Shall we have a local Cost of Living moan?

[Dustyblue]

Having read some of the UK threads, I'm wondering how different it is or isn't here.

Our big increases are the usual I guess:

Food- I did a $200 Woollies shop yesterday, more a fill-the-pantry and freezer shop than fresh stuff. I unpacked it and thought "Is that it? That's all I have?"

Car Insurance- cost went up 20% and car was devalued by several thousand. Surely this will hit critical mass at some point and the insurance will be worth more than the car?

Council rates: Up 30%.

There's more.... what are yours?

That's definitely the best challenge ever! Will have to give that a go, thank you!

Ooh, I’d quite forgotten about that - thanks, @echt !

Thanks for reminding me! Just did it, they've made it easier this time, took 5 mins :)

That's one of most interesting websites I've seen in ages! Turns out there's a farm very close to us... very tempted but would need a bigger freezer.

One of DP's friends keeps a couple of eating cows and when he has one butchered, he sells cuts to his mates for 6kg. Best steak I've ever eaten.

@Dustyblue - apparently some farms are now doing 1/8 sizes? If they're close to you that might be an options.

I read about them before they launched, and they're now working in a new platform as part of their expansion.

I loved the whole idea enough that I actually participated in the share funding they ran. (So I guess I'm a teeny tiny shareholder ....really teeny tiny, lol).

@OrderOfTheKookaburra Good for you! It's a brilliant initiative.

I'll check the smaller packs 😁

Is anyone doing anything in preparation for EOFY? I paid off my HELP debt, I would have to have to paid off in the next 2 years anyway so I took the hit now before it was increased.

Is there anything else (small, given the hit to my savings already!) I can do?

Thanks for the tip about woolies rewards extra. Just signed up!

Brilliant @owloak!

According to the app I have saved an extra $220 with extras and have earned an extra 9400 reward points. It has been absolutely worth it for me!!!

That is since the end of January, btw.

Another one using Woolies extra. It is good to get the 10% on one big strategic shop.
Also thank God for WFH. I go into the city (melb) one or two days a week and always spend more than I plan to.

I got an email yesterday from Woolies saying that the 10% will be in-store only from next month. Points will also be reduced. Did anyone else get an email? I've been raging about it on another thread this morning.

Not me! Bloody cheek.

Their rewards seem to have shrunk to nothing in the last few years. I can’t remember the last time I had any discount before I started using their phone plan.

This is great.

I also swapped power companies as a result. Took 5 minutes to swap and will save us $500 this year.

I also have a list of providers I am going to negotiate fees with- health insurance company, mortgage etc.

I'm going to Aldi once a fortnight to stick up on cheese and other higher cost items. Still doing coles delivery for basics but it's so expensive now!

Yep have decided we can no longer shop at Woolies and cancelled our delivery subscription. I'm just going to have to find extra time to go in to Aldi. It's absolute extortion.

One of my kids has a medical condition so I'm constantly paying for pediatrics or physio etc. I've never tried to get NDIS funding. I have no idea where to start but I need to look into it.

We pay daycare for our toddler but he spends half his time at home with a cold anyway.

Private health is costing us $500 a month now. When we first signed up it was around $300. That's with Medibank, although I do note that reception staff usually tell me my insurance pays out more than others they see.

The NDIS does not cover medical conditions but it might be possible to get funding on the grounds of symptoms--so applying for funding for physio based on the medical needs will not work but a report showing how the needs affect her functioning could work. If that makes sense at all.

I just checked - I have a separate promotions section in my emails and it was in there. It also popped up as an alert in the app when I went in to check. The price has gone up as well! So annoying.

I guess they hadn't calculated just how much people would save using the app. At least I get 3 free months.

The in-store doesn't really affect me as much as I do that anyway, but the 2 x points is annoying. I do use all of my extra points though, so often get lots of points in one shop as it will offer extra points to buy items that I usually buy anyway, eg 300 points for chicken thigh fillets.

They often have bonus points 6x or 10 x offers so I will keep an eye for those and plan accordingly.

I do like being able to pay through the app and having copies of all my receipts on there. Helps so much with budgeting.

@itdoesnt a every year the AMA do a report card on insurance funds.

AMA Insurance Report Card

With a look to see how good your find actually is?

Fellow New South Welshwomen the family energy rebate is due on the 16 of this month.

I think if you have this application in you will become eligible for the energy rebate stuff federally but I can't be sure 'cause they always make it so complicated. applications.fer.energy.nsw.gov.au/

I'm going to Aldi once a fortnight to stick up on cheese and other higher cost items

OMG, @SkyandSurf , you're taking a gun to demand cheese? Are things that bad? It's not worth it I tell yah.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

😂

What can I say, times are tough!

Aaaaand another interest rate rise.

How many is that now? 😩

😆😆😆

Yes, New Zealand egg are expensive but we have banned battery hens. They still sell eggs from colony cages but these are being phased out. New Zealand banned battery hens in 2023. Australia is planning for it in 2036. So there's probably a price in animal welfare for those cheap eggs in Australia. If you plan on eating eggs from battery hens in Australia, don't goggle the pictures of battery hens and the truly miserable conditions they are kept in as it will totally p put you off eating them. In fact, New Zealand had a bit of shortage of eggs in 2023 with battery producers being shut down and there were price rises.

My dog is on a Hills Science diet food and it has gone up from $65 for a tray of 12 cans, to $89. I am on a pension and it's killing me - and electricity is insane. I live in an area where there is only a Woolworths and a Coles available, so no Aldi or IgA... the pension never goes up and I can no longer cope!