When looking at the prices of your favourite products, your heart sinks as you discover that they have become more expensive, despite you having visited the same store only a few days ago.
As you stand contemplating whether the product is worth its price, you come to a grim realisation that no matter what you do, your grocery bill would still be higher than what you had budgeted for. Have you experienced this? What measures do you use to reduce your grocery bills?
Rising prices will make people drop some food items from their consumption.
People will be forced to forego luxurious food items and lean towards the basic necessities because of the price rises. Many people go to supermarkets and buy items such as chips, cakes or other forms of snacks. But the more the prices of those goods increase, the more people would focus on staples that are more important for their daily lives, like rice.
– Ali Arjomandi
Sharjah
I think that consumption would be affected, but not very drastically. Middle class people usually have fixed budgets so that helps them track and control their spending. I come from a large family and even though our supermarket bills are increasing every week, we have not really changed our spending habits or dropped anything from our grocery list.
– Kulsoom Usmani
Dubai
It depends on the financial capabilities of the person. People with lower incomes might find that they have to stop buying certain products. Middle class people might still pay for the same things, despite the rapidly increasing prices. I still buy the same things when I go to the supermarket, even though I worry about the prices.
– Adel Quraishi
Dubai
I still purchase the same products, despite the increase in prices. They are things that are essential for my daily needs, whether for my house or for my personal use. I do not really worry about following a budget, but I think that others might choose to drop items because they have to stay within a fixed budget.
– Janela Aramburo
Dubai
People are getting smarter at living within a budget, leading to less credit card debt.
I used to go to shopping malls and buy whatever I wanted. But now I have started budgeting and focusing on items I need. I then put the rest in a savings account. What is frightening is the high amount of credit card debt because of the way people used to spend in the past. So the best thing to do is to make your own financial arrangements, and practice self-control.
– Roxan Morelos
Sharjah
It is smart to set a budget and try to stick to it, especially since prices seem to be changing every day. Credit cards are plastic money and people do not realise that they had overspent until they receive the bill. If they find a way to remain within their limits then it would help a lot in reducing their debt.
– Ashlesha Rao
Dubai
People tend to think that having a credit card means they have money to spend. But once they receive the bill, they realise that they have fallen into debt just because they overspent. If they used debit cards then it would help them budget more efficiently because these cards extract money from their account directly. It forces them to learn how to stick to their budgets.
– Kunj Ramaiya
Dubai
I think that it is the other way around. It is a trend for people to be in debt because they have access to a lot of credit cards, so they have not really learnt how to budget. I used to budget, until my credit limit increased so now I am no longer in debt. My spending is not more than I can afford, unlike before.
– Ilda Cartaxo
Dubai
Shoppers are checking prices of items carefully.
Many are now focusing on the prices of different items, even for items like clothes or shoes. People now think twice about buying anything, and compare different prices before choosing something. If there is a sale or promotion, people take advantage of that and buy products at a lower price, such as during the Dubai Shopping
Festival.
– Franca Harr
Dubai
Prices are changing for all products, which allows a person to compare the prices of similar items before choosing one that fits in their budget. Even the Dubai Shopping Festival did not help reduce prices, compared to last year. The inflation has also made people worry about things like rent and that is making them re-think their household budgets because they have spending limits.
– Anam Qaisar
Dubai
Because prices are increasing randomly, people are becoming more careful about what they buy and how much they spend. I have started double-checking the prices when I go shopping for clothes or groceries because I might find a product that is similar, but at a lower price. As a result of these price increases, I think some people are wondering if it's even worth it to continue buying the same product anymore.
– Safa Qadwai
Sharjah
Life nowadays is expensive and that is making people think twice about buying extra items. Not everyone has a high salary that would allow him or her to purchase more products, so they have to weigh their options and see whether they truly need that item or if they can do without it. Because of this, items such as magazines might not sell as well as they had before inflation.
– Fatima Adnan
Abu Dhabi
Cost of living has made people stop filling their shopping cart with unnecessary items.
It is difficult to live during inflation because you cannot save anything. All your money goes towards spending on items that are needed for your day-to-day life. I recently came to Dubai and I noticed that even though my grocery list has not changed, it is becoming difficult to stay within budget.
– Vyshakh Parakkat
Dubai
Life is becoming more expensive and that is causing people to look for bargains wherever they can. Things like inflation and other problems force people to become more careful with their money because they can only afford to spend on what they need. But even though there are promotions on certain items, they have to be careful that they are not buying them unnecessarily.
– Daniella Melikian
Abu Dhabi
People still buy unnecessary items because of the many sales that are happening in Dubai, and that is causing their credit card bills to remain high. It is difficult to budget because it does not seem to have an effect. Many people still try to take advantage of sales and that is making them spend more without realising it.
– Sharron Junio
Dubai
Because the prices of everything here are always increasing, people are not buying anything that they might consider unnecessary. They are concentrating more on things that they need to live in Dubai like residences and transport. Many probably feel that the only way they can afford certain items is to travel to other countries where they are available at lower prices.
– Tarek Eid
Dubai
