What‘s gone entirely for you / your family due to COL ?

[WhereIsTheSunshine3]

As well as cutting back on lots of things such as coffees, takeaways, meals out, using washing machine/ oven etc, there are quite a few things I’ve given up totally since cost of living has eroded disposable income :-

• Using tumble dryer
• cancelled Netflix
• monthly direct debit to charities
• giving stuff to charity shops (either keep it or sell it)
• Going to hairdresser (dye at home now)
• Cancelled cat insurance
• cancelled breakdown cover
• car cleans (used to get done every 2-3 months, now do it myself)
• Also thinking of cancelling Amazon prime when the yearly subscription comes up in May

what have you given up completely ?

Oh and I’ve stopped buying any new makeup, toilettries, hair care or skincare products too but I have enough to probably last 12 months or more especially as I go out a lot less now!
Also stopped buying books and won’t consider it until I’ve read all the unread books I already have at home (at least 10)

Amazon prime, I've saved a fortune because I no longer buy all the crap that I was before. Also my kids school meals, they are all on packed lunches now.

Nothing and hopefully won't have to.
I refuse to work hard all week and not do the things I enjoy at the Weekends or have treats etc...To me it is not living .

Nothing but would wash the car myself anyway.

Yes, the browsing and buying the nice top/ jeans/ dress/ shoes I don't need but like. Same for the kids- buying less, and bigger purchases (trainers/ posh hoodies/ branded tshirts) are kept for birthdays/ Christmas.

Fewer holidays and won't be abroad this year (I'm cutting my hours from August too due to caring responsibilities).

Nothing but we’ve always lived quite frugally, never spent on non essentials, always been a charity/bargin shopper, McDonalds is our only take away and it’s a treat for the dcs. DH has been wfh since covid so bills are higher but he gets a benefit for extra costs and we have been able to get rid of his car and cutting down travel costs not to mention his sneaky coffees and visits to greggs, he’s now on instant coffee and pot noodles.

Not a great deal really, but don't have a mortgage and fixed electricity before the prices increased.
Don't have gas anyway.
Went to a sim only deal on my mobile just over a year ago.

Nothing really apart from not having heating on so much. I've had to take a 2nd job to ensure we can all still have basic things!

Broadband
TV license
Cigarettes
Milk in coffee
Takeout deliveries
Eating out

But I've gained so much from ‘giving up’ all the above. Who knew I needed a simpler life all along!

Reinstate breakdown cover it's cheaper than having to pay for on the spot help.

My changes happened bc of Covid but have directly helped to keep the COL down now that they have carried through.
Daily coffee/pret habit gone
Workout at home bc gym wasn't an option during covid
Loads more cooking from scratch of things I never made at home pre covid
Generally much more aware about food waste and squeezing the last drop out of containers

Most branded items, can't believe how much the price of branded items have shot up! Especially crisps!
Also can't afford takeaways and have started to sell clothes on Vinted whereas before I'd donate them to charity shops. I don't buy new clothes anymore really apart from essentials (new boots as worn out or new coat as zip broke etc). Stopped going in to town so that I won't be tempted to buy things.
Only buy clothes from charity shops or off Vinted now.

We don’t go out as much. We used to have a lot of fun days out to the city / seaside / long train rides to a different town etc all sorts. Now we mostly just go on country walks where we live and watch too much Tv. It’s a bit like lockdown again but schools and work are ok!

The hope of reducing my working days to spend a day or two extra with my 3 year old before she starts school :(

The attitude which I typically take is to realise that
a) they are taking the piss wrt price hikes, container shrinkage
b) I will laugh and refuse to play ball
c)I will evaluate if I can live without it or not. If I can't, I will make a huge effort to diy it in some form
I can still afford the priced hiked items but I will not bc I am not a mug who exists to make wealthy people even wealthier and as much as I loved those products, it isn't hard to say bye-bye!

Netflix and 90% of takeaways, coffees out. I am very careful with money though. Barely buying new clothes, choosing vinted instead, unless I need underwear, shoes or t-shirts. I am also using very little amounts of cleaning or laundry products. They do the job, but last much longer.

Arghhh so much it’s depressing….

car washes/valets
3 monthly trim for me and 2 weeks barber for do and ds - go a lot less often now
gel nails from the salon
eye brow threading
’posh’ toothpaste
new makeup - only buy what really needs replacing
new clothes for me
m&s lingerie - now buy cheap cotton pants
kickers school shoes - ds now wearing cheaper shoes
stationery

books - we use library a lot more
coffees/ cakes after school with ds
the dishwasher
fancy chocs
room spray
candles/ matches in a jar
Payday treats for ds
Pokémon cards on Saturdays
bathbombs
pillow spray
fancy crisps
magazines
Coffee pods
Cleaning wipes
Bowling
cinema
arcade games
nike trainers
fresh herbs
gu deserts
prawns/crab
duck
chicken breasts
branded cleaning products
branded sanitary products
branded dry foods
Disposable napkins
perfume
bath salts
cute cupcake toppers/ cases
fresh lemons for water

Saucepan on the hob?
That's what I use - I only make 1 cup at a time, and my kettle's a 2 cup minimum.

Pillow spray 🤪😂

Nothing completely but we already don't drink for example and have lunches at home / from home etc rather than buying out during lunch break etc (kids but lunch school days).

We have cut down though - in ways that are nothing compared to some. We usually go away in April but aren't this year, we've stopped buying things like salmon as frequently and just are generally a bit more careful.

Very very aware we are fortunate though.

Nothing like a snooze on a lavender scented pillow 😂

You could quit the makeup and skin care entirely.

We've stopped or cut back on:

Takeaways used to be 1 a month, had 1 this year for dds birthday
Used to buy about 100 cans of pop a month now its a 2lt bottle at the weekend and are drinking vimto during the week
Had to cut kids spending money from 60 a month to 30
Kids on packed lunches now not school dinners
Gel nails
Eyebrows wax
Hair cut for me and dd
Have a day out every couple of months rather than a couple of times a month
Buying cheaper food
I used to eat at spoons every Fri with a friend while our sons are at scouts now we eat out once a month and just have a drink the other times
No holidays
Eldest lives in London used to visit a few times a year haven't been since before covid. Miss them like crazy but travel and hotel is just too expensive
Only bought clothes when needed rather than when wanted and then only cheap things like underwear from primark
Haven't renewed cat insurance
Haven't upgraded phones
Stopped using drier

Life feels very dull and depressing there's nothing to look forward too any more, I'm dreading easter and summer holidays trying to entertain 2 teens

We cut back on/never did most of the things on your list years ago.
I long since concluded that Sky tv/expensive hair do's/take aways were a waste of money . Never had Amazon Prime or pets (apart from guinea pigs for a few years to get pets out of DCs system). Always cooked from scratch and DH & DS take packed lunches. I get my hair cut at the barbers for £15 (it's gone up) and use a box dye. None of us have ever bought take away coffees - brought up in a generation where we could manage to go a few hours without a drink!

Isn't your hosue awfully damp? Or are you in a new build. My house would be running with water if I didn't heat it every day!