Meet on clothes, escorted to the purse

On the way home eyes caught on flyers that were hung with the bus. Quite a noisy channel, suddenly found a gap in my information barrier and managed to attract attention. Of the dozen, eight advertised different kinds of microloans. Absurd, but the fact is - offered to take even one thousand rubles($16) a month, but without interest. The offer was limited and only for pensioners. Really, we've reached the point that the demand is there even such amounts.

It's clear that retirement today can only survive, but apparently a new reformation in our local system utilities that resulted in change of system of payment for utilities, greatly improving the cost of heating in winter, did the trick. If last year for a two-bedroom apartment we were paying in the region of six thousand rubles($100), then it has to be given in district nine. Quite a nasty surprise came out, especially after long new year holidays. There were even serious concerns that this innovation can affect the results of voting in the city. However, the power of persuasion, but really summer will not have to pay, and choice who to vote for is still there, suppressed popular discontent.

A lot of things have survived and endured, think another heavy article in the family budget. However, for the pensioner, the more lonely it became an ordeal. Despite the indexation of insurance:

To date, the average pension in the Russian Federation will reach 13.7 thousand rubles ($220), according to the Pension Fund of Russia.

As well as the new initiative of the government to index the social:

According to the proposal of the Ministry of labor, social pension will increase by an average of 255 rubles and will be 9062 rubles($150). For children with disabilities will increase by 378 rubles, and for people with disabilities since childhood of I group – on 382 rubles, and will amount to 13410 and 13556 rubles, respectively. In addition, increase disability pensions for servicemen, passing military service on an appeal (to 12688 rubles) and pension for loss of breadwinner to the families of servicemen, passing military service on an appeal (to 10746 rubles).

For life, after the rent, the pensioner remains quite a small amount of money. Taking into account the fact that the minimum set of products on average in the regions is in the range of 3,5-4 thousand rubles, living alone in large areas is simply an unacceptable luxury. Counters this is not particularly help, the difference to my bills for a family of four and parents of seniors is on the order of 500-600 rubles, with almost equal areas.

From the working class, they also want to pluck a little to replenish the losing budget. So far, the possibility of increasing the personal income tax from 13% to 15% is under discussion. It is noteworthy that unpopular measures returned to the discussion immediately after the elections.

It is not surprising that prolonged stagnation in the economy is in constant search of points for support. Switching from stimulation of one sector to another, does not bring the proper effect. Wallet single and the amount does not change. If we spend more in one direction, then in others we have to save. An example of this is the growing boom in mortgages. The percentage is reduced, and the doors of many banks are open. Developers happily rubbing his hands and consider the profit. That's just the population growth we have is far from ideal and driving in multi-year loans a large percentage of the working population, we will put a fat cross on other markets.

One of such victims already became retail of clothes and footwear. As I mentioned above, advertising space is now occupied by very different offers. The increase in the number of shops in the cheap counterfeits economy style with stunning squares, assortments is obvious. Where recently housed offline points mainstream brands, today ads about rent or the next boozer. Second hand shops are also actively opened. In General, everything is logical, after meeting the basic needs and closing the mandatory payments on clothing remains quite a bit of money. Given the same approach to pricing, when the cost goes over all the permitted boundaries, compared with foreign shops, this market should collapse a long time ago. So refocusing on low-cost goods has become the only way for many to keep their business afloat.

According to the latest Nielsen survey of negative expectations about the Russian economy, the vast majority of respondents (74 percent) believe that the country is experiencing an economic crisis. Moreover, the share of those who expect that the crisis will be overcome in 2018 is only 13 percent.

Multi-brand online stores have good prospects so far. They fit well into the model of saving money, so they actively attract new customers. Thanks to various services fitting without payment by courier or at the points of issue, as well as a simplified system of return, they can compete even with some foreign colleagues.

Russians continue to save money on clothes, food and entertainment — as stated by 60, 53 and 51 percent of respondents, respectively. The share of food expenditures in February remained at the level of January, amounting to 53 per cent of the total basket of goods in daily demand.

But at work distributed leaflets and offered to celebrate a victory president. Only my heart is not particularly happy. It is sad to see how we are drowning ourselves on the spot, making loud statements, but linking bureaucratic processes so much that we forget what we were doing. A leader needs a decent team. We are waiting for announced changes in the government and fingers crossed for our economy. Since the final figures for 2017, hardly anyone is satisfied:

According to official statistics, by the end of 2017 the turnover of retail trade rose for the first time in 2015. Retail sales grew 1.2 percent to 29.8 trillion rubles. The Bank of Russia expects that the positive dynamics will continue this year. However, compared to the fall of 10 percent in 2015 and another 5 percent in 2016, this figure is very symbolic-sales still did not reach the pre-crisis level.