Inflation, Through a Glass Half Full.

We hear a lot of doom and gloom about inflation these days.  Soaring prices,  the sigh every time we fill up the tank. On my side of the pond inflation seems to be receding as a major problem. Fingers crossed it stays in its box and doesn’t jack in the box back out. But what if I told you that inflation is actually a benevolent force?

I don’t want to belittle the genuine hardship that the recent bout of inflation has caused to many families around the world but I was just thinking…. again. Wouldn’t it be nice to find a few smiles and a little crumb of lightheartedness among the relentless price increases?

It doesn’t seem too long ago when a family-sized bar of chocolate was an impulse buy. Those days are a distant memory. I now unwrap mine like a prized gift and nibble it over a couple of days, generally when the grandkids aren’t about! but look at the positive, it’s forcing us to reconsider our confectionary cravings. And what’s the result? A decline in spontaneous chocolate consumption! Think of it: fewer empty calories, less sugar crashing through your system.  Who needs a diet when the economy is doing the work for you?

I moan to my wife Suzie as we pull up to the petrol pump. I should really stop .Let’s reframe this for my wife’s sake. Inflation, in its infinite wisdom, is actively encouraging us to embrace walking. Why drive to the shop when a brisk five-minute walk will do the trick? Suddenly, those short car journeys are looking awfully expensive, and your own two feet are becoming surprisingly appealing. You’re getting more steps in, breathing fresher air, and saving a fortune on fuel and parking. It’s an enforced fitness regime, a green initiative, and a budget-friendly commute all rolled into one. Your step counter is thrilled, and your carbon footprint is shrinking faster than your disposable income.

Then we have that impulse to buy a shiny new gadget or trendy piece of clothing. Inflation is here to cure you of that addiction.  Suddenly every purchase undergoes rigorous scrutiny. Do I really need that artisanal sourdough starter kit? Is that designer coffee table book truly essential for my well-being? The answer, more often than not, is nope! Can do without. Inflation is teaching us the invaluable skill of delayed gratification, It’s financial discipline without spreadsheets!

Going out for a meal used to be a regular occurrence? Now It’s for special occasions ,dining out has become an exercise in extreme fiscal courage. But never worry, for this is a blessing in disguise! We’re rediscovering the joys of home cooking, the cozyness of family dinners around the kitchen table, and the satisfaction of a meal prepared with your own two hands, just don’t use too many eggs! Your culinary skills are improving, your waistline is benefiting. Who needs a Michelin-starred restaurant when you have a perfectly good kitchen and a knack for boiling pasta.

So, the next time you find yourself grumbling about rising prices, take a moment to consider the unexpected, but slightly inconvenient, ways inflation might be secretly improving your life. You might just find yourself a little healthier, a little fitter, and a whole lot better at refusing that overpriced chocolate bar.

So there we go: a few brief shout-outs for inflation. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt us; possibly, it might even benefit us to sometimes try to see the lighter side of things in a difficult situation. It’s certainly helped me with challenges over the price of chocolate.