How has the cost of living affected your day-to-day life?

[IndigoIsMyFavouriteColour]

For us, we are noticing a real change in our diet. Now we have a number of 'cheap meals' a week and just one or two meals that involve meat or any expense over a couple of quid. We also haven't been able to afford a summer holiday last year or this year. Just wondering how it is impacting other families?

We live more frugally than we ever have before despite our earned income not drastically changing.

I never took holidays anyway. I sold my car as no longer needed. Have bought a
Hair trimming set off Ebay my hair looks better than ever. Stopped beauticians. Reduced physio now do yoga online a lot more iften instead.

Food just as good as before though plus skincare make up clothing same as usual.

All my skincare is now from Aldi, and its actually very good. Not as luxurious as Clarins and Elizabeth Arden, but does the job.

I have just two haircuts a year, and don't have it coloured any more, embracing the grey.

All my 'new' clothes are second hand or from outlets, or supermarkets. Some of my nicest things have come from Sainsburys this year.

A bottle of wine is a rare treat. Nearly everything is cooked from scratch, and we eat a lot more veg in proportion to meat. But that's not a bad thing. I'm still fat, so obviously I'm not short of calories! We hardly ever eat out or have takeaways.

We don't have a summer holiday abroad. We have a couple of early and late season UK shorter breaks. But that means we are available during the school holidays to help out with childcare for the DGC, which is lovely.

Our life is very different, a bit more boring to be honest, and not exactly what we had planned. But it's still all first world problems. We have a house, we have food, we have treats, just not so many of them. And I know that in this we are a lot better off than a lot of people.

Like a PP mentioned, life is just a bit more boring.

pre Covid every weekend we would have a day out, the aquarium, the zoo, a national trust and picnic day. The park or the beach. If we didn’t have a day out we might go for a nice carvery on a Sunday or a Nando’s for example.

Now this is more like once a month or two, if that. Our diets haven’t changed but the food bill has gone up substantially which has impacted other areas of our lives.

Our dogs used to go to the groomers every 8 weeks for a bath and hair cut. This cost £60 per dog, so £120. DH went on a one day course on how to groom the breed of dog we own. This cost £150. Then he bought grooming equipment £350 and now he bathes and grooms our dogs himself. Over about 1 year we will break even then be saving £60 per month.

We notice it the most when doing our food shopping. Significantly less items for a higher price. With a house full of teenagers, that's where the bulk of our disposable income is going these days. I feel like all I do is go for the shopping yet I'm no sooner home than someone is adding something else to the shopping list.

We go to the pub and out for meals once in a blue moon these days, whereas that used to be at least a monthly thing for us. We don't even bother with takeaways much these days as the price is high and I don't think the quality is what it used to be (our local places anyway).

I don't bother with clothes as much anymore. No need - we don't go anywhere!

One thing I have been willing to spend my money on is a second gym membership. I now have one near my work that I go to after the office and a second 24 hour gym closer to home, so I can go there when squeezing it in around other things. I don't mind spending the money there as it has health benefits and again...I'm not doing anything else more fun these days.

Shop at Aldi instead of Sainsburys. Food from M&S is Christmas and special occasions only.

Takeaway once per fortnight. Previously two times per week.

Buy Stella Artois from Aldi at 92p per pint as opposed to 6 pounds per pint in a bar. Bottle of wine from Aldi for 5 pounds maximum compared to 2 pounds per glass in a bar.

I've swapped fancy cocktail bars like alchemist for pints in wetherspoons

Foreign holidays for a couple of short uk breaks

Rarely buy clothes unless 2nd hand or sainsburys

Takeaways once every 2 months or do

Coffee out used to be daily, now 2-3 times a week ( I have a bad Coffee habit)

I used to get my nails and feet ‘done’. I don’t any more.

Shop mostly from SHEIN.

I shop at Tesco but take advantage of offers. Eat lots of cheaper foods. Less meat. Olive oil had to go entirely.

I trim my own hair.

I buy all DVDs and CDs second hand.

I dye my own hair instead of going to the salon every month - £14 instead of £100

Bulk buy cat food/cleaning products etc. on Amazon when they're on offer

I'm generally quite mindful of where each £ goes - but we do have 5 holidays a year and 2 premium cars on the driveway - because we can't be miserable all the time

Never eat out unless it's a birthday and that's usually a Nando's type place for £50

To balance - both professionals, cheap mortgage on 5 bed in NI (cheap property) and no childcare fees - just nursery at £54 per week

Forgot to add, I used to get my hair dyed and brows waxed at the salon. Now I do all that myself and just have a basic wet cut every 4 months.

