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.

It hasn’t.

I realise we are fortunate.

However, I also already walked distances a lot of people drive, don’t have beauty treatments, don’t smoke and very very rarely drink alcohol, don’t have Netflix,don’t get takeaways, drive a very old cheap car, buy most stuff from Vinted or charity shops etc

I've swapped from Tesco to Aldi. It sickens me to think how much I could have saved if I'd always shopped there.

I think much more carefully about making purchases, and try to prepare for things like birthdays/Christmas gradually, i.e. picking something up with the weekly shop, or ordering things gradually rather than all at once.

I've kept my current car (almost 8 years old) much longer than I would have liked.

I am a member of a gym/pool and shower mostly there now instead of at home, as their hot water and hairdryers are included in my membership (I know I could save more by not going at all, but swimming is excellent for my mental health).

I try to walk as much as possible, rather than getting in the car for shorter journeys.

We've been quite lucky and comfortable, so we haven't suffered really, just had to be more thoughtful about what we spend our money on.

Cheaper meals to keep food budget down - only 3 dinners a week with meat/fish instead of 7, 2 dinners now are vegetarian eg bean chilli and 2 are cheap meals eg beans toast/egg toast. One takeaway a month instead of one a week. Make lunches for work instead of buying at work.

Only eat out for breakfast/lunch and order
one course and a hot/soft drink, no longer eat out for dinner with several courses and drinks etc.

Buy toiletries from supermarket rather than Boots. Switched to cheaper skincare brands for cleanser and moisturiser just kept more expensive serum which I now get as a birthday/Xmas gift from DH.

Bulk buy toilet roll from Aldi rather than Tesco.

Cancelled our cleaner.

Cancelled all subscriptions except Netflix and Amazon as these are used frequently - can fill time watching tv rather than going out.

Let phone contracts expire and haven’t renewed handsets, switched to sim only so from £35 per month to £8 per month.

1 holiday abroad a year instead of 3. 4 star hotel instead of 5. Take minimal spending money. Make lunches from supermarket food. 1 weekend break in UK a year vs several.

1 car instead of 2.

Check every contract and ensure we are aware of end dates and shop around for best deals usually with freebies such as vouchers/cashback
eg insurance etc

Family gifts - Started a ‘Secret Santa’ exchange for all adults in the family at Xmas with a limit of £50pp. Only buy for adults birthday’s for big birthdays now rather than every birthdays and club together as a family to get one gift. Cut budget for kids birthdays/Xmas from £30 to £20. Buy all Xmas gifts in Black Friday sale to save.

Lots more cheap/free days out instead of expensive concerts, festivals, spa days etc. Now it’s walks, picnics, coffees, museums, £5 vue tickets, cheap seats in theatre for £13,
visit family at home more rather than eating out etc

Significantly cut down on buying clothes,
will always check Vinted first. Sell old clothes on Vinted vs just throwing away.

Use TopCashback/Airtime rewards for cashback on most purchases vs not bothering before.

Our current treats - I have kept my monthly hair appointment but moved to a cheaper hairdresser and DH has kept going to football matches but he now drives and doesn’t drink
and takes sandwiches vs getting the train and having several drinks and food out.

It hasn't really, our income has improved in the last year due to work changes. Food shop is now about £110 a week whereas was £80 or so before, energy bill is higher but not in anyway that impacts daily life

Most libraries have a free audiobook app like borrow box although the choice can be limited.

Swapped Sainsbury's for Aldi. Swapped Kiehls for Lacura. Use a lot of cheaper cuts of meat and slow cook it. Eating out rarer as is fish from the fish van. Clothes from H&M instead of Cos. Jeans from supermarkets. Haircut twice a year, have embraced my grey. UK caravan holidays instead of European campsites in lodges.

“Downgrading” on lots of things, rather than cutting out completely.

Still buy same amount of meat but now only get takeaway once per month and eating out is rarer still.

less going out with friends for drinks.
very rarely buy alcohol now, whereas before it would have been one bottle of wine per week.

