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What have you stopped buying due to a price increase?

952 replies

heartbroken22 · 25/06/2022 23:51

?? Don't buy as many eggs as we normally did or chicken...

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appleblanket · 30/06/2022 08:52

We got rid of our 2nd car. We just couldn't justify keeping it running when it was only used every now and then for DH who is now WFH. Have also switched to cheaper food/house cleaning brands and get 10% off in Asda as I'm a Blue Light member. We avoid using our main car for local journeys and walk places instead and have cut down on birthday presents for friends and family.
Even with all these savings, we're no better off because of the cost of living is so high!

Isthislove4ever · 30/06/2022 08:54

We're very fortunate at the moment as we don't need to make any cuts, but from spending so many years struggling when the dc were small and with me unable to work for health reasons, I do really worry as my dh is a partner in his business so I feel a big responsibility for his employees as well as having massive worries about what would happen to us if it doesn't do well in a recession.

I am definitely thinking twice about spending money/driving and ask myself if it's really essential and often it isn't, so I don't do it. I've always been quite frugal and cook from scratch, look for bargains, etc, as I lived that way for so many years that it is natural to me.

I'm really worried about our electricity usage as even though we were on a fixed rate until April our electricity usage was already around £250/month, but I'm already very frugal and careful so don't see where I can cut down.

I actually think there's something wrong somewhere, but cacan'get the electricity company to investigate. There's only 2 of us, and the house is often empty during the day and I rarely have the heating on even in winter, have a gas hob and only use the electric oven about twice a week.
We moved here a few years ago and although I've not changed my energy usage (in fact it should be less as dc have moved out), our kw usage in this house is triple what it was in our old similar sized hous (same amount of electrical stuff, just newer and so (should be) more energy efficient.

Pulses are a good source of cheap protein. Dahl is a quick simple dish, or a nice veggie chilli/curry. Spices can really make a meal and can lift a simple dish.
An air fryer, if you have one, cooks a lot of dishes much quicker than your oven (so cheaper). It certainly cooks enough for 2. I've used it for roasting chicken thighs and reheating dinners. It's also good for roasting veggies for a tray bake, and I'll often add some sausages or diced meat/ cheese so it's a complete meal.

Pluvia · 30/06/2022 09:57

Isthislove4ever · 30/06/2022 08:54

We're very fortunate at the moment as we don't need to make any cuts, but from spending so many years struggling when the dc were small and with me unable to work for health reasons, I do really worry as my dh is a partner in his business so I feel a big responsibility for his employees as well as having massive worries about what would happen to us if it doesn't do well in a recession.

I am definitely thinking twice about spending money/driving and ask myself if it's really essential and often it isn't, so I don't do it. I've always been quite frugal and cook from scratch, look for bargains, etc, as I lived that way for so many years that it is natural to me.

I'm really worried about our electricity usage as even though we were on a fixed rate until April our electricity usage was already around £250/month, but I'm already very frugal and careful so don't see where I can cut down.

I actually think there's something wrong somewhere, but cacan'get the electricity company to investigate. There's only 2 of us, and the house is often empty during the day and I rarely have the heating on even in winter, have a gas hob and only use the electric oven about twice a week.
We moved here a few years ago and although I've not changed my energy usage (in fact it should be less as dc have moved out), our kw usage in this house is triple what it was in our old similar sized hous (same amount of electrical stuff, just newer and so (should be) more energy efficient.

Pulses are a good source of cheap protein. Dahl is a quick simple dish, or a nice veggie chilli/curry. Spices can really make a meal and can lift a simple dish.
An air fryer, if you have one, cooks a lot of dishes much quicker than your oven (so cheaper). It certainly cooks enough for 2. I've used it for roasting chicken thighs and reheating dinners. It's also good for roasting veggies for a tray bake, and I'll often add some sausages or diced meat/ cheese so it's a complete meal.

Buy yourself a metre like this:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JIMQP6Y?tag=switchinglimi-21&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1
which will monitor and store the data of how much energy you are using so you can see exactly when you're using it, and how much. Are you heating your hot water with an immersion heater? This is really expensive. Do you have electric heating? I'm presuming not, as you have a gas hob. £250 is very high for a 2-person household where the house is empty during the day. The monitor will show exactly how much energy you use over a month. You can then calculate how much your bill should be and present the data to the electricity company.

The other option is to get an electrician out to check your supply and give an opinion. It might cost £200 or so, but if it halves your electricity bill it'll be money well-spent.

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Hateseaside · 30/06/2022 14:20

We have a push lawn mover. It gives you a bit of workout but is easy to use. My DH even sharpens the blades with special file.
We have a waste not shop so I use that and it means I can use the money I save to buy from weight in shop(eco shop, refill shop) and organic farm shop.
We still love our Limitless odeon card.

Tigerblue4 · 30/06/2022 14:30

Isthislove4ever One thing that might be worth doing is unplugging absolutely everything while you're asleep and also out, a couple of times each. Check your meter at beginning and just before you start using again to see if it's moved. If it's moving when absolutely nothing is being used, there must be something wrong with it.

