What have you stopped buying due to a price increase?

[heartbroken22]

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

We stopped buying ‘snacks’ recently when we realised it would actually cut out around 300 kcal's per night as well as save some money.

I had reduced my ‘shopping hobby’ during Covid when places were shut or had huge queues, I haven’t reverted to my old ways so I no longer waste money on frivolous unnecessary items such as clothes and shoes which is a good thing, I definitely would’ve had to reign that in otherwise.

We do a family secret Santa for the adults which helps keeps gift budgets down, if you arrange it soon it gives those who are struggling with finances the time to shop around or save if they are still insisting on giving.

Whilst that's awful for the business owner, it's not my responsibility to keep a business afloat. My responsibility is to my family and to spend the money we have wisely.

I'm trying to buy whichever block butters are on best offer.

Most people have always done this. Ditto toothpaste. There's no reason to buy the same brand every time: you buy what's on offer.

@alongtimeagoandfaraway Ive started to buy my Kettle crisps online direct from them because i have a small addiction and would really prefer not to do without! £17.99 for 12 150g bags p&p free. It works out at £1.50 a bag so not brilliant but im the only one that eats them so i can justify the cost.

Thanks to this thread I have switched my cat insurance to many pets and saved £10 per month. Thank you.

Have already given up alcohol and switched down brands, I now do a monthly shop at Iceland on bulk products. I purchase toilet rolls on Groupon. If I have time, as I work full time, I pop into Poundland for certain products. Also certain essentials are cheaper in m&s😲. No more coffee out, this was one of my treats. Now looking to cancel audible, all a bit depressing as that is all of the things I enjoy. I just feel, as we are both working full-time we should be allowed the odd treat. Never really have take away for us, kids occasionally have Mcds.

We are really lucky though, I live close enough to everything to be able to walk. I could in theory walk to work but I do 13 hour shifts so a 40 minute walk after that is not ideal, especially if I am back in at 7am the next day.

However I do appreciate my travel expenses is much better than many.

I don’t think that is accurate. Most people practise brand loyalty.

bus into town, bike it now to work

I switched to own brand washing powder and then came out in hives!

Hear you on the driving. I paid for 9 months worth but we had to go every other week by six months.
In the end my son had to take his test in my car because his instructor wanted £120 to book his for the test! Couldn’t afford to fail at that price which is what happened. He retook it 10 days later at a cost of £62 in my car and passed so we were quids in using our own car,

After the butter thread last week I have stopped buying Lurpak and switched to the supermarket own brand!

Pine nuts have always been very expensive though.

Eating out altogether

Trying not to use the car as much. I have covid atm so that's easy anyway :(
Drying outside on the line when I can
Take away coffee is now £3 from my usual independent place (it was £2.20 a few weeks ago..) I just can't justify it.
I buy a tin of illy when they are on offer for £4.
It's food prices I'm noticing most tbh
And clothes prices are rising fast too
Plain men's t shirts £15-20!?
(I didn't buy them!)
UK holiday prices have skyrocketed - we gave paid £2k for a cottage in July. (Admittedly it's for 6)
But it means we won't have as much to spend in the local areas as usual...
It's just not sustainable.

My Benenden health insurance for me and my three kids is killing me at the moment - but I couldn't get my four-year-old a GP appt for love nor money last week. Two phone calls got her a prescription within hours. So I'm hanging on by my fingernails . . .

I switched car insurance. Due to my work I sometimes take children in the car with me, but that was nearly doubling the insurance in the new quote, so I won't be taking children in my car anymore.

I also got a deal which includes RAC breakdown for £30 a year where I was paying £9.50 a month! Having had to use them once, I'd say the separate plan isn't worth it, I had to wait 90 minutes for assistance when I broke down late at night in winter 🥶

Also someone mentioned fish and chips - I absolutely love it and get it for myself as a treat. I've now switched to buying cod bites instead of cod, nearly half the price! And very filling. In places that don't sell them I get a battered sausage instead, £2 instead of £9 for fish 😱

If you cancel a service - eg yoga - be prepared for it to close.

I know. But if I can't afford it, I can't afford it. It's the fault of the Conservatives and the way they govern.

The luxuries do go, and then anyone who provides those luxuries also suffers. I used to own a horse. I had to have him pts last year and I won't be getting another one. Which yes, is very much a first world problem. But I was paying a local yard owner, a feed merchants, vet, farrier, instructor. So their incomes will have dropped, especially since I won't be the only one cutting back like that. I was already doing many of the things mentioned in this thread in order to keep him. But the cost of living increase has absorbed all the money from keeping a horse and more, so I'm cutting back even more.

So I'm sorry for the yoga teacher, but I didn't vote for the fuckwits currently in charge so frankly, this one isn't on me.

Nothing much. I cook from scratch anyway and we don't eat snacks (or bought biscuits, crisps, sweets, takeaways etc.)

We've started eating less meat anyway, for health reasons, so our main meals are fish, and vegetables (cheap veggie dishes made with pulses etc) and I only eat red meat about once every 2 weeks.

I've stopped buying flowers each week as they are at least £5 a bunch where I shop.

We have replaced our 17 year old boiler and this will save a lot on gas.

I am annoyed though about profiteering where a lot of items are pricier for no good reason that I can determine.

I shop at Waitrose and using their 'loyalty' vouchers am saving about £5 a week on two items - like £2 off fish, £2.50 off prawns, £1 off apples, although I am sure they are clawing it all back with price hikes on other items.

Gym membership and swimming lessons cancelled
Cooking meals with fewer ingredients
Once a week we skip having a proper dinner and just have beans on toast

And I only buy own brand, except for butter because I like grass fed for health reasons, and that's Kerrygold.

I used to go to a special tea shop and buy expensive fancy teas. Now I have had to stop doing that

lurpak spreadable 500g was £5.05 in tescos. Shocking. I swear it used to be around £2.50. These price increases are beyond normal inflation, it’s shameless profiteering.

Whilst in theory we could afford to buy branded stuff, I feel like taking a stand and giving it a big swerve out of principle as own brand stuff isn’t nearly as expensive. If everyone did the same I wonder how quickly prices would come down.

I came on to also say GiffGaff is worth a switch to.
I bought the handset for my teenager and she has a £10 'GoodyBag' each month, which covers everything, including data- which is pretty good value. I have the cheaper package for mine, which is £8.

We've swapped cars as I commute further and was driving the petrol car before. Unfortunately we both live miles away from work and have to navigate two schools runs so can't get rid of one as that would be a massive saving.

Other than that we never had takeaways or went out, I get my hair cut about once a year and can't actually remember the last time I bought clothes anyway, so there's not much more we can do in that respect.

My food shop definitely looks different now. Checking prices on everything a lot more and saying no to treats. I always buy Iceland fruit as it's 2 for £3.

One of my dogs cost PetPlan more than £7K in a single year - on a premium of about £350 a year.

What will you do if your pet needs costly treatment?

I do think that some companies are taking the piss. Lurpak was £3.50 a few weeks ago, it’s £5.45 in my closest shop now. They must be having a laugh.