The Spanish government is in financial distress and taxes are one way of raising money.Spending cuts and wage freezes are others.Now basic services are to be attacked too.They say that inflation in Spain in 2011 was 2.4 %.The man in the street wonders just how they calculate that figure as to all of them their cost of living seems to have increased by a much greater percentage.

Toll roads hiked their charges by 3.2 % on January 1.It is the highest increase since 2009 and more than double last year´s increase.Have they noticed that in fact fewer people are using the autopistas ,because they have become more expensive.

Fuel for haulage and for passenger transport has increased by 0.28 euros a litre, bringing the government an extra 9% in taxes.However fares which are regulated by the Ministry of Public Works have not changed.

Stamps have increased in price by almost 3%.A standard sized letter will now cost 0.36 centimos.Natural gas has increased in price but butano has remained unchanged following a rise of 4.2% in 2011.

The government has decided not to increase the price of electricity as it was due to go up by 15%.Last year there were two electricity hikes ,one of 10%.Telephone standing charges are about the only thing not to have increased since 2009.