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Cost of living

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What are you no longer doing or buying?

219 replies

Whattosay81 · 28/07/2023 16:52

Because of COL?
I’m opting for more park trips rather than days out over the summer hols.

OP posts:
Andanotherone01 · 28/07/2023 22:59

Takeaways - generally awful and definitely not worth the money.

MargretGotWood · 28/07/2023 23:00

What are you no longer doing or buying?

Wiping my arse, toilet paper

Gowlett · 28/07/2023 23:00

Agree about eating out. I used to have a number of little places all over the city, where I could pop in & do lunch / quick dinner for 10 / 15 quid. That would barely get me tea & cake nowadays. Those little places aren’t really a thing anymore… I miss them!

coronafiona · 28/07/2023 23:01

Eating out
Take aways
Cinema
Insurance
Petrol

Almost everything and yet still overdrawn

Sundaefraise · 28/07/2023 23:01

Lots of cutting down here due to col, plus redundancy. So Lidl for everything, no new clothes, take aways, haircuts. If anyone could advise on cheap skin care, aside from Aldi Lacura, which is too perfumed for me that would be great.

Keykaty · 28/07/2023 23:02

@Thebirdhouse

Easy Peasy 3 ingredient scone recipe for you. Tried and tested by me. I use cups, can't be bothered weighing! Any cup size will do, use same one for all ingredients.

Lemonade scones:

Heat oven to 220d (yes it's hot)

3 cups self raising flour. Sifted
1 cup of full sugar lemonade, own brand/ sprite. NOT diet version
1 cup whipping cream

Just bring all ingredients together as quickly as possible, try for ten turns with spatula.
Rest mixture for ten minutes
Then onto floured surface. Do not knead, just bring together and cut into circles. Brush with milk/cream but ONLY on the top of scones not the sides.

Bake 15 minutes. Enjoy.

CarrotSoupwithCheese · 28/07/2023 23:02

I paid £16.50 for a fishcake that was still
frozen in the middle at a pub last week. Obviously I sent it back and they reheated it but what an eye watering amount of money for a single fishcake with some broccoli and salad leaves on the side.

Overnight oats - just soak some oats in milk (or plant milk of choice) overnight and then add toppings in the morning. I like mine with toasted pecans and seeds, plus raspberries, honey and cocoa powder, or blueberries and peanut butter, or kefir and stewed rhubarb, or grated apple and cinnamon, or jam and crystallised ginger…. Probably by the time I’ve added all those it’s no cheaper than cereal but it is so much more delicious and filling. Cereal just doesn’t cut it for me any more.

KnickerlessParsons · 28/07/2023 23:03

Eating meat.

I'm not vegetarian, but have pretty much given up meat. I'll eat it in a restaurant if the veg choices are pretty dire (they usually are - I feel sorry for proper vegetarians), but I don't buy it for the household. It took a while before anyone noticed!

Gowlett · 28/07/2023 23:03

I never look at full priced clothes in the shops. Sale only. I’ve always enjoyed shopping, but the quality of clothes now definitely does not match the price!

Thebirdhouse · 28/07/2023 23:14

Pinkespressomachine and Keykaty Thank you both for the recipes. They look great and I will try baking over the weekend!

Charlize43 · 28/07/2023 23:29

I walk everywhere I can although it can take hours.
I shop more and more at Aldi.
I only eat main meal a day.
I never buy books now from charity shops as we have lots of book exchanges in stations, etc where I live.
I read more as it costs nothing.
I've been getting up at 5am and going to bed around 9pm to save using so much electricity.
I tend to batch cook as well so as not to use the stove so often.

Twite · 28/07/2023 23:40

Pub. Very rarely go now, and was utterly shocked by the price of a small glass of wine when last there.
Good coffee. Used to love Lavazza but at over four quid a pack now I've moved on to supermarket own brand ground coffee at half the price.
Fancy bread. Used to love a loaf of artisan sourdough but at nearly five quid, nope.
Wine. Just gave up buying it due to needing to pare back my weekly shop.

Jbrown76 · 28/07/2023 23:46

Reduced meat intake, practically vegetarian
Cancelled vet plan and took out cheaper pdsa plan
Used to buy asda quark at 75p, then it went to £1.10, many other items have increased the same way, I just don't buy them
Buying a lot more asda just essentials items, no brands,
No takeaways, no eating out, budgeting, checking the bank account several times a day,
Ordering things online so I don't need to physically go to shops on bus, and buy stuff I don't need
Vinted or ebay for clothing
Hooded blankets for winter
Electric blanket
Heated throw
Not having the heating on
Not using the library as they charge 75p per item I've reserved.

Onehappymam · 29/07/2023 00:33

No longer have a cleaner or a gardener.
Cancelled my Naked Wine subscription.
Cancelled Sky TV & Disney Plus.
Cancelled subscription of women’s health supplements.
Stopped buying magazines.
My kids have stopped some of their extra-curricular activities.
I cut dishwasher tablets in half.
I try to switch to supermarket own brands where I can.
Stopped going to local events - the circus, village fetes, festivals etc.
If we go out to eat I have a starter, no main, and a coffee instead of dessert. Usually the kids are unable to finish theirs so there’s more than enough food to go round.

