Omar do not put the air conditioner, Mary no more driving and david You need to ask for help to meet your daily electricity, gas and food expenses. These are the results of the rise in the cost of these essential goods, forcing many families to change their consumption habits and “make numbers” on a daily basis.
According to data from various consumer associations, the rising Consumer Price Index (CPI) 10.8% last July, it could mean an additional cost of 2,800 euros per year for a family.
“All this means a complete overflow for those who are already at the border,” says Efe, coordinator of the Spanish Caritas Study Team, regrettably. Raul Flores.
“It’s easier to send my kids to Morocco than to get electricity”
Omar is an electrician, 42 years old, living in the slum town of La. Royal GlenHe is in Madrid and has 5 children.
His situation is more complicated because he doesn’t even have it. source of light From the beginning of 2021. To achieve this you need to resort to generators that pay between all neighbors.
“I’ve been without electricity at home for almost two years, so I can not do anything‘, explains Omar, before recalling that ‘some air-conditioning systems are needed in Madrid to withstand the high temperatures with the heat waves’.
He lives in a space with the rest of his family. “very reduced”, where withstanding the heat becomes “a challenge”.
According to the European Service, last month was one of the three hottest Julys worldwide and the sixth warmest month in Europe since records began with record temperatures. Copernican observation.
Omar also decided to send his children to their parents’ house in Morocco this summer.
“Sending my children to Morocco takes electricity for me. air conditioning“, he emphasizes.
But it has to”to resist“In the capital, it’s because he has to go to work because “the money should keep coming home,” he says.
How can five people get along with a thousand euros?
The price of gas is another big problem many Spanish families face. with prices fuel With more than two euros per liter, many prefer not to fill the tank as it means an extra cost and prefer to walk to places they go by public transport or by car.
Miriam, who lives in a house with her three children and her husband, “small” apartment He explains from Gran Canaria how this price increase “surprised” them and made it increasingly difficult for them to live on, as both he and his partner were unemployed and could not add 1,000 euros a month between them.
“With this money, basic expenses five people,” he explains.
This led them to give up on many things, including driving. “good for occasional use”Miriam adds to Efe.
“The deposit is 80 euros a week, so you can only drive the car Absolutely necessary ways. If not, go public transport, even if it takes longer,” he continues.
“I’ll have to leave the flat”
According to data from the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), the increase in prices feed would mean “more than 500 euros per year” in the average family.
After analyzing the price of more than 150 products, OCU found that 84% of them increased and Shopping cart increased by 9.4%.
39-year-old unemployed David García raises his rent 100 euros After living in that house for eight years, an increase in the price of his shopping cart, forcing him to “do the numbers” every day, to try to support him and seek help from the government.
“If prices continue to rise, I will have to leave the flat and find another site.
David and his wife Zaida, parents of a six-year-old boy, try to save money by buying private label products and avoiding dining out.
“Eating out is becoming increasingly impossibleand if at the time of purchase it cost 21 euros before 5 kilograms of meat, now it is almost forty. Few people can buy it today,” he says.
Washing machine and heating at dawn, fair
Nursing assistant María is a single mother. One Koruna She has to pay for her daughter’s university education in Madrid, along with her mother, whom she takes care of.
Although he “only” comes with her at the end of the month 1,300 euro salaryhad always been able to afford household expenses, but things changed with rising prices, especially electricity.
“I can barely cover all my expenses with my salary”, He added that he had to bear some of his “pretty expensive” mother’s medical expenses.
He started the washing machine to reduce the effects of the increased light. one morning Instead of two o’clock in the afternoon, I no longer use the heating in the house, even if it is less than ten degrees.
Inside summer The same thing happens with the use of the air conditioner, which is turned on only “a few” hours of the day.