Grigorisangel · 30/06/2022 15:06

This thread has been really insightful. It’s taken me a couple of days to get through it all but so many useful suggestions.
we haven’t made any cuts yet but I’m at a stage where I have nothing left of my wages at the end of the month which is worrying. I am currently retraining and have a year to go so I am only part time (27 hours) at work. If all goes to plan my wage should more than double by around this time next year but I do worry how we will survive until then if everything keeps going up.
We only have electricity in our property then something called district heating for the heating/water. I locked us into a tariff with the electric last September until November 23 so haven’t seen any serious rises yet. The main one is the food bill, family of 4 and it used to be around £70p/w, this weeks was £125 and that is with a 10% discount as I work in the shop.
I am going to disconnect our main tv from the arial and cancel the tv license, we don’t watch live tv really only Netflix so it seems pointless to pay for it when it’s not being used. Luckily my final phone payment is next month then it’s £6 each for the sims, I will never buy a phone through contract again as £30p/m for 3 years just is not worth it.
I am going to see what o can trim down on the food shop but feel I’m already quite a good shopper and cook from scratch most days.
youngest ds’s karate club is £125 a month and he goes twice a week for that, it’s definitely our biggest expense but he loves it so much that it will be the last thing I cut so I need to get savvy and find other ways of cutting back so we have a bit of a buffer

howtomoveforwards · 30/06/2022 16:17

But with something like house insurance, the stakes are huge, i.e. if your house isn't insured, then you could be left homeless without funds to rebuild if it catches fire

You're not just left homeless if your house is mortgaged, you'll also owe your bank whatever is left on the mortgage

BIWI · 30/06/2022 16:21

Buildings insurance is mandatory though, isn't it? It's only contents insurance that's optional (although you'd be very foolish not to have it)

SofiaSoFar · 30/06/2022 20:21

BIWI · 30/06/2022 16:21

Buildings insurance is mandatory though, isn't it? It's only contents insurance that's optional (although you'd be very foolish not to have it)

Mandatory?

What makes you think that?

ScribblingPixie · 30/06/2022 20:31

Buildings insurance is mandatory for us - mortgage requirement. I don't think it's mandatory by law is it?

antelopevalley · 30/06/2022 22:24

BIWI · 30/06/2022 16:21

Buildings insurance is mandatory though, isn't it? It's only contents insurance that's optional (although you'd be very foolish not to have it)

I know plenty of people who do not have contents insurance.

Quicknamechangefortoday · 30/06/2022 23:07

Buildings insurance isn’t mandatory, it depends on your mortgage provider but I don’t think it’s the law.

BitOutOfPractice · 30/06/2022 23:17

Our buildings insurance has just gone up 1000% (not a typo: one thousand per cent) which we have to pay as part of the service charge on our flat. No choice.

SkeletonFight · 01/07/2022 01:20

BitOutOfPractice · 30/06/2022 23:17

Our buildings insurance has just gone up 1000% (not a typo: one thousand per cent) which we have to pay as part of the service charge on our flat. No choice.

If you are leasehold and run by a management company then you are entitled to challenge a cost like that. Are you freehold or lease?

Ballcactus · 01/07/2022 07:46

I take my chargeable gadgets into work and charge them there. (Headphones/kindle)

Ballcactus · 01/07/2022 07:48

antelopevalley · 30/06/2022 22:24

I know plenty of people who do not have contents insurance.

This was me I never had it. We were flooded and lost everything and have always had it since. (And have had to claim too as we were flooded again- different house/ diff part of the country!)

theoldhasgone · 01/07/2022 08:09

I also knew someone who was in rental and was flooded without contents insurance. Awful.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 01/07/2022 08:10

I’d just like to thank the people up Thread who set out the sim deals that can be obtained now. I used that info, and online deals, to challenge my provider and my cost for 50gb of data is now £12 a month - which saves me £120+ a year and gives me a massive data increase too!

LadyWithLapdog · 01/07/2022 08:59

Wasn’t it one of the queen’s many palaces that wasn’t insured when it caught fire and the taxpayer had to cough up to pay for the repairs?

BIWI · 01/07/2022 10:36

Yes, you're right - buildings insurance isn't a legal requirement. But a swift Google shows that most mortgage providers will insist on it.

antelopevalley · 01/07/2022 12:02

@LadyWithLapdog Yes Buckingham Palace fire. There were not even fire alarms installed.
Our local council does not have building insurance due to the cost. It is cheaper for them to just rebuild than pay annual insurance premiums.

Somethingneedstochange · 01/07/2022 13:04

More to the point all those people who panic bought food stripping shelves bare only for it to go in the bin. All that money spent on toilet rolls and hand sanitizer. I'm sure they will be regretting it now.

LadyWithLapdog · 01/07/2022 13:07

Why? With any luck and the usual life expectancy they should be able to get through those toilet rolls. I don’t believe anyone bought tons of hand sanitizer and, if they did, they won’t evaporate and will come in useful. Small expense overall.

Toomanybooks22 · 01/07/2022 13:08

Somethingneedstochange · 01/07/2022 13:04

More to the point all those people who panic bought food stripping shelves bare only for it to go in the bin. All that money spent on toilet rolls and hand sanitizer. I'm sure they will be regretting it now.

Perishable food aside, I'd be surprised if people were regretting it as toilet rolls especially will always get used (not sure how many people would still have stock piles left over now though).

Puffincrossing · 01/07/2022 13:30

For people charging things at work, be warned it could be classed as theft. A place I worked had this policy. Obviously if you need your phone/ laptop for work it would be harder to prove but if you're a shop assistant leaving your phone on charge during your shift you could come unstuck.

Pet insurance, for this saying with a big bill you would have your animal pts it's not always that simple. Our pet rabbit had no end of treatment that all cost £200 here, £500 there and eventually came to around 6k. Insurance covered most of it. If I'd been paying out I don't know when I would have stopped because we always hoped the next treatment would be the last

Sim only plans, look at ID mobile as well