Upwiththelark76 · 29/07/2023 00:33

Nails- cannot justify the cost
beauty appointments -
holiday
branded washing powder / liquid

KievLoverTwo · 29/07/2023 01:50

Sugary things. Lidl's bears were 75p about 14 months ago and now they are £1.99 and the last pack we bought tasted like crap. Used to have OJ every weekend but can't bring myself to spend what it costs often. Anything by Mr Kipling is joke prices these days.

We have cut out a lot of fresh fruit and veg not because of cost but because the quality seems to be universally awful (even in Booths that used to be amazing)

Fish and chips for two. Last time we got it I think we paid £22/24 and the fish looked like kids portions.

Chinese takeaway, £55 (with enough for a second sitting) but still feels so painful.

The OH took himself off to Scotland in May for six nights (from NW England). Petrol, hotels for six nights (with bf) and not even any attraction entry fees cost £1100 staying in Hiltons. Two of those nights had evening meals included. He turned up and it was a buffet choice of four dishes. So if you want a burger or anything else it's just tough shit, you couldn't even order and pay separately. But what is even worse and what made me hopping mad is that they no longer have a daily cleaning service. If you want your room cleaned you have to call and ask. If you want some more bog roll you have to walk to reception and ask. So he paid between £95 - £120 a night to have to call and ask for more loo roll like a fucking child who gets caught out unprepared.

So UK holidays can now go do one. I used to be a big supporter of staying in the country, not now.

We needed a ton of hard gardening done and forced ourselves to do it.

Our rental floors need cleaning and resealing but it would cost 2k so I have been through every cleaning product and brush and mop known to man.

We cancelled the cleaner when we realised how much work this house is and it needs 4 hours a week. I have opted to give less shits and keep the bathroom blinds permanently closed until the filthy floor (which is awful due to what my landlady's cleaner ruined them with) starts crawling up around my ankles :)

We talk to each other before ordering anything online.

I have put off getting a new oven since Xmas.

I have stopped buying clothes not just to be tight but because the quality seems to have gone down the pan and it gives me the hump.

I am having to reign my vet in on being neurotic about my elderly somewhat unwell cat because every time I walk through the door it seems to cost me £194 (I get 80% back) and my vet would give her every test on earth just to reassure me. We have spent probably 8k on vet fees for two ageing cats since October last year because vet fees and their medicines have absolutely gone through the roof. An overnight stay in October (well, 34 hours) cost £930!! We now have a cheaper vet.

truthhurts23 · 29/07/2023 02:15

shh lets not sing the praises of own brands TOO much before they catch on and start upping the prices

Cariadm · 29/07/2023 04:05

cocksstrideintheevening · 28/07/2023 18:57

My kids will not eat those, nor Sainsbury’s. They will only eat Heinz.

We've swapped down to own brand cereal. I don't eat it but the kids and husband haven't noticed.

I just cannot get my head around the phrase 'my kids will not eat those'?! How about you tell them that until they can buy their own groceries they can eat what you buy for them which are perfectly OK and that MILLIONS of kids would be dileriously happy with?! If they still want to behave like spoilt little brats (good preparation for them in later life? 🙄) then let them go without!!! Ugh!!

CapEBarra · 29/07/2023 04:42

Books and magazines. I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited for £7.99 a month and have access to loads of books and popular magazines for the price of a paperback.

Porridge is a good alternative to cereal and my kids love it. You can add things like raisins, banana, choc chips or Nesquick, honey or syrup, a dollop of jam or berry compote. You don’t need Quakers oats - a big bag of standard supermarket oats is the same and costs less than a pound. You can also use them to make flapjacks.

Less meat. I’ll use a tin of chickpeas to make a curry or lentils to make a chilli. I’ll use dried lentils as they don’t need pre boiling. I’ll use meat more sparingly - some chorizo in a pasta bake, or one breast of chicken instead of two in a recipe, so try to get two meals from a standard pack.

Packed lunch and make own coffee in work. I bought an Aeropress (about £30) and it makes really good coffee easily (once you get the hang of it!).

timegoingtooquickly · 29/07/2023 06:40

overitallll · 28/07/2023 19:20

Muller corner yoghurts. Used to buy 2 packs a week. Rarely buy yoghurt at all now.

We buy a big tub of lidl Greek yogurt and r then add our own bits-
Spoonful of jam
Frozen fruit
Chocolate chips
Cheapest granola etc

So much tastier than muller corners too

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 29/07/2023 06:44

Kitchen roll. Single use, expensive, full of plastic.
Replaced by washable bamboo sheets. Brilliant.

willWillSmithsmith · 29/07/2023 06:59

I can no longer justify takeaways. We used to like a Chinese takeaway but each dish is now around £10 where I am, which soon mounts up for a family.

Thehokeypokey · 29/07/2023 07:09

I've gone the other way and swapped from Aldi to a Sainsbury's online shop. I spend less now because I'm not chucking in random bits and pieces and many items we buy are price matched to Aldi. Found that the fruit and veg is better quality so not having to chuck as much away. We do still top up at Aldi and get wash powder and dishwasher tabs from there but we're definitely spending less overall.

MattDamon · 29/07/2023 07:09

We gave up fizzy drinks earlier in the year. Probably spending £30-£40 a month, not counting when we were eating out. For sugar in a can! My partner really struggled with it, but after reading Ultra Processed People it's been part of an overall lifestyle change that's left us both looking and feeling much better.

crashblandicoot · 29/07/2023 07:25

Aldi version of weetabix is better than the branded. It's a staple in our house.