Tyumen residents on runaway price growth: 'We drink coffee at home, skip bars'

The VAT increase since the beginning of this year has created problems for everyone: some businessmen are cutting staff and closing unprofitable branches, while others are revising budgets and shifting costs onto the end consumer. We asked our readers what, in their opinion, has noticeably increased in price. Some of these sad observations are presented here.

«I quit smoking because of the steady price increase for cigarettes,» shared Valeria.

«Mobile services went up by another 100 rubles (about $1 at current rates). The operators have become completely brazen,» Galina fumes.

«Everything has gotten more expensive... except salaries,» stated Tatyana.

«Specifically for me, the first things that come to mind [that have increased in price] are: hairdresser – 15%, treatment at OKB No. 1 (Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1) – 10%, a jar of favorite coffee – 15%, home internet – 20%, mobile services – 20%. Fortunately, the tariff is adjustable, I reduced the internet gigabytes, there»s almost no internet in the city anyway,« writes Dmitry.

«An appointment with an osteopath has become more expensive. Yes, because of the [premises] rent,» noted Rumiya.

«Yesterday I went into the bakery where I always buy bread. A loaf of bread cost 50 rubles (about $0.50 at current rates), yesterday it was already 60. It made me sad,» Galina confessed to us.

«I don»t know what«s gotten more expensive: we haven»t gone grocery shopping yet, we«re finishing last year»s frozen food. We drink tasty coffee at home, we don«t go to bars. We»re waiting for the utility bill, where nothing is clear, but it«s already very interesting,» says Natalya.

A representative of the beauty industry also spoke. According to him, the increase in the cost of services in beauty salons is a forced measure.

«I»m thinking about how much to raise prices in the salon. Rent has increased, utilities too. Cosmetics go up [in price] every six months by 10%. They started charging VAT on top of the payment processing fee. 10% – is too little, 20%, I think, will scare people, and 15% – is neither here nor there,« Alexander believes.

Tyumen residents, like residents of all of Russia, are rapidly changing their consumer preferences: they save on purchases and switch to cheap alternatives. Why this is happening and what awaits us in the foreseeable future – read in this detailed analysis with experts.