Switched to cooking more often with vegetable oil rather than olive!

cheaper hairdresser so still regular cuts and colour once per year.

nails done about twice per year now at salon, used to be more often. Do own toes.

Most of my clothes now come from Vinted and I sell a lot on there too (before would have taken it to Charity shop) A “new” purchase is now a couple times per year treat.

DC clothes mixture of supermarkets, cheaper high street and hand me downs. Trips to John Lewis much more rare than before!

Family days out now all free activities, museums, walks. Still do cinema trips with club card vouchers.

I noticed a massive hike in prices but then lifestyle shifted in line with that.

So I don't go out as much for food but have friends round for wine and snacks (not supper anymore though).
Don't spend as much as on treat food but eat better meals.
Don't run the car if possible so less galavanting , which then saves on going out and buying food/ drinks / admission.

I think I feel a bit like I did early 90's. Not hard done by but not really cracking life.

Also I got a " top up" job in supermarket. 15% off and free stuff takes the edge off.

We’re quite lucky as we have two decent salaries - but I last had a payrise in 2021 and everything has gone up so much. Personal savings for me are downshifting skincare/makeup brands, I do my hair salon’s social media in exchange for my hair, and buying a lot more second hand instead of new.

Shop at Aldi. Although I do still need to shop at Tescos for my gluten free stuff. Rarely had takeaways anyway but now I don't have them full stop. Apart from meat and fish I often buy the cheapest brand of everything and have started making a lot of vegetable soup to fill up on during the day. I rarely drink alcohol anyway and if I do treat myself to a bottle of wine it's usually the cheapest bottle I can find and I make it last 2-3 days. I nipped into morrisons yesterday and nearly fainted at the cost of my shopping. All I got was 1 gluten free pizza that came to a fiver because I added on 2 extra toppings to the 4 free ones, some value potato crispy ball things. A box of lattes, some lactose free cheese spread, 3 kvarg yogurts on special offer a pack of Morrison brand chocolate buttons and a pizza tray. Total £19.95 or £17.45 once I take the pizza tray back that is too big for my oven. It's bloody ridiculous. The cost of shopping not the pizza tray

Thanks silver, plus others who suggested it, (don't no how to quote all)

We have borrowbook, that was actually stage one of how we got here.

We'd listen to the start of a series on there, then the next book would either not be on or be checked out with a 6 month wait. I'd then end up buying the next book, because the last thing I want when I'm trying to get everyone calm and to sleep is a tantrum over not been able to continue the story, and the next thing you know, I'm spending £20-30/month I don't have on audiobooks.

Didn’t realise the library did audiobooks - will definitely look into that, thank you.

For me it’s been mainly eating out and clothes shopping.

Probably spent a few hundred a month pre Covid on meals, snacks and coffees out - do wonder though what that’s doing to the economy if others are following suit.

Have been lucky on Vinted with a few items that were still in store so always worth looking there before you buy new - can’t believe how much clothing prices have jumped over the past few years and really resent paying full price in shops now.

Still feel I am spending a fortune on gas and electric even though I’m now more careful, but grew up in the 70’s in a cold house and refuse to go back to those days - heating really shouldn’t be a luxury in my opinion.

No takeaways or eating out unless a birthday or similar.

Not really and I'm not rich. I have taken on a second job and that covers increased utilities and food so we eat much the same. Never had expensive hobbies, cut my own hair, buy clothes off vinted. I'm much less likely to splurge on a cinema trip/ trampoline park as it all seems very expensive. Didnt really eat out before but the monthly payday fish and chips has gone but day to day it's much the same.

Swapped Kiehls for nivea. No difference in my skin. Far more of my money goes on food now. I rarely buy clothes but I'm using the ones I have, more.

Cut energy use, cut back on food, cut out all subscriptions ie prime, music, audible. No treats, no takeaways, no alcohol, switched from fresh coffee to instant. Feel like its a constant juggle to balance the books and failing (do have overdraft to fall back on). Thankfully it looks like I have a job starting next month in which case by September life will be good again. Going to have to borrow money to cover the first months costs for commuting though.

