Shoppers and householders, already under pressure from the deteriorating economic conditions, will now have to shop wiser and smarter in light of the new items that have been added to the list of taxable goods and services.

In the Budget presentation last week, Minister of Finance Audley Shaw announced that some items that were previously tax free would become subject to tax come April 27. The tax on these items took effect yesterday, and already, consumers are planning to cut down on spending in a bid to save money.

phone services

Among the items that will now attract tax are cellular phones and phone services, computers and computer parts, printed material including newspapers, but excluding material for educational and religious purposes. Also on the list are fish, cock and noodle soups in aluminium sachets, syrup, rolled oats and salt. Motor spirits and lubricating oil used in commercial fishing will also be taxed.

Trish*, a 25-year-old young woman, told THE STAR that the latest adjustments would affect her and she would now be forced to revisit her spending habits. She said: "Mi haffi go shop differently, now, especially with the computer. Those are things that need to be upgraded, so now mi affi go think twice when mi a buy computer.

"Salt and syrup and oats are things that a lot of people buy, so wha wi fi go do? Draw salt from the sea? Mi affi go cut down or buy in bulk if it's cheaper and just see what works out best."

Others like Sharon*, a mother of three, told THE STAR that she would now have to monitor her spending very carefully, even though she did not usually buy the things on the list. "Those things are not normally on my grocery bill, so it doesn't really affect me, but I'll just have to buy what I can or buy less than usual. I think the Government is trying to cut down on hypertension and diabetes."

Over in Montego Bay, Rosie*, told THE STAR that many shoppers had taken a different approach, by simply cutting down on their shopping altogether. She said during a visit to a supermarket yesterday, "Every cashier was empty, nobody was there." She said further, "... A di first mi see it stay so, all di cashier dem a siddown have nuting fi do. Normally di place full, worse is end of month.

*Names changed.