption. A few energy saving tips are:Install long life low energy light bulbs as they use 80% less electricity(each bulb can save us £6-£10 per year based on 3-4 hour usage per day), don't leave appliances on standby and when boiling the kettle to make tea for example, only put in the amount of water that you need. Installing a keypad meter may a good option to help budget for your electricity.

I think our government is letting us down big style. I work with families mostly on benefits with young children they are at their wits end to try and live as it is. Why can't we have some choice as to where we buy our electricity. If they are not making enough profit now they need new management staff.

I just watched GMTV this morning and old people are getting up at 3 in the morning to cook clean and everything else to save money. It's 2008 people should be able to live when its cold, put their heat on, cook when they need what is happening oil companies gas and electric are all adding to the pressure that people are under. It's about making the rich richer and the poor poorer.

Why oh why cant we simply conserve our finite resources. Insulate and cut down on fuel consumption. Put on a jumper. Excercise.Walk the dog. We have to be more resourceful and inventive. Perhaps we should consider 'joint bathing' ?

Cost of a barrel of oil has come down to $101 today. Why does NIE and the gas companies still have to put up the prices from 1/10/08.

When are we going to see the market in NI open up to other Electricity suppliers? If anything it may prevent these price hikes continuing. NIE can go on all they like about assisting customers through discount schemes but at the end of the day it isnt going to make a substantial difference to the amount we pay regardless of what method we choose to pay it.
It's about time the Assembly started to address the real issues that are going to affect people in this country for many years to come or else a lot of people are going to be facing a very gloomy future.

Once again the energy companies make the customer the scapegoat for there poor market performance. Their profit margins and share-holder dividends have to be protected and those who pay for that have no choice as to who provides their electricity. Shameful!

I heard that electricity and gas bills are going up again. If water charges come in too it will be the final straw. Can our politicians get together to do anything to help ordinary families. Getting prices down should be their top priority.

The cost of living is effecting everyone, we are all being taxed to the hilt through various means and it is disgraceful that the government can get a way with it. Perhaps Mr.Darling and Mr.Brown would like to try and live on the wages most working class families are on to see what it is really like. They are only out to bleed us dry, we should all fight for our right for decent pay! The average wage according to The Office of National Statistics is £22,000 so why are we no where near that?

I am a single parent, struggling to survive on a part time wage - working part time to take care of my children. I am in the same boat as lots of other people I know. I have been really struggling for a while now to meet bills/food costs etc. I have just had to get oil - I don't have the money to pay for it so I am having to pay with a credit card! I don't believe there is any help out there for single parents who are trying to earn an income - having read other comments I see a family of four struggling with the Father working full time and the Mother part time - how am I supposed to cope. I have tried making cut backs but I am still short. Why can't the Government provide help otherwise where will it all end?

My husband and I are both working full time but we still cannot afford the rising costs in oil, food and electric. We have not had oil since April and cannot envisage when we will be able to buy some again. Out come the woolly jumpers, hot water bottles and extra blankets - and thats just in the living room! NOT looking forward to the winter!

I think we are being robbed by the huge price hikes in our supermarkets. If my local corner shop can sell 2 litres of milk for 99p why are large chains charging 125p when they have strong purchasing power? The excuse of price inflation is being used to add to their profits.

The whole issue of fuel poverty is crazy ... the service providers have known it's coming, but seem to have done little, whilst the oil companies themselves announce profits continually ... something stinks!

We've formed a cooperative to try and buy oil in bulk, it reduces the cost, but not by massive amounts.

Support needs to come from Stormont NOW!!

I'm a lone parent and I've taken a second job to try to make ends meet. My heart sinks when the money runs out on my electricity payment card. I can't afford oil any longer. All I can do is put the kids to bed early. I'm dreading winter when the house gets really cold.

How are older people going to able to afford to heat their homes. The winter fuel payment is rubbish and now Gordon Brown is talking about not paying any extra. The MLA's in Stormont need to do SOMETHING and do it NOW. Old people will not risk going into debt so will freeze and quite possibly DIE !

I have really noticed the increase in the cost of food in my weekly shop. I have started to make cut backs but im still spending the same or more!

I'm wondering how people are going to survive through the winter. We're seeing more and more rises in the price of oil and its eating into other bills and things we have to find money for.

I even know people who have went back to cut turf for maybe the first time in ten years