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 ?

Nothing , but we already live well within our means and always have . Sorry it’s so shit for some of you

Only if you breakdown?

In 15 years of driving I’ve needed to use breakdown cover once. It would have been much cheaper to pay on the spot.

I have hardly bought any clothes during 2023 and don’t plan to buy anything I don’t absolutely need. I haven’t upgraded my phone as I normally would have done.

It’s not a lot, we are fortunate in that we are generally comfortable but I guess I resent working so hard and having very little enjoyment from my wages. We used to eat out much more regularly and I used to buy more clothes and lots of yarn.

Nothing. But we are in our 60s, still working and the DC are grown up.

Hair dresser and nails unfortunately:(
Although my mum does an amazing job of colouring my hair and I have my own lamp. I do miss that bit fo em time though :(

Netflix cancelled, monthly meal out is no more, less treats for kids, DH and I both given up drinking as can't afford it, I've given up meat (DH has v limited diet as it is so not viable for him to.go veggie)

Oh and no holiday this year

Regular coffees at work (bought an aeropress and make my own). That paid for itself in a month, including nice coffee.
Eating out, crisps, sweets, booze, and takeaways - though this is also because we’re trying to eat more healthily.
New stuff. I think hard if I need something, and if I decide I do I see if I can find it on Vinted, Marketplace or eBay first.
Birthday/Mothers day gifts are what people need anyway. For example, I bought my mum a new nightdress for Mothers Day, but she’ll need it for an upcoming hospital trip.
Hair and beauty. I have wavy hair so it looks ok when I cut it myself - it doesn’t look too obvious. I’m not buying anymore makeup until the stuff I have is gone. I had too much of it.
Heating, and use less electricity- don’t cook meals that take a long time or need multiple ovens and cooker rings. It’s mostly an air fryer/microwave approach.
Meat - we eat a vegetarian meal about 4-5 nights a week now. Luckily we like things like lentils and chickpeas. When I do use meat I bulk it out much more with veg and pulses. Two chicken breasts will last two nights instead of one.

New clothes

Cut down on hilights and cuts to twice a year and do a home Color top up once between each time

Takeaways- to be frank I never really enjoy - would rather spend in M&S

Not a lot. Life is too short to go without treats and things you enjoy. That said, we live a relatively ‘simple’ life I suppose. DP doesn’t drink and I probably get through the equivalent of 1 bottle of wine a month. No pets, Sky or expensive hobbies. I can’t give up my monthly hairdresser appointment but I have become better at getting a better price for some things. A PP mentioned breakdown cover: RAC tried to auto renew my cover at a ridiculous price of around £290. I called to cancel and they offered me it at £89 instead.

My o2 package is £6 a month, down from £25 which included a Disney+ subscription I had no idea I had and have no recollection of signing up to🤔 I’ve become better at scrutinising my bills.

This might blow your mind but you don’t actually have to drink tea/coffee/hot drinks. We don’t!

Don't have fresh salmon ad much as I used to. Tried to give up my Yorkshire tea deccaffeinated t-bags,but it was too much of a punishment.

Clothes (ask for as birthday / Xmas presents)
alcohol
takeaways
days out
holidays
tumble dryer
gym membership
nails
insurances all reduced to basic levels
pets are on cheaper brands, dogs don’t mind but cats very grumpy about it

The once a year Holiday ...in a caravan for 4 nights. Didn't realise how much i looked forward to that holiday. Now it just seems very depressing, one long year ahead. I feel very down all the time.🙁the poster above put it in the right words - it feels like lockdown all over again.

We used to take the kids out twice a month - local attraction, museum, zoo, aquarium or even just a day to the beach. We've stopped that now. Had hoped for our family to be in a better position by this year, dh started earning a little bit more last year we had hoped to pay for swimming lessons or a longer / nicer holiday but it's been swallowed by bills, fuel and food.

I've definitely slowed down with clothes. I used to buy a lot from The White Company and supplement with M&S, but TWC have really gone down in quality and M&S actually seems better quality amazingly, so am sort of sticking with them!

No more Elemis bar one product (Nivea skincare is amazing!).

Bye bye car from this Thursday afternoon (I work from home and we enjoy an excellent bus service).

No more monthly deep tissue rubs for my back but I do enjoy the odd bath instead with Radox.

Nothing thank god.

I will admit our heating and water is being used more as we had to keep a newborn warm during the winter (double last year's price). But glad Spring is approaching and can start to turn it off 🎊

I live pretty frugally anyway but no longer buy flowers or Heinz and have added an additional week between hair appointments,

i cant remember the last item of new clothing i bought, apart from knickers

meals out?
we have meals at home, apart from when either dd is visiting., and that isnt an evening meal

Miraculously my DH had a payrise last summer so we haven't had cut out anything completely, just reduced our spend significantly on the following...

• Heating - never on in the daytime except in extreme cold
• Reduced takeaways from weekly to monthly
• Main shop at Aldi or use Aldi price match products
• M&S dine in meals instead of meals out for Valentines, Mothers Day etc
• I cut what's left of DH's hair at home with clippers
• Annual haircuts for myself and DD, haircolour at home

My job 😔

Cleaner

So sorry to hear that. 💐💐💐

We have always been quite frugal. But I've cut back on cigarettes majorly and it's actually really helped me kick the habit! And we have less takeaways, and I've been much more careful at the supermarket.

I still treat myself to the occasional coffee out, as I did before. And I continue to buy nice treats for my cat.

Made savings on electricity that we were either being a bit careless about, or wouldnt miss.

Largely switched supermarkets.

Was eating out less[we dont do that much anyway and not in expensive places] but that seems to have crept back in.
My friends are older and not in the best of health, so doing it while we still can.

Used to buy ingredients and put them in back of cupboard fro when do some recipe or other. Instead am now using up items out of back of cupboard/freezer. Will replace when about to/if actually cook that recipe again.