A slow cooker is worth it. They use about 150w per hour. 6 hours is enough for most recipes in a regular 3.5 litre model.

Make sure they are filled to one inch below the rim to maximize the food cooked for the electric used.

Also look on the comparison websites for:

Utilities
Car and home insurance

If you have sky TV review the packages you have. Drop the sport unless you are an avid football fan as it the most expensive package by far. Take a look at ITV X. It's free and has a large selection.

We've been pretty lucky as we both had a small payrise last year (nothing huge) and our mortgage hasn't gone up. But food and energy bills have, so we are being a lot more mindful about small purchases which so easily add up. Sometimes I'd go out on the weekend pick up something nice for the house, like a wooden cutting board, or nice picture frame, and now it's been well over a year since we bought anything like that. Similarly, I might have picked up some nice olives or block of cheese just for a treat and we're not doing that. So basically what a lot of others have said - the fun little bits of life.

Also, DH has really honed his cooking skills and can do almost any dish now, so we very rarely get takeaways. We are also pescaterian. We also bulk buy if something is on offer which we never used to do before. Pub trips are less but we also have a small child so they've been naturally cut down anyway.

We did let go of our cleaner, but I'm working slightly fewer hours so I can easily do the cleaning once a week, with DH doing what I can't finish on the weekend.

Stopped having coffees out and make a coffee to take with me instead, No evening meals due to extortionate cost of drinks and now it’s an occasional light lunch or breakfast . Trying to reduce unnecessary car journeys by waiting until I have a few trips in the same direction ie shop, library and banking on one day. Holidays all U.K. self catering. Boot sales and charity shops for toys for grandchild, clothes for me . It’s never ending but there are pleasures in dog walks and spending time with family that cost nothing.

I’ve made lots of smaller savings like most on here - Aldi for the big shop, buying shampoo and conditioner at the supermarket instead of expensive salon versions, get my hair cut at a cheaper local hairdressers, far fewer takeaways and meals out…

What I’ve learned is that the quality of my life hasn’t been affected at all by it. I just realise that I’ve been wasting a lot of money for a long time, and when we do eat out now I enjoy it as a special treat instead of taking it for granted. I also appreciate that I’m in a lot better position than many others, who are really suffering with the cost of living.

I've bought far less clothes than usual this year. Being something of a shopaholic I was always on the look out for the next thing I didn't really need, especially in the sales. I've cleared out a load of old stuff to give to the charity and still had plenty left to wear. Had fun rediscovering some old stuff I'd almost forgotten about. Shudder thinking how much I have spent on clothes I didn't need in the past just because I fancied it.

It hasn’t. However, I’m noticing that a lot of the changes people have made are things we already did anyway.

Fewer new clothes/shoes, going out less, fewer/simpler holidays, cheaper toiletries, cheaper hairdresser, no chance of upgrading my car. It's pretty miserable really. Count every £ between one pay day and the next.
Meanwhile an acquaintance threw a party for their daughter which cost thousands 🤷‍♀️

I've noticed some prices have gone up by typically have been lucky enough to always get above inflation pay rises and bonuses so haven't really felt an impact. Very specialised job and quite senior. This question is pointless without context.
You could have 5 people all on 50k and their points of view would all be different due to bills, different % LTV mortgages etc.

I cut my own hair. We go out for meals less often and never buy takeaways or go out for meals without friends. Eat out at independent restaurants where it costs £20 a head. We look for free or cheap days out. Planned a day out on Saturday with a pack up that will cost £7 per person plus petrol.
Cheap toiletries and wine is wine of the week from ALDI. I live in a city so there are still free or very cheap things to do. Only go to cinema on Monday when it is £7 a head and take our own snacks. Never done takeaway coffees and have a well used flask.
We survive on £2000 a month in total and manage okay. But our mortgage is paid off. We still go on holidays, but look for cheap last minute bargains.