SIR – My wife nipped into one of the new styled bargain stores that are springing up during the credit crunch.

After about half an hour, I wondered where she was, so went looking for her.

I couldn’t believe the absolute bargains on offer, from clothes, food, drink, electrical goods, in fact everything.

This got me thinking that it shouldn’t cost that much to live, but then the penny dropped – it’s the dreaded bills! They’ve got you.

Gas, electricity, council tax, petrol, car repairs, house repairs, phone bills, and bank charges.

Much of these contribute to the expensive waste by the powers that be.

A South Yorkshire town council cut one department’s administration staff from 120 down to 81. In the paper it said that efficiency and services to the public would not be affected.

What did they need the superfluous 40 odd staff in the first place for then?

R K Carswell, Aspin Park Road, Knaresborough