One thing is for sure. Those who live alone, notice it in the supermarket every day. Everyone is paying more attention, they say. Because even when the prices have not gone up, the packaging is smaller, says Xavier, master’s student of Biobased Materials. “When you check your receipts, you are shocked.”
The total amount is sometimes almost twice as high as one year ago, says Joep, master’s student of Strategic Corporate Finance. So eating chicken three times a week is something he recently stopped with. “Those proteins are good for you if you exercise a lot. I switched to other, cheaper products with a lot of protein: lentils and chickpeas for example. That is how I replace it.” Jumbo is closer, but the “bulk shopping” I do at Lidl. “I only go to Jumbo for small items”. In order to cope with the higher prices, his parents gave him and his brothers “inflation compensation” of one hundred euro a month. Furthermore, he works eight hours a week and has a maximum study loan, although the majority of his money ends up in the investment account.
Stracciatella yoghurt
Judith, master’s student of Health and Social Psychology, spends 25 euro per week on shopping. During her bachelor’s in Wageningen, it was 15 euro. Now that she is living in Maastricht, she eats less often at her parent’s home in The Hague. Spending more money in the supermarket is therefore to be expected. “But I have also changed over to cheaper products.” For example, she now eats plain yoghurt instead of her favourite Stracciatella yoghurt. “That went up by 40 cents. If that happens to ten products, it will cost you four euro extra.” Judith doesn’t have a student loan. Her parents help out and she works as a cashier at Jumbo.
The majority of the fourteen students whom Observant spoke to are now looking out for special offers. Xavier: “Especially things that you can keep for a long time, I never buy them for the full price. Things like washing detergent, concentrated syrup, canned vegetables.” Sjuul, third-year student of Economics and Business Economics: “Have you seen what you pay for one tomato in the supermarket? I go to the market for my fruit and vegetables.”
Singing lessons
Another popular way to compensate for price increases is to spend less in the pub, all of them said. Xavier: “A beer now costs three euro. I’m more hesitant to go to the pub now or I drink less.” Juliane from Germany, fourth-year student of European Law, has changed from going out to having a beer or a gin and tonic with friends at home.
Maud, first-year student of Law, doesn’t spend time in pubs at all. “My fellow students regularly go out for a drink after the tutorial group meetings, I don’t go with them. I have eight hundred euro to spend a month. From that, I have to pay the rent, shopping, study and fun things. I would like to take singing lessons, but to do that, I first need to find a student job. I am trying hard.”
So, hobbies are also being cut out. German first-year student of Psychology Alexander, is studying in the sport’s centre. Judging by his arms, he is there regularly; and not just to read. “I buy fewer supplements and when the packaging states that I have to take three tablets in one go, I only take one.”
Full washing machine
In a discussion about inflation, topics such as ‘electricity’ and ‘gas’ cannot be left out. The students who have not yet had a rent increase, are holding their breath for the final payment. Mareks, third-year student of Economics and Business Economics from Latvia, has had to pay fifty euro more for gas, water and electricity since last spring. His room of fifteen square metres now costs 325 euro. “New roommates who have similar rooms pay four hundred. I am afraid that there will be a considerable rise in store for me too.” A much-shared fear. Belgian Louise, master’s student of Health Education and Promotion, removes plugs from the sockets when she is not using appliances and only switches the washing machine on when it is full.
Her German friend Lena, master’s student of Global Health, has a car, but she is using it less and less. “My family lives just across the border. But I take the train more often these days. My car runs on gas and that price has gone from sixty cents to a euro. If my car ran on petrol, I would sell it.”
Chocolate
Everyone has noticed that prices are rising, but for now, not everyone is troubled by this. Delana, master’s student of Biomedical Sciences, lives with her parents in Amby. “I am fortunate with my situation,” she realises. She works as a student offering extra tutoring and in a cheese shop. The larger part of her income goes on petrol for her car, which she uses to drive to the university. She won’t stop doing that “yet”, but last week in the supermarket, she did put her favourite Côte d'Or chocolate back on the shelf. “I had a real craving for it, but it now costs four euro. I felt that that was too expensive.”