Shoppers across the island are hoping that an ease in the cost of living will come soon. (FP)

by MICHELLE SPRINGER

THE HIGH COST of living is taking its toll on the lifestyles of Barbadians across every social stratum. In speaking with four different groups, the SUNDAY SUN found that several working adults were forced to return to their parents' homes in order to make ends meet, while even those considered "well off" are increasingly living more modest lifestyles.

FAMILY OF SIX

CLAUDIA (FOOD SCIENTIST: "In terms of food, we spend about a conservative $350 a week. I think we get more for our money than most people because of the way we shop. We don't buy our vegetables in the supermarket; we buy them in the [Cheapside] Market on Saturday mornings."

The cost of chicken had become so expensive for this family that they stopped buying the birds and started rearing them instead. Fish, meanwhile, they buy at the fish market.

"We had an opportunity to bring in some additional income, so we took it," Claudia said.

Between Claudia and her husband, they are able to pay off the $2 800 mortgage and fund the $160 per term school fees for each of the four children ages nine through five.

Once every four to six weeks, the family shops in bulk for cleaning agents and detergents; an additional $200 they would be dishing out
for domestic supplies.

Claudia told the SUNDAY SUN that because of the high cost of living, their social lives were very conservative.

"We belong to the Library and we read a lot or watch movies at home.

"My friends are always telling me how cheap I am, but I don't believe just because somebody is selling something I have to buy it," she said.

She also said they did not buy fast food but at least once a month, they would all go out to dinner.

She added that although they were able to pay off their bills and eat decently, the high cost of living was affecting their savings. As a result the family has to forgo the much beloved travelling to other neighbouring Caribbean islands.

But for Claudia, this gives them the chance to rediscover Barbados and explore what other people pay hundreds of dollars to enjoy.

SINGLE MOTHER WITH ONE CHILD

KIM STRAKER is a self-employed single mother of a six-year-old son. According to this 32-year-old aesthetician, the cost of living is so ridiculously high that she was obligated to move back into her mother's house at the beginning of the year.

"Being self-employed, it varies the amount I bring in, particularly at this time of year."

Kim considers the cost of living to be a lot more difficult on people such as herself.

She particularly expressed concern about needing to feed her son and send him to school in the event she gets sick.

"If I miss two days of work, that would cost me about $300 a day," she reasoned.

As the sole income earner in her family, Kim worries about covering her monthly costs and still providing a healthy and stable quality of life
for her boy.

With monthly expenses of about $4 500, including car payments ($1 100), gas ($200), groceries ($800), electricity ($300), the skin care and hair removal specialist realises she cannot also pay for her son's extracurricula activities.

"I'm lucky I don't have to pay schools fees as he goes to public school, but of course there're also the additional expenses of school supplies, excursions and school activities," she said.

At the beginning of the year she was obligated to move back home at her mother's place from her one-bedroom apartment.

SINGLE PERSON

"IT REAL REAL SLIM," Adrian Walcott told the SUNDAY SUN in response to his average monthly earnings.

A general worker who brings in less than $1 200 a month, he said Government really needed to do something to "bring down" the high cost of living, particularly for poor people.

This 27-year-old would love to live on his own and start a family, but because of how expensive it is, he is under constraint to stay at his mother's White Hall, St Michael home.

"I don't have to pay rent but I help out in the house with the bills," he said via cellphone.

"Clothes and them kind of things are the most expensive things I have to deal with directly. I can't really go down Town and buy anything as I would like," he said.

This family depends on family members overseas to send them clothes and other amenities. Travelling is not an option for this youngster either because of the high cost.

"I don't have no savings account or anything; I can't save with what I making."

"Something really have to be done about the cost of food. Food too expensive and the average poor man got to be able to buy food," he acknowledged.

RETIRED COUPLE

DAN AND JOYCE IFILL are both pensioners and retired civil servants for 14 years between them, receiving a monthly sum of $2 500.

"We pay about $850 in rent and around $200 a week in groceries," the husband disclosed.

"We do not live lavish lifestyles so we try to keep our expenses to a minimum. We usually buy in bulk such as the detergents, cleaning agents and cereals" he added, at times spending as much as $600.

Electricity runs between $65 to $80 a month, water about $20 and natural gas about $15 per month.

Dan said he did not believe there would be any reprieve in the cost of living any time soon.

"We grew up in a society where we learnt how to cut and contrive. We understand that the cost of living will not come down no matter who says what.

"Any time the prices come down unemployment is going to go up because [as a businessman I would be thinking] 'I want a profit so I have to cut back'," he charged.

For this member of the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) he was clear of the main solution to inflation.

"It's a matter people have to learn to live within their means. If they can't do that then they have a real problem."

He offered a tip to consumers.

"When things are reasonable then buy a lot, when they are not – and if they are not basic needs – then there is no need to go splurging."

michellespringer@nationnews.com