“Still something more to go out and budget for“, laments Christine, a resident of Domgermain, near Toul. With her husband, the couple earns around €3,500 per month, and must already pay the bill for the main house. But with this increase of 15% maximum announced for next year, it reaches levels that it had never known before. “I’m starting to take a closer look at my purchases, because even with stable income, it’s difficult today. So I’m thinking of those who don’t even have that comfort.“
Double-bill
Among her 3 children, the eldest is now a student in the Vosges, in Remiremont. Which means she also had to take accommodation to save yourself a far too long journey. “So I have to add 60 euros per month for electricity for his 30 square meter apartment“, she explains. With there also an expected increase.
So what to do? “We can’t cut corners on the canteen and the food. I’m lucky to have kids who aren’t demanding so we’re not too big on designer clothes, but maybe we should spend less on clothes.“Knowing that the two other children are in terminal and that they too may have to live elsewhere next year, and inflate the bill even more.
The suffering middle classes
For Karel, in Houdemont, it’s the same observation. It will be necessary to add next year about fifteen euros to the 133 that it already spends every month for electricity. “Plus, I’m all-electric“, she adds. With her spouse, around 3000 euro fall into the bank account every month. “We could perhaps have solutions, but I don’t see what more we could do.“, explains the one who has already started to reduce her consumption, mainly for the sake of ecology.
Like Christine, Karel therefore finds himself at count more and more his money. She also thinks of those who do not have the same income, and wonders. “When you’re in a very wealthy class, it’s fine. When we are less well off, we have help. When you’re like me in a somewhat middle class, where you earn pretty well our living, I have the impression that we pay a lot. In a way, it’s good because it means we make money, but at the same time we’re being taxed, on energy, on the car. And it becomes anxiety-provoking.”