This Is Guernsey

By Anna Brehaut

Single mother Keri Barlow is among those feeling the pinch of rising prices. Working around her daughter Karys’s school times might soon no longer be enough. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0607543)

A SINGLE mum might be forced to work more hours if prices continue to rise.

Keri Barlow, 22, has a five-year-old daughter, Karys, and currently works part-time at Nerine Trust as a trust and company administrator.

She said the high cost of living means she might have to extend her hours to pay her spiralling bills.  ‘Last year I was working full-time and paying for childcare. Now Karys is at school I have been able to work my hours around her school times, but if things keep going up I will have to go back to how I was last year,’ she said.

Miss Barlow lives with her daughter in a flat at Delancey Court. She said the cost of childcare was also a worry. ‘Childcare prices are horrendous and people have to pay silly amounts.’

She said budgeting for food was essential but what she can buy depends on how much money she has got each month.

‘There is no way that I could afford to buy everything fresh.

‘It’s all very well to say that we should eat fresh fruit and so on, but it depends on the cost.’

The increasing cost of petrol has also had an effect.

‘I try to walk up to school to get Karys, but I have to use my car a lot to get to and from work and the price of petrol is horrendous. I must spend a great deal on it,’ said Miss Barlow.

‘The price of everything is going up but salaries aren’t and that is the problem.’

She has also noticed an increase in the prices of children’s clothes.

‘Karys has been growing out of a lot of her clothes so I have been buying new ones for her and that also has a small impact.

‘Things aren’t going to stop increasing in price just because a few people are saying they can’t afford it. It’s just something you have to live with.’

Article posted on 18th July, 2008 - 2.29pm