My main worry and impact is around energy. I will be 67 this autumn and I just can't afford to have the heating on much. Last winter I huddled under blankets while watching TV in the evening , and I go out in the day as much as possible. I am perfectly OK in the cold under a blanket, but I can't sit like that all day! And I worry about getting less fit for keeping warm by going on long walks and being out and about, and feeling the cold more as I age.

I really feel for families with small children at home all day.

I have stopped using the oven, especially for long slow stews and casseroles. My diet is now based on the hob and microwave.

I have always been fairly thrifty - always cooked a few meals based on lentils and butter beans and cheap cuts of meat / chicken etc. but the affordable meat that needs slow cooking is now out due to energy costs.

Drive a v modest car. Never paid for personal grooming beyond haircuts. Never buy takeaway coffee (but do have occasional cafe meet up with friends) or food delivery, but then I never did.

Last summer I went on a few day train trips to the coast and other places - but train fares have gone up and I am having to put more aside for energy.

The demography at our 'Spoons has changed markedly over the last year - loads of people who used to go to posh gastro pubs go there now (alongside everyone else) . They have changed the wallpaper to reflect the change 😂. You can get guest ales for 99p a pint!

Mortgage up by £140 per month (after we extended the term otherwise it would have been £250+)
Gas/Elec up by £90 per month.
Food shop up from £350 to £500 per month
Council tax up by £50 per month.
So that an extra £430 per month without even buying any clothes, take away, days out. I feel like the COL has taken away any money for any extras. I don’t take the kids to soft play anymore. Before the COL it would be £10 for me and 2 kids. Now it’s £20 for me and two kids!

Me and DH only eat a proper meal every other day. Alternative days we have egg on toast or beans on toast for tea. Kids eat as normal. I don't get my hair high lighted or cut - DH cuts it and I don't get a colour. Cat eats value range biscuits and no tins now. Aldi for skincare rather than no.7 of my previous life. Nothing, other than food and toiletries is new - all from the charity shop inc towels, shoes, coats, nightwear. Kids don't know as one of them would complain! In a year we will need to sell our home as our fixed rate is finished. Im very tired tbh.

Cedar fence
Treat yourself to a slow cooker, cheaper cuts of meat are delicious in them. You can get them at a reasonable price from Amazon.,

I now eat what the kids will eat, as I can't justify the energy cost of cooking separate kids/adult meals.

More mindful of buying food when out. I already took food where possible, buy now I consider where I can take a packed lunch when making plans or if we go to soft play etc. we go just after lunch.

Don't let the kids buy gift shop tat anymore. Occasionally we will call in the £1 shop on the way home instead.

Listen to audio book videos on YouTube, instead of buying (I know I'm going to get judged for that one, but my non sleeping kids go through a lot of bedtime audio books)

Second hand clothes for me & far more hand me downs for the DC. Also more consideration of what can last a bit longer, whereas I used to buy a new set of uniform/shoes/coats every September.

We're financially doing a lot better than we were a year ago so although we don't have to worry as much now and have more disposable income, the cost of living crisis has definitely changed my mindset on things. I used to find enjoyment in buying expensive bags etc but now excitement comes from not having to worry when going grocery shopping. I'm still living like I was a year ago, when we were struggling, due to constant panic we might end up back in that position

How are you still fat?

Just lucky I guess! 😂

Presumably wheat is a staple

@Sprogonthetyne you can get audiobooks and ebooks free from your local library app, mine uses BorrowBox. They also do free magazines via the Libby app.

No alcohol for me. Which is quite a positive change.

No week away in the sun which is not so positive!

Check whether you can get access to free audio books via your local library. Most have free apps now for audio books and ebooks..

Food is my biggest expense I don’t know what your budget is but in Asda they do 3 for 10 on meat and I get beef chunks and mince for that, if you eat a lot of soup/stews and other more traditional meals you’ll get more for your money. I eat a lot of apples

I reduced my bills by £150 a month when I moved, gave up smoking which was costing approximately £360 a month and I’m still struggling.
Everything went up as my spends went down.