Elections are over, and prices are up again…
April 5th, 2005
My friend came back from Jaggers (wholesale) today, totally miserable. She told me that prices have gone up again. A coke which was $2500 yesterday is being reported as being anything between $3000 and $4000 today, depending on where you purchase it. She had saved her money for a pair of stompies (slippers). In Nov last year they cost her $25,000, but expecting inflation, she saved $40,000. She left the shop without her stompies as they now cost $65,000. She did not have enough money. She also told me that she had to leave behind the aqueous cream that she needs for her baby because it too had increased in price.
It is impossible to budget in Zimbabwe. It is impossible to save. She commented on how there are no longer queues at the checkout counters as shopping is a luxury for the very wealthy people only.
It is just five days after elections. People are feeling the crunch more than ever. There are fuel queues at the service stations. Where to from here?
