This is going to sound properly sanctimonious (especially as I’m not struggling too much yet), but honestly I think of my late mum and my late gran a lot. Both lived very tough lives and worked very hard, and there was never much money to go round. But my childhood was good overall. I was self-conscious of having less than peers at secondary school and the teasing from friends and bullying from others for having the wrong trainers/hair/bag/home/car/holiday did chip away at my confidence. But I learned to make do with less, and be content - and also to strive to better myself.
It’s not really an easy thing to grapple with “cutting your cloth” as an adult. Especially when the situation looks unrelenting and you can’t sleep for worry.
I do also find that winter is the absolute worst time to be struggling financially as bills are high and it’s too dark. I need to absorb sunlight, enjoy being outside, wake up in daylight so I’m counting the days until spring.
It helps that my parents brought me up to be more spiritual than material. Genuinely helps. To enjoy nature, library books, home-cooked food, a bike ride, a church service and coffee on Sundays, a visit from or to friends. We read, tend the garden, learn new card games and play puzzles and board games, watch TV and listen to radio and music.
We remind ourselves that travelling less and spending less is a good thing. That buying local seasonal food is better for the environment.
and we still give to charity, and the direct debit to the foodbank every month does make me pause and think. Sometimes I want to cancel it and spend the money on myself but I remind myself to be grateful, and to give is good for my soul. Or something like that.
This is all a bit of a ramble.
just remember if you’re managing to cut back and cope, you focus on your pride in doing that - it is not easy to give up nice things - and definitely don’t compare to others because that will ramp up your anxiety and misery